IIM Ahmedabad Announces MBA Admission Criteria and CAT 2026 Cut-Offs

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad has officially released its admission criteria for the 2027 MBA programme. Prospective students aiming for a seat at the prestigious institution must now align their preparations with the newly announced CAT 2026 cut-off requirements, which serve as the primary gateway for the shortlisting process.

To be considered for the next stage of the selection process, which includes an Analytical Writing Test and a Personal Interview, candidates are required to meet a minimum overall CAT 2026 percentile. While these qualifying thresholds determine eligibility for the interview round, the institute has noted that final selection cut-offs are expected to be significantly higher, typically exceeding the 99th percentile.

CAT 2026 Qualifying Cut-Offs and Selection Process

The selection process for IIM Ahmedabad is structured around specific sectional and overall percentile requirements. For the General and EWS categories, the minimum overall CAT 2026 percentile required for PI shortlisting is set at 95, with sectional cut-offs for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA) also set at 85 percentile.

For candidates belonging to the NC-OBC category, the overall requirement is 90 percentile, with sectional cut-offs at 80. Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates must achieve an overall percentile of 85, with sectional requirements of 75. For Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates, the overall threshold is 75 percentile, with sectional cut-offs at 65. The institute has also outlined specific, lower thresholds for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) across all categories to ensure inclusive access to the selection rounds.

Next Steps for MBA Aspirants

Candidates who have appeared for the CAT 2026 examination are eligible to be considered for the IIM Ahmedabad selection process, provided they meet the aforementioned criteria. The institute will utilise these scores to shortlist candidates for the subsequent Analytical Writing Test and Personal Interview rounds. Students are advised to monitor official communications from IIM Ahmedabad regarding the specific timelines for the interview phase and further documentation requirements as the admission cycle progresses.