What is the minimum CAT percentile required for IIM Lucknow PGP admission 2027?

The minimum qualifying CAT percentile for the General category is 90 overall and 85 in each section (VARC, DILR, QA). For NC-OBC and EWS candidates, the cutoff is 82 overall and 77 sectional. SC candidates need 65 overall and 55 sectional. ST and PwD candidates need 60 overall and 50 sectional. Meeting these cutoffs only earns a place in the shortlist scoring pool. The actual CAT percentile of admitted General category students in the 2024-26 batch ranged from a minimum of 92.41 to an average of 99.44.

Is CAT the only exam accepted for IIM Lucknow MBA admission?

Yes. IIM Lucknow PGP, PGP-ABM, and PGP-SM accept only CAT for the two-year MBA routes. GMAT or GRE is accepted only for the one-year IPMX executive programme. For the FPM doctoral programme, CAT, GATE, GRE, GMAT, or UGC or CSIR or ICAR JRF or SRF qualifies the candidate.

How many students are shortlisted for IIM Lucknow WAT-PI each year?

For the 2024-26 batch, IIM Lucknow shortlisted 3,914 candidates for WAT-PI across PGP, PGP-ABM, and PGP-SM combined. Of these, 509 were finally admitted to PGP alone, giving a shortlist-to-PGP-admission conversion rate of about 13%.

What is the IIM Lucknow PGP WAT-PI selection weightage?

The final merit score for PGP weighs Personal Interview at 40%, CAT score at 30%, WAT at 10%, academic record at 10%, work experience at 5%, and diversity at 5%. Candidates must score at least 12 out of 40 in the PI to be eligible for the final merit list.

Is work experience mandatory for IIM Lucknow PGP admission?

No. Work experience is not mandatory for PGP or PGP-ABM. It contributes a maximum of 5% to the PGP final merit score and zero weight in PGP-ABM. For PGP-SM, a minimum of 24 months full-time post-graduation work experience is mandatory. IPMX requires at least four years full-time work experience after graduation.

Can final-year graduation students apply for IIM Lucknow admission 2027?

Yes. Final-year students may apply and appear in CAT 2026. They must complete all degree requirements and produce proof of graduation before the cut-off date specified in the IIM Lucknow 2027 admission notification.

What is the total fee for IIM Lucknow PGP 2027?

The indicative total fee for IIM Lucknow PGP is INR 20,75,000 (Year 1: INR 10,95,000 and Year 2: INR 9,80,000). For IPMX, the total programme fee is INR 26,00,000 plus caution deposit and alumni membership (INR 25,000 combined). All figures are subject to revision. Visit iiml.ac.in for the confirmed fee structure for the 2027-29 batch.

Does IIM Lucknow offer direct admission or a management quota?

No. IIM Lucknow does not offer direct admission or a management quota. All seats in PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM, and IPMX are filled strictly through merit-based selection via CAT or GMAT or GRE and the WAT-PI process.

What is the reservation policy at IIM Lucknow?

IIM Lucknow follows Government of India reservation norms: General (40.5%), NC-OBC (27%), SC (15%), ST (7.5%), EWS (10%), and PwD (5% horizontal across all categories). The reservation applies uniformly across all programmes including PGP, PGP-ABM, and PGP-SM.

What is the IPMX work experience requirement and how is selection done?

IPMX requires a minimum of four years full-time post-graduation work experience. Selection uses a composite score: GMAT or GRE (30%), academic and professional profile (30%), Personal Interview (30%), and WAT (10%). Applications are accepted in three phases, with Phase 1 closing September 2, 2026, Phase 2 closing October 17, 2026, and Phase 3 closing December 1, 2026.

IIM Lucknow PGP: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Collegedunia Team

Content Curator | Updated on - Sep 18, 2026

IIM Lucknow offers two-year, full-time residential MBA programs: Post Graduate Program (PGP) and Post Graduate Program in Agribusiness Management (PGP-ABM). Both programs lead to an MBA degree and admit students through the CAT-based admission process. While the popular PGP provides a broad management curriculum, PGP-ABM focuses on agribusiness, food, rural, and allied sectors.

For the 2027-29 batch, admission to both programs is based on CAT 2026, followed by the respective shortlisting and interview process. Based on the latest available 2026-28 fee structure, the total IIML fees for both PGP and PGP-ABM are INR 20,75,000.

📋 Admission Status: CAT 2026 registrations are closing on September 22, 2026.

Key Points

Both PGP and PGP-ABM programs use CAT as the primary entrance examination.
PGP accepts graduates from any discipline, while PGP-ABM offers an agriculture/allied-science route and a route for other graduates with agriculture-related experience or interest.
Government reservation provisions apply to both programs: 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% NC-OBC, up to 10% EWS and 5% PwD.
The latest final placement reported an average salary of INR 33.2 LPA and a median salary of INR 32.9 LPA for the PGP and PGP-ABM batches combined.

IIM Lucknow PGPM Fees 2027

IIM Lucknow has not released the fee structure for the 2027-29 batch. The latest available fee structure for the 2026-28 batch shows a total program fee of INR 20.75 Lakhs for both PGP and PGP-ABM.

Fee Component	Year 1	Year 2
Admission Fee	INR 1 Lakh	-
Tuition Fee	INR 6.30 Lakhs	INR 6.30 Lakhs
Infrastructure Fee	INR 3.45 Lakhs	INR 3.45 Lakhs
Refundable Deposits	INR 20,000	-
Alumni Membership Fee	-	INR 5,000
Total	INR 10.95 Lakhs	INR 9.80 Lakhs

Note: The Institute may revise fees for a new batch. Mess charges are billed each term separately based on actual usage.

Image Source: iiml.ac.in

IIM Lucknow PGPM Admission 2027

Admission to both programs begins with the CAT examination, but the subsequent eligibility and shortlisting criteria differ. The 2027-29 admission cycle will use CAT 2026, subject to the official admission policy released by IIM Lucknow.

Important Dates 2027

CAT 2026 applications are open, while IIM Lucknow admission dates for WAT/PI (2027-29 batch) have not yet been released:

Event	Date
CAT Registration	Aug 03 - Sept 22, 2026
CAT Admit Card	Nov 04, 2026
CAT Exam	Nov 29, 2026
Shortlist Release	Jan 2027 (Tentative)
WAT/PI or Interview	Feb 2027 (Tentative)
Final Results	March - May, 2027 (Tentative)

Eligibility Criteria 2027

PGP accepts graduates from any discipline, while PGP-ABM also provides a dedicated route for agriculture and allied-science graduates.

Common Eligibility for PGP and PGP-ABM:

Both programs require a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC, ST, and PwD) or equivalent CGPA.
Final-year students and candidates awaiting results may also apply, subject to IIM Lucknow's prescribed degree-completion timeline.
CGPA conversion follows the university's rules; if no conversion method is available, IIM Lucknow's prescribed method applies.
Recognised equivalent qualifications may also be considered.

PGP-ABM: In addition to the common eligibility criteria, candidates can apply through either of the following routes:

Track A (Agriculture and Allied Sciences)
- Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, or a relevant allied discipline.
Track B (Any Bachelor's Degree):
- Bachelor's degree in any discipline with at least 2 years of experience or a demonstrated interest in agriculture or the allied sector.
- Candidates under this route must submit the prescribed Special Form for PGP-ABM at the interview stage.

Selection Process 2027

The selection process comprises CAT-based shortlisting, followed by the WAT-PI stage and final selection. However, the shortlisting and final-selection weights differ between PGP and PGP-ABM.

Stage 1: CAT Cut-off for WAT-PI Shortlisting

Candidates first need to meet the program- and category-wise sectional and overall CAT cut-offs. The following are the minimum IIM Lucknow Cutoff for the General category:

Program	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
PGP	85	85	85	90
PGP-ABM	80	80	80	85

Note: Selection details are based on the 2026-28 policy; the 2027-29 policy is yet to be released.

Composite Score for WAT-PI Shortlisting

The components used for shortlisting are different for PGP and PGP-ABM:

Component	PGP	PGP-ABM
Scaled CAT Score	60%	60%
Class 12 Marks	10%	10%
Graduation Marks	10%	10%
Work Experience	10%	0%
Academic Discipline Diversity	5%	20%
Gender Diversity	5%	5%

For PGP-ABM, the academic-discipline diversity factor gives additional weight to specified agriculture, allied-science and related disciplines. The policy states that the combined diversity-factor marks cannot exceed 20.

Stage 2: WAT & PI

Shortlisted candidates proceed to the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). WAT-PI is conducted in Bangalore, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad.

Final Selection: PGP vs PGP-ABM

The final merit score also differs between the two programs:

Component	PGP	PGP-ABM
CAT	30%	35%
Class 12 Marks	5%	5%
Graduation Marks	5%	5%
Diversity Factors	5%	5%
Work Experience	5%	Not applicable
WAT	10%	10%
PI	40%	40%

Note: A minimum of 12 out of 40 marks in the PI was required to pass the interview stage in the 2026-28 cycle. Candidates who did not meet this requirement were not included in the final merit list.

Source: IIM Lucknow Admission Policy 2026-28 PDF

IIM Lucknow PGP vs PGP-ABM

The key difference between the two programs lies in their academic focus and eligibility routes. The table below highlights the main differences for easy comparison:

Parameter	PGP	PGP-ABM
Focus	General management	Agribusiness management
Academic Background	Any recognised Bachelor's degree	Agriculture/allied degree or any Bachelor's degree with agriculture experience/interest
CAT General Cut-off in Previous Cycle	90 percentile	85 percentile
Work Experience Weight	Considered in the selection process	No weight in the latest available PGP-ABM selection framework
Curriculum Orientation	Broad management disciplines	Agriculture, food, rural and agribusiness sectors
Programme Fee	INR 20.75 Lakhs	INR 20.75 Lakhs

✓ Opt for this if

CAT score is 90-plus overall percentile with 85-plus in each of the three sections
The goal is an MBA from a top-5 NIRF Management school with a consistent 100% placement record
Two years of fully residential study at a dedicated campus with a structured internship fits the plan

✗ Skip if

A part-time or online MBA format is needed to balance ongoing employment with studies
Total outlay of over INR 20 lakhs exceeds the available loan and scholarship capacity
An executive MBA for working professionals with blended or weekend delivery is the preferred route

IIM Lucknow PGPM Placements

IIM Lucknow placement reports cover the PGP and PGP-ABM batches together. The latest completed final placement cycle for Batch of 2026 reported the highest domestic CTC of INR 1 crore, while the highest international CTC was INR 65 LPA.

Placement Metric	Batch of 2026
Average Salary	INR 33.2 LPA
Median Salary	INR 32.9 LPA
Highest Domestic CTC	INR 1 crore (100 LPA)
Highest International CTC	INR 65 LPA
Total Offers	580+ for 559 students
Top Recruiters	Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, American Express, Bain & Company, BCG, EY, Navi, McKinsey & Company, and Alvarez & Marsal

Domain-wise Placement Statistics

Domain	Share of Batch	Highest CTC	Mean CTC
Consulting	39%	INR 45.4 LPA	INR 36.9 LPA
General Management	20%	INR 56 LPA	INR 30.9 LPA
Finance	17%	INR 100 LPA	INR 34.8 LPA
IT, Tech & Analytics	13%	INR 80 LPA	INR 33.2 LPA
Sales & Marketing	8%	INR 51.6 LPA	INR 28.5 LPA
Operations	3%	INR 40 LPA	INR 30.1 LPA

For the same Batch of 2026, percentile-level average CTC figures were

INR 59.7 LPA for the top 5%
INR 52.6 LPA for the top 10%
INR 48.7 LPA for the top 20% and
INR 42.2 LPA for the top 50%

IIM Lucknow PGP & PGP-ABM Batch Profile

IIM Lucknow PGP and PGP-ABM Batch 2024-26 has 559 students, with diverse academic backgrounds and professional experience across consulting, IT, finance, operations, and other domains.

Image Source: iiml.ac.in

Summer Placements

The latest completed summer placement cycle covered the 2025-27 batch, comprising the 41st PGP batch and 22nd PGP-ABM batch.

Summer Placement Metric	Batch 2025-27
Highest Stipend	INR 3.95 lakhs/month
Average Stipend	INR 1.67 lakhs/month
Median Stipend	INR 1.72 lakhs/month
Year-on-Year Change	16.5% rise in average stipend and 14.5% rise in median stipend
Total Offers	572
Major Recruiters	Accenture, BCG, Alvarez & Marsal, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, Bain & Company, ITC, EY Parthenon, Kearney and American Express

First-time recruiters in this cycle included Crisil, DE Shaw, Morgan Stanley IB, Salesforce, Nestle and Mondelez International.

Note: These figures represent the combined PGP and PGP-ABM summer placement cycle.

IIM Lucknow PGPM vs Other Colleges

Here is how IIM Lucknow PGPM compares with peer IIMs on fees, entrance exam, cutoff, and ratings:

Parameter	IIM Lucknow	IIM Calcutta	IIM Bangalore	IIM Kozhikode
Fees (Flagship MBA)	INR 20.75 Lakhs	INR 27 Lakhs	INR 26 Lakhs	INR 23.50 Lakhs
Exams Accepted	CAT	CAT	CAT	CAT
Min. Qualifying Cutoff (Overall)	90%ile	85%ile	85%ile	85%ile
Average Salary (CTC)	INR 33.20 LPA	INR 36 LPA	INR 35.35 LPA	INR 28.18 LPA
Median Salary (CTC)	INR 32.90 LPA	INR 35 LPA	INR 34.75 LPA	INR 27.50 LPA

IIM Lucknow PGPM Scholarships

IIM Lucknow provides financial assistance to students through its need-based scholarship framework. The same standing financial assistance framework applies to students of PGP and PGP-ABM.

Need-Based IIML Scholarship

Eligibility: Based on the annual gross family income of the student, parents & spouse, irrespective of caste, creed, gender or religion.
Criteria: Eligibility and disbursal criteria are announced after admission.
Duration: Valid for one year with no automatic renewal.
Disbursal: Paid term-wise, subject to completion of academic requirements.
Limit: Students cannot avail more than one scholarship.

External Scholarships

Students may apply for scholarships offered by Central and State Governments and other organisations through the National Scholarship Portal and relevant government portals.

Check IIM Lucknow Scholarships, for more details.

IIM Lucknow PGP Ranking

According to Collegedunia Ranking 2025, IIM Lucknow ranks #6 out of 370 colleges in India. According to 53 Reviews collected by Collegedunia, the PG Program program at IIM Lucknow is rated 4.3/5. The college has an overall Collegedunia score of 1974.29/2000, calculated based on NAAC grade, exam cutoff, rankings, placements and student reviews.

IIM Lucknow is ranked by several ranking agencies such as Outlook, QS World University, Financial Times. Some of these rankings are as follows-

#4 out of 25 under Outlook Ranking 2026.
#201-250 out of 301 under QS World University Ranking 2026.
#71 out of 100 under Financial Times Ranking 2025.

Ranking Agency	Latest	Previous
	#5 out of 350 (2026) #2nd Uttar Pradesh	#6 out of 372 (2025) #1st Uttar Pradesh
	#3 out of 270 (2026) #1st Uttar Pradesh	#2 out of 275 (2024) #1st Uttar Pradesh
	#58 out of 100 (2026)	#71 out of 100 (2025)
	#3 out of 150 (2019) #1st Uttar Pradesh	-
	#5 out of 125 (2025) #1st Uttar Pradesh	#7 out of 125 (2024) #1st Uttar Pradesh
	#4 out of 25 (2026)	#4 out of 25 (2025)
	#5 out of 100 (2026)	#4 out of 100 (2025)
	#8 out of 50 (2019) #2nd Uttar Pradesh	-
	#201-250 out of 301 (2026)	#201-250 out of 251 (2025)

IIM Lucknow PGPM FAQs

Ques. Does IIM Lucknow PGP award an MBA degree or a PGDM, and does the distinction matter for jobs or higher studies?

Ans. IIM Lucknow now grants a full MBA degree under the IIM Act, since the institute received degree-conferring authority. Earlier batches received a PGDM or PGP diploma, which was treated as MBA-equivalent for placements and PSU jobs. From the 2021-23 batch onward the nomenclature changed to MBA, which also simplifies documentation for international higher studies where a diploma may require additional paperwork. Current students receive the MBA degree directly at convocation.

Ques. Is work experience mandatory for IIM Lucknow PGP, and how much does it help in WAT-PI?

Ans. Work experience is not mandatory. Freshers are eligible and regularly admitted. Experience carries a defined weight in the shortlisting composite alongside CAT score and academics. Candidates with 12 to 36 months of relevant experience can draw on real-world examples in the PI, which helps. Freshers with 98-plus CAT percentile and strong academics remain competitive. Batches typically include a mix of freshers and experienced professionals across sectors.

Ques. How does PGP-ABM differ from the general PGP in curriculum and career outcomes?

Ans. PGP-ABM (Agri-Business Management) has 60 seats and shares the first year with the general PGP. Year 2 covers agri-specific electives on food supply chains, rural markets, and commodity trading. Graduates join FMCG agri divisions, commodity trading firms, rural NBFCs, and government agri policy roles. Top recruiters include ITC, Godrej Agrovet, and Rabo Bank. The total fee is identical at INR 20,75,000.

Ques. What specialization areas are available at IIM Lucknow PGPM and when do students choose them?

Ans. The programme covers 8 areas: Finance and Accounting, Marketing, Strategic Management, HRM, Operations Management, IT and Systems, Business Environment, and Decision Sciences. Year 1 is common coursework. Electives begin in Year 2. No formal major or minor appears on the degree certificate. Most students concentrate on one area while taking cross-functional electives to build breadth across domains.

Ques. How are summer internships structured and what are the typical stipends?

Ans. Summer placements happen after Term 3, typically in April to May. Companies offer 2-month internships, and top performers often receive a Pre-Placement Offer (PPO) that converts to final hiring. IIM Lucknow’s summer placement cycle covers the PGP and PGP-ABM batches together. For the 2025-27 batch, 572 offers were made, with the highest stipend of INR 3.95 lakhs/month, an average stipend of INR 1.67 lakhs/month, and a median stipend of INR 1.72 lakhs/month.