The Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM-Lucknow) is conducting the computer-based Common Admission Test 2023 (CAT 2023) today in three sessions.
The test is divided into three sections: verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC), data interpretation and logical reasoning (DI&LR), and quantitative ability (QA). This exam is required for admission to MBA programs at 20 IIMs and over 1,200 B-schools in India.
The main factors that determine admission to IIMs are:
Academic records, personal interviews (PI), written ability tests (WAT) or group discussions (GD), and CAT scores. Shortlisted candidates for WAT and PI are those who meet the cutoff in their CAT results. The candidate's entire profile, including their CAT score, academic standing, professional background, category, and WAT/PI scores, is taken into account when making final admissions decisions.
The IIMs usually require a percentile score of 95–100 for admission, even though they do not publicly reveal the CAT cutoffs. Only registered candidates have access to the cutoffs. Every year, these cutoffs change as a result of variables including candidate volume, test complexity, and historical patterns. A CAT score of at least 90 percentile and above should be the goal for prospective IIM students.
The top IIMs in India
There are 21 IIMs in total, with 10 of them being publicly owned. IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Kozhikode are among the country's top-ranking institutions, with CAT serving as the most widely accepted entrance exam for these prestigious IIMs.
According to the NIRF ranking for 2023, IIM Ahmedabad maintains its top position, and IIM Raipur notably improves from 14th to 11th place. IIM Ahmedabad also records the highest annual average package, reaching ₹ 30 lakh per annum (LPA).
Eligibility criteria for IIMs
The eligibility criteria for IIM MBA/PGP courses include graduation with a minimum of 50 percent aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST, and PWD/DA categories). Candidates awaiting their final year results are also eligible to apply.
Details about admission for selected IIMs:
IIM Ahmedabad:
Admission fee: ₹ 25 lakh
Seats: 50
Entrance exam: CAT, GATE
Graduation with 50% aggregate
IIM Udaipur
Admission fee: ₹ 19 lakh
Seats: 378
Entrance exam: CAT
Graduation with 50% aggregate
IIM Ranchi
Admission Fee: ₹ 4 lakh
Entrance exam: CAT, IPMAT, SAT India
Graduation with 50% - 60% aggregate
IIM Jammu
Admission fee: ₹ 11 lakh
Seats: 420
Entrance exam: CAT
Graduation with 50% aggregate
IIM Raipur
Admission fee: ₹ 14 lakh
Entrance exam: CAT
Graduation with 50% aggregate
