IIM Bodh Gaya and IIM Sirmaur will participate in the Common Admission Process (CAP 2026) for MBA admissions. This decision comes as five other Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have opted out of the joint process for the academic year 2026-28. IIM Jammu previously confirmed its continued participation in CAP 2026.
The Common Admission Test (CAT 2025) remains the primary criterion for admission to all 21 IIMs. Each institute maintains its own specific selection process for postgraduate management programs.
IIMs Opting Out of CAP 2026
A significant change in admission policy sees IIM Udaipur exit CAP 2026. The institute will conduct its own independent MBA admission process starting from the 2026-28 academic year.
Four additional IIMs also withdrew from CAP: Raipur, Kashipur, Ranchi, and Tiruchirappalli. These four institutions have introduced a new Joint Admission Process (JAP 2026) . The move aims to reduce the time required for the second stage of selection. This stage includes assessing written ability tests, personal interviews, academic qualifications, and work experience.
IIM Sirmaur Admission Criteria
IIM Sirmaur has not yet released its full detailed admission criteria for MBA admission 2026. However, the institute has reduced its sectional cut-offs. The cut-off now stands at 92 percentile, down from 94 percentile.
The final merit list for IIM Sirmaur will assign specific weightages to different components:
- CAT scores: 30% weightage
- Personal Interview (PI): 20% weightage
- Written Ability Test (WAT): 10% weightage
The remaining 40% of marks will be based on academic performance, work experience, and a gender diversity factor.
IIM Bodh Gaya Admission Criteria
IIM Bodh Gaya allocates 45% weightage to the CAT score in its final selection process for the 2026-28 academic year. The institute has fixed specific CAT 2025 cut-offs for various categories:
| Category | CAT 2025 Cut-off (Percentile) |
|---|---|
| General | 94 |
| EWS | 77 |
| OBC | 77 |
| SC | 60 |
| ST | 40 |
| PwD | 40 |
Understanding the Admission Processes
The Common Admission Process (CAP) is a centralized process for several new and baby IIMs. It streamlines the interview and written ability test rounds for participating institutes. Historically, this has included a common application and interview process for candidates applying to multiple CAP-participating IIMs.
The introduction of the Joint Admission Process (JAP) by IIMs Raipur, Kashipur, Ranchi, and Tiruchirappalli signifies a new collaborative effort. This process aims to achieve similar efficiencies in candidate selection while operating independently of the main CAP framework. IIM Udaipur’s decision to conduct an entirely independent process offers it complete autonomy in designing its selection stages.
Prospective MBA students for the 2026-28 academic year must monitor specific admission policies for each IIM. The evolving admission landscape requires applicants to understand the individual requirements for CAP 2026, JAP 2026, and independent IIM processes following CAT 2025 results.