🎯 “Cracking the IIM Code: Is Your CAT Score Enough?”

By Sanat Mangal

If you’ve ever thought, “I have a decent CAT score—can I make it to an IIM?” — you’re not alone. But here's the reality check: getting into an IIM is not just about the CAT percentile. Each IIM has its own unique criteria and weightage system, meaning two candidates with similar scores can land completely different results.

Let’s break it down in a clear and relatable way so you know where you stand and how much your CAT score actually matters.

🎯 Every IIM Has Its Own Rulebook

While the CAT score is the first filter, it’s not the final one. After you clear the CAT cut-off, IIMs look at several other factors:

Academics (10th, 12th, Graduation scores)
Work Experience
Gender Diversity
Academic Diversity
WAT-PI Performance (Written Ability Test & Personal Interview)

And yes, each IIM gives different weightage to these factors.

📊 Weightage & Composite Score Criteria for IIMs (Batch 2024–26)

Here’s a snapshot of the actual numbers that matter — the weightage of different criteria and the minimum composite score or minimum CAT percentile for final admission offers.

IIM Ahmedabad

PI	AWT	CAT	Applicant Academic
50	10	25	15

IIM Ahmedabad	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	0.639445	0.520361	0.511276	0.441571	0.389072	0.315833
Min. CAT percentile	93.76	98.2	79.02	73.68	74.52	79.32

IIM Bangalore

CAT	10th	12th	Graduation	Work Exp	WAT	PI
25	5	5	5	10	10	40

IIM Bangalore	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	57.4843	46.0049	46.1931	44.0571	34.3843	-
Min. CAT percentile	91.97	90.16	82.65	75.12	74.52	83.53

IIM Calcutta

CAT	PI	Academic Diversity	Work Exp	WAT
30	48	6	8	8

IIM Calcutta	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	52.794	51	42.33	44.802	36.091	-
Min. CAT percentile	-	-	-	-	-	-

IIM Lucknow

CAT	12th	Graduation	Work Exp	Diversity	WAT	PI
30	5	5	5	5	10	40

IIM Lucknow	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	59.04312	47.99451	45.44417	4152863	34.27848	20.66631
Min. CAT percentile	92.48	88.18	83.74	67.36	62.51	61.29

IIM Kozhikode

CAT	PI	Resume Score	WAT
35	35	10	20

IIM Kozhikode	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	42.8783	37.8252	34.6737	30.2998	23.0312	29.8986
Min. CAT percentile	88.14	85.67	75.42	67.06	57.02	75.15

IIM Indore

10th	12th	CAT	PI	Diversity
5	5	40	45	5

IIM Indore	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	50.584	45.7639	43.9482	35.9078	32.0173	27.0314
Min. CAT percentile	92.92	92.5	80.44	68.93	52.3	52.22

IIM Mumbai

CAT	PI	Academic & Work Ex
60	20	20

IIM Mumbai	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	91.54	80.31	86.45	79.79	62.03	-
Min. CAT percentile	-	-	-	-	-	-

IIM Shillong

CAT	PI	Applicant Score	Gender Diversity
40	40	10	10

IIM Shillong	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	43.01807	36.05407	-	31.81264	12.21517	24.66559
Min. CAT percentile	98.45	98.36	-	83.71	69.67	65.18

IIM Ranchi

CAT	PI	Work Ex	Graduation	10th	Gender	12th
65	15	10	4	2	5	4

IIM Ranchi	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	77.039	77.056	73.091	63.09	53.676	-
Min. CAT percentile	-	-	-	-	-	-

IIM Raipur

CAT	PI	Work Ex	GD Score	Profile Score
50	25	15	5	5

IIM Raipur	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	72.88	69.26	69.68	60.64	52.13	34.27
Min. CAT percentile	-	-	-	-	-	-

IIM Trichy

CAT	WAT	PI	Gender	Academic Diversity	Work Ex	10th	12th	Graduation
47	5	20	6	2	10	2	3	5

IIM Trichy	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	82.54	75.81	76.06	70.43	63.01	43.22
Min. CAT percentile	94.01	78.02	77.96	67.06	55.65	52.6

IIM Udaipur

CAT	PI	WAT	Work Ex	Graduation	10th	Gender Diversity	12th
57	15	6	9	4	2	5	2

IIM Udaipur	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	51.16	43.06	43.76	33.85	30	30.46
Min. CAT percentile	95.85	88.36	80.43	60.76	43.55	47.62

IIM Rohtak

CAT	PI	Academic & Gender Diversity
60	20	20

IIM Rohtak	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	82.67	78.36	82.11	75.55	64.01	-
Min. CAT percentile	96	92.02	84.76	68.62	54.01	-

IIM Bodhgaya

CAT	PI	WAT	Work Ex	10th	12th	Graduation
45	20	5	16	4	4	6

IIM Bodhgaya	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	53.1934	50.09	49.7538	44.86	37.9684	-
Min. CAT percentile	-	-	-	-	-	-

IIM Sirmaur

CAT	WAT	PI	Academic Performance	Work Ex	Gender Diversity
30	10	20	15	20	5

IIM Sirmaur	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	36.467	37.29	34.648	28.14	8.659	13.242
Min. CAT percentile	92	71.01	74.01	54	40.43	51.07

IIM Sambalpur

CAT	10th	12th	Graduation	Work Ex	Gender Diversity	PI
40	3	3	4	20	10	20

IIM Sambalpur	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	49.24	41.67	36.54	29.89	14.47	-
Min. CAT percentile	80.02	70.1	74	53.16	40.83	-

IIM Vishakapatnam

PI	CAT	10th	12th	Graduation	Gender Diversity	Work Ex
48	25	4	4	4	5	10

IIM Vishakapatnam	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	69.886	63.116	61.231	54.953	39.385	25.846
Min. CAT percentile	82.03	72.05	72.11	51.33	41.54	40.01

IIM Amritsar

CAT	10th	12th	Graduation	Work Ex	Gender DIversity	Academic Diversity	PI
30	6	6	3	13	10	4	28

IIM Amritsar	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	55.049	44.079	48.294	38.679	33.234	-
Min. CAT percentile	88.37	88.12	79.63	60.94	41.38	-

IIM Nagpur

CAT	PI	WAT	Academics Score	Work Ex	GDI Score
40	20	5	10	15	10

IIM Nagpur	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	4.03469	3.83104	3.79668	3.04358	1.93106	1.33187
Min. CAT percentile	94	77.01	77	60.02	40.18	40.01

IIM Kashipur

CAT	PI	10th	12th	Graduation	CA/CS/ICWA	Work Ex	Academic Diversity	Gender Diversity
33	25	5	5	5	5	12	4	6

IIM Kashipur	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	49.019	48.739	46.823	39.173	31.114	16.972
Min. CAT percentile	94	77.37	77.33	60.76	40.18	40.01

IIM Jammu

CAT	PI	10th	12th	Graduation	Work Ex	Gender Diversity
45	30	3	3	4	10	5

IIM Jammu	GENERAL	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PWD
Min. Composite Score	68.88	62.95	62.71	54.59	41.86	27.47
Min. CAT percentile	89.01	72.75	72.08	52.24	30.57	32.96

Disclaimer: The data above has been sourced from various online platforms, IIM admission reports, and aspirant communities. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the information may not be 100% precise.

🧠 So, What’s the Takeaway?

A 99+ percentile may not guarantee you a seat in top IIMs if you have average academics or no diversity factor.
At the same time, candidates from reserved categories with CAT percentiles as low as 85–90 have entered top IIMs thanks to excellent profiles and interviews.
The Personal Interview (PI) carries a huge weight—some IIMs give it as much as 30–40% weightage in the final composite score.

💡 Smart Tips for Aspiring IIM Candidates

Know your target IIMs: Study their selection criteria early and tailor your profile accordingly.
Work on your PI and WAT: A strong CAT score can get you shortlisted, but a weak PI can ruin it.
Don’t ignore academics: IIMs like Bangalore and Indore are known for giving high weightage to 10th and 12th marks.
Diversity is a bonus: If you’re from a non-engineering background or are a female candidate, it can work in your favor.
Build a balanced profile: Internships, work experience, leadership roles, and projects do matter—start early.

🗣 Let’s Talk — Not Just Numbers

At the end of the day, you are more than your CAT score. While scoring high helps open doors, it’s your personality, presence of mind, and passion that seal the deal.

So, if your percentile isn’t sky-high, don’t give up. Look at the composite score game, build your profile smartly, and you might just land your dream IIM seat.

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Cracking the IIM Code Is Your CAT Score Enough By Sanat Mangal