IIM Calcutta

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta) is a management education institution established on 14 November 1961 and was the first Indian Institute of Management. The institute was established through a collaboration involving the Government of India, Government of West Bengal, the Ford Foundation and the Sloan School of Management at MIT. Its present campus is located at Joka in Kolkata and covers approximately 135 acres. The college name and page requirements are specified in the supplied content brief.

The flagship management offering is the two-year full-time residential MBA programme. IIM Calcutta describes the programme as having a two-tier academic structure: a compulsory core curriculum in the first year, a summer internship between the first and second years, and a broad range of elective courses in the second year. The core curriculum covers areas including economics, finance and accounting, marketing, operations management, information systems, organisational behaviour, human resources, strategy and public policy.

For students researching IIM Calcutta MBA admission, CAT is the primary entrance examination for domestic candidates. For the 2026–28 MBA batch, the institute's official admission policy uses CAT 2025 scores for shortlisting and final selection. The minimum Stage-I CAT requirement for the Open category was 85 overall percentile, with minimum section-wise requirements of 80 percentile in VARC, 80 in DILR and 75 in QA. IIM Calcutta explicitly states that actual shortlisting cut-offs can be considerably higher because the final composite cut-offs depend on the number of candidates shortlisted.

The MBA selection process does not depend on CAT percentile alone. For the 2026–28 batch, IIM Calcutta's Stage-II shortlisting composite included CAT 2025 score, Class 10 marks, Class 12 marks and a gender-diversity component. Candidates shortlisted for the next stage were assessed through the Personal Interview (PI) and Writing Ability Test (WAT). The final selection composite gives weight to CAT, PI, WAT, academic diversity and work experience.

IIM Calcutta also offers other management programmes, including MBAEx, a one-year full-time residential MBA for experienced professionals; PGPEX-VLM, a programme conducted jointly with IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras; and PGDBA, jointly offered with ISI Kolkata and IIT Kharagpur. These programmes have separate eligibility, admission and fee structures and should not be confused with the flagship two-year MBA.

The institute is also known for its international management accreditations. IIM Calcutta identifies itself as a Triple Crown accredited institution, holding accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS. It is also the only Indian member of the CEMS Global Alliance in Management Education, according to the institute's current website.

For rankings, the latest NIRF Management ranking available for 2026 places IIM Calcutta at Rank 3 in India. The IIRF 2026 ranking places IIM Calcutta at Rank 2 among Government B-Schools.

The institute's latest official MBA placement report, covering the 61st batch (2024–26), records 458 students, 202 participating firms and 542 offers. The official 2026 report states that the institute achieved 100% placements for the students who opted into the placement process. The report gives an average salary of ₹36.00 lakh per annum, median salary of ₹35.00 lakh, highest domestic CTC of ₹1.45 crore, and highest international CTC of ₹1.10 crore.

For IIM Calcutta MBA Admission 2026–28, the relevant domestic admission cycle was linked to CAT 2025, rather than CAT 2026. The official CAT 2025 advertisement states that registration opened on 1 August 2025 at 10:00 AM, closed on 13 September 2025 at 5:00 PM, admit-card downloads were available from 5 November to 30 November 2025, and CAT 2025 was conducted on 30 November 2025. The result was scheduled for the first week of January 2026 on a tentative basis.

The institute's official admission policy confirms that the 2026–28 domestic MBA selection process uses CAT 2025. Candidates were required to satisfy the prescribed minimum CAT percentile requirements before being considered for the subsequent shortlisting stage. Importantly, IIM Calcutta states that the minimum CAT percentiles should not be interpreted as the actual shortlisting cut-off because composite cut-offs may be higher.

For the Open category, the minimum Stage-I CAT requirement was 85 overall percentile, with at least 80 percentile in VARC, 80 percentile in DILR and 75 percentile in QA. The corresponding minimum overall percentile requirements were 75 for EWS and NC-OBC, 70 for SC, 65 for ST and 55 for PwD candidates, with separate section-wise requirements for each category.

After the CAT-based initial screening, shortlisted candidates moved to the institute's PI and WAT selection stage. IIM Calcutta's admission policy does not provide one universal date for these activities in the policy document; therefore, an exact PI/WAT date should not be invented. The institute determines the shortlisting process and communicates the applicable schedule to candidates.

For overseas candidates, IIM Calcutta opened applications for the 2026–28 MBA batch on 14 January 2026, with the application deadline specified as 1 February 2026. Overseas applicants followed a separate admission route based on GMAT rather than the regular CAT route. The institute states that overseas candidates needed a qualifying GMAT score and were subject to a separate selection process.

The institute's announcements page records 24 April 2026 as the date of the announcement titled “MBA Batch 2026-28: Admission Results.” Thus, as of 2026, the domestic MBA 2026–28 admission cycle has already progressed through the results stage.

For students targeting the next MBA admission cycle, the CAT schedule should be checked separately because IIM Calcutta's domestic MBA admission depends on the CAT cycle applicable to that particular batch. The institute's website currently also carries the CAT 2026 advertisement, dated 26 July 2026.

IIM Calcutta's flagship programme is the two-year full-time residential MBA. The programme is designed around general management education rather than a fixed single-specialization structure. Students study a compulsory first-year curriculum and then choose from a broad portfolio of electives during the second year.

MBA — Flagship Programme

The MBA is structured into a core curriculum, summer internship and second-year electives. The first year develops foundational knowledge across major management disciplines. Officially listed areas include:

• Economics
• Finance and Accounting
• Marketing
• Operations Management
• Management Information Systems
• Organisational Behaviour
• Human Resources Management
• Strategic Management
• Public Policy and Management

The second year provides substantial elective flexibility. IIM Calcutta states that students can develop one or two major areas of expertise through elective choices and may also undertake term papers under faculty supervision.

IIM Calcutta does not officially describe the flagship MBA as a programme with a fixed list of named specializations in the way many PGDM institutions do. Consequently, areas such as Finance, Marketing, Consulting or Operations should not automatically be presented as formal MBA specializations. They are better described as academic or elective areas available within the curriculum.

The programme also includes a compulsory summer training component. According to the institute's curriculum information, students undertake summer training of up to ten weeks at the managerial level after completing first-year requirements.

MBAEx

The MBA for Executives Programme (MBAEx) is a separate one-year full-time residential programme intended for experienced professionals. IIM Calcutta specifies that applicants should have more than five years of professional experience. The programme is different from the two-year flagship MBA and follows its own admission process.

PGDBA

The Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics (PGDBA) is jointly offered by IIM Calcutta, ISI Kolkata and IIT Kharagpur. It is a separate specialised programme focused on business analytics and combines management, statistics, computing and data-science-oriented coursework. The 2026–28 PGDBA batch has its own academic calendar and admissions process.

PGPEX-VLM

The Post Graduate Programme for Executives for Visionary Leadership in Manufacturing (PGPEX-VLM) is another executive-level programme conducted jointly by IIM Calcutta, IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras. It is designed around leadership and management in the manufacturing sector.

For students specifically searching for IIM Calcutta MBA courses, the two-year MBA should therefore be distinguished from MBAEx, PGDBA and PGPEX-VLM. Their fees, eligibility, entrance requirements, duration and selection processes are different.

For the 2026–28 flagship MBA, the official admission policy requires a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA, with the threshold reduced to 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Final-year bachelor's degree candidates may also apply subject to the conditions specified by the institute.

The sanctioned/current batch size for the 62nd MBA batch, corresponding to the 2026–28 intake, is 480 students according to an IIM Calcutta procurement document covering the 62nd MBA batch. 

Admission to the IIM Calcutta MBA 2026–28 batch followed a multi-stage selection process centred on CAT 2025 for domestic candidates. The institute's official admission policy clearly separates minimum eligibility, initial CAT screening, PI/WAT shortlisting and final selection.

1. Check academic eligibility

Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. The minimum is 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Candidates in the final year of their bachelor's degree can also apply, subject to the documentation and completion deadlines prescribed by IIM Calcutta.

Meeting the graduation eligibility requirement does not guarantee an interview call or admission.

2. Appear for CAT

For the 2026–28 domestic MBA admission cycle, the applicable examination was CAT 2025. CAT was conducted on 30 November 2025.

IIM Calcutta's Stage-I minimum CAT requirement for the Open category was:

• VARC: 80 percentile
• DILR: 80 percentile
• QA: 75 percentile
• Overall: 85 percentile

These are minimum eligibility/consideration thresholds, not guaranteed interview or final-admission cut-offs. IIM Calcutta specifically states that actual cut-offs may be considerably higher.

3. Shortlisting for PI and WAT

Candidates satisfying Stage-I requirements are considered for Stage-II shortlisting. IIM Calcutta uses a composite score comprising CAT 2025 score, Class 10 marks, Class 12 marks and gender-diversity points.

For the 2026–28 process, these components carried weights of 56, 10, 15 and 4 respectively, for a total of 85 points.

4. Personal Interview and WAT

Candidates shortlisted through the composite screening process are called for Personal Interview (PI) and Writing Ability Test (WAT). These are official components of the IIM Calcutta MBA selection process for the 2026–28 batch.

5. Final selection

The final selection score is calculated using:

• CAT 2025 score — 30%
• Personal Interview — 48%
• Writing Ability Test — 8%
• Academic diversity — 6%
• Work experience — 8%

The total is 100%.

Academic diversity points can be awarded for qualifying non-engineering academic backgrounds and certain professional qualifications. Work-experience points are calculated according to IIM Calcutta's specified formula and are based on eligible full-time experience after completion of the bachelor's degree.

6. Admission offer and registration

Candidates selected in the final category-wise merit list receive an admission offer. IIM Calcutta states that candidates offered admission to a particular batch cannot defer the offer to a subsequent year. Candidates whose graduation results were pending had to complete the prescribed documentation within the institute's stated deadlines.

For the 2026–28 batch, IIM Calcutta announced the MBA admission results on 24 April 2026.

The process for overseas applicants is separate. For the 2026–28 cycle, IIM Calcutta required a qualifying GMAT score for overseas candidates and specified a separate application and interview process. 

The IIM Calcutta MBA fee should be distinguished from the fees of MBAEx, PGDBA and other programmes. The flagship programme is the two-year residential MBA, while the other programmes have separate fee structures. IIM Calcutta's current 2026–28 admission-policy document establishes the programme and selection criteria but does not publish a complete domestic MBA fee schedule within that policy document.

The latest publicly reported fee figure for the flagship two-year MBA is approximately ₹27 lakh for the full programme, equivalent to approximately ₹13.50 lakh per year when expressed as an annual equivalent. Current 2026 IIRF/education-ranking data also lists IIM Calcutta's MBA fee at approximately ₹27 lakh. Because the institute's 2026–28 admission policy itself does not provide the detailed domestic fee breakup, the ₹27 lakh figure should be treated as the currently reported programme-level figure rather than as a verified item-by-item official fee schedule.

The total cost of studying at IIM Calcutta can include components beyond the basic academic fee. Depending on the applicable batch fee notice, students may have expenses relating to accommodation, mess, personal consumption, travel, insurance and other campus-related requirements. These should not automatically be combined with tuition unless they are explicitly included in the official fee schedule.

Students should also distinguish between the flagship MBA and other IIM Calcutta programmes. For example, the MBAEx programme has a separate fee structure. An IIM Calcutta MBAEx FAQ for the 2024–25 academic year listed a programme fee of ₹31 lakh for that one-year executive programme, demonstrating why MBA and MBAEx fees should not be mixed.

Similarly, the PGDBA is a jointly offered programme and has a separate fee structure. The IIM Calcutta PGDBA fee page contains programme-specific information and should not be used as the fee source for the flagship MBA.

For overseas MBA candidates, IIM Calcutta's 2026–28 admission information states that the fee for the last batch was USD 65,000 for two years, including hostel fees, along with a refundable ₹20,000 caution deposit. This is specifically the overseas fee and should not be presented as the domestic MBA fee.

IIM Calcutta also provides financial-support mechanisms and scholarships, although eligibility and availability depend on the applicable scheme and student circumstances. The institute's admission and programme information should be checked for the applicable financial-assistance rules for the particular academic year.

For SEO purposes, students searching IIM Calcutta fees, IIM Calcutta MBA fees or IIM Calcutta fees structure should therefore distinguish between the full two-year programme fee, annual equivalent, additional living expenses and fees for other programmes. The most appropriate current programme-level figure for the flagship MBA is approximately ₹27 lakh total, while a precise component-wise 2026–28 domestic fee breakup is Not Available / Not Officially Disclosed in the currently accessible official admission-policy document.

The latest official placement data available for IIM Calcutta is the Final Placement Report 2026 for the 61st MBA batch, 2024–26. This is the relevant placement cycle for the latest graduating flagship MBA batch. IIM Calcutta's placement website identifies this as the final placement report for the MBA Batch of 2026.

The 2026 placement report states that 458 students entered the placement process and received 542 offers from 202 participating firms. The institute reported 100% placement for the batch participating in the placement process.

IIM Calcutta Placement 2026 — Key Figures

The average salary was ₹36.00 lakh per annum, while the median salary was ₹35.00 lakh per annum. The highest domestic CTC was ₹1.45 crore, equivalent to ₹145.00 LPA, and the highest international CTC reported in the placement report was ₹1.10 crore, equivalent to ₹110.00 LPA.

The placement process was conducted using a cluster-cohort model, with the institute aiming to improve student-company fit. The 2026 report states that the process was conducted in hybrid mode, allowing recruiters to conduct recruitment both online and on campus.

Consulting was the largest offer category in the 2026 placement cycle, accounting for 38% of offers. General Management accounted for 21%, Finance 18.6%, IT & Product Management 13.3%, and Sales & Marketing 9%.

The first placement cluster included management, strategy and specialised consulting as well as finance cohorts such as investment banking, markets, private equity and venture capital. Recruiters named in the official report include Accenture, Alvarez & Marsal, Bain & Company, BCG, EY-Parthenon, Kearney, KPMG, McKinsey & Company, Monitor Deloitte and PwC, along with financial-sector recruiters such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, UBS and Standard Chartered.

The second cluster included technology, software, fintech, conglomerates, e-commerce and FMCG-related roles. Recruiters listed by the institute include Amazon, BrowserStack, Google, Microsoft, HUL, Procter & Gamble, Tata Administrative Services, Vedanta and others.

The official placement report therefore provides the latest verified figures for IIM Calcutta placements, average package and highest package. The ₹36.00 LPA average and ₹145.00 LPA highest domestic CTC belong to the same 2026 MBA placement cycle and have not been mixed with figures from previous batches.