IIM

Admission to IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) or other top B-schools depends on a specific percentile in the CAT, although the percentage is not usually constant. To get admission to top IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta, one requires 99+ percentiles for getting admission. The final call for admission depends upon other factors, however, like the candidate's academic background, work experience, and performance in the interview. This generally comes in a percentile range that stands at competitive between 90 to 95, though requirements of B schools will vary hence every B-school should be scrutinized for exact demands.

While a CAT score of 90 percentile may qualify you for consideration at IIM Visakhapatnam, it does not ensure admission because competition is fierce and the final selection process takes into account a variety of variables. IIM Visakhapatnam has a comprehensive strategy that considers CAT scores, academic performance, work experience, and performance in the Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT). A 90 percentile is a good result, but strengthening other parts of your profile, such as academic consistency, extracurricular achievements, and interview preparation, can increase your chances. It is critical to prepare for the PI and WAT rounds, which play an essential part in final selection at IIMs.

IIM Shillong's admissions procedure is highly competitive, with the total cutoff changing each year based on criteria such as candidate pool quality and seat availability. For the 2024-2026 batch, the institute has established minimum percentile standards for each category. General category candidates must achieve a minimum overall percentile of 75, with sectional cutoffs of 75 in VARC, 70 in DILR, and 70 in QA. NC-OBC candidates must meet an overall cutoff of 70, with sectional cutoffs of 60 in VARC, 60 in DILR, and 65 in QA. SC candidates must achieve an overall percentile of 60, with sectoral cutoffs of 50 in VARC, 50 in DILR, and 55 in QA. 

With a 68 percentile in CAT, getting into one of the new IIMs (like IIM Kashipur, IIM Rohtak, IIM Trichy, etc.) could be challenging, even under the OBC category. While new IIMs generally have slightly lower cut-offs compared to the older ones, they still maintain high academic and professional standards. A 68 percentile might not meet the required cut-offs for these institutes. However, it's worth checking the exact cut-off trends for the specific IIMs you are interested in, as they may vary each year. You can also explore other options like private B-schools and top-tier PGDM institutes, where your percentile might be more competitive.

The choice of going to IITs and IIMs would depend on the type of goals and focus area your research is targeting to go for a Ph.D. in Economics:

1. IITs- Indian Institutes of Technology They mainly have technical and engineering-centric disciplines but also strong, high-quality Ph.D. programs in Economics, especially under the Humanities and Social Sciences departments. IITs like IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi are interdisciplinary, bringing together economics in combination with quantitative techniques and computational ones. With an interest in applied economics, a focus of econometrics, or data analysis work, IITs provide all that with the research-intensive environment, with technology being an added impetus supported by innovation Institutes of Management): IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta will have specialised Ph.D.s in Economics, which include departments for economics and business policy.