Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
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Best IIM in India: Getting admission to the MBA/PGDM programmes in one of the best IIMs in India is the dream of every MBA aspirant. The highest domestic and international salary packages offered during the placements and the quality of education are the factors that make the candidates aim for the best IIM college in India. As per the NIRF MBA ranking, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Kozhikode are the top 3 IIMs in India. They are also among the best IIMs in India based on the courses offered and best MBA ROI in India. Read this article to know why IIM Ahmedabad is considered the top IIM in India or Why IIM B and IIM Kozhikode are the best IIMs in India.
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MBA aspirants can go through the below highlights and understand why IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Kozhikode are said to be the best 3 IIMs in India for MBA.

The image shows the top 3 IIMs in India as per NIRF ranking report

Candidates who wish to study at IIM must fulfil the eligibility criteria as per the IIM admission procedure. The IIM MBA course fees range from Rs. 10 lakhs to Rs. 25 lakhs. The Best MBA courses offered by the top IIMs in India are mentioned below.
Particulars | IIM Ahmedabad | IIM Bangalore | IIM Kozhikode |
Courses | MBA, PGD, Executive MBA | MBA, PGP | PGP, MBA |
Fees | Rs 25 lakh | Rs 24.5 lakh | Rs 22.50 lakh |
CAT cutoff | 99.68 | 99.89 | 97 to 98 |
To apply for the best IIM courses, the candidates must meet the following MBA eligibility criteria.
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Candidates can apply for the IIM MBA courses by visiting the respective official websites. MBA aspirants can fill out the IIM MBA application form and pay the registration fees to complete the registration. IIM MBA admission is a 2-step selection process, the first one is the release of the IIM shortlist based on the CAT/GMAT/GRE/GATE scores and the second step is the shortlisted candidates must attend the written test and IIM PI round.
The final IIM MBA shortlist is released based on the performance of the candidates in the MBA entrance test, WAT-PI rounds, and previous academic performance.
IIMs conduct final and summer placements every year. The graduates passed out from top IIM institutes in India, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM K ensured to get the highest MBA salary packages in India. The latest placement statistical reports of all 3 best IIMs in India are listed here.
Best IIMs In India | IIM Ahmedabad | IIM Bangalore | IIM Kozhikode |
Median Salary | Rs 31 LPA | Rs 33 LPA | Rs 27 LPA |
New recruiters from various sectors are part of the placement season at best IIMs in India. The list of some of the top recruiters from inside and outside India who attended the IIM A, B and K placements are mentioned in the table below.
McKinsey & Company | HSBC | Oliver Wyman | Praxis Global Alliance |
ARGA Investment | Goldman Sachs | Aditya Birla Group | Adani Group |
Microsoft | Elevation Capital | Diageo | Cisco |
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The top IIM institutes in India as per the NIRF ranking are mentioned in the table below.
Here we have listed the names of the top 20 MBA colleges in India NIRF ranking
NIRF ranking MBA colleges | NIRF Ranking for MBA | NIRF Score |
1 | 83.32 | |
2 | 81.16 | |
3 | 77.90 | |
5 | 75.07 | |
| IIM Mumbai | 6 | 74.73 |
7 | 74.43 | |
8 | 73.53 |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The IIM Ahmedabad is considered to be the best IIM among the 21 IIMs in India.
The top 5 IIMs in India are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Calcutta and IIM Mumbai. The top 5 IIMs in India are chosen based on their NIRF ranking, quality of education and highest salary packages offered during placements.
As per the latest report, IIM Bangalore has the highest median salary package of Rs 33 lakhs p.a.
As per previous year NIRF ranking report, the top 6 IIMs in India are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Calcutta, IIM Mumbai and IIM Lucknow,
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
With a projected CAT percentile of 87% but not clearing sectional cutoffs, your chances at top IIMs are limited because they require both overall percentile and sectional minimums. However, you still have a good shot at other reputed management institutes and non-IIM B-schools. Consider colleges like NMIMS, SPJIMR, IMT, TAPMI, Great Lakes, and other well-ranked private or state-level B-schools that accept CAT scores and weigh your profile holistically. Your academic record, BSc in Animation with 80%, and 5 years of work experience at Ubisoft India are strong points and may help in institutes that value work experience in their selection process. Also, explore institutes that accept XAT, MAT, or CMAT, where your profile can be competitive.
Hope this helps you.
Good Morning,
NIT Rourkela CAT cutoff range is between 70-85 percentiles for the general category. 70 is the minimum percentile needed to apply, and 85 is the highest percentile. However, the maximum percentile depends on the particular year competition. It can be changed.
Thank You.
If you filled the UGC NET form under EWS but you don’t have a valid EWS certificate, then forget using the EWS category. They won’t accept it. You’ll automatically be treated as General category during document verification.
And no, this won’t make your form “invalid” or “illegal.” It just means you won’t get the EWS benefit.
So yes — you can still go for General category posts and Professor recruitment. Just don’t try to submit a fake/invalid certificate; that will get you disqualified.
Hello,
If your CAT admit card shows your surname first followed by your first name as entered in the form, it is correct. You do not need to worry about this format as long as it matches the details you provided. Ensure all other information on the admit card is accurate and carry it to the exam along with the required identification documents.
Hope this helps you.
Hello,
If your CAT admit card has a different date of birth than your Aadhaar card, you should get it corrected immediately . Here’s what you can do:
Check the CAT website : Log in to your candidate portal and look for the option to correct personal details.
Contact the CAT helpdesk : Email or call them explaining the issue. Attach a copy of your Aadhaar card as proof.
Do not ignore it : The date of birth must match your ID, otherwise you may face problems at the exam or during admission.
Usually, the CAT authorities allow corrections before the exam, so act quickly.
Hope it helps !
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