IIM Ahmedabad PGP 2026-28 admission policy revised: CAT cutoffs up for general category

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has revised its admission policy for the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) batch of 2026-28. The updated criteria, officially released on December 2, 2025, and last updated on June 16, 2026, detail changes to CAT percentile requirements and the shortlisting process for the Analytical Writing Test (AWT) and Personal Interview (PI).

These revisions aim to identify candidates with strong academic backgrounds, analytical, communication, and leadership potential, while also ensuring a diverse and talented cohort. The changes are particularly significant for General and EWS category candidates, who will face higher minimum CAT percentile cut-offs.

Revised CAT Percentile Cut-Offs

IIM Ahmedabad has increased the minimum CAT percentile cut-offs for the 2026-28 PGP batch across various categories. For General and EWS candidates, the minimum overall CAT percentile has risen to 95, up from 80 in the previous cycle. Similarly, the minimum sectional CAT percentile for these categories has increased to 85, from 70.

Candidates must also achieve a positive raw score (>0) in all three sections of CAT-2025. The institution explicitly reserves the right to modify these cut-offs and criteria based on the distribution of CAT-2025 data, which is typically conducted in late November.

Shortlisting and Final Selection Process

The selection process for the 2026-28 PGP batch is a two-step mechanism. The first stage involves shortlisting candidates for the AWT and PI based on a Composite Score (CS). This CS is calculated as 0.35 × Norm(AR) + 0.65 × Norm(CAT Overall), where AR (Application Rating) is derived from scores for 10th, 12th (stream-wise), Bachelor’s (discipline-wise), Work-ex, and Gender diversity. A gender diversity score of 3 is awarded to all non-male candidates.

IIMA employs a two-stage shortlisting process across academic backgrounds. Stage 1 identifies ‘Exceptional performers’ (top 5% in each ACRC group, subject to upper limits) who meet specific criteria (C1-C3). Stage 2 then shortlists additional candidates based on their Composite Score, after removing those selected in Stage 1, provided they meet Criteria C1 and C2. Criteria C1 mandates minimum cutoffs for sectional and overall CAT percentiles, while C2 requires minimum cutoffs for the average of 10th and 12th percentages. Criteria C3 specifies that Bachelor’s percentage must be at least the 80th percentile within the relevant applicant pool group.

The final selection uses a Final Composite Score (FCS), calculated as FCS = 0.50 × PI + 0.10 × AWT + 0.25 × CAT + 0.15 × AR. Candidates shortlisted for AWT and PI will be invited to centers in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, or New Delhi.

Eligibility Criteria and Key Dates

To be eligible, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or an equivalent CGPA (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories). If CGPA/grades are awarded without a university conversion, IIMA may compute the percentage as (Obtained CGPA ÷ Max CGPA) × 100. Final-year candidates are eligible to apply, but must submit their marksheet and degree certificate by IIMA’s stated deadlines, including a June 30, 2026, completion requirement and a submission deadline of December 31, 2026.

Applicants must be 19 years old as of June 30, 2026, meaning they must be born on or before June 30, 2007. The application fee for CAT is INR 2,600 for General and OBC candidates, and INR 1,300 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.

Further reading

• MMS 2026: Apply for admission with CAT/MAT/XAT/CMAT/ATMA/MAH-CET scores
• KMAT, CAT, CMAT, XAT 2026 exam dates announced for Kochi MBA admissions
• Nirma University MBA admission 2027 registration open; apply by December third week Applications open
• CAT: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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