IIM Ahmedabad RTI Data 2025 | 93.76% CAT Cutoff Analysis

IIM Ahmedabad's Post Graduate Programme (PGP) represents one of India's most selective management programs, with admission acceptance rates below 1% across most categories. This comprehensive analysis draws from official RTI (Right to Information) data spanning 2020-2026, revealing significant trends in competitive standards and category-wise cutoff evolution.

Important Findings:

Detailed 5-Year Minimum CAT Percentile Analysis

During this three-year span, IIM Ahmedabad implemented significant policy shifts. The General category witnessed a dramatic 8-percentile point jump between 2021-23 and 2022-24, suggesting either increased applicant quality or deliberate institution strategy to raise admission standards. The EWS category maintained near-maximum percentiles throughout, while the ST category experienced the most volatility, declining from 72.41 to 60.01—a drop of 12.4 percentile points.

Period 2: Latest Data (2024-26 Batch)

IIM Ahmedabad's Food and Agri-Business Management (FABM) program demonstrates substantially lower minimum percentile requirements compared to the flagship PGP:

FABM Insight: This specialized program generally operates 12-15 percentile points lower than PGP across categories, making it a strategically important option for candidates with moderate CAT scores seeking an IIM Ahmedabad degree.

Category-Wise Trend Analysis: Five Major Patterns

EWS consistently maintains the highest admission cutoffs—higher even than the General category:

• 2020-22: 98.90 percentile

• 2021-23: 95.79 percentile

• 2022-24: 98.94 percentile

• 2023-25: 98.94 percentile

• 2024-26: 98.20 percentile

Counterintuitive Finding: Despite being a "weaker section" category, EWS applicants score exceptionally high. This occurs because:

1. Pool Composition: The EWS category—economically weaker sections among the General category—disproportionately comprises engineering students

2. High-Performer Concentration: Top engineering colleges contribute most CAT candidates, and these candidates often qualify as EWS

3. No Real Advantage: Practically, the EWS category provides no admission advantage at IIMA; qualifying is actually harder than the General category
   

Pattern 3: NC-OBC Category - Recent Volatility

Observations:

• Total class size ranges 408-505 students

• General category comprises 40-44% of admissions

• NC-OBC and SC together represent 40-45% of the batch

• Increasing female representation (detailed below)
  

Application to Admission Conversion Rates (2024-26)

Critical Finding: Less than 1% of applicants across most categories achieve admission. The General category has an extraordinarily competitive 0.11% conversion rate, while reserved categories show marginally better but still extremely selective outcomes. Notably, PWD category has the highest conversion rate (1.83%), suggesting either higher demand for this category or different selection criteria.

Admission Profile Diversity Metrics

From official RTI data:

Diversity Achievement:

• Non-Engineers: 40% of the batch—a notably high proportion compared to other IIMs

• Engineering Dominance: Still represents 61.4%, reflecting the CAT exam structure advantage

• Intentional Inclusion: Professional, Arts, and Science streams total 16.6%, showing deliberate diversity push
  

Work Experience Distribution (2024-26 Batch)

Key Insight:

• One-third are freshers, indicating receptiveness to entry-level candidates

• Majority (about 57%) have 1-3 years experience, representing a "sweet spot"

• Profile diversity: Both career-starters and mid-career professionals admitted
  

Gender Composition (2024-26 Batch)

Progressive Trend: Female representation has increased from approximately 20% in 2021-23 to 24.8% in 2024-26, demonstrating institutional commitment to gender diversity without compromising quality.

The Holistic Selection Process: Beyond CAT

IIM Ahmedabad's selection uses a two-stage scoring system:

Stage 1 (Shortlisting - 65% CAT, 35% Application Rating):

• CAT Percentile Rank: 65% weight

• Application Rating: 35% weight (based on 10th, 12th, graduation marks, diversity factors)

Stage 2 (Final Selection - Post Interview):

• Personal Interview (PI): 50% weight

• CAT Score: 25% weight

• Composite Score (pre-interview): 25% weight

Critical Implication: While CAT is important for shortlisting, interview performance becomes decisive for final admission.

Table: Composite Score Minimums (2024-26)

Remarkable Finding: A General category student was offered admission with a composite score of just 0.639 (corresponding to approximately 80.44 CAT percentile) despite the category minimum being 93.76 percentile. This demonstrates that exceptional application profile and interview performance can overcome significantly lower CAT scores.

Historical Context: Evolution of Selection Standards

2017-19 Batch (Turning Point):

• First significant reduction in minimum percentile requirements

• Moved from 90 overall percentile to 80 overall percentile

• Reduced sectional minimums from 80 to 70 for General

• Marked the beginning of the diversity focus era
  

2016-18 Batch (Traditional Era):

• Minimum 90 overall percentile, 80 sectional percentiles required

• More CAT-centric selection process

• Lower intake of non-engineering students

2014-16 Batch (Early Data):

• ST category admitted with a percentile as low as 38.34

• Demonstrates historical extreme flexibility in reservations

• Different admission philosophy compared to recent years
  

2018-20 Batch (Transition Period):

• Called candidates with 89.67 percentile and below

• Greater emphasis on academic background diversity

• Introduction of more sophisticated composite scoring
  

Insights & Strategic Findings

The progression from 85.93 → 93.76 percentile represents approximately 8.83 percentile points over four years. This is not merely an inflation of standards but reflects:

1. Better CAT Applicant Pool: Improved preparation resources and coaching quality

2. IIMA's Reputation Premium: Growing demand from top performers

3. Changed Pool Dynamics: Possibly increased proportion of engineers in the applicant base

Implication: Future General category candidates should assume a 95+ percentile as a prudent target.

Insight 2: The EWS Paradox

EWS category maintaining 95-99 percentile despite being a "weaker sections" category reveals important truths about Indian economic stratification:

1. The EWS pool is not economically weak in education access terms

2. Economically weaker students accessing elite coaching/education tend to be high performers

3. This category provides minimal practical advantage at IIMA, unlike other reserved categories
   

Implication: Policy design consideration—current EWS implementation may not achieve intended inclusion goals.

Insight 3: Meaningful Reservation Implementation

The 19-20 percentile gap between General and SC/ST categories demonstrates substantial reservation benefits:

• SC Category: 20.08 percentile advantage (93.76 vs 73.68)

• ST Category: 19.24 percentile advantage (93.76 vs 74.52)

These gaps are large enough to be practically meaningful for reservation category candidates while maintaining reasonable academic standards (still top 25-40% of test-takers).

Insight 4: Composite Scoring Creates Parity in Admission

The revelation that a candidate was admitted at the 80.44th percentile (13+ percentile points below the General minimum) proves:

1. CAT is not destiny: A Strong profile can overcome a lower CAT

2. Holistic evaluation works: Interview performance genuinely impacts outcomes

3. Academic background valued: Non-traditional backgrounds can compensate for lower CAT

4. Post-PI weightage matters: 50% weight on interview is substantive
   

Insight 5: Batch Composition Reflects Strategic Priorities

The 40% non-engineer composition and 24.8% female representation indicate:

1. Deliberate diversity targeting: Beyond minimum reservation requirements

2. Quality-adjusted diversity: Not compromising standards while improving mix

3. Progressive institutional values: Alignment with modern management thought

4. Competitive advantage building: Classroom diversity enhances pedagogy
   

FAQs: Addressing Common Questions

A: Category-dependent:

• General: 93.76 percentile (2024-26)

• EWS: 98.20 percentile

• NC-OBC: 79.02 percentile

• SC: 73.68 percentile

• ST: 74.52 percentile (but historically as low as 60.01)

• PWD: 79.32 percentile

However, these are absolute minimums for candidates with exceptional profiles. Realistically:

• General should target 95+ percentile

• Reserved categories should target upper end of their ranges for security
  

Q: Is there a shortcut for non-CAT takers?

A: No. CAT is mandatory. IIMA does not accept GMAT or other entrance exams for PGP admission. GMAT may be accepted only for overseas candidates under specific conditions.

Q: How important is academics (10th, 12th, graduation)?

A: Very important.

• Accounts for 35% of shortlist composite score

• Determines academic category classification

• Becomes 10% of final score post-interview

• Can offset 2-3 percentile CAT weakness
  

Q: What if I have good academics but lower CAT (88 percentile for General)?

A: Unlikely to convert. However:

• Would need exceptionally strong 10th+12th+grad marks (90%+ range)

• Requires strong interview performance

• Non-engineering background significantly helps

• Work experience becomes critical factor
  

Q: Is FABM a backup for lower CAT scores?

A: Relatively yes. FABM operates 12-15 percentile points lower than PGP:

• 2024-26: 73.78 percentile (General) vs 93.76 for PGP

• Still requires ~74 percentile for realistic chances

• Significantly different career outcomes (agri-business focus)

• Consider fit, not just accessibility
  

Q: How much does interview performance matter?

A: Decisively important.

• 50% of final score comes from PI/WAT performance

• Can theoretically allow 10-15 percentile gap relative to minimum

• However, this gap can realistically be overcome only with truly exceptional interview performance

• Preparation is essential—interview shortcomings cannot be completely compensated
  

Q: Why are SC/ST minimums so much lower?

A: Reservation policy implementation.

• Government mandate: 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% NC-OBC seats

• Historical disadvantage recognition

• Education system access gaps at school level

• Belief in merit-within-category approach

• IIMA still maintains reasonable minimums (not below 60 percentile)
  

Q: Will minimums increase further?

A: Possibly for General category.

• Trend shows consistent increase (85.93 → 93.76)

• If trend continues: 95-96 percentile by 2026-28

• Reserved categories may stabilize around current levels

• Depends on CAT exam difficulty and applicant pool quality
  

Strategic Recommendations for Aspirants

1. CAT Target: Aim for 95-98 percentile minimum

2. Academics: Secure 85%+ in 10th, 12th, and graduation

3. Differentiation: Non-engineering/professional background adds value

4. Work Experience: 1-2 years optimal; freshers still competitive, but work-ex helps

5. Interview Prep: Begin 2-3 months before PI; quality matters critically

6. Alternative Strategy: IIMA calls candidates at lower percentiles—exceptional profiles may succeed at 90-92 percentile with perfect academics/interview

For EWS Candidates

1. CAT Target: 98+ percentile needed (not easier than General)

2. Realistic Assessment: EWS provides no practical advantage at IIMA

3. Fallback: Consider other IIMs where EWS may have better positioning

4. Alternative Programs: FABM with 78th percentile more realistic

5. Profile Building: Emphasise non-engineering or unique background

For NC-OBC Candidates

1. CAT Target: 80-85 percentile for realistic chances

2. Sweet Spot: 83-88 percentile provides a comfortable margin

3. Recent Volatility: 2024-26 drop to 79.02 may not repeat; target 82+ for safety

4. Opportunity: 25+ percentile advantage vs General makes competitive entry feasible

5. Interview Prep: Important but less critical than for higher categories

For SC/ST Candidates

1. CAT Target: 73-75 percentile (SC), 74-76 percentile (ST)

2. Realistic Minimums: 73.68 (SC) and 74.52 (ST) represent absolute bottoms

3. Interview Advantage: Strong PI performance is crucial for conversion

4. Historically Flexible: ST has gone as low as 60.01; aim higher for safety

5. Batch Building: Reserved categories collectively represent 45% of the batch; a meaningful opportunity

For PWD Candidates

1. CAT Target: 79.32 percentile minimum

2. Conversion Advantage: 1.83% conversion (best among all categories)

3. Smaller Pool: Less competition once shortlisted

4. Reasonable Standards: Still top 20% of test-takers; meaningful admissions standards maintained

5. Accessibility: Best acceptance prospects among special categories

Conclusion: IIMA's Evolving Selection Philosophy

IIM Ahmedabad has deliberately moved away from a pure CAT-based meritocracy toward comprehensive holistic evaluation. Key transformations evident from RTI data:

1. Hybrid Merit Model: CAT remains critical but increasingly supplemented by academic profile, work experience, and interview performance

2. Explicit Diversity Push: 40% non-engineers, 25% female representation, and category-wise quotas demonstrate values beyond pure CAT optimization

3. Meaningful Reservations: 19-20 percentile gaps for SC/ST reflect genuine commitment to reserved category inclusion while maintaining quality standards

4. Admission Flexibility: The 80.44 percentile admission proves exceptional profiles can overcome CAT weakness—demonstrating real holistic evaluation, not mere talk

5. Rising Competition: General category cutoffs increasing from 85.93 to 93.76 signal either improving applicant quality or institutional decision to maintain selectivity premium

6. Data-Driven Transparency: RTI responses provide honest disclosure of what works—refreshing contrast to black-box admissions at many institutions

   
   

Final Assessment: IIMA remains India's most selective management program with genuine 0.11% conversion rates for General category. However, the institution clearly values factors beyond CAT percentile, creating pathways for non-traditional applicants with strong overall profiles. Future aspirants should prepare comprehensively across CAT score, academic records, work experience, and interview readiness rather than relying on CAT alone.

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