Business Schools Progress Toward Interview and Final Selection Stages

Leading business schools across India have transitioned into the final selection phase for the 2026-28 academic session. With personal interview rounds currently underway, institutes are evaluating candidates on leadership, academic consistency, and soft skills. This report covers the latest progress in the GD-PI stages and the upcoming merit list timelines for premier management programs nationwide. As of February 15, the landscape of management education in India has reached a critical juncture, with major business schools progressing aggressively toward their final selection stages. Following the release of national entrance test results earlier this year, the spotlight has shifted from quantitative scores to qualitative evaluation. Institutes ranging from the newer IIMs to premier private PGDM colleges are currently conducting Group Discussions (GD) and Personal Interviews (PI) to curate their 2026-28 cohorts. This phase is characterized by a heavy emphasis on "Profile-Based Shortlisting," where candidates are judged not just on their percentiles, but on their professional achievements and social impact. For thousands of aspirants, today marks the peak of the interview season, with several high-profile campuses hosting virtual and offline evaluation rounds simultaneously.

The 2026 admission cycle has seen a notable evolution in how business schools identify talent. While technical proficiency remains a prerequisite, institutes are now prioritizing candidates who demonstrate adaptability and emotional intelligence.

• Soft Skills Evaluation: Many top-tier schools have introduced "Situation Judgment Tests" within the interview process. This helps panels assess how a candidate might handle real-world corporate crises, a skill increasingly valued in the post-pandemic business environment.
• Diversity Initiatives: There is a renewed focus on "Non-Engineer" and "Gender Diversity" points during this selection phase. The IIM Jammu CAP portal confirms that points for academic diversity are being strictly applied during the current document audit.
• Work Experience Audit: Admissions committees are meticulously verifying full-time work experience. According to AACSB International standards adopted by many Indian schools, quality of experience often outweighs mere duration in the final scoring matrix.

Regional Progress and Institutional Timelines

Different clusters of business schools are at varying stages of their selection journey. While Mumbai-based institutes are preparing for CET-based rounds, those in the Delhi-NCR and Bangalore regions are finalizing their autonomous merit lists.

• IIM CAP Progress: The Common Admission Process (CAP) is currently finalizing interview slots for the rounds starting next week. Candidates must ensure their digital call letters are downloaded from the official IIM Jammu site by February 18.
• Private B-School Windows: Premier private institutes like SPJIMR and XLRI have already completed their initial interview stages and are in the process of internal moderation. The official XLRI Jamshedpur notification suggests that the first list of selected candidates will be released by early April.
• Maharashtra CET Overlap: The State CET Cell Maharashtra continues its registration window, allowing students to keep their options open while they await the final selection results from national-level schools.

Conclusion

As the selection phase nears its peak today, February 15, every candidate must maintain a high level of preparedness for the upcoming interview rounds. Business schools are increasingly using digital platforms for these interactions, making it essential for applicants to be technologically adept. The final result of this long-drawn admission cycle will not only depend on CAT or CMAT scores but on the consistency shown during these final interactions. With the academic session slated to begin in June, the next six weeks will be decisive for the professional future of India's next generation of corporate leaders. Aspirants are advised to keep monitoring the Ministry of Education’s NIRF portal to stay updated on the rankings and credibility of the institutes they are interviewing with.

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