How can I prepare for admission at IIM Ahmedabad?

Qualifying CAT is a must-have criteria for admission to IIMs and other top Management colleges in India. A well-planned strategy along with a correct approach of preparation is essential for admission to MBA, especially in the top MBA colleges in India. A prep strategy that will help you ace the CAT exam for admission to IIM Ahmedabad is as follows: Check the and Choose the right reference book Solve as many CAT Mock Tests as possible.! Solve previous year's CAT question papers for thorough revision to reduce the scope of mistakes Read books, editorials, newspapers, and journals to improve your vocabulary and reading skills. Check below section-wise questions and answers: VARC questions with answers DI & LR questions with answers Quantitative Aptitude questions with answers

Is admission to MBA at IIM Ahmedabad confirmed if I score 100 percentile in CAT?

There is a good chance of receiving an interview call from IIM Ahmedabad, however, admission isn’t guaranteed even at 100 percentile. The overall criteria includes academic profile, that is your Class 12, Class 10 and graduation marks. The college also gives a score for work experience, hence, candidates must have 2-3 years of experience to get maximum points. Additional focus is also given to gender and academic diversity. Considering all these factors and candidates’ CAT score, IIM Ahmedabad prepares a composite score through which decides whether to finalise a student or not. IIM Ahmedabad or any other IIM, for that matter, doesn’t give direct admission only on the basis of CAT percentile, the first phase of admission process is giving the CAT exam. Students must clear the sectional and the minimum final cut-off to be eligible and considered for the call. After that, they must get shortlisted for the interviews and group discussion process. After all these rounds, a final list of shortlisted candidates is prepared.

What is the selection process of IIM Ahmedabad?

The selection process for the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad is highly competitive and rigorous. It typically consists of multiple stages that assess the candidates' academic performance, work experience, aptitude, and communication skills. While the specific process may vary from year to year, here is a general overview of the selection process for IIM Ahmedabad: 1. Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must meet the eligibility criteria set by IIM Ahmedabad, which typically include a minimum academic qualification (usually a bachelor's degree) with a specified minimum percentage or CGPA. Additionally, candidates need to appear for and qualify in the Common Admission Test (CAT) conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management. 2. CAT Exam: Candidates are required to take the CAT exam, which assesses their quantitative aptitude, data interpretation, verbal ability, and logical reasoning. The CAT score serves as a crucial component in the selection process. 3. Shortlisting for Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI): Based on the CAT scores, IIM Ahmedabad shortlists candidates for the next stage of the selection process, which typically includes a Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). The shortlisting criteria may also consider factors such as academic performance, work experience, and diversity. 4. Written Ability Test (WAT): In the Written Ability Test, candidates are given a topic or a case study and are required to write an essay or provide a written response within a given time frame. This stage evaluates candidates' analytical and communication skills. 5. Personal Interview (PI): Shortlisted candidates appear for a Personal Interview, where they are assessed on various parameters such as academic achievements, work experience, general awareness, communication skills, and leadership qualities. The PI panel may include faculty members, industry professionals, and alumni. 6. Final Selection: After considering the CAT score, WAT performance, and PI performance, the final selection is made. The selection criteria may also include factors like academic diversity, work experience, and gender diversity. The weightage assigned to each component may vary each year. It's important to note that the exact selection process and criteria may change from year to year, and IIM Ahmedabad may introduce additional components or variations based on their discretion. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it is recommended to visit the official website of IIM Ahmedabad or refer to the admission notifications and brochures released by the institute for the specific academic year you are interested in.

How to get into IIM Ahmedabad?

The application process of IIM Ahmedabad for PGP takes place via CAT. Therefore, candidates need to visit the official website of CAT to get admission to IIM Ahmedabad. The institute will further shortlist the candidates based on CAT score and send emails to shortlisted candidates. However, for executive courses, the application process can be done via the official website. Details are as follows: MBA-PGPX: Candidates can submit their application through an online portal. ePGD: Applicants can submit their applications online. Application to the ePGD-ABA programme is a two-step process - registration & application form submission.

How can I get into IIM Ahmedabad MBA-PGPX programme?

Meant for working professionals, candidates seeking admission must have a bachelor’s degree and at least four years of experience. On successful completion of this course, students are given a Master of Business Administration degree. For admission, it is mandatory for all eligible candidates to take a GMAT/ GRE test. In the final selection process, candidates are also required to appear for a PI round and submit an essay.

IIM Admission Criteria and Selection Process 2025: Check CAT Cut Offs and WAT-PI Scores

14 mins read3.8L Views 4 Comments

Vipra Shrivastava

Senior Manager - Content

Updated on Apr 24, 2025 13:39 IST

Check latest IIM admission criteria for all 21 institutes. Know CAT 2024 cut offs, shortlisting parameters, WAT-PI score, etc. for IIM selection process 2025.

IIM Admission Criteria and Selection Process 2025 - The first step towards getting into the IIMs is taking the CAT exam. The next steps are Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). The WAT and PI are the main selection criteria of IIM MBA admission. They are conducted after the CAT result announcement. Candidates who meet the CAT cut off, are shortlisted for WAT and PI. Final selection for IIM admission is based on candidate's overall profile - CAT exam score, academic score, work experience, category and WAT and PI score. The PI shortlisting process is done in January, in which every IIM releases the PI call form and eligible candidates have to register for the PI round. Personal Interviews for 2025 batch admission have been conducted in February, March and April, 2025. Selected candidates will receive the final admission call in May 2025, via letter of admissio offer (email).

IIM Admission and Selection Criteria 2025-27

The IIMs announce admission criteria and selection process for candidates to know the shortlist cut-off, selection criteria, parameters and process of shortlisting candidates. The IIM admission process not only includes selection of candidates based on their CAT cut off percentile but also on the basis of their WAT/GD and PI performance, academic history, academic diversity, gender diversity and work experience.

Stages of IIM Admission and Selection Process

IIM admission process is divided into three stages. Given below is an overview of the three stages of IIM admission:

Stage 1: Shortlisting of candidates on the basis of their CAT exam score

Once the CAT result is announced, the candidates have to apply for WAT/GD-PI round by each IIM through official notification on its official website. Candidates who meet the shortlist cut off have to login through their CAT IDs to submit their name and CAT score.

Stage 2: Screening of candidates for WAT/GD-PI

In the second stage, the candidates who applied for WAT/GD-PI are shortlisted on the basis of their CAT score and academic record after which interview letters are sent to selected candidates to participate in WAT-GD-PI round. The WAT-GD-PI round is conducted at designated cities between February to April.

Stage 3: Calculation of Composite Score and Final Selection

In the third stage of IIM admission, the composite score of each candidate is calculated on the basis of various parameters to finalise his/her selection. Given below is the list of eight main parameters and their definitions:

IIM Admission Parameter	What It Means?
CAT score	Overall percentile score obtained in CAT exam.
Graduation Score	The aggregate percentage obtained in a three-year degree course or equivalent.
Class 12 Score	The aggregate percentage scored in Class 12 or equivalent.
Class 10 Score	The aggregate percentage scored in Class 10 or equivalent.
WAT/GD-PI	Each candidate's performance in WAT/GD-PI is assessed and marks are allotted accordingly.
Academic Diversity	Candidates from non-engineering background are given extra points to ensure fair representation of students from other streams. The points for academic diversity vary for each campus.
Gender Diversity	The IIMs give extra points to female/transgender candidates to encourage fair representation of each gender. The points for gender diversity vary for each campus.
Work Experience	Extra points (from 1-5) are given to candidates having prior work experience. For this, a range is defined from lowest to highest. The points for work experience vary for each campus.

*The weights allotted to each of the above-mentioned parameters varies for each IIM and the composite score is also calculated by each IIM individually.

CAT Percentile predictor prepared by Shiksha.com helps students to get their predicted CAT 2025 percentile on the basis of their expected exam score. So, predict your CAT 2025 score by clicking the link below:

CAT Percentile Predictor

What is CAT Composite Score?

The composite score refers to the total score (out of 100) a candidate obtains during the final selection process, calculated on the basis of the abovementioned parameters. For weightage of parameters and calculation of composite score of each IIM campus, refer to the table of campus-wise IIM admission and selection criteria at the bottom.

Also Read: CAT score vs CAT percentile: Understand the difference

IIM Eligibility Criteria

IIM eligibility criteria for MBA programmes is same as CAT eligibility criteria, i.e. minimum 50 per cent aggregate marks in graduation. Those who are eligible to appear in CAT are also eligible for admission to the IIMs. However, they have to meet a few other requirements for selection. Take a look at the IIM eligibility criteria below:

The basic IIM eligibility criteria is graduation with minimum 50 per cent aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA (45 per cent for SC, ST and PWD/DA category)
Candidates appearing for the final year of bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification exam or awaiting their results, are also eligible to apply
To be eligible for IIM interview call, the candidates must meet the IIM shortlist/qualifying cut off
To expect interview call and participate in WAT/GD-PI, the candidates must meet the minimum IIM call cut off

IIM CAT Cut Offs: Qualifying vs Final

Check the table below for previous year's qualifying CAT cut offs vs expected final CAT cut offs:

IIM	Qualifying CAT cut offs	Expected CAT cut offs
IIM Ahmedabad	80	99-100
IIM Bangalore	85	99-100
IIM Calcutta	85	99
IIM Lucknow	90	97-99
IIM Indore	90	97-99
IIM Kozhikode	85	97-98
IIM Amritsar	85	95-96
IIM Nagpur	85	95-96
IIM Sambalpur	93	95-96
IIM Trichy	93	94-95
IIM Raipur	93	94-95
IIM Ranchi	93	94-95
IIM Kashipur	94	94-95
IIM Vizag	80	92-94
IIM Udaipur	93	92-94
IIM Bodhgaya	93	92-94
IIM Shillong	75	90-94
IIM Sirmaur	93	90-94
IIM Rohtak	95	95-97
IIM Nagpur	85	90-94
IIM Jammu	93	90-94
IIM Mumbai	85	90-94

Candidates who make it to the final selection list are intimated through email. The most important aspect of IIM admission process is "confirmation of admission". Selected candidates are required to confirm their admission by filling up the offer acceptance form and paying the requisite admission acceptance fee (adjustable in the first installment of tuition fee). In case any candidate fails to submit the offer acceptance form and pay the fees within the given time duration, his/her seat will be offered to the next best candidate.

IIMs also have a provision to defer admission. Under this provision, candidates who wish to earn some work experience before pursuing the MBA course are allowed to postpone their admission for up to a maximum of two years. This system was introduced in 2015 and around 10 per cent of seats are kept aside for such candidates.

IIM Admission Process: Important Points to Remember

Candidates will be selected for the second phase of IIM admission process on the basis of their CAT 2024 score and academic history.
The shortlisting is done through an online process wherein the candidates have to apply for the interview call. If selected, the institutes will reach out to them through email.
The candidates are required to participate in the WAT/GD-PI to be eligible for the final phase of admission, i.e. calculation of the composite score for final selection.

Also Read: Interview and WAT-GD tips for MBA aspirants

Documents to Present in WAT/GD-PI Round

Marksheets of Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation (original and self-attested photocopies)
Caste/class and/or disability certificate in case of SC, ST, NC-OBC and PwD candidates (original and self-attested photocopies)
Candidates appearing for the final year bachelor's degree (or equivalent) examination must show a certificate from the Principal/Registrar/Director of the university/institution certifying that he/she has obtained 50 per cent aggregate or equivalent (45 per cent in case of the candidates belonging to SC, ST, and PwD category) in the latest available grades/marks
The deadline for submission of the marksheet and passing certificate is December 31 of that year. Non-submission of these documents by the last date will automatically result in cancellation of admission

IIM Admission: Read WAT/GD-PI Tips

Given below are useful articles talking about GD topics and PI questions to help candidates prepare better for this round:

Know How to Prepare for GD/PI	32 Common Questions Asked in Personal Interview
Dos and Don’ts of Group Discussion	Check list for GD topics
How You Dress Might Affect Your GD/PI score	GD topics for MBA admission

Campus Wise IIM Admission and Selection Criteria

To know campus-wise IIM admission process, selection criteria and parameters, refer to the table below:

IIM Admission Policy- MBA/PGP
IIM Ahmedabad Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Bangalore Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Calcutta Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Lucknow Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Kozhikode Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Indore Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Visakhapatnam Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Trichy Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Jammu Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Ranchi Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Shillong Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Udaipur Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Rohtak Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Raipur Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Kashipur Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Sambalpur Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Amritsar Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Nagpur Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Bodh Gaya Shortlist & Admission Criteria	IIM Sirmaur Shortlist & Admission Criteria
IIM Mumbai Shortlist & Admission Criteria

Check CAT cut offs and predict calls from IIMs and other Top MBA Colleges, whether your CAT score is 70 percentile, 80 percentile or 90 percentile. Check fees, placement reviews, admission, shortlist criteria and eligibility of all MBA Colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict IIM & Non IIM Calls

IIM Admissions: WAT-GD-PI Experiences

Check out in the table below personal experience of students who converted IIM calls. Read their first person account to know how to handle WAT, GD and PI.

Student Name	IIM	Interview
Vedant Chandewar	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Harshil Satasiya	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Nishanth Pandey	IIM Lucknow	Read Full Interview
Shreshth Khare	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Satya Gopal	IIM Kozhikode	Read Full Interview
Akash	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Akansha Ghosh	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Rupesh Gupta	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Akshay Mehendiratta	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Anchal Taatya	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Ananya Mishra	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Pratham Mani	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Omkar Mukherjee	IIM Calcutta	Read Full Interview
Vaibhav Jatin Shah	IIM Shillong	Read Full Interview
Parth Agarwal	IIM Kozhikode	Read Full Interview
Anshul Aggarwal	IIM Kozhikode	Read Full Interview
Ankur Parmar	IIM Kozhikode	Read Full Interview
Satya Gopal	IIM Kozhikode	Read Full Interview
Priyanjit Biswas	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Sai Prabhu	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Ruchika Bhartiya	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Abhinav Paigwar	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Mayank	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Shreshth Khare	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Parth Agarwal	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Ankit Anand	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Pratham Mani	IIM Calcutta	Read Full Interview
Aditi Agarwal	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Gursimran Ahuja	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Biswanath Chakraborty	IIM Indore	Read Full Interview
Nishant Shah	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Biswanath Chakraborty	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Achintya Bhattacharya	IIM Bangalore	Read Full Interview
Biswanath Chakraborty	IIM Lucknow	Read Full Interview
Shubham Varshney	IIM Ahmedabad	Read Full Interview
Shubham Ranka	IIM Calcutta	Read Full Interview
Dhiraj Bedi	IIM Calcutta	Read Full Interview
Wasim Khan Pathan	IIM Calcutta	Read Full Interview

FAQs Related to IIM Admission and Selection Process 2025

Q: What is the eligibility criteria for MBA by IIM?

A: To be eligible for admission to MBA programme offered by the IIMs, the candidate must be a graduate and have cleared the CAT exam with at least 95+ percentile (General category). The cut offs for General category is as high as 99-100 percentile in the top six IIMs.

Q: How can I get selected into an IIM?

A: To get selected for MBA programme of an IIM, one has to appear for CAT exam and clear selection rounds such as Written Ability Test (WAT) or Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). One has to score above 95 percentile and clear all the selection rounds. They need to also have a good academic record of high scores in Class 10, 12 and Graduation.

Q: Do Class 10 and Class 12 marks matter in IIM?

A: Yes, Class 10 and Class 12 marks play a crucial role in IIM selection process as the institute looks for candidates who have been a good performer in academics throughout, and not only in CAT. The first round of IIM shortlisting is based on Class 10 and Class 12 scores along with CAT exam score.

Q: What is the CAT cut off for GEM candidates for top IIMs?

A: CAT cut off for GEM candidates for top IIMs such as IIM-Ahmedabad, IIM-Bangalore, IIM-Calcutta, IIM-Lucknow, IIM-Kozhikode is usually above 99 percentile for General category students. For Reserved category students, the cut off marks are lower, around 93-95 percentile.

Q: Is IIM eligibility criteria different from CAT eligibility criteria?

A: No, the academic eligibility criteria of IIM for MBA programme are same as CAT, i.e. minimum 50 per cent aggregate in graduation in any stream or equivalent (45 per cent for SC/ST/PwD candidates). Candidates having professional degree equivalent to graduation should also have the requisite score.

Q: What are the parameters taken into consideration in IIM selection process?

A: In IIM selection process, the factors taken into consideration for admission are:

Performance in CAT exam
Performance in Class 10, 12 and Graduation
Performance in WAT/GD-PI
Academic diversity
Gender diversity
Work experience

Q: How much marks is allotted to female candidates under diversity factor?

A: The marks/weightage allotted under gender diversity factor is up to five marks. It varies for all IIMs (between one to five). Female and transgender category candidates can benefit from diversity factor.

Q: If I do not meet CAT cut off, will I still be considered for WAT-PI?

A: To be eligible for the WAT-PI round of IIM admission, it is mandatory to meet the minimum CAT cut off. The CAT cut off varies institute wise and category wise. For top IIMs the cut offs are higher, whereas for new and baby IIMs, the cut offs are low. Thus, candidates must apply to maximum number of IIMs.

Q: Is the weightage of CAT higher than WAT-PI?

A: In most of the top IIMs, the weightage of WAT-PI is more than CAT and in newer/baby IIMs, it is vice versa for final selection of candidates for admission to MBA/PGP programmes. That is because, the WAT-PI round is a personality assessment test in which a candidates is judged on his/her knowledge, problem solving skills, experience and other traits that are essential to be a good manager.

Q: Is CAT score mandatory for IIM admission?

A: Yes, CAT score is mandatory for admission to all MBA and PGP programmes offered by the IIMs. For Executive MBA programmes, GMAT and GRE scores are also accepted.

Q: How many candidates apply for CAT every year?

A: Over two lakh candidates apply for CAT every year, there has been increase in CAT applications by a good percentage in the last two years. For CAT 2024, the number of applications received is 2.29 lakh while in CAT 2023, the number of applications was 3.3 lakh, a record high of all time. Previous to that, in CAT 2022, about 2.55 lakh candidates applied and 2.22 lakh candidate appeared for it. In 2021, a total of 2.31 lakh candidates applied for CAT and 1.92 appeared in it. In 2019, the number of applicants was 2.44 lakh, while in 2020 it was 2.30 lakh.

About the Author

Vipra Shrivastava

Senior Manager - Content

Vipra is a massive Breaking Bad fan. When not watching crime drama series, she spends time in updating the list of places she wants to visit and people she wants to meet, but she is happiest in the company of dogs. ... Read Full Bio

Comments

(4)

krishna verma

4 years ago

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hay sir/mam my 10th 58.33% can i join this collage plz tell me???

Reply to krishna verma

12 months ago

No not at all

4 years ago

Does UG performance matters ? Or is it just 10+2 performance is being looked at? If UG performance matters how much should one score in UG?

Reply to Mohammed Shamil

4 years ago

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Hi, please share your specific query with Shiksha experts at https://ask.shiksha.com/.

Lavanya

4 years ago

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Is work experience compulsory? If so how many years?

Reply to Lavanya

4 years ago

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Hi Lavanya, for MBA work experience in not compulsory but will be an advantage at it carries about upto 5 points in calculation of candidate's final score for admission. 2-3 years of work experience is considered good.

eis eis

5 years ago

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Reply to eis eis