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IIMs is the dream destination of all MBA aspirants but only a few get to study in these top ranked institutes. Here is an article helpful for SC/ST candidates. Check out the reserved seats in different IIMs.
IIM Seats for SC & ST Categories
SC & ST Category Seats in IIMs for MBA: Indian Institute of Management offers MBA admissions based on CAT scores. All 21 IIMs follow a common reservation policy in line with the rules set by Government of India. MBA seat intake at IIMs for Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe (SC/ST) remains in a common proportion, irrespective of the total available seats. This article hosts the IIM seats for SC and ST category candidates. There can be slight variations in the number of seats, as the seat vacancy may change with every admission cycle. We have considered the national reservation guidelines and calculated the seats availability accordingly. Scroll down for more details on SC & ST Category seats in IIMs for MBA.
| Check Category Wise IIM Seats | ||
| Total IIM Seats for General Category | Total IIM Seats for General Category | Total IIM Seats for OBC Category |
SC & ST Category Seats in IIMs for MBA
IIM Ahmedabad has 58 seats for SC candidates and 29 seats for ST candidates. IIM Bangalore, also has a smilar seat structure having 57 seats for the SC category candidates and 29 for the ST categories. IIM Calcutta - another top notch business school and peer of the two top IIMs. Established in 1961 alongside IIM Ahmedabad, the institute has the highest number of seats among all the IIMs. Moreover, it has given many experts in different domains. Some of the alumni include Sunil Alagh (CEO of Brittania Industries), Ajit Balakrishnan (CEO of Rediff), and Sunil Duggal (CEO of Dabur), among many others. It has 69 seats reserved for SC candidates and 35 seats for ST candidates. Check IIM wise seats available for SC and ST category candidates in the table below:
| IIM Institute |
Seats for SC candidates |
Seats for ST candidates |
|---|---|---|
| 58 |
29 |
|
| IIM Bangalore |
57 |
29 |
| IIM Calcutta |
69 |
37 |
| 63 |
32 |
|
| 68 |
34 |
|
| 56 |
28 |
|
| 18 |
10 |
|
| 18 |
10 |
|
| 18 |
10 |
|
| 18 |
10 |
|
| 15 |
8 |
|
| 18 |
10 |
|
| 14 |
7 |
|
| 18 |
9 |
|
| 20 |
10 |
|
| 20 |
10 |
|
| 9 |
5 |
|
| 21 |
11 |
|
| 18 |
9 |
|
| 18 |
9 |
|
| Total |
614 |
317 |
Asterisk (*) has been put on several colleges to give a clear picture wherein a number of seats can vary slightly.
Commonly asked questions
The answer to this question of whether an average student can get into IIM can be both yes and no depending on the definition of an average student.
- Based on Academics (Class 10/ Class 12/ Graduation): While a student with average scores in Class 10, Class 12 and graduation with a good CAT score certainly has good chances of getting a call from IIM-A, chances are less for someone with an average CAT score.
- Based on student category (General or Reserved): While it is tough for a General category average student to grab a seat at IIM due to high score requirements, a reserved category student can get admission being at average scores as well.
- Based on past work experience, diversity and other factors: Gender and academic diversity is also a factor on which students are shortlisted at IIM. IIMs judge the past academic category based on the degree obtained by the students before MBA and then a weightage is allotted based on that. For Engineers, the percentage for scoring the highest marks is higher as compared with other streams
- Performance in selection rounds: Once you make it to the final selection rounds, i.e., AWT/PI process, it can be considered a fresh start. At this stage, students can forget their past average-ness but definitely require good grasp over the past subjects as academics-related questions are asked in the interview.
Based on the above factors, it can be considered that while getting into top Management institutes, such as IIM is extremely tough, the past performance, CAT performance, student category and a lot of factors can be the reasons for a student to receive that final call.
Students have to meet the IIMK course eligibility to get admission. The eligibility requirements may change depending on the programme and specialisation. The common eligibility is as below:
- IIM Kozhikode UG eligibility – Class 12 with relevant subjects
- IIM Kozhikode PG eligibility – UG degree in relevant field
- IIM Kozhikode PhD eligibility – PG degree in relevant field
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IIM Reservation Policy
Check the table below for IIM reservation criteria:
| Category |
IIM Reservation Criteria |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
15 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
7.5 |
| Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) |
27 |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) |
10 |
| Total |
59.5 |
The number of seats as well as the reservation policy will help in determining the CAT cutoff for IIMs.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
At GIBS Business School Bangalore, students are trained for interviews and corporate readiness through:
Regular mock interviews and group discussions to practice real-life scenarios.
Focus on developing soft skills, like communication and leadership.
Exposure to the corporate world through guest lectur
M
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 days ago
The percentile needed for admission would depend on the category you belong to. JAGSoM accepts various entrance examinations for admission to the MBA/PGDM course, like CAT, XAT, MAT, etc.
As per the estimated XAT cutoff in 2026, a percentile of 70 would be good enough to secure a chance at admission
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Students who get valid results in any of the above exams are eligible to apply to ISBR, after they have cleared the eligibility
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
You don't strictly need CAT to get into GIBS Business School. They accept both CAT and MAT scores, but even if you haven't appeared for them, you can still get admission through their direct admission or interview process.
CAT → accepted, helps in selection
MAT → also accepted, gives another option
No
P
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates should practice at least past 10 years' CAT question papers to have a good control over the exam. Many times, questions are repeated so prior practice will be helpful. CAT question papers are also best source of RC passages.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, the question papers of all CAT exam slots are different from each other. This is done to ensure that there is no question leak before the next slot, and that second and third slot candidates have no advantage over first slot candidate.
E
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
XIM University accepts the CAT cutoff for admission to the MBA course. According to the XIM University CAT cutoff 2025, a percentile of 91 (both overall and sectional) would be required to be eligible for XIM University admission.
Candides should know that just clearing the final cutoff does not gr
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, Talent Skillsvarsity admissions are possible without the CAT scores. The below are the Talent Skillsvarsity admission related criteria:
- PG course: NMAT, MAT, CMAT, CET, XAT, ATMA, & GMAT.
Selection: Aptitude test, personal interview round & panel interview
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
IBS Mumbai CAT cutoff 2025 was released for admission to the PGPM course for various All India categories. The cutoff was published in the form of percentiles.
For the General AI category, the overall percentile was 70 and 40 sectional for to the PGPM programme. Students who attain these percentile
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
To attain admission in Loyola Institute of Business Administration, students who belong to the General category under the All India quota would need to attain a CAT percentile of 80 overall and 50 for the Quants, VA-RC and DI-LR sections.
Other categories will have different cutoffs accordingly. Gen
N
Contributor-Level 10
Abhishek is a content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in education journalism. He completed his graduation from University of Delhi with a BA Degree. At Shiksha.com, he handles content for MBA, BBA, an
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