Does 10th or 12th percentage hamper placements at new IIMs?

Low 10th/12th percentages (below 80%) hurt top-tier consulting and finance placements but do not tank mid-tier placements at new IIMs. The OP gave nuanced advice - "UG score won't hamper placement much" when someone asked about 91.2/97.2/7.22 acads. But top consulting (MBB) and frontline finance (IB, PE) DO check 10th/12th for shortlists even at IIM ABC. The hierarchy of acad importance: 10th and 12th matter less than UG for finance; 10th+12th combined weight increases for consulting shortlists. At new IIMs (Kashipur, Ranchi Rs 14L fees Rs 17 LPA, Trichy, Udaipur), most companies that visit don't apply strict 80%+ academic filters since the batch itself has a wider profile distribution. Companies like HDFC, ICICI, Axis MT programs, IT consulting firms, FMCG sales roles are academic-agnostic once you are in the MBA. If your target is top 10% of placements (consulting/IB) even at new IIMs, the 80%+ filter applies at the shortlist stage. Mitigations for 7.2 UG CGPA (~75%):

1. Score top 10% CGPA in MBA to override low UG,

1. Show strong spikes via CFA L1, national-level achievements,

1. Frame low UG in PI as "engineering was not my passion - discovered business during X experience",

1. Focus on live projects, case competitions, leadership roles that shift narrative from numbers to outcomes. For absolute job safety, if you have 7/7/7 or below, do NOT target top-tier firms - instead aim for solid MT programs at mid-size firms offering 12-15 LPA. Check your eligibility at collvera.com/eligibility