Understanding the Profile-Based Shortlisting Process at Altera Institute

Altera Institute uses a profile-based shortlisting process to evaluate its candidates, and the shortlisting criteria for the interview round are based on the overall strength of your profile rather than a single cutoff percentile. Similar to B-schools such as SPJIMR, ISB, and BITSOM, Altera Institute also assesses candidates across multiple dimensions like academic consistency, quality of professional experience or internships, leadership exposure, extracurricular achievements, and how clearly they articulate their career vision within the SOP section of the application.

This makes the shortlisting process at Altera Institute appear less linear when compared to a solely percentile-based selection. This is what a profile-based selection process is, where a 95%iler may not get shortlisted if their profile or SOP responses are weak, while someone with a 90% can still move forward if they show strong impact and have an overall convincing profile aligned with the program.

Since there may be many applicants with similar academic and work backgrounds, the SOP-style questions in the application form serve as an important differentiator. These answers are not only a measure of your success so far but also help understand your rationality, goal focus, and why you are planning to pursue the PGP at Altera Institute.

This article explains the eligibility standards and the two-step evaluation process used by Altera Institute, guiding applicants to present their profiles coherently and purposefully as the institute expects.

What Does Altera Institute Look for in Applicants?

Each year, Altera Institute goes through thousands of applications and selects candidates based on their overall profile strength rather than competitive test scores alone. Hence, entrance exam scores serve as one of the parameters of evaluation and not the sole determinant for admission.

The institute wants students who can portray intent, ability, and potential beyond exam scores. Applicants are expected to express clear career objectives, give measurable examples of their strengths, and demonstrate their potential and suitability to break into Digital and AI-first careers.

The Two-Phase Selection Framework

The admissions process at Altera Institute is conducted in two main phases, each contributing approximately 50% to the overall evaluation. 

Phase 1: Pre-Application Profile (50% weight)

Phase 1 includes two stages. The initial stage evaluates the following aspects of your profile: 

1.    Education

Altera Institute will audit your academic performance and history in order to determine your suitability for the program. A minimum of 50% aggregate in UG is required; although students are generally expected to maintain at least 80% or above in their X, XII, as well as UG, to be scored well in this parameter. Overall, a greater emphasis will be placed on consistent academic performance and depth in chosen subjects. For example, engineering students with strong data interpretation skills or commerce students excelling in accounting are viewed favorably.

2. Competitive Exam Scores 

Altera Institute considers valid scores from CAT, XAT, NMAT, and GMAT exams. In last year's admission cycle, the median score was around the 90th percentile for CAT and XAT and equivalent scores for NMAT (225 and above). However, these are not strict cutoffs, as the final decisions are based on the overall profile of the student.

Given the increase in application submissions this year, following the strong placement outcomes delivered by the institute in the previous year, the shortlisting process is expected to be more competitive, and this median score may go up for the Class of ‘27.

Therefore, as a broad benchmark, applicants securing scores around the 90th percentile in CAT are strongly encouraged to apply. Those slightly below and around this range may also be considered if they have a strong academic or work profile and a compelling career narrative. 

3. ALNAT (Optional) 

Candidates who feel confident about their profiles but haven’t appeared for any standard management entrance exam have the option to take the Altera National Aptitude Test (ALNAT). It is a two-hour online assessment designed by the institute to assess suitability for the PGP course. Furthermore, applicants with a compelling profile who fall slightly short of the competitive exam benchmarks may also be invited to appear for the ALNAT.

4. Work experience and internships 

At Altera Institute, the quality of an applicant's work experience is prioritized over the duration of their job. The Institute seeks measurable evidence of depth, impact, demonstrated leadership, and domain expertise from candidates in their jobs.

On the other hand, for recent graduates, their internships, leadership roles, club participation, and competitive achievements will be considered. Note that Internships and extracurricular activities should be listed in the CV or Statement of Purpose (SOP), separate from the work experience section. 

The second stage of Phase 1 focuses on your application form, especially your written responses in the SOP section: 

5. Application Form & SOP Responses 

The Altera Institute application form includes SOP-type essay questions that act as an important aspect in the shortlisting process. Beyond academics and test scores, these responses help the admissions team assess your career clarity, motivation, self-awareness, and suitability for an application-based, high-intensity, Digital-first program. The SOP often serves as the strongest differentiator among applicants with similar profiles.

The Institute’s SOP questions are career-oriented and aim to assess a candidate's intent and capability. Examples include: 

Q1: What is your career ambition? 

This is a multiple-choice question in which applicants select up to 3 motivations from Digital Brand Strategy, Brand Management, Entrepreneurship, Consulting, Analytics, Leadership, and other similar options. The aim is to choose goals that align with your experience and demonstrate a clear career direction.

Q2: What is the superpower that sets you apart? 

The point of this question is not to list broad, generic strengths but to focus on one or two specific abilities that have made a tangible difference in your academic/professional journey, for example, leading teams through crisis, multitasking in high-pressure situations, stakeholder management, first-principle thinking, and other such virtues. This question is best answered using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result), where you explain the situation across these 4 buckets and thus back your claims with clear evidence and outcomes.

Q3: Where do you see yourself in five years? 

This question enables you to showcase your vision and planning for the future. Your goals can be anything from role-based (Brand Manager/Product Manager), sector-based (eCommerce, consumer tech, BFSI), to entrepreneurial (build a venture later). Whatever your goal, it should be anchored in genuine experiences or insights and backed by a clear rationale. Finally, connect your aspirations with how Altera Institute’s curriculum, live projects, and placement ecosystem will enable you to reach that target.   

Note that your SOP is not a test of English proficiency. It is your chance to showcase self-awareness, critical thinking, and readiness for an intensive, outcome-driven program. Support every claim you make with specific and real examples that provide context for your achievements and goals. 

Phase 2: Post-Application Profile (50% weight)

After shortlisting, candidates move to a structured evaluation phase that comprises three rounds:

1. Case Study Round 

The Case Study Round is a 30–40-minute discussion-based evaluation process. Candidates are first given around 10 minutes to analyze and go through a short case, after which they collaborate with the interviewer to define objectives and present their solutions. This exercise is designed to mirror a real-world problem-solving dialogue between the student and the interviewer, where you can expect questions about your assumptions, prioritization, trade-offs, and overall approach to interpreting the case data.

It is important to note that this round is not a viva that assesses your knowledge about the industry. Instead, it evaluates your reasoning capability using fundamentals in uncertain conditions. Overall, it also evaluates your: 

• Capability to express your perspective in a systematic and contextual way (breaking down the problem, posing the appropriate question, and using the available data for decision-making based on logical inferences).
• Skill to perform rational decision-making (hypothesis → analysis → trade-offs → suggestion).

2. Personal interview

This round is an in-depth interview with Directors or senior leaders, focusing on your experiences, interests, challenges, ambitions, and alignment with Altera Institute’s Digital and AI-first culture. 

3. Program Director interaction 

The final stage involves an interaction with Senior Directors of the Institute to validate personal fitment and gauge potential for success in the program. 

Placement Snapshot for the Class of ‘25

The class of ‘25 had a 100% placement rate. The median package stood at ₹18.14 LPA, with the average at ₹16.85 LPA and the highest offer reaching ₹26.08 LPA. Notably, 70% of students received offers above ₹15 LPA, and they are not entry-level jobs but high-growth positions that are usually reserved for experienced professionals. 

Role distribution from placements: 

• 35% secured roles in eCommerce.
• 24% joined Founder’s Office or EIR positions,
• 12% moved into Growth and Revenue roles,
• 9% entered Product Management,
• 9% were placed in Brand Management,
• And 11% joined FMCG Sales and Marketing functions.

Prominent recruiters at Altera Institute include Amazon, Flipkart, Godrej, Honasa Consumer, Himalaya, Mamaearth, Supertails, and several fast-scaling D2C as well as emerging consumer technology companies.

Importantly, Altera Institute adheres to IPRS (Indian Placement Reporting Standards) Version 2.2 — the same reporting framework designed and used by IIM Ahmedabad. This ensures complete transparency in declaring compensation details such as fixed annual pay, one-time bonuses, variable components, and performance-based incentives, along with granular breakdowns like fresher vs. experienced and location-specific data — information that most B-schools do not disclose as systematically.

The current PGP 2026 cohort includes 135 students, of whom 65% have at least 24 months of work experience. Many have previously worked at organizations such as Nestle, Titan, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Marico, Goldman Sachs, Asian Paints, KPMG, CGI, Citibank, NielsenIQ, and Reliance and have now joined Altera Institute to be a part of a structured learning experience.

Bottom Line

In case you are serious about working in eCommerce, brand management, growth, product management, or Founders Office/EIR positions, Altera Institute provides a more modern, viable alternative to traditional B-Schools and thus emerges as a strong option for students, especially outside the Top 15 B-Schools in the country. The admissions process values real-world skills, profile coherence, and clarity of purpose equally, along with competitive test scores.

Create an evidence-based and well-written SOP, draw attention to quantifiable contributions in your profile, and be ready to think systematically and in a structured manner during the interview. This will help you maximize your chances of success in Altera Institute’s profile-based shortlisting and interview process.

Note: The views expressed in this article are of Altera Institute and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.