MBA admission cycles enter the evaluation phase as IIMs and top B-schools release shortlists. Understand composite scores, PI schedules, and selection criteria.

The Indian management education landscape has officially transitioned into the high-stakes shortlisting and evaluation phase this week. Following the release of major entrance exam results earlier this month, premier institutions including the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have begun rolling out interview calls. As of today, several "Old IIMs" like IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta have already made their initial lists public, while others are expected to follow by the end of this week. This period marks a critical shift from standardized testing to a multidimensional evaluation of an aspirant's profile.

The Mechanics of Composite Score Calculation

During this stage, B-schools move beyond the entrance percentile to calculate a composite score for each candidate. This score serves as the primary filter for inviting students to the Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT) rounds. Unlike the preliminary screening, this phase rewards candidates with consistent academic records and diverse professional backgrounds.

• Academic Weightage: Most top-tier institutes allocate 20–30% of the pre-interview weight to 10th, 12th, and graduation marks. Normalization is often applied to account for the varying difficulty levels across different state and central boards.
• Diversity Factors: To ensure a vibrant classroom environment, many schools award specific points for academic diversity (non-engineers) and gender diversity (female and transgender candidates).
• Work Experience Quality: Simply having "time on the job" is no longer enough; the evaluation committee now looks at the quality of the role and the duration, typically giving maximum points to those with 24 to 36 months of experience.

Sectional Performance: While the overall percentile is vital, institutes like IIM Bangalore maintain strict sectional cutoffs to ensure candidates possess a balanced aptitude in verbal, logical, and quantitative domains.

Current Status of Major B-School Shortlists

The second week of January is historically the busiest period for shortlisting announcements. While some institutes rely on the Common Admission Process (CAP) for their selection, others maintain independent portals for their assessment rounds.

• The CAP 2026 Process: For the new and baby IIMs, the Common Admission Process streamlines the evaluation by conducting a single interview round for multiple institutes, significantly reducing the logistical burden on candidates.
• Independent Notifications: Aspirants are urged to check their registered email IDs and institute dashboards, as many schools do not send physical call letters anymore.
• Document Uploading: Shortlisted candidates often have only a 48-to-72-hour window to upload their updated resumes, certificates, and "Statement of Purpose" (SOP) on the evaluation portals.

Strategic Importance of the PI and WAT Rounds

As the cycle moves deeper into the evaluation stage, the weightage of the entrance score begins to diminish in favor of personal interaction. In the final merit list, the interview performance can account for as much as 40–50% of the total selection criteria.

• Writing Ability Test (WAT): This round tests a candidate's clarity of thought and ability to structure an argument under time pressure. It is often the first thing evaluated on the day of the interview.
• Personal Interview (PI): The PI remains the most subjective and influential part of the evaluation. Panels are increasingly focusing on "fitment" and the candidate's long-term career vision.
• Holistic Profiling: The goal of this deep-dive phase is to identify leaders who possess both the cognitive ability to handle the curriculum and the soft skills required for the corporate world.
• Mock Interviews: In response to the high-stakes nature of this phase, many students are currently undergoing intense mock sessions to refine their narratives and address gaps in their profiles.

Conclusion

The transition into the mid-January shortlisting window signals the end of the "numbers game" and the beginning of the "profile game." While the entrance test provided the initial momentum, the current evaluation phase is where the final seat is truly contested. With several premier lists already out and the CAP process on the horizon, the focus for aspirants must remain on document readiness and interview preparation. The next two months will define the 2026-28 cohort, as the composite strengths of thousands of students are meticulously scrutinized by the country’s leading management faculties.

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