IIM Eligibility Criteria and Selection Process 2025

IIM Eligibility Criteria: CAT Score

The most important eligibility criteria for IIM MBA admission is CAT score. None of the IIMs will accept candidature of an Indian candidate for full-time MBA without the required CAT score. Thus, IIM aspirants must make sure that they appear and clear the CAT exam with 95 percentile (for SC/ST/PwD categories, the cut off is lower). The CAT 2025 exam will be held on November 30, 2025. Aspirant must try to score 98+ percentile for having a chance at the IIMs. 

IIM Eligibility Criteria for MBA/PGP Admission 2025

• Candidate must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50 per cent aggregate or equivalent CGPA (45 per cent in case of the candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories), awarded by a recognised university. The graduation degree can be in any stream.
• Candidate must have completed professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)) with 50 per cent aggregate or equivalent CGPA (45 per cent in case of the candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories)
• Graduation marks and percentage obtained by the candidate would be calculated based on the practice followed by the University/Institution from where they have obtained the degree.
• In case a candidate is awarded grades/CGPA instead of marks, the conversion of grades/CGPA to percentage of marks would be based on the procedure certified by the University/ Institution from where the candidate obtained bachelor’s degree
• In case the University/ Institution does not have any scheme for converting CGPA into equivalent marks, the same would be established by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by 10 and multiplying the resultant with 100

IIM Selection Criteria for MBA/PGP 2026

IIM admission is broadly based on three parameters. This includes:

1. CAT score
2. Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI)
3. Academic record

Firstly, each CAT test taker is shortlisted on the basis of his/her CAT score viz-a-viz CAT cut-offs  for that year. Minimum CAT cutoffs of the top 5 IIMs, namely IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow and IIM Kozhikode is generally 90-95 percentile, which means, those who have scored above 90-95 percentile in CAT are eligible for shortlisting for PI-WAT round. On the other hand, cut-offs of newer IIMs range between 70-80 percentile. This eligibility score however does not guarantee shortlisting for WAT/PI. Candidates are shortlisted on higher scores or the final CAT cut offs which ranges between 95 too 99.99/100 percentile..

After crossing the first hurdle of IIM eligibility, candidates have to face Group Discuss and Personal Interview. This stage is decisive for the selection panel makes up their mind about a candidate on the basis of performance in WAT/PI. In the third stage, the candidates are scored on the basis of their academic performance. 

Also Read:

• IIM Shortlist, Selection and Admission Criteria 2026

• What is IIM CAP 2026? Know process, criteria and participating IIMs

• IIM SAP 2026: Know Details, Process and Dates 
• IIM JAP 2026: Know Details, Process and Dates
• IIM Waitlist Movement: Meaning and Past Trends

Weightage for IIM Admission: MBA/PGP

Check the table below for weights assigned to different parameters during final selection in IIMs. CAT scores account for almost 40 per cent while the performance at school and college level accounts for nearly 50 per cent in the final selection. Here’s a break up of parameters on which candidates are selected:

*The above table contains parameters and weight of IIM Bangalore for CAT 2024. Weights of each parameter varies for each IIM year on year. Check: IIM admission and selection criteria.