If you're wondering how much your work experience actually matters in the CAT 2025 admission process the answer is: it depends on the IIM.

For instance, IIM Ahmedabad gives it just around 5% weightage, so freshers are absolutely in the race. IIM Bangalore gives about 10% weightage in the pre-interview stage, and IIM Calcutta assigns 8 marks during final selection. IIM Lucknow and IIM Kozhikode fall somewhere in the middle, giving around 5 to 10 marks depending on the profile. Meanwhile, other IIMs have a wider range, sometimes going up to 20 marks, but it's not consistent across the board.

So, yes work ex can help, but it’s not a make-or-break factor. Whether you're a fresher or a working professional, a strong CAT score and solid interview performance still matter the most.