What is the minimum CAT percentile required for IIM Kozhikode PGP admission?

As per the 2026-28 batch admission policy, the minimum qualifying overall percentile for the General and EWS category was 85 percentile. The minimum sectional percentile (VARC, DILR, and QA each) was 80 percentile. Cutoffs for the 2027-29 batch will be released in the official policy document on iimk.ac.in. Meeting the minimum cutoff does not guarantee a WAT-PI call. The Aggregate Index Score (AIS) determines the shortlist.

Does IIM Kozhikode accept only CAT, or are other exams also accepted for PGP?

CAT is the only accepted entrance exam for the flagship PGP, PGP-Finance, and PGP-LSM programmes. GMAT and GRE are not accepted for these three tracks. For the EPGP (for working professionals), candidates may apply with CAT, GMAT, or GRE scores. Candidates without any of these may take the EMAT (EPGPs own aptitude test).

How is the AIS (Aggregate Index Score) calculated for IIMK PGP shortlisting?

As per the 2026-28 batch admission policy, the AIS weights are: CAT performance (50%), Class XII marks (20%), Class X marks (15%), and gender and academic diversity plus work experience (15%). Female and transgender candidates get 10 diversity points. Non-engineering graduates receive 5 academic diversity points. Work experience adds up to 5 points. All AIS components are added to produce a ranked shortlist within each category.

What is the IIM Kozhikode PGP final selection formula after WAT and PI?

For the 2026-28 batch, the final composite score was: CAT Index Score (35%), Personal Interview (35%), Written Ability Test (20%), and Resume Score (10%). The WAT essay topic is given at the venue. The PI lasts 15 to 25 minutes with a panel of 2 to 3 faculty members. Panels are held in six cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, and New Delhi.

Is work experience mandatory for IIM Kozhikode PGP admission?

No. Work experience is not mandatory for the PGP. Fresh graduates may apply. However, relevant work experience earns bonus points in the AIS formula (up to 5 points), which can improve the shortlisting rank. For the EPGP, a minimum of 3 years of post-graduation work experience is mandatory.

How many seats does IIM Kozhikode PGP have and what are the reservation details?

The PGP intake for the 2026-28 batch was 480 seats across all three tracks (PGP, PGP-Finance, PGP-LSM). Reservation follows Government of India norms: OBC-NCL (27%), SC (15%), ST (7.5%), EWS (10%), and PwD (5% horizontal). Each category has its own CAT cutoff threshold as specified in the admission policy.

What is the total fee for IIM Kozhikode PGP?

The total fee for the 2026-28 batch PGP was INR 24,17,000 for the 2-year programme (Year 1: INR 12,42,000 and Year 2: INR 11,75,000). This includes tuition, hostel, and other academic charges. Fees are subject to revision for the 2027-29 batch. The application fee is INR 3,000 (non-refundable), paid after receiving the Stage 2 shortlist email.

What is the IIMK BMS programme and who should apply?

The BMS (Bachelor of Management Studies - Honours with Research) is a 4-year undergraduate management programme at IIM Kozhikodes Kochi campus. It is intended for Class XII pass candidates who want a management degree from an IIM without an MBA. Admission is through the IIMK BMS Aptitude Test, not JEE or CUET. The inaugural 2026-27 batch has begun. Applications for the 2027-28 batch are expected to open around February 2027.

Does IIM Kozhikode offer direct admission or a management quota?

No. IIM Kozhikode does not offer direct admission to any programme. All PGP seats are filled through CAT-based shortlisting and WAT-PI merit. IIMK has not publicly disclosed any management quota or NRI quota seats for the PGP or EPGP. Candidates must go through the standard selection process.

Can final-year graduation students apply for IIM Kozhikode PGP?

Yes. Final-year undergraduate students may appear for CAT 2026 and apply to IIM Kozhikode PGP. Such candidates must complete their graduation degree and submit proof of passing before joining the programme in April 2027. Provisional admission may be revoked if the degree completion requirement is not met.

IIM Kozhikode PI Shortlist Composite Score 2027: Weightage, CAT Cutoff & Calculation

IIM Kozhikode PI Shortlist Composite Score 2027 is the Aggregate Index Score. The last published policy gave CAT a 50% weight. Class XII carried 20% and Class X carried 15%. Diversity and work experience shared the last 15%.

The composite score decides who is called for WAT and PI. The minimum CAT percentile only clears Stage 1. It does not rank a candidate on its own.

The 2027-29 admission policy is expected around December 2026. Only candidates who complete Stage 1 registration are scored. Gender and academic diversity points are mutually exclusive. The policy sits on iimk.ac.in.

Check: IIM Kozhikode Courses & Fees 2027

IIM Kozhikode PI shortlist composite score

Download: Official IIM Kozhikode PGP Admission Policy PDF

IIM Kozhikode PI Shortlist Composite Score 2027 Weightage

The table below carries the AIS weightage used for the PGP 2026-28 shortlist. The same structure is expected in the 2027-29 cycle.

Component	Weightage
CAT Index Score	50%
Class XII Percentage Score	20%
Class X Percentage Score	15%
Gender or Academic Diversity Score	10% or 5%
Work Experience Score	5%

The CAT Index Score uses scaled sectional scores, not the percentile. All three sections carry equal weight. A lopsided profile therefore loses ground here. The full weightage sheet is in the PGP admissions policy.

What Is the Aggregate Index Score?

The Aggregate Index Score is IIM Kozhikode's Stage 2 ranking score. It turns CAT marks, board marks, diversity and work experience into one number. The score is out of 100.

A separate ranked list is prepared for each reservation category. Candidates at the top of each list get the WAT-PI call.

Read: IIM Kozhikode Placement

IIM Kozhikode CAT Cutoff 2027 for Stage 1 Eligibility

Stage 1 is a filter, not a ranking. The overall percentile, the sectional percentile and the board marks all apply together. The 2026-28 policy kept these numbers unchanged.

Category	CAT Percentile	Sectional Percentile	Class X and XII Marks
General	85	75	60%
OBC-NCL / EWS	75	65	60%
SC	65	55	55%
ST / PwD	55	45	55%

Graduation needs at least 60% aggregate marks. Candidates holding CA, CMA or CS need 50% in those exams. A zero or negative scaled score in any section disqualifies a candidate.

IIM Kozhikode minimum eligibility criteria — IIM Kozhikode official website

How Class X and Class XII Marks Are Normalised?

Board percentages are not used in raw form. The Class X percentage is divided by the highest percentage of that board. The adjusted figure is then multiplied by 15.

Class XII works the same way, but at stream level. The percentage is divided by the highest score in that stream. That adjusted figure is multiplied by 20.

IIM Kozhikode builds this benchmark from the board marks of CAT applicants. Three years of applicant data are used. So a candidate is judged against the top scorers of the same board.

Marks of every subject on the marksheet are counted. This includes subjects the board itself leaves out of its own percentage.

Diversity and Work Experience Points in the AIS

Female and transgender candidates receive a gender diversity score of 10. A Bachelor's degree outside engineering or technology fetches an academic diversity score of 5.

An engineering graduate with a second non-engineering degree also qualifies. That degree must carry 60% aggregate marks. Only one of the two diversity scores applies. A non-engineer female candidate takes the higher score of 10.

Check: IIM Kozhikode Scholarship 2026

Work Experience Score by Months Completed

Only full-time paid work after graduation counts. Internships, articleship and project work are excluded. The score peaks at three years and then falls sharply.

Completed Months	Score
Below 6	0.00
12	1.17
24	3.17
35 to 36	5.00
48	2.60
60	0.20
61 and above	0.00

Experience is counted as on December 31 of the CAT year. A candidate at 61 months scores zero here. The design rewards 35 to 36 months the most.

Complete IIM Kozhikode Work Experience Score (Completed Months)

IIM Kozhikode work experience score calculation — IIM Kozhikode admission policy PDF

IIM Kozhikode Composite Score Calculation Example

Example: A female non-engineering candidate has 92% in Class X. She has 88% in Class XII and 24 months of work experience.

Assume her board's highest Class X figure is 97%. Her Class X score is 92 divided by 97, multiplied by 15. That comes to about 14.23 out of 15.

Assume the highest Class XII figure in her stream is 96%. Her Class XII score works out to about 18.33 out of 20. Gender diversity adds 10 and work experience adds 3.17.

Her non-CAT total therefore reaches roughly 45.73 out of 50. The CAT Index Score supplies the other 50 points. The final AIS fixes her rank inside her category list.

IIM Kozhikode PI Shortlist 2027 Expected Percentile

The 85 percentile figure is widely misread as the call cutoff. It is only the entry gate. As per previous trends, General category calls have needed 97 to 99 percentile.

The reason sits in the AIS structure. Half the score comes from outside CAT. As per previous trends, high scorers with weak Class XII marks have missed the shortlist.

Non-engineering and female candidates have converted calls at lower percentiles. General category engineering male candidates face the tightest bar.

Final Composite Score After WAT and PI

The Stage 2 composite score does not carry into the merit list. A fresh score is computed after the interview stage. The AIS only decides who gets called.

Component	Weightage
CAT Index Score	35%
PI Score	35%
WAT Score	20%
Resume Score	10%

Board marks and diversity carry no direct weight at this stage. The resume score covers professional qualifications and certifications. CA, CMA or CS fetches 5 marks. A cleared CFA Level 1, 2 or 3 fetches another 5 marks.

The WAT is an essay written at the venue. The topic is announced just before the session begins. The panel assesses academics, general awareness, communication and work experience.

Composite Score for PGP-Finance and PGP-LSM Shortlists

The two specialised tracks use different AIS formulas. The flagship PGP weightage does not apply to them.

PGP-Finance gives 20% each to the Quantitative and DI sections. Class XII carries 15% and Class X carries 10%. Work experience carries 10% and gender diversity carries 5%. A Suitability Score of 20% rewards CFA, FRM and PRM levels.

PGP-LSM gives 40% to the Verbal and Reasoning sections. Class X and Class XII carry 20% each. Academic diversity carries 10%. Gender diversity and work experience carry 5% each.

Both tracks also accept valid GRE and GMAT scores. Home-test versions of these exams are not accepted.

IIM Kozhikode PI Shortlist 2027 Important Dates

The 2027-29 schedule is expected to follow the 2026-28 pattern. The 2026 column carries the timeline stated in the last policy.

Event	2027 (Expected)	2026 (As per policy)
Stage 1 online registration on IIMK portal	January 2027	January 2026
Stage 2 PI shortlist on registration portal	2nd week of January 2027	2nd week of January 2026
Admission offers in order of merit	1st week of May 2027	1st week of May 2026

The WAT and PI rounds run between these two stages. IIM Kozhikode holds them in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai and New Delhi. Each candidate attends a half-day session.

Original certificates must be produced for verification at the PI. Candidates without them are removed from the process.

How to Improve the Composite Score for the IIMK Shortlist?

Board marks are already fixed for most aspirants. So the movable parts are the CAT sectional balance and work experience timing.

Example: An engineering male candidate has 78% in Class XII. He loses close to 4 points against a peer at 94%. Covering that gap needs a clearly stronger CAT Index Score.

A balanced 99 percentile beats a lopsided 99 percentile here. All three sections carry equal weight in the CAT Index Score.

Work experience timing is the second lever. A candidate at 30 months scores 4.17. The same candidate at 36 months scores the full 5.00.

IIM Kozhikode PI Shortlist Composite Score 2027 FAQs

Ques. Do graduation marks count in the IIM Kozhikode PI Shortlist Composite Score?

Ans. No. For the flagship PGP, graduation marks are used only to meet the minimum eligibility requirement of 60%. The Stage 2 composite score considers CAT Index Score, Class X, Class XII, work experience, and diversity factors.

Ques. Does IIM Kozhikode conduct a Group Discussion (GD) round for PGP admissions?

Ans. No. IIM Kozhikode does not conduct a Group Discussion. Shortlisted candidates appear for a Written Ability Test (WAT) followed by a Personal Interview (PI).

Ques. Can a female non-engineering candidate receive both diversity scores at IIM Kozhikode?

Ans. No. The two diversity categories are mutually exclusive. A female non-engineering candidate receives the gender diversity score (10 marks) but not the academic diversity score.

Ques. Can a high CAT score alone secure an IIM Kozhikode PI shortlist?

Ans. No. Along with meeting the CAT cutoff, candidates must complete Stage 1 registration on the IIM Kozhikode admission portal. Those who fail to register are not considered for the PI shortlist.

Ques. Does IIM Kozhikode accept GMAT or GRE scores for the flagship PGP?

Ans. No. The flagship PGP accepts CAT scores only. However, PGP-Finance and PGP-Liberal Studies & Management (PGP-LSM) also accept valid GRE and GMAT scores.

Ques. Does more work experience always increase the IIM Kozhikode composite score?

Ans. No. The work experience score peaks at 35–36 months. Beyond this range, the score gradually declines and becomes zero at 61 months.

Ques. How does IIM Kozhikode calculate the composite score if Class X marks were not awarded due to COVID-19?

Ans. In such cases, the 15% Class X weightage is redistributed between the CAT Index Score and Class XII marks. Candidates must submit a valid self-declaration during Stage 1 registration.

Ques. Does the IIM Kozhikode final merit list use the Stage 2 composite score?

Ans. No. The final admission merit list is prepared using a new composite score comprising CAT (35%), Personal Interview (35%), Written Ability Test (20%), and Resume Score (10%).