As the admission season for the upcoming MBA batch gains momentum, a critical factor for aspirants is understanding the evolving role of the Common Admission Test (CAT) score. While CAT remains the universal gateway to India's premier management institutes, its influence on the final admission list varies dramatically between the older, established Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and their newer counterparts.
The Great Divide: CAT-Centric vs. Holistic Approaches
The data reveals a clear spectrum in how IIMs value the CAT exam. At one extreme, institutes like IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Ranchi place the highest premium on the entrance test, with the CAT score accounting for a substantial 65% of the total selection weight. They are closely followed by IIM Lucknow, IIM Rohtak, and IIM Udaipur, all of which assign a significant 60% weightage to the CAT performance.
Conversely, several newer IIMs have adopted a more profile-based or holistic selection model, where the CAT score is just one component among many. IIM Visakhapatnam stands out with the lowest reliance on the exam at only 25%. It is followed by IIM Kashipur (33%) and IIM Indore (35%). This shift indicates a growing emphasis on academic consistency, professional experience, and diversity factors beyond a single test performance.
Detailed Breakdown of Weightage Across Top IIMs
The evaluation process is a multi-layered one. Here is a closer look at how some key IIMs structure their final selection criteria:
IIM Bangalore assigns 55% weight to CAT scores. The remaining 45% for the initial shortlist is divided among Class 10 scores (10%), Class 12 scores (10%), Bachelor's degree scores (10%), Work Experience or Professional Courses (10%), and Gender Diversity (5%). The personal interview carries a weight of 40%.
IIM Calcutta gives 56% weight to CAT. Other components include Class 10 marks (10%), Class 12 marks (15%), and a Gender Diversity Factor (4%). The interview round holds 48% weight.
IIM Kozhikode balances CAT at 50% with past academics: Class 10 scores (15%), Class 12 scores (20%), Work Experience (5%), and Diversity Factor (10-5%). The interview is weighted at 35%.
IIM Indore, with a lower CAT weight of 35%, heavily emphasizes academic history: Class 10 scores (39%) and Class 12 scores (20%), along with a Diversity Factor (6%). The interview carries 50% weight.
Strategic Insights for MBA Aspirants
This divergence in weightage offers crucial strategic insights for candidates. Aspirants with exceptionally strong CAT scores but a relatively modest academic profile might find better odds at institutes like IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Lucknow, where the test carries maximum weight. On the other hand, candidates with consistent academic excellence, substantial work experience, or contributing to diversity metrics may find the selection process at institutes like IIM Visakhapatnam or IIM Indore more favorable, even with a moderately good CAT percentile.
Most other institutes, including IIM Bangalore (55%) and IIM Calcutta (56%), maintain a middle ground. They ensure that while the CAT score is the primary driver for securing an interview call, the candidate's performance in the subsequent selection rounds carries nearly equal importance in the final decision.
The evolving criteria underscore a significant trend in India's top B-schools: a move towards a more comprehensive assessment of a candidate's potential. The CAT score opens the door, but what happens next—the evaluation of past academics, professional journey, personal interview, and written ability test—increasingly determines who walks through it.
