NEW DELHI – The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 results, announced by the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), reveal a significant shift in topper demographics. Nine non-engineering candidates secured a perfect 100 percentile , outperforming three engineering students. A total of 12 candidates achieved the highest possible score this year, marking a notable change from previous trends.
IIMK released the CAT 2025 results for 2.58 lakh applicants who appeared for the examination. The test was conducted on November 30 across three distinct slots. This year’s outcome highlights a substantial reversal from past years, when candidates from engineering backgrounds typically dominated the top percentiles in the highly competitive MBA entrance exam.
CAT 2025 Topper Demographics
The highest percentile brackets clearly indicate a stronger presence of non-engineering candidates across the board, signaling a potential diversification among top performers:
- 100 Percentile: Twelve candidates achieved this elite score. Nine were from non-engineering fields. Three were engineering students. Ten male candidates secured 100 percentile, alongside two female candidates.
- 99.99 Percentile: Twenty-six candidates reached this near-perfect score. Non-engineers led again with 14 candidates. Twelve candidates came from engineering backgrounds. This group included four female and 22 male candidates.
- 99.98 Percentile: Twenty-six candidates also secured this percentile. The trend continued with 18 non-engineering students. Eight engineering students made up the remainder. Five female candidates and 21 male candidates were in this bracket.
State-wise Distribution of 100 Percentile Toppers
The 12 candidates who scored 100 percentile hail from several states across India. Delhi emerged with the highest number of top scorers for CAT 2025:
| State | 100 Percentile Toppers |
|---|---|
| Delhi | 3 |
| Haryana | 2 |
| Gujarat | 2 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 1 |
| Karnataka | 1 |
| Maharashtra | 1 |
| Jharkhand | 1 |
| Odisha | 1 |
Key Trends: Comparison with CAT 2024
This year’s CAT results represent a clear and significant departure from the previous examination. In CAT 2024 , 14 candidates achieved a 100 percentile score. A stark contrast exists: 13 of those toppers were engineering students, with only one from a non-engineering background. This highlights the dramatic shift observed in CAT 2025.
The gender distribution also showed a more pronounced imbalance last year. Thirteen male candidates secured the top score, while only one female candidate did so. State-wise, Maharashtra produced the highest number of 100 percentile toppers in CAT 2024, followed by Telangana. This year, Delhi leads the state-wise distribution for the top score. The shift towards non-engineering dominance, both in numbers and relative proportion, marks a pivotal moment in CAT examination history.
Exam Structure and Difficulty
The CAT 2025 examination was structured into three main sections: Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR). Consistent with feedback from previous years, the Quantitative Aptitude section was generally rated as the most challenging by applicants. The VARC and DILR sections were considered comparatively less difficult by test-takers.
IIM Kozhikode Director Commends Smooth Conduct
Debashis Chatterjee, the Director of IIM Kozhikode, provided an official statement regarding the conduct of the examination. “This year’s CAT examination was among the smoothest conducted in recent years,” Chatterjee stated. He further added that IIM Kozhikode felt privileged to have served as the coordinating institute for CAT 2025 on behalf of all 22 Indian Institutes of Management.