CAT 2026 IIM Weightage: How CAT Score, Interview and Academics Count at Each IIM

Most IIMs give the CAT 2026 IIM Weightage for the final composite score to the personal interview (PI), at roughly 35% to 50%, followed by the CAT score at 25% to 40%.

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Academics, work experience and diversity together make up 10% to 25% of the final score at the older IIMs.

IIM Ahmedabad gives the highest PI weight (50%), followed by IIM Calcutta (48%) and IIM Indore (45%).
CAT carries 25% at IIM A and IIM B, 30% at IIM C and IIM L, 35% at IIM K and 40% at IIM Indore in the final stage.
At the shortlisting stage, CAT carries 50% to 66%; Class 10, 12 and graduation marks decide most of the rest.
Figures are from the 2026-28 admission cycle (CAT 2025), the latest available; IIMs usually publish new policies after the CAT result.

Source: CAT 2026 Information Bulletin — each IIM sets its own weights and selection process

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CAT 2026 Dates: When IIM Selection Begins

CAT 2026 is scheduled for November 29, 2026, and the admit card is scheduled for release on November 4, 2026. After the examination, candidates must wait for the result before IIM shortlisting begins.

Once the CAT result is announced, IIMs use their respective admission criteria to identify candidates for the next stage. Shortlisted candidates may be called for personal interviews and other assessment rounds, depending on the institute. Since each IIM follows its own process, the shortlist announcement and interview schedule may vary.

Event	Date
CAT 2026 registration	August 3–September 22, 2026 (closed)
Admit card release	November 4, 2026
CAT 2026 examination	November 29, 2026
CAT 2026 result	Expected in the first week of January 2027
IIM shortlisting	After the CAT result
Interview and other selection rounds	Dates vary by IIM

Ques. Has any IIM announced CAT 2026 selection weightage yet?

Ans. The weightage figures in this article are based on the previous admission cycle, CAT 2025 for admission in 2026–28. IIMs may revise their criteria for the 2027–29 batch, so candidates should distinguish previous-cycle weightage from the criteria announced for their admission year.

Ques. When will the CAT 2026 result be declared?

Ans. The CAT 2026 result is expected in the first week of January 2027, according to the timeline stated in the CAT 2026 information bulletin. The result will provide candidates with their CAT scores and percentiles, which IIMs use during shortlisting.

100 Marks in CAT Percentile	70 Marks in CAT Percentile	75 Marks in CAT Percentile
50 Marks in CAT Percentile	80 Marks in CAT Percentile	90 Marks in CAT Percentile
10 Marks in CAT Percentile	CAT Topper Marks out of 198	CAT Topper Marks Out of 204

IIM Final Selection Weightage: CAT, PI, WAT and Profile

PI is the largest single component at 5 of the 6 older IIMs.
IIM Kozhikode gives the highest WAT weight (20%) and equal weight to CAT and PI (35% each).
IIM Indore gives the highest final CAT weight among older IIMs (40%) and has no separate WAT weight.

IIM	CAT	PI	WAT	Other profile factors
IIM Ahmedabad	25%	50%	10%	15% Application Rating
IIM Bangalore	25%	40%	10%	25%: Academics 15%, Work Experience 10%
IIM Calcutta	30%	48%	8%	14%: Academic Diversity 6%, Work Experience 8%
IIM Lucknow	30%	40%	10%	20%: Academics 10%, Diversity 5%, Work Experience 5%
IIM Kozhikode	35%	35%	20%	10% Resume Score
IIM Indore	40%	45%	—	15%: Academics 10%, Diversity 5%

Ques. Which IIM gives the highest weightage to the interview?

Ans. IIM Ahmedabad at 50%, followed by IIM Calcutta at 48% and IIM Indore at 45%.

Ques. Which older IIM gives the most weight to the CAT score in the final stage?

Ans. IIM Indore, at 40%. IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore give the least, at 25%.

IIM Pre-PI Shortlisting Weightage: CAT and Academics

IIM Ahmedabad gives CAT 65%, the highest at the shortlisting stage.
IIM Indore and IIM Kozhikode each give 35% to class 10 and 12 marks.
IIM Calcutta gives no marks for work experience before the interview.

IIM	CAT	Academics	Diversity	Work Experience
IIM Ahmedabad	65%	Included within the 35% Application Rating	Included within Application Rating	Included within Application Rating
IIM Bangalore	55%	30%: Class 10, Class 12, Graduation (10% each)	5% gender diversity	10%
IIM Calcutta	56 of 85 points	25 of 85 points: Class 10 (10), Class 12 (15)	4 of 85 points for gender diversity	0
IIM Lucknow	60%	20%: Class 12 (10%), Graduation (10%)	10%: Academic diversity (5%), Gender (5%)	10%
IIM Kozhikode	50%	35%: Class 10 (15%), Class 12 (20%)	Up to 10%	5%
IIM Indore	55%	35%: Class 10 (10%), Class 12 (25%)	7%	Up to 3%

Note: Some reports list different shortlisting splits for IIM Kozhikode and IIM Bangalore. Check each IIM's official admission policy.

Check: CAT 2026 Safe Percentile for IIM A, B and C: Score to Target

Ques. Do 10th and 12th marks matter for IIM?

Ans. Yes, mostly at shortlisting. IIM Indore gives them 35%, IIM Kozhikode 35% and IIM Calcutta 25 of 85 points.

Ques. Which IIM gives the least weightage to academics?

Ans. Among the older IIMs, IIM Lucknow gives the lowest academic share at shortlisting (20%).

Check: List of Top Colleges in India Accepting CAT Based on 2026 Ranking

IIM Calcutta Selection Criteria: Points Breakdown

IIM Calcutta publishes its scoring in points, which makes it the most transparent older IIM.
Class 10 and 12 marks of 80% or more earn the maximum points.
Academic diversity and work experience count only in the final stage.

Component	Stage	Maximum Weightage / Points
CAT score	Shortlisting	56 of 85
Class 10 marks	Shortlisting	10
Class 12 marks	Shortlisting	15
Gender diversity	Shortlisting	4
Academic diversity	Final selection	6
Work experience	Final selection	8

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IIM Ahmedabad Cut Off	IIM Bangalore Cut Off
IIM Calcutta Cut Off	IIM Kozhikode Cut Off
IIM Trichy Cut Off	IIM Visakhapatnam Cut Off
IIM Jammu Cut Off	IIM Ranchi Cut Off

Ques. Does work experience help in IIM Calcutta admission?

Ans. Yes. In the previous-cycle criteria summarized above, work experience contributes up to 8 points at the final selection stage. It does not contribute to the shortlisting score in this breakdown. Freshers can still receive interview calls and admission offers, depending on their CAT performance and the other selection components.

Ques. Do non-engineers get extra points at IIM Calcutta?

Ans. Academic diversity can benefit candidates with eligible non-engineering qualifications under IIM Calcutta's selection policy. The exact points depend on the degree category specified by the institute. Candidates should check the applicable admission policy rather than assuming that every non-engineering degree receives the same benefit.

Newer IIMs: Approximate CAT, PI and Profile Weightage

Newer IIMs generally give more weight to CAT (40–65%) and less to the PI (15–30%) than older IIMs.
IIM Ranchi gives the highest CAT weight in the list (65%).
These figures come from a single compilation and differ between reports, so treat them as approximate.

IIM	CAT	PI	Profile
IIM Ranchi	65%	15%	20%
IIM Rohtak	60%	20%	20%
IIM Udaipur	55%	25%	20%
IIM Tiruchirappalli	52%	20%	28%
IIM Bodh Gaya	50%	25%	25%
IIM Nagpur	45%	25%	30%
IIM Jammu	42%	30%	28%
IIM Shillong	40%	40%	20%
IIM Sambalpur	40%	25%	35%
IIM Visakhapatnam	25%	48%	27%

IIM Lucknow Cut Off	IIM Udaipur Cut Off
IIM Raipur Cut Off	IIM Bodh Gaya Cut Off
IIM Amritsar Cut Off	IIM Kashipur Cut Off
IIM Sambalpur Cut Off	IIM Indore Cut Off

Ques. Which IIM gives the most weightage to CAT score?

Ans. Among the compiled figures, IIM Ranchi gives about 65%. Check each IIM's policy, as reports differ.

Ques. Do newer IIMs use a common admission process?

Ans. Several newer IIMs shortlist through a common process. Each IIM's policy page lists its own weights.

How Academics and Work Experience Count Across IIMs

Academics matter most at shortlisting; work experience matters most in the final stage.
Women and non-engineers get 4-10% diversity weight at most older IIMs.
A low CAT percentile cannot be fully offset, because sectional and overall cutoffs apply first.

Factor	Shortlisting stage	Final stage
CAT score	50–66%	25–40%
Class 10, 12, graduation	20–35%	Up to 15%
Work experience	0–10%	5–10%
Diversity	4–10%	Up to 6%
PI and WAT	—	45–60%

Prepare with CAT mock tests and CAT preparation tips.

Ques. Does work experience matter for CAT 2026 admissions?

Ans. Yes, mostly in the final stage. Freshers can still convert IIM calls with strong CAT and academics.

CAT Score vs Percentile 2026: Reddit Discussion

According to a Reddit post, a user wanted to know the college options he might be getting based on the CAT 99.42 percentile in the OBC NCL category. As per the response, he/she might be getting a call from old IIMs and was advised to prepare well for the WAT/PI round.