What are the three types of IIM call shortlisting processes for new IIMs?

New IIMs use three shortlisting mechanisms: Type A (free interest forms), Type B (paid application forms), and Type C (Common Admission Process or CAP). Understanding these helps you decide where to invest time and money, especially if you're in the 95-99 percentile range where strategic choices matter most.

Type A: Interest Form Based

IIM BLACKI (Bodhgaya, Lucknow, Amritsar, Calcutta, Kashipur, Indore), Shillong, Vizag, and Sambalpur send emails to candidates asking them to fill a free interest form. These institutes evaluate your profile - academic record, work experience, diversity factors - along with your CAT score to decide whether to grant you a Personal Interview call.

The critical detail most candidates miss: receiving the email is not a shortlist. It's an invitation to be considered for shortlisting.

Your final PI call depends on how your complete profile stacks up, which is why you should fill these forms even if you're unsure about attending that particular IIM. There's no downside since the forms are free and take 10-15 minutes each.

For general category candidates scoring 98-99 percentile, Type A institutes represent your best chance at older, more established IIMs like those in the BLACKI group. Shillong and Vizag have slightly relaxed cutoffs compared to BLACKI institutes.

Fill all Type A forms you receive without exception.

Type B: Paid Application Forms

IIM Rohtak, Amritsar, and Mumbai follow a more conventional application process. They announce CAT percentile cutoffs (typically 90-95 for general category), and candidates who meet these cutoffs can apply by paying a fee.

The fee is usually Rs 2,000, though IIM Mumbai waived it this year. Unlike Type A, nearly everyone who clears the sectional and overall cutoffs and submits the application gets a PI call, making this a more predictable route.

The tradeoff is cost and commitment. If you're scoring 98-99 percentile, you have better options than IIM Rohtak, so consider whether traveling to Rohtak for interviews aligns with your priorities.

Here's a mistake many make: listing Rohtak as even your second choice can pull you there for final admission if your first choice doesn't work out.

IIM Mumbai and Amritsar are worth the application fee for most candidates in this percentile range since they offer better brand value and placement outcomes.

Type C: Common Admission Process (CAP)

CAP currently includes IIM Udaipur, Trichy, Ranchi, Kashipur, Nagpur, Jammu, Bodhgaya, and Sirmaur. These eight institutes conduct a combined Written Ability Test and Personal Interview, which saves candidates significant time and money since you interview once for multiple IIMs.

The process starts with interest forms for initial shortlisting based on your CAT score and profile. This year, CAP moved to offline mode, with interview centers in major cities.

IIM Raipur and Sambalpur exited CAP in recent admission cycles, choosing independent processes instead. CAP releases its merit lists in mid-May, later than top IIMs like ABC (which start from late April) but before standalone institutes like Vizag and Amritsar.

This timing matters for waitlist movement and final decision-making, since you'll know your ABC results before committing to a CAP institute.

Pro Tip: If you're at 98-99 percentile in the general category, prioritize all Type A forms for BLACKI institutes, add Type B applications for Mumbai and Amritsar, and definitely participate in CAP since one interview gets you considered for eight IIMs. Skip Rohtak unless you're genuinely interested, because the application creates a binding commitment that could block better options later.