IIM Admission Process 2026 – Check the Selection Criteria and Other Details

The IIM admission process is one of the important and competitive procedures for management aspirants in India. Understanding the IIM selection process is important for cracking top IIM calls. Every year, thousands of students take the Common Admission Test (CAT) to gain admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). These prestigious schools are considered to be the cream of the crop for management education in India. IIM admission process 2026 has multiple rounds of tests and interviews. To ensure that you are making an informed decision and to make sure that you stand out from the rest of the applicants, it is important to understand the selection criteria for IIMs in India. For IIM selection process, it is mandatory to have a valid CAT score.

This comprehensive guide will provide a detailed overview of the IIM selection process 2026, from the application process to the final selection criteria. It will also provide helpful tips and strategies to help you prepare for the various stages of the IIM admission process. With this guide, you will be well-equipped to make the best of your IIM application and make a strong impression on the IIM admissions committee. So, whether you are targeting the older and the more established IIMs or targeting the new ones, knowing the process inside out can help you to approach your MBA dream with confidence. So start your preparation early, with proper strategy and this guide will help you to the roadmap of your success.

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Overview of IIM Admission Process

The process of selecting students for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) is a long and grueling one. It is important to note that the IIM selection process is unique for each institute. The duration of IIM admission process also varies from one IIM to the next, with some schools having a selection process that lasts as little as two months, and others having a selection process that lasts up to six months.

The difference arises due to the different weightages we are given to each IIM with the components like academic background, work experience, diversity factors and others. Aspirants must stay updated with the individual IIM admission process and different timeline to plan their preparation accordingly. Understanding these terms can improve your chances in the highly competitive IIM selection process.

Stage	Description	Key Points
Stage 1: CAT Exam	Appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT). Candidates must clear the minimum CAT cutoff for each IIM.	– Written exam assessing Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, and Logical Reasoning. – Must meet IIM-specific CAT cutoffs.
Stage 2: Profile Evaluation	Evaluation of Past Academics, Extracurriculars, and Work Experience. Shortlisting for further rounds based on CAT score and profile.	– Review of Class 10 & 12 scores, graduation marks, work experience, and extracurricular activities. – Shortlisting based on profile strength and CAT scores.
Stage 3: WAT-PI Round	Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) round. Assessments include communication skills, critical thinking, and overall fit for the program.	– WAT assesses writing skills and clarity of thought. – PI evaluates personality, motivation, and communication skills.

IIM Eligibility Criteria 2026

Eligibility Criteria	Details
Educational Qualification	Candidates must have completed their undergraduate degree by the time of admission.
Accepted Undergraduate Degrees	– Bachelor of Arts (BA) – Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) – Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) – Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSS) – Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) – Bachelor of Computer Science (B.Tech/BE) – Bachelor of Engineering (B.Tech/BE) – Bachelor of Law (LLB) – Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) – Bachelor of Home Science (BHS)
Postgraduate Degrees	Some IIMs accept postgraduate degrees from select disciplines like:- Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics and other approved disciplines from recognized universities.
Academic Record	Candidates should possess a good academic record throughout their education. While requirements vary by IIM, generally a minimum of 80% in graduation is expected.
Additional Criteria	– Work experience: While not mandatory, it may enhance the profile .- Extracurricular activities and overall personality may also be considered during the selection process.

IIM Admission Criteria 2026

During the IIM selection process, there are various IIMs that consider different factors or stages like CAT exam, profile evaluation includes past academics as well as work experience. The table mentioned below the detailed information about the IIM Admission process components like class 10th score, 12th score, graduation score, WAT-PI performance, academic diversity, gender diversity and work experience.

Criteria	Description
Class 10th Score	The aggregate percentage scored in Class 10th or its equivalent.
Class 12th Score	The aggregate percentage scored in Class 12th or its equivalent.
Graduation Score	The aggregate percentage scored in a 3 or 4-year Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent.
WAT-PI Performance	The performance in the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) will be evaluated.
Academic Diversity	Points are awarded to candidates with diverse academic backgrounds. The points vary by different IIMs.
Gender Diversity	Female and Transgender candidates receive diversity points. The points vary by different IIMs.
Work Experience	Points are awarded based on the duration of work experience. The range of points is determined by IIMs.

1. IIM Ahmedabad Selection Process 2026

IIM Ahmedabad Admission Criteria consist of two stages. The first stage is the preliminary screening with weightage divided between past academic records and CAT exam scores (higher weightage to CAT). The second and final selection Criteria consist of a Personal Interview (PI) and Writing Test Ability (WAT).

The preliminary stage is based on the division of weightage between the CAT score and Academic background. CAT score builds up 70% weight and Academic Profile builds up the rest 30%.

To get shortlisted, a candidate must hold a minimum CAT sectional percentile score of 70 for all three sections (individually): Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VARC).
Along with sectional scores, a candidate must also score a minimum CAT overall percentile of 80. While the weightage of the CAT Score and Academic profile is in a ratio of 70:30, Candidates with decorated academic records are awarded higher points during the shortlisting round.

IIM Ahmedabad Selection Criteria

The table below provides the information about IIM Ahmedabad selection criteria–

Academic Level	Marks Scored	Allotted Weightage
Class 10th	90% and above	10 Points
Class 12th(science and commerce Stream)	90% and above	10 Points
Class 12th(Humanities Stream)	85% and above	10 Points
Bachelor’s Degree	Varies	10 Points

IIM A Final Admission Selection Round Criteria:

Shortlisted candidates are automatically eligible for the Final selection round conducted by IIM Ahmedabad.
During the final admission round, the Personal Interview (PI) is given 50% weightage, 10% weightage is given to Academic Writing Test (AWT) and 25% weightage is given to CAT Score and 15% given to Application Rating.

2. IIM Bangalore Selection Process 2026

The admission process at IIM Bangalore for the PGDM will be carried out in 3 stages.

• Preliminary Screening: Candidates who clear the CAT cut-off get screened based on a composite score (CS) which would be composed of an academic rating score (AR) (includes 10th marks, 12th marks, & work experience) & a normalized overall CAT score. Following is the weightage given to different stages for the IIM Bangalore admissions.

IIM Bangalore Selection Criteria

The table mentioned below covers the IIM Bangalore selection criteria–

Components	Post-PI Weightage
Personal Interview	40
Written Ability Test	10
CAT 2025	25 Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension – 8.75 Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning – 10 Quantitative Ability – 6.25
10th Scores	5
12th Scores	5
Bachelor’s Degree Score	5
Work Experience / Professional Course	10

• Shortlisting for Analytical Writing Test (AWT) & Personal Interview (PI): The best candidates with exemplary academic records and CAT scores from varied academic backgrounds get shortlisted for the PI round, based on their composite scores.
• IIMB Final Selection: At this stage, candidates separately get shortlisted across each category (General/ SC/ ST/ NC-OBC/ PwD) based on their Final Composite Scores (FCS).

3. IIM Calcutta Selection Process 2026

The admission process at IIM Calcutta for PGP will be carried out in 3 stages.

Stage I: Minimum CAT percentile cut-offs to be considered for PI

Candidates meeting the minimum requirements on section-wise and overall percentiles in CAT 2025 will be shortlisted for Stage II.

Stage II: Shortlisting for PI And WAT

IIM Calcutta Selection Criteria

Various Parameters	Weightage	Method of Calculation
CAT 2025 Score	56	(A / B) × 56
Class 10 marks	10	as per the table given below
Class 12 marks	15	as per the table given below
Gender Diversity Factor	4	4 points will be awarded for female and transgender candidates only
Total	85

Category ID	Academic Categories	Points or Scores
1	Bachelor’s degree in engineering stream OR Master’s degree in engineering stream OR Integrated Master’s degree in engineering stream	0
2	Bachelor’s degree in non-engineering stream	4
3	Dual bachelor’s degree in Law (e.g. BA LLB, BSc. LLB, B.Com LLB, BBA LLB)	5
4	Bachelor’s degree in engineering stream and Master’s in non-engineering stream	2
5	Bachelor’s degree in non-engineering stream and Master’s in non-engineering stream	5
6	Dual/Integrated degree where Bachelor’s is non-engineering and Master’s is in non-engineering stream	5
7	Dual/Integrated degree where Bachelor’s is engineering stream and Master’s is non-engineering stream	1
8	CA / ICWA / CS or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) without having a bachelor’s degree	5
9	CA / ICWA / CS or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) with a bachelor’s degree	6
10	CA / ICWA / CS or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) with or without a bachelor’s degree, and with Master’s in non-engineering stream	6
11	Integrated bachelor’s degree in Law and Master’s in non-engineering stream	6

Note: A = Candidate’s CAT 2025 Total Overall Scaled Score & B = Maximum possible CAT 2025 Total Overall Scaled Score

Stage III: Criteria for Final Selection for the MBA Programme

IIM Calcutta Final Selection Criteria 2026

4. IIM Lucknow Selection Process 2026

IIML Admission Criteria is conducted in 2 Stages. Stage 1, further has 3 stages.

Stage 1a: IIM Lucknow Eligibility Criteria for WAT-PI

Category	VARC	DILR	QA	Total
General	85	85	85	90
EWS	77	77	77	82
NC-OBC	77	77	77	82
SC	55	55	55	65
ST	50	50	50	60
PwD	50	50	50	60

Stage 1b: Calculation of the Composite Score for Shortlisting for the WAT-PI stage. Only Candidates Eligible as per stage 1a, stand a chance of getting shortlisting WAT And PI.

IIM Lucknow Selection Criteria

Various Parameters	Weightage
Scaled CAT Score	60
Class 12th Marks	10
Graduation Marks	10
Work Experience	10
Diversity Factor (DFa): Academic Discipline	5
Diversity factor (DFb): Gender	5
Composite Score	100

Stage 1c: Scheduling for WAT-PI. Eligible Candidates shall be required to fill in and submit the WAT-PI form online by the stipulated deadline. The candidates, who fail to submit their WAT-PI form online by the prescribed time limit, shall not be allowed for the WAT-PI process

Stage 2: Final Shortlisting for MBA, MBA-SM, and MBA-ABM.

Components	MBA & MBA-SM (Weightage)	MBA-ABM (Weightage)
Common Admission Test (CAT)	30	35
Academic Performance (12thMarks + Grad-Marks)	5 + 5	5 + 5
Diversity Factor	5	5
Work Experience	5	NA
Writing Ability Test	10	10
Personal Interview	40	40

5. IIM Indore Selection Process 2026

IIM Indore Selection Process is conducted in 3 stages.

Stage 1: Minimum eligibility criteria based on CAT 2025 scores.
All applicants who apply for the two-year PGP of IIM Indore must satisfy the eligibility criteria mentioned in the CAT 2025 advertisement and also the minimum sectional percentile and overall percentile scores in CAT 2025 (as mentioned in Table 1). Only those applicants meeting the specified criteria will be considered for Stage 2 of the selection process.

Category	Quantitative Ability (QA)	Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)	Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	Overall
General	80	80	80	90
EWS	80	80	80	90
NC-OBC	70	70	70	80
SC	55	55	55	60
ST	40	40	40	45
PwD	40	40	40	45

Stage 2: Shortlist for Personal Interview (PI)

Only those candidates satisfying the requirements mentioned in Stage 1 will be considered for this stage of shortlisting for Personal Interview (PI).

Components	Score
10th Standard / SSC Score	10 × [ (Zcandidate − Zmin) / (Zmax − Zmin) ]
12th Standard / HSC Score	25 × [ (Zcandidate − Zmin) / (Zmax − Zmin) ]
CAT 2025 Sectional Scores	VARC: 16 × [ Candidate’s Score in VARC / Highest Score in VARC ] DILR: 16 × [ Candidate’s Score in DILR / Highest Score in DILR ] QA: 23 × [ Candidate’s Score in QA / Highest Score in QA ]
Diversity Factor (DF)	7
Work Experience (WE)	0–3
Composite Score	Sum of the above scores

Stage 3: Final Selection

Components	Score
10th Standard / SSC Score	5 × [ (Zcandidate − Zmin) / (Zmax − Zmin) ]
12th Standard / HSC Score	5 × [ (Zcandidate − Zmin) / (Zmax − Zmin) ]
CAT 2025 Sectional Scores	VARC: 20 × [ Candidate’s Score in VARC / Highest Score in VARC ] DILR: 10 × [ Candidate’s Score in DILR / Highest Score in DILR ] QA: 10 × [ Candidate’s Score in QA / Highest Score in QA ]
PI Score	45 × [ (Zcandidate − Zmin) / (Zmax − Zmin) ]
Diversity Factor (DF)	5
Final Composite Score	Sum of the above scores

6. IIM Kozhikode Selection Process 2026

Stage 1: The Minimum Eligibility Criteria Based on CAT 2025 Scores

Candidate’s Category	CAT Score (Percentile)	Sectional Percentile	Class X Percentage	Class XII Percentage
GEN	85	75	60	60
OBC-NCL / EWS	75	65	60	60
SC	65	55	55	55
ST / PwD	55	45	55	55

Note: Candidates who fulfill the basic eligibility criteria mentioned above will only able to register for IIM Kozhikode’s PGP program. The candidates will get the email with instructions for online registration and those students who have successfully completed the registration will only able to proceed for the next stage (stage 2).

Stage 2: Shortlisting for Writing Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI)

Various Components	Weightage(%)
CAT 2025 Score	50%
Weightage Given to Class X Percentage	15%
Weightage Given to Class XII Percentage	20%
Gender and Academic Diversity Scores	10% and 5%
Work Experience	5%

Important Points to Check:

1. Candidates who have not received marks for Class X/SSC due to COVID-19 pandemic, the weightage 15% shall be split between the CAT 2025 exam scores and Class XII percentage scores.
2. Candidates who have not received marks for Class XII/HSC due to COVID-19 pandemic, the weightage 15% shall be split between the CAT 2025 exam scores and Class X percentage scores.

Stage 3: Final Shortlist

Parameters like CAT 2025 Index Score, PI Score, WAT Score and Resume Score are considered in the final selection criteria of IIM Kozhikode. The weightage respective to the components are mentioned in the table below.

Components	Weightage
CAT 2025 Index Score	35%
PI Score	35%
WAT Score	20%
Resume Score	10%

7. IIM Mumbai Selection Process 2026

Stage 1: Minimum eligibility criteria based on CAT 2025 scores.

Category	VARC (Section I)	DILR (Section II)	QA (Section III)	Overall Percentile
OPEN	≥ 80	≥ 80	≥ 75	≥ 85
NC-OBC	≥ 70	≥ 65	≥ 65	≥ 75
EWS	≥ 70	≥ 65	≥ 65	≥ 75
SC	≥ 65	≥ 60	≥ 60	≥ 70
ST	≥ 55	≥ 55	≥ 55	≥ 65
PwD	≥ 45	≥ 45	≥ 45	≥ 55

Stage 2: Shortlisting for Personal Interview (PI)
From the candidates satisfying the criteria of Stage 1, shortlisted candidates will be called for Personal Interview (PI) based on their CAT 2025 scores along with sectional cut-offs considering their reservation category and gender diversity.

IIM Mumbai Admission Criteria – Based on Class 10th Scores

Percent Score in 10th Std. Exam	Rating Score
≤ 55	1
> 55 and ≤ 60	2
> 60 and ≤ 70	3
> 70 and ≤ 80	5
> 80 and ≤ 90	8
> 90	10

IIM Mumbai Admission Criteria – Based on Class 12th Scores

Science Stream	Rating Score	Commerce Stream	Rating Score	Arts/Humanities Stream	Rating Score
≤ 55	1	≤ 50	1	≤ 45	1
> 55 and ≤ 60	2	> 50 and ≤ 55	2	> 45 and ≤ 50	2
> 60 and ≤ 70	3	> 55 and ≤ 65	3	> 50 and ≤ 60	3
> 70 and ≤ 80	5	> 65 and ≤ 75	5	> 60 and ≤ 70	5
> 80 and ≤ 90	8	> 75 and ≤ 90	8	> 70 and ≤ 85	8
> 90	10	> 90	10	> 85	10

IIM Mumbai Selection Criteria – Rating Scores for Bachelor’s Degree

AC Category	Qualification	Percent Score Range	Rating Score (C)
AC-1	Bachelor’s Degree	≤ 55	1
AC-1	Bachelor’s Degree	> 55 and ≤ 60	2
AC-1	Bachelor’s Degree	> 60 and ≤ 62	3
AC-1	Bachelor’s Degree	> 62 and ≤ 65	5
AC-1	Bachelor’s Degree	> 65 and ≤ 70	8
AC-1	Bachelor’s Degree	> 70	10
AC-2	Professional Courses	≤ 50	1
AC-2	Professional Courses	> 50 and ≤ 53	2
AC-2	Professional Courses	> 53 and ≤ 55	3
AC-2	Professional Courses	> 55 and ≤ 57	5
AC-2	Professional Courses	> 57 and ≤ 63	8
AC-2	Professional Courses	> 63	10
AC-3	Bachelor’s Degree	≤ 55	1
AC-3	Bachelor’s Degree	> 55 and ≤ 60	2
AC-3	Bachelor’s Degree	> 60 and ≤ 65	3
AC-3	Bachelor’s Degree	> 65 and ≤ 70	5
AC-3	Bachelor’s Degree	> 70 and ≤ 80	8
AC-3	Bachelor’s Degree	> 80	10
AC-4 & AC-6	Bachelor’s Degree	≤ 60	1
AC-4 & AC-6	Bachelor’s Degree	> 60 and ≤ 65	2
AC-4 & AC-6	Bachelor’s Degree	> 65 and ≤ 70	3
AC-4 & AC-6	Bachelor’s Degree	> 70 and ≤ 75	5
AC-4 & AC-6	Bachelor’s Degree	> 75 and ≤ 85	8
AC-4 & AC-6	Bachelor’s Degree	> 85	10
AC-5	Bachelor’s Degree	≤ 50	1
AC-5	Bachelor’s Degree	> 50 and ≤ 55	2
AC-5	Bachelor’s Degree	> 55 and ≤ 60	3
AC-5	Bachelor’s Degree	> 60 and ≤ 65	5
AC-5	Bachelor’s Degree	> 65 and ≤ 75	8
AC-5	Bachelor’s Degree	> 75	10

IIM Mumbai Admission Criteria – Scores for Work Experience

Work Experience in Months (as filled in IIM Mumbai Application Form)	Rating Score (D)
< 12 months	0
≥ 12 and ≤ 36 months	MF × (Number of months of work experience − 11)
> 36 months	5

Work-experience Multiplication Factor (MF) = 0.20
Academic Performance & Work Experience Score: AR= [0.70(A+B+C)+ 0.20D]

Stage 3: Criteria for Final Selection to the MBA Programme

Parameters	Weightage
CAT 2025 Score	60
Personal Interview (PI)	20
Academic Performance & Work Experience Score	20
Total	100

IIM Admission Process 2026 (Step-by-Step Guide)

In this section we are looking for the IIM admission process step by step in a detailed manner to understand each steps properly and as a CAT aspirant, it is important to understand this.

Stages	Description
1. CAT Exam	The first step is appearing for the Common Admission Test (CAT), conducted in November.
2. Shortlisting	Based on CAT percentile, academic records, and category, candidates are shortlisted by each IIM individually.
3. Written Ability Test (WAT)	Many IIMs conduct a WAT round to assess writing skills and clarity of thought.
4. Personal Interview (PI)	The PI evaluates the candidate’s communication, personality, and domain knowledge.
5. Composite Score Calculation	Final selection is based on a weighted average of CAT score, WAT, PI, academics, work experience, and diversity factors.
6. Final Offer	Selected candidates receive final admission offers from respective IIMs.

CAT Exam Preparation Tips

If the selection process for IIMs is a long and complicated one, then the CAT exam is a long and complicated exam.

There are many different ways to approach the CAT exam, but the most important thing is to find a strategy that works for you. It is important to note that the best way to prepare for the CAT exam is to create a study plan.

Your study plan should include a study schedule, a list of the materials that you will use to prepare for the exam, and a list of the resources that you will use to track your progress.

Your study plan should also include a “survival strategy” for the days leading up to the exam. It is important to remain as stress-free as possible during the exam preparation period, so it is important to create a “bubble” around yourself during that time.

A few useful tips to consider while preparing for the CAT exam include:

• Create a Study Schedule
• Create a Weekly Study Plan
• Identify Your Weak Areas and Address Them
• Create a Mock Exam Environment
• Manage Your Time and Anxiety
• Recover Well After the Exam
• Practice, Practice, Practice!
• Sleep Well and Eat Well
• Track Your Progress

Join the Largest CAT Preparation Community in India

IIM Admission 2026 – WAT/PI Preparation Tips

As mentioned above, the Personal Interview (PI) or Written Ability Test (WAT) is a common feature of the IIM selection process.

The PI provides the admission committee with an opportunity to assess not only an applicant’s logical and verbal reasoning abilities but also their communication skills and personality.

The best way to prepare for the PI is to practice interview skills. The easiest way to do this is by attending mock interviews. Mock interviews are an excellent way to prepare for an interview.

It is important to keep in mind that mock interviews can be useful only if they are conducted by trained individuals. It is important to choose a mock interview that is tailored to the admission process of your desired B-school.

It is also important to remember that the best way to prepare for an interview is to be yourself. The most effective way to prepare for the PI is to prepare for the “real thing”. The best way to do this is to conduct “mock” interviews. The most effective way to prepare for the interview is to conduct mock interviews in a “real-world” environment.

Application Tips for IIM Admission

The IIM selection process can be long and complicated. It is important to ensure that you are prepared for the application process for all IIMs that you are applying to.

Conclusion: IIM Admission Process

The IIM admission process is designed to select the most deserving candidates through a proper evaluation of their past academic background, work experience as well as the performance in WAT (Written Ability Test) as well as PI (Personal Interview). The process completely varies according to the different Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) as the core focuses on identifying the individuals with strong leadership, analytical as well as communication skills. CAT aspirants should prepare for the whole process strategically and especially for each stage as well as maintain a consistent professional as well as academic record to maximize their chances of securing admission to India’s most premiere business schools that provide the best management education in India.

Covering your basics for CAT 2026 is not optional. Clear fundamentals will make your practice productive. All you need is consistency, structure, and patience. Make sure your concepts are strong before chasing scores. A strong foundation will help you handle complex questions. It helps you stay calm under pressure. That’s why the iQuanta CAT 2026 course is crucial. It focuses on foundational learning. It offers interactive live classes, customized modules, 24X7 doubt support, exam-level mocks, performance analysis, and more. So, why wait any longer? Join iQuanta classes today and build the basics from scratch.

IIM Admission Process – FAQs