A 7/7/8 profile with 21 months IT work-ex gets limited SIP shortlists at new IIMs but is not disqualifying. The ex-placecom AMA host's short answer to similar queries was "Yes" for 9/7/7 with 21 months IT. At IIM Rohtak (Rs 16L fees, Rs 18 LPA avg, 93%+ CAT cutoff), profiles at 7/7/8 typically get 40-50% fewer shortlists than 8/8/8 profiles.
Your SIP options narrow to: specific IT consulting firms (TCS, Infosys, Wipro consulting arms), operations roles at manufacturing, HR and gen man at tier 2 companies, and analytics at mid-sized firms. Rs 15 LPA SIP stipend (equivalent) is realistic; Rs 20+ LPA is tough. Practical advice to maximise 7/7/8 outcomes: strong CFA L1 or domain certification before joining, active case comp participation, specific pitch preparation for target firms.
Don't aim at MBB/IB at new IIMs with this profile - the odds are near zero. Focus on gen man, product management, or IT-adjacent consulting where your IT experience is an asset. For someone at 7/7/8 with 21 months IT, the strongest play is IIM I (Rs 16.
5L fees, Rs 25 LPA avg, 97%+ cutoff) which has more finance/consulting depth, or XLRI BM for HR/consulting (Rs 30.6L fees, Rs 28 LPA avg, XAT 95+ cutoff). Check your eligibility at collvera.