JAP sectional cutoffs for General increased from 70 (prior years) to 75 in 2026, tightening the filter by 5 percentile, while OBC, SC, ST cutoffs also moved up slightly. The 2025 CAT paper was perceived as tougher, especially DILR and QA, making 75+ sectional harder to achieve for candidates scoring 90-95 overall. Multiple users in this thread had cleared all sectionals but missed one sectional by 0.
1-2 percentile, blocking JAP eligibility entirely. The decision to maintain 75 sectional for general despite a harder paper disadvantages candidates with a weak single section. For 2026 cycle, expect: JAP General sectional 75 (up from 70), JAP OBC sectional 60 (up from 50), JAP SC/ST sectional 45/25 (similar to last year).
Tier 1 IIMs (ABC, L, I, K) typically require 80-85 sectional for General. The tightening reflects IIMs' collective emphasis on balanced performance across sections. For CAT 2025 aspirants, the sectional strategy is: dedicate 4-6 hours daily to your weakest section, practice sectional tests under time pressure, ensure at least 15-20 marks safety margin in the target sectional cutoff.
Weakest section for most engineers is VARC; for non-engineers, it's QA. IIM Ranchi at Rs 14L fees, IIM Raipur at Rs 15L fees, IIM Amritsar at Rs 15L fees require this sectional balance. Don't assume CAT 25 or 26 will relax sectional cutoffs; the trend is tightening.
Check your eligibility at collvera.