CAT cutoff, shortlisting formula, PI process and batch profile
IIM Bangalore publishes exact minimum cutoffs for each CAT section — more transparent than most IIMs. These are the thresholds for the first shortlist. Candidates actually called for interviews score significantly higher. Additionally, the raw score must be positive in all three sections — a zero or negative raw score in any section disqualifies regardless of aggregate percentile.
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 80%ile | 75%ile | 75%ile | 85%ile |
| NC-OBC | 70%ile | 65%ile | 65%ile | 75%ile |
| EWS | 70%ile | 65%ile | 65%ile | 75%ile |
| SC | 65%ile | 60%ile | 60%ile | 70%ile |
| ST | 55%ile | 55%ile | 55%ile | 65%ile |
| PwD | 50%ile | 50%ile | 50%ile | 60%ile |
Pre-PI score out of 100: CAT 55 points (VARC 19, DILR 21, QA 15), Class 10 board 10 points, Class 12 board 10 points, Bachelor's degree 10 points, Work experience or professional course (CA/CS/ICWA) 10 points, Gender diversity 5 points. Work experience score = 10x/36 if months (x) between 0-36; capped at 10 if above 36 months. The 5-point gender diversity component is used only for shortlisting, not in final selection.
| Pre-PI Component | Points | How Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| CAT — VARC | 19 | Normalised verbal performance |
| CAT — DILR | 21 | Normalised analytical performance |
| CAT — QA | 15 | Normalised quantitative performance |
| Class 10 marks | 10 | Normalised within board and category |
| Class 12 marks | 10 | Normalised within stream and category |
| Bachelor's degree | 10 | Normalised within discipline |
| Work experience (0-36 months) | Up to 10 | 10x/36; capped at 10 for 36+ months |
| Gender diversity (non-male) | 5 | Fixed; shortlisting only, not in final |
PI carries 40 points — the largest single component. WAT is 10 points. CAT drops to 25 points. Academics reduce to 5 points each. Work experience is 10 points multiplied by a quality score (0.25-2.0) from the interview panel — quality and relevance of experience matter beyond just duration.
| Post-PI Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Personal Interview (PI) | 40 points |
| CAT Score | 25 points |
| Work Experience x Quality Score | 10 points |
| WAT (Written Ability Test) | 10 points |
| Class 10 + 12 + Bachelor's | 15 points (5 each) |
| Attribute | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| Total enrolled | 544 students (PGP 480 + PGPBA 64) |
| Female | 204 (37.5%) |
| Engineering background | 383 (70.4%) |
| Commerce background | 94 (17.3%) |
| No experience (freshers) | 81 students |
| 13-24 months experience | 135 students |
| 25-36 months experience | 169 students (largest group) |
| Professional qualification (CA/CS/ICWA) | 22 students |
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