Getting into an IIM is a primary goal for many MBA candidates, though only a small percentage secure admission to these prestigious institutions. This guide offers essential details specifically for SC and ST applicants regarding seat allocation across various campuses.
SC & ST Category Seats in IIMs for MBA: Indian Institutes of Management grant MBA entry using CAT results. All 21 locations adhere to a unified reservation strategy mandated by the Government of India. The proportion of seats for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students remains consistent, regardless of the overall class size. This guide provides the specific distribution of spots for these applicants. While seat counts might fluctuate slightly during different admission cycles based on vacancy shifts, the following data is calculated using current national guidelines. Scroll down for further information 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 Reservation Policy
- MBA Admission Process at IIMs
SC & ST Category Seats in IIMs for MBA
IIM Ahmedabad provides 58 spots for SC students and 29 for ST students. IIM Bangalore follows a nearly identical pattern with 57 SC and 29 ST positions. IIM Calcutta, a premier member of the "old IIM" trio, features the largest student intake. Established in 1961, it has produced notable leaders like Sunil Alagh and Ajit Balakrishnan. It offers 69 reserved seats for SC and 35 for ST candidates. Review the campus-wise seat distribution 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 |
Asterisks (*) indicate campuses where specific seat numbers may experience minor adjustments.
IIM Reservation Policy
The distribution of seats across categories is governed by these percentages:
| 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 |
Understanding these figures is vital for estimating required CAT cutoffs for different institutes.
MBA Admission Process at IIMs
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. 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.
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Student Forum
Answered Yesterday
Yes, PIBM Guwahati Campus accepts valid scores from national-level management entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, CMAT, XAT, and ATMA for MBA admissions. Candidates are shortlisted based on their entrance exam scores, academic performance, and overall performance in the institute's selection process, m
N
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, you can get admission to the MBA programme at Manipal University Jaipur, but not through direct admission without meeting the admission criteria.
For the regular MBA, you generally need:
A bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks.
A valid CAT/MAT/CMAT/XAT/GMAT score.
Selection is based on your aca
C
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 5 days ago
As a current student at DBS Global University, I can say that yes, the university accepts a valid CAT score for MBA admissions. If you meet the eligibility criteria, then you can apply through your CAT score, and you do not have to take the universities entrance exam. The best thing about DBS, is t
C
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 6 days ago
SAGE University, Indore has not mentioned any other accepted entrance exams other than SEE for MBA courses. Generally, CAT is an accepted entrance exam for MBA courses. Therefore, candidate should get confirmation by asking this from admission desk.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
No, CAT score is not mandatory to get a seat at CSMU for MBA. While the college accepts CAT scores, it also accept scores from other tests like MAT, CMAT, and MHT-CET. If a candidate have not taken any national entrance paper, they can simply sit for the institutional CSMU-CET exam. Seat will be bas
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
No, CAT is not compulsory to get admission in TITE - Templecity Institute of Technology and Engineering. The college accepts entrance exams such as: OJEE/ATMA/CAT/MAT. Candidates wishing to get admission into this programme should have passed graduation with at least 50% marks.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No, CAT is not compulsory to get admission in MBA at College of Engineering, Pune. The college consider svalid score of entrance exams such as:
- MAH-CET (The primary state-level exam considered for Maharashtra students)
- CAT
- CMAT
- XAT
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, personal interview round for MBA admission is mandatory for all candidates regardless of which exam they apply through. Candidates applying through CAT result for PP Savani University can only skip SLMET written test during MBA admission process.
Their final evaluation will be based on combined
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Xavier Institute of Management and Informatics does accepts CAT scores for admission in MBA programme. However, it is not compulsory. Aspirants can also get admission based on their qualifying exam scores and performance in the PI round.
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered a week ago
Candidates preparing for CAT may not need to prepare for KLMAT Management separately, as the syllabus is the same and the test structure is also similar. However, one should make sure they practice KLMAT sample papers from a month before the exam as the question type and difficulty level will be dif
S
Contributor-Level 10

Abhishek Dhawan is a content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in education journalism. He holds a BA degree from the University of Delhi. At Shiksha, Abhishek primarily covers MBA and BBA entrance
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