How to Get into IIMs in 2026 | 10/12/UG/WorkEx Weightage, CAT 2025 Interview Call Cut Off

How to Get into IIMs in 2026 | 10/12/UG/WorkEx Weightage, CAT 2025 Interview Call Cut Off

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Malvika ChawlaUpdated on 07 Oct 2025, 09:43 AM IST

IIM Admission and Selection Process 2026 includes taking the CAT exam, which is also the primary exam for getting into IIMs. Based on your CAT 2025 scores, candidates will then be shortlisted for further rounds, such as the Written Ability Test (WAT) and the Personal Interview (PI). For MBA admission 2026-28, the final selection for IIM admission will be based on the candidate's overall profile - CAT exam score, academic score, work experience, category and WAT and PI score.

This Story also Contains

  1. IIM Admission 2026 Latest Updates
  2. IIM 2026 Admission: Eligibility Criteria
  3. IIM Admission Criteria 2026-28
  4. IIM 2026 Admission & Selection Criteria
  5. IIM CAT Cutoff 2025 (Expected): Previous Year Cutoff, Fees & NIRF Ranking
  6. How to Get Admission in IIM After 12th in 2026?
  7. What After Clearing IIM Selection Process & CAT Cutoff?
How to Get into IIMs in 2026 | 10/12/UG/WorkEx Weightage, CAT 2025 Interview Call Cut Off
How to Get into IIMs in 2026 | 10/12/UG/WorkEx Weightage, CAT 2025 Interview Call Cut Off

As for the latest developments, IIM Ahmedabad has raised its shortlisting criteria, setting higher sectional and overall cutoffs. The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on November 30, 2025 and will be the gateway to all flagship MBA programs. To find out more about the IIM 2026 admission process, eligibility criteria and cutoffs, keep reading this article.

IIM Admission 2026 Latest Updates

Here is a consolidated overview of the IIM MBA admission 2026, for candidates aspiring to get admission to the MBA program at IIMs for the 2026-28.

  • Introduction of Joint Admission Process (JAP 2026): IIM Kashipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Ranchi and IIM Trichy will now run a joint MBA admission process for 2026-28 AY.

  • IIM Ahmedabad 2026 Shortlisting Criteria Increased: IIM Ahmedabad's admission criteria have raised the minimum CAT overall and sectional percentiles sharply for 2026-28 admissions.

  • Rising Competition & Higher Benchmarks: Overall, the bar has been raised for many top IIMs, particularly IIM A.

  • CAT 2025 registrations (last date) have been extended to September 20, 2025.

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IIM 2026 Admission: Eligibility Criteria

MBA aspirants must note that getting admission into IIMs for the 2026-28 batch will primarily be done through the CAT 2025 score. Although the eligibility criteria are largely similar for all IIMs, there are some institutes with some variations. Take a look at the detailed breakdown of the IIM eligibility criteria 2026.

Educational Qualification

IIM 2026 admission interested candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent qualification), which must be recognised by the Ministry of Education, GOI. One must ensure that they have a minimum aggregate of 50% or equivalent CGPA for General, EWS and NC-OBC categories. While candidates from the reserved category (SC, ST and PwD category) have a relaxation of 5%, making it 45% or equivalent CGPA.

Students enrolled in the final year can also apply for IIM 2026 admission, provided they submit a certificate from their college/university confirming they are in their final year. They must also complete their graduation requirements by June 2026.

Entrance Exam Requirement

The CAT 2025 entrance exam is the primary requirement for MBA admission 2026-28 in IIMs. All candidates must achieve an overall CAT and sectional cutoff.

Age Limit

Interestingly, there is no age limit for appearing in the CAT exam or applying to IIMs. Both fresh graduates and working professionals are eligible to apply.

Category-Wise Relaxation

As mentioned above, candidates from the reserved category get a relaxation of 5% in the minimum graduation marks, which means (45% is required instead of 50%). All candidates will need to go through individual IIM eligibility criteria, as there might be some variations.

IIM Admission Criteria 2026-28

Check out the following IIM admission criteria of top IIMs - IIM A, IIM B, IIM C, IIM L, IIM K and IIM Indore. Make sure you keep an eye on this page to find the admission criteria for the rest of the IIMs.

IIM Ahmedabad Admission Criteria 2026

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Check out the IIM Ahmedabad admission criteria 2026-28 which we have provided in short and will help you with admission.

IIM Ahmedabad Admission Stages

Admission Criteria

Weight/Cutoffs

Minimum Qualifying Cuts (for Shortlisting to AWT/PI)

  • CAT 2025: Overall percentile + sectional minimum


  • Academic diversity (10th/12th/Graduation)


  • Work experience, Gender diversity

  • For General/EWS: 95 percentile overall & 85 percentile sectional


  • NC-OBC: 90 overall/80 sectional


  • SC: 85 overall/ 80 sectional

  • ST: 75 overall/65 sectional


  • Application Rating (AR) is computed based on 10th, 12th, graduation, work experience, gender diversity

Shortlisting (Stage 1)

Composite score (CS) combining CAT + AR for AWT/PI call

CS = 0.65 × Normalised CAT score + 0.35 × Normalised AR score

Shortlisting per category & academic discipline (AC / ACRC groups)

Subject to upper caps on number of candidates per group

Final Selection (Stage 2)

Final Composite Score (FCS) combining PI, AWT, CAT & AR

FCS = 0.50 × Normalised PI + 0.10 × Normalised AWT + 0.25 × Normalised CAT + 0.15 × AR

Offers made category-wise as per reservation norms

Eligibility Criteria

  • Graduate with minimum marks


  • Final year students allowed provisionally


  • Applicants to submit pending degree/marks before deadline


IIM Bangalore Admission Criteria 2026

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The following is the IIM Bangalore Admission Criteria 2026-28, written in short, which will help you with the admission process.

IIM Bangalore Admission Stages

Components & Weights

Cutoffs

Pre-PI Shortlisting

  • CAT 2025 percentile - 55% weight (with sectional weights: VARC: 19, DILR: 21, QA: 15)


  • Academic Score (10th, 12th, Graduation) - 30% weight (10% each)


  • Work exp - 10% weight


  • Gender diversity - 5% weight

To be eligible for shortlisting, candidates must cross the minimum CAT cutoffs (both overall and sectional)

Final Selection (post PI/WAT)

  • Personal Interview (PI) - 40% weight


  • WAT (Written Ability Test) - 10% Weight


  • CAT Score - 25% weight


  • Academic Score - 15% weight (5% each from 10th, 12th & Grad)


  • Work Exp - 10% weight

The highest weightage will be given to the PI round in the final composite score.

IIM Calcutta Admission Criteria 2026

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The following table mentions the expected IIM Calcutta admission criteria for 2026, which will soon be released by the institute.

IIM Calcutta Admission Stages

Components & Weights

Cutoffs

Shortlisting of candidates for PI based on CAT score

Composite score will be calculated based on


  • CAT score

  • Academic Rating (10th, 12th, Graduation)

  • Work Experience

  • Gender/Diversity factor

Academic discipline groups (Science, Commerce, Arts) will be considered separately.

Conduct of PI round

PI shortlisting parameters


  • CAT score - 58 points

  • Class 10 marks - 10 marks

  • Class 12 marks - 15 marks

  • Gender Diversity - 4 Points


Total - 85 Points

PI and WAT scores will have a significant influence

Calculation of Composite Score for final selection

Components

  • CAT Score - 30 points

  • Personal Interview (PI) - 48 Points

  • Written Ability Test (WAT) - 8 Points

  • Work Experience - 8 Points

  • Academic Diversity at Grad level for Non-engineering degree - 6 Points


Total - 100 points

Ensure you have balanced weightage

Other

GMAT score will be accepted for foreign/international applicants

Will need proof of degree/final marksheet will be required before program starts

IIM Lucknow Admission Criteria 2026

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Below mentioned is the IIM Lucknow Admission Criteria 2026-28 in short, which will help you.

IIM Lucknow Admission Stages

Components

Weightage

Details

Stage 1: Shortlisting

  • CAT 2025 score

  • Academic Performance

  • Diversity Factor

  • Work Experience


Total: 80%

  • 60%

  • 10%

  • 5%

  • 5%


  • Minimum percentile cutoffs:


General: 80-90

EWS/NC-OBC: 72-82

SC: 55-65

ST/PwD: 50-60


Based on

Stage 2: Final Selection

  • CAT 2025 Score

  • Academic Performance

  • Diversity factor

  • Work Experience

  • WAT (Written Ability Test)

  • PI (Personal Interview)


Total: 100%

  • 30%

  • 5%

  • 5%

  • 10%

  • 40%


IIM Kozhikode Admission Criteria 2026

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IIM Kozhikode Admission Stages

Components

Weightage

Details

Stage 1: Shortlisting

  • CAT 2025 score

  • Class 10 marks

  • Class 12 marks

  • Gender Diversity


Total: 75%

  • 35%

  • 15%

  • 20%

  • 5%


Minimum overall and sectional percentile required (eg. 85 percentile for General category)

Stage 2: Final Selection

  • CAT 2025 Score

  • Class 10, 12 marks

  • Gender Diversity

  • WAT (Written Ability Test)

  • PI (Personal Interview)


Total: 100%

  • 35%

  • 10%

  • 15%

  • 5%

  • 10%

  • 25%


IIM Indore Admission Criteria 2026

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IIM Indore Admission Stages 2026

Components

Weightage

Conditions

Stage 1: Shortlisting for PI/WAT

  • CAT 2025 Score

  • Academic Score (10th/12th/Graduation)

  • Work Experience

  • Diversity Factor (Gender/Academic Diversity)

  • 50%

  • 30%

  • 10%

  • 10%

Candidates must meet overall and sectional cutoffs

Stage 2: Final Selection

  • CAT 2025 score

  • Academic Score

  • Work Experience

  • Diversity Factor

  • WAT (Written Ability Test)

  • PI (Personal Interview)

  • 25%

  • 15%

  • 10%

  • 10%

  • 10%

  • 20%

Contribute to final composite score

IIM 2026 Admission & Selection Criteria

Every year, IIMs announce their admission and selection process, which helps candidates to know the shortlist, cut-off, selection criteria and several other parameters for shortlisting candidates. Take a look at the following IIM selection process for 2026, which includes all the stages for admission that the candidate will need to go through to get into an IIM.

Stage 1: CAT Exam (Nov 30, 2025): One of the most crucial exams for IIM 2026 admission. All candidates must meet both sectional and overall cutoffs to be eligible for the same. The exam assesses Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, and Logical Reasoning.

Stage 2: IIM Shortlist 2026 Based on Profile Evaluation: Once the candidate has cleared the first stage, they will then be evaluated based on their academic records (Class 10 & 12), graduation marks, extracurricular activities and work experience.

Stage 3: WAT-GD-PI Round: All shortlisted candidates will be called in to participate in the Written Ability Test (WAT) to assess their writing skills and clarity of thought, and a Personal Interview (PI) to evaluate personality and communication skills.

Stage 4: Final Selection: Will be based on one’s composite score, which includes the CAT score, academic performance, work experience and WAT/PI scores.

Question: What is the CAT composite score?

Answer: A CAT composite score is a comprehensive score which is calculated by each IIM to shortlist candidates for MBA admission.

IIM CAT Cutoff 2025 (Expected): Previous Year Cutoff, Fees & NIRF Ranking

Check out the following table, which lists the expected CAT 2025 cutoff, previous year cutoff, admission fees and NIRF 2025 ranking.

IIMs in India

IIM CAT 2025 Cutoff (Expected)

IIM CAT 2024 Cutoff

IIM Admission Fees (Approx.)

NIRF MBA 2025 Ranking

IIM Ahmedabad

99+

93.7

Rs. 25 Lakhs

1

IIM Bangalore

99+

91.97

Rs. 24.5 Lakhs

2

IIM Calcutta

99+

92.92

Rs. 25 Lakhs

7

IIM Lucknow

97-98

Rs. 21 Lakhs

5

IIM Kozhikode

97-98

98.14

Rs. 22.5 Lakhs

3

IIM Indore

96-97

92.92

Rs. 22 Lakhs

8

IIM Amritsar

90-92

Rs. 17 Lakhs

64

IIM Nagpur

94

25

IIM Sambalpur

90-92

Rs. 16 Lakhs

34

IIM Trichy

IIM Raipur

92-94

Rs. 16 Lakhs

15

IIM Ranchi

92-94

Rs. 16 Lakhs

18

IIM Vizag

90-91

82.03

29

IIM Udaipur

92-94

Rs. 21 Lakhs

21

IIM Bodh Gaya

90-91

Rs. 15 Lakhs

31

IIM Shillong

92-94

Rs. 17 Lakhs

38

IIM Sirmaur

89-90

Rs. 15 Lakhs

51

IIM Rohtak

94-95

96

Rs. 18 Lakhs

19

IIM Mumbai (formerly NITIE)

95

85

Rs. 14 Lakhs

6

How to Get Admission in IIM After 12th in 2026?

If you wish to get admission in IIM after completing your 12th, then we have got you. Read the following ways through which you will get admission.

How to Get Admission in IIM After 12th in 2026?

To get admission into an IIM right after completing your 12th in 2026, you will have to qualify for the IPMAT (Integrated Program in Management) entrance exam. Once you clear it, you will have to undergo a Written Ability Test (WAT) and a Personal Interview (PI).


All those candidates who clear these rounds will be successfully admitted to IIMs’ IPM programs, which is a five-year integrated program which leads to a management degree.

How to Get Admission in IIM After Graduation in 2026?

If you have completed your graduation and aspire to study MBA in an IIM, then you will need to take the Common Admission Test (CAT). Once the CAT results are released, IIMs will shortlist all candidates based on their CAT score, academic profile and several other factors.

All shortlisted candidates will then have to participate in further rounds such as the Written Ability Test (WAT) and a Personal Interview (PI). The final selection will be based on the composite score that considers the CAT score, academic performance, WAT performance and PI performance.

What After Clearing IIM Selection Process & CAT Cutoff?

Cracking the CAT cutoff and clearing the IIM selection process (WAT/GD/PI) is just the beginning. Once the candidate reaches the final merit list, there are a few important steps which they will need to take before they officially become an IIM student.

  1. Reviewing Admission Offers

  2. Accepting the Offer & Paying Admission Fee

  3. Withdrawal Policy

  4. Document Verification

  5. Pre-Joining Prep

  6. Commencement of the Academic Session

CAT 2025: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages
Comprehensive CAT prep guide with focused practice on Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Does a CAT require 12th marks?
A:

Not necessarily; your 12th marks are not directly required for the CAT exam. However, they are considered by IIMs and for other MBA programmes.

Q: How many attempts are there in CAT?
A:

There is no set limit to the number of attempts on the CAT (Common Admission Test) exam. Candidates can appear for the exam as many times as they wish, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.

Q: Can I get into IIM without CAT?
A:

Yes, it is possible but not with all IIMs. There are certain programs, such as Executive Post Graduate Programs (EPGP) at IIMs like Bangalore, that may not require CAT scores and may accept GMAT or GRE.

Q: What is the entrance exam for IIM 2026 admission?
A:

The main entrance exam for IIMs in 2026 is the CAT (Common Admission Test), which will be held on November 30, 2025. CAT 2025 registrations began on August 1, 2025 and have been extended till September 20, 2025. 

Q: How to get admission in IIM after 12?
A:

All candidates with a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. Applicants who come under reserved categories such as SC, ST, PwD should have a minimum of 45%

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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

The three key formulas that can solve almost all Profit & Loss problems are:

  1. Profit/Loss % = (Profit or Loss / Cost Price) × 100%, where CP is the cost price.

  2. Discount % = (Discount / Marked Price) × 100%, where MP is the marked price.

  3. Mark up % = (Mark up Value / Cost Price) × 100%, where CP is the cost price.


These formulas can be adapted for problems involving discounts, marked price, or successive gains/losses.

For detailed examples and variations, you can from the article

https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/profit-and-loss-for-cat-2025-only-3-formulas-needed-for-all-variations

With a 70 percent in CAT Examination, you can go for various B-Schools or private collages. The S. K. Patel Institute of Management in Gandhinagar is an option for those who score 70-80 percent in their CAT examination or The Gujarat Institute of Management (GIM) in Goa with a cutoff of 60-80 percentage. These are the collages you can look for in Gujarat or nearby.

Collage in other regions: BA Colleges Accepting 70-80 Percentile in CAT 2025

Thank You.

Hello dear candidate,

NO. your application for CAT will not rejected for wrong gender small mistake in the OBC NCL certificate. You will be considered as an OBC candidate.

you just need to get your OBC certificate corrected and need to inform the CAT helpdesk about this error.


Hello,

Here are some top MBA colleges in India with fees under Rs. 2 lakh and their exam/cutoff details:

  • SIMSREE, Mumbai – Fee around Rs. 1.3–1.4 lakh for 2 years. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, ATMA. Cutoff is very high, usually 99+ percentile in CAT/CMAT.

  • PUMBA (Dept. of Management Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University) – Fee around Rs. 1.2–1.3 lakh. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, ATMA. Cutoff approx. 75+ percentile in CAT, 90–95+ percentile in CMAT, high scores in MAH-CET.

  • TISS, Mumbai (MA HRM & other management-related programmes) – Fee around Rs. 1.7–1.9 lakh. Accepts CAT for some courses. Qualifying cutoff is around 60–70 percentile, but final selection cutoffs are higher.

These are the main government institutes where the full MBA/PG programme fee is within Rs. 2 lakh. Cutoffs vary slightly each year and by category, but SIMSREE and PUMBA generally need high scores, while TISS has its own process along with CAT shortlisting.

Hope it helps !

Hey! With a NEET score of 344 in the ST category, it is highly unlikely to get admission in any government BDS college in Delhi through the All India Quota. The cutoff for government BDS seats in Delhi usually falls around 400–450 for ST category, so your score is below that range.

You can consider private dental colleges, state quota seats in other states, or reattempt NEET next year to improve your chances.