A strong 8 in 12th (80-89%) is acceptable at IIM Indore for non-engineers especially, because Indore weighs academic diversity, and non-engineers get +3-4 effective percentile advantage in shortlisting. The OP of this thread had 9/8/7 with strong 12th and 10th and converted IIM I as General category. For General engineers with 8 in 12th, the bar rises significantly and 99.
5+ CAT is needed. IIM Indore at Rs 16.5L fees and Rs 25 LPA average is among the highest ROI IIMs, making it a realistic target for 9/8/7 profiles scoring 97-99 percentile.
The board difference matters: Indore normalizes 10th and 12th based on board stringency (CBSE vs state boards). A 12th at 85% from a tougher board may be treated as equivalent to 88-90% from CBSE. Check IIM I's exact composite score formula on their website; it changes slightly year to year.
For candidates with 12th below 80%, consider strengthening with CFA, CA, certifications, or 2+ years workex to compensate. Realistic backup targets with flexible 12th requirements: FMS Delhi (Rs 2.43L, Rs 34 LPA), XLRI (Rs 30.
6L, Rs 28 LPA), SPJIMR (Rs 26.5L, Rs 32 LPA), MDI Gurgaon (Rs 28.2L, Rs 22 LPA).
For 8/7/7 profiles, tier 2 colleges like TAPMI (Rs 17.3L, Rs 11 LPA) and GIM Goa (Rs 19L, Rs 10 LPA) are realistic. Check your eligibility at collvera.