IIM Bangalore PGP 2027–29 Admission Policy Out: CAT 2026 Weightage, Cut-Offs and Selection Process
Published 7 Oct 20263 min read5 Views
IIM Bangalore has released its admission procedure for the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) 2027–29. Selection is a two-stage process based on CAT 2026. CAT carries 55% of the pre-interview score and 25% of the final score. The Personal Interview (PI) is the largest single final component at 40%.
Key facts
- Programme: two-year full-time residential PGP (MBA)
- Exam: CAT 2026
- Stage I: CAT sectional minimums, then a pre-PI score
- Stage II: PI and Written Ability Test (WAT), then final offers
- Mandatory: two online reference letters
- Official policy: IIMB PGP admission procedure 2027–29
Eligibility
Candidates need a bachelor's degree in any discipline with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST and PwD). A completed CA, CS, ICWA (CMA) or FIAI qualification is also accepted. A valid CAT score is required on the date of application.
Stage I: first shortlist and pre-PI score
IIMB first shortlists candidates who meet the minimum scores in all CAT sections. The raw score must also be positive in every section. Only shortlisted candidates are processed further.
| Pre-PI component | Weight |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 | 55 |
| Class 10 | 10 |
| Class 12 | 10 |
| Bachelor's | 10 |
| Work experience / professional course | 10 |
| Gender diversity | 5 |
The 55 CAT points split as VARC 19, DILR 21 and QA 15. Gender diversity points are used only at the pre-PI stage. The top ten candidates in each of three categories qualify for the PI automatically. The categories are CAT total score, adjusted bachelor's score (commerce, arts and science) and CA/ICWA/CS score.
Stage II: PI, WAT and final score
Shortlisted candidates take the PI and a WAT of about 30 minutes on the same day at the same location. Final offers are made strictly on post-PI scores.
| Post-PI component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Personal Interview | 40 |
| WAT | 10 |
| CAT 2026 | 25 |
| Class 10, Class 12, Bachelor's | 5 each (15 total) |
| Work experience / professional course | 10 |
The 25 CAT points split as VARC 8.75, DILR 10 and QA 6.25.
How work experience is scored
The pre-PI work-experience score is 10 × months ÷ 36 for under 36 months, and 10 for 36 months or more. Months are counted up to July 2026. Internships, apprenticeships, articleship and unpaid work are not counted. Candidates with both a professional course and work experience get the higher of the two scores. Providing false work-experience claims leads to rejection and a three-year bar from applying to IIMB.
Minimum percentile cut-offs: previous cycle
The policy's cut-off table is for the 2026–28 batch, based on CAT 2025. Candidates called for interviews scored higher than these minimums.
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 80 | 75 | 75 | 85 |
| NC-OBC / EWS | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| PwD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
Meeting the minimum does not guarantee an interview call.
Documents and references
Required documents include Class 10, Class 12 and bachelor's transcripts, a statement of purpose, work-experience letters with first and last payslips, and category or disability certificates where applicable. Two online reference letters are mandatory and must be submitted by the referees by the application deadline. No separate extension is given.
What candidates should do
- Aim for strong scores in every CAT section, not just overall.
- Keep academic and work-experience documents ready.
- Choose referees early, preferably an employer or teacher.
- Check iimb.ac.in for application and shortlist dates [VERIFY].