IIM Bangalore has announced its MBA admission policy for the 2026 intake. The selection process for the two-year full-time Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) involves two stages. A personal interview carries the highest weightage in the final selection.
Admission relies on scores from the Common Admission Test (CAT 2025). Candidates must also submit two reference letters with their online application, preferably from a former employer or academic institution.
IIM Bangalore Admission Overview
IIM Bangalore, ranked number 2 in the NIRF management rankings 2025, maintains high CAT cut-offs. Its cut-offs are the second highest nationally, following IIM Ahmedabad. General category candidates must achieve an overall score above the 85 percentile to qualify for the second selection stage.
This is in addition to meeting specific criteria for previous academic performance and work experience.
Stage 1: Initial Shortlisting Criteria
The first stage involves shortlisting candidates based on CAT 2025 scores, academic qualifications, and other factors. IIM Bangalore uses category-wise sectional and overall CAT cut-offs for this initial round.
| Category | Section 1 (VARC) | Section 2 (DILR) | Section 3 (QA) | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 80 | 75 | 75 | 85 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| EWS | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| PWD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
IIM Bangalore stated, “These are cut-offs used for preparing the first shortlist. The scores of those called for interviews were higher.”
Stage 1 Weightages:
| Criteria | Weightage |
|---|---|
| CAT 2025 scores | 55% |
| Class 10 | 10% |
| Class 12 | 10% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 10% |
| Work experience or professional course | 10% |
| Gender diversity | 5% |
Stage 2: Final Selection Process
The final selection round for IIM Bangalore’s MBA programme assigns the highest weightage to the personal interview. This stage also includes a Written Ability Test (WAT).
Candidates participate in both the personal interview (PI) and the WAT on the same day and at the same location. The WAT lasts approximately 30 minutes. It evaluates candidates based on the content and style of their written note.
Final MBA Admission 2026 Weightages:
| Criteria | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Personal interview | 40% |
| Written Ability Test (WAT) | 10% |
| CAT | 25% |
| Class 10 | 5% |
| Class 12 | 5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 5% |
| Work experience | 10% |