CAT

If you have a very good CAT score but poor academic record it is quite likely that you may not be shortlisted for top IIMs as the institutes prefer candidates with overall consistency in academics. Class 12 scores holds a lot of importance in shortlisting of candidates for WAT-PI.

IIM shortlist is prepared on the basis of CAT cut off, class 10 score, class 12 score, graduation score, work experience (if any). To encourage diversity in the classroom the IIMs award extra points to female and transgender candidates at the time of shortlisting as well as final selection.

After the release of CAT result. TAPMI will conduct admission through counselling rounds. Candidates willing to opt for PGDM course must get ready for the admission process at TAPMI. Admission at TAPMI consist of several stages wherein it first release its cutoffs for the MBA courses. After that, students were invited to appear for Written Ability, GD and PI rounds. Then after, institutes shortlist candidates based on their merit results. It is advised for the candidates to keep track of their results. Further, they need to prepare in advance for the GD/PI rounds. Also, they must keep track of the schedule to avoid any rush.

No, the students who don't make it to the IIM shortlist of a particular year, they will not be considered for admission. Such candidates can appear for CAT again the next year and try for admission. If a candidate doesn't make it to the first shortlist, they can wait for the second shortlist to release in which they might be selected.

The candidates can check their admission status in IIM shortlist of each institute on their respective websites. The IIMs releases their shortlist on different days in the month of January. Once the shortlist is announced, candidates can check their status on the institute's website by using their CAT login ID. Such candidates can fill the PI form for participating in the WAT-PI round. If shortlisted, they are invited by the institute via email.

IIM waitlist means the number students who are kept waiting for the second shortlist. The institutes select a number of students for admission out of which some miss the first list due to a few points. Such students are kept in waitlist incase any candidate from the first list chooses to not appear for WAT-PI. Those who are kept in the waitlist are invited for WAT-PI if there are seats remaining to be filled after WAT-PI round of the first batch of the students. Also read: IIM Waitlist Movement - Meaning and Past Trends

IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta have the highest CAT cut off. Every year, the cut off percentiles of these three top IIMs hover around 99-100 percentile. even though the qualifying CAT cut off is lower at 80 or 85 percentile, the final cut offs are the highest among all MBA institutes in India. For, reserved category students the final CAT cut offs of these IIMs are a few percentiles lower. 

IIM shortlist of top IIMs is released in the first week of January soon after CAT result declaration. All IIMs release their shortlist one by one after that in the same month. By the end of January, all 21 IIMs release their MBA/PGP shortlist. The WAT-PI shortlists for admission is released individually by the institutes but for the CAP participating IIMs. For them, the CAP conducting IIM releases the PI shortlist form and guidelines on behalf of rest of them. 

IIM shortlist is the list of CAT test takers who make it to the second phase of IIM admission process, which is Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). The IIM shortlist is the list of candidates who are eligible to participate in the WAT-PI rounds of IIMs for MBA admission.

CAT is an annual exam, thus one can appear for it only once in same academic year. However, one can appear for it any number of times over several years. There is no cap on number of appearance. There is no age limit either. Many candidates appear for the CAT two-three times to achieve their desired percentile.