CAT 2023: Here's a look at the MBA admission criteria for different IIM's in India

IIM Ahmedabad takes CAT scores seriously, but they don't stop there. They scrutinise academic performances from Class 10 to your bachelor's degree. This detailed evaluation feeds into their "application rating" system, considering scores from Classes 10 and 12, your bachelor's degree, and your work experience. They even account for the diversity of academic disciplines, offering different points for various streams in Class 12—whether it's science, commerce, or arts. This diversity-driven application rating plays a vital role in the initial shortlisting. If you make it to the final stage, prepare for the personal interview (PI) and the Academic Writing Test (AWT). What's noteworthy is the substantial reduction in CAT score weightage in recent years—it's now 65% for shortlisting and just 25% for the final selection. The PI, which holds a hefty 50% weightage, takes center stage.

Shortlisting stage: CAT score holds 65% weightage, class 10, class 12, graduation marks and work experience hold 30% weightage

Final selection stage—CAT score holds 25% weightage, class 10, class 12 graduation marks and work experience hold 15% weightage, WAT holds 10% and PI holds 50% weightage.

IIM Bangalore has enhanced the value of personal interviews, raising their weightage from 35% to 40% this year. On the flip side, they've dialed down the importance of class 10 and 12 marks from 15% to 10% each in the shortlisting stage. In the final stage, these marks have further descended to 5%.

Meanwhile, the CAT score holds 55% weightage in the shortlisting stage and 25% weightage in the final stage.

Candidates in the top 10 of CAT 2023, coupled with an adjusted bachelor’s score and professional certifications like chartered accountancy, automatically qualify for the WAT-PI round. What's new this year is the reintroduction of graduation marks as a factor in both the selection and final phases. College graduation marks carry 10% weight in selection and 5% in the final phase. Whereas gender diversity holds 5% weightage in the selection phase.

IIM Calcutta's admission policy remains unchanged from the previous year. They don't consider graduation scores and maintain an 85 percentile CAT 2023 cutoff.

Quantitative ability's sectional cut-off has been tweaked to 75 percentile for general category candidates and 65 percentile for reserved category candidates.

Shortlisting stage—CAT score holds 56% weightage. While class 10 marks and class 12 marks hold 10% and 15% weightage respectively, gender diversity holds 4% weightage.

Final stage—In the final selection, the PI takes the lion's share with 48% weight, while the Writing Ability Test (WAT) has 8% weightage. CAT scores are a significant player, accounting for 30% of weightage. The IIM Calcutta admission process also acknowledges academic diversity for non-engineering graduates and professional qualifications, with a weightage of 6%. While work experience holds 8% weightage.

As the convener of CAT 2023, IIM Lucknow is embracing academic and gender diversity. They've allocated 5% weightage to each in the shortlisting phase. For shortlisting, they keep the CAT 2023 score weightage at 60% but slash it to 30% in the final selection. Here, the personal interview and WAT shoulder 50% combined weightage. To clear the PI round, candidates must earn at least 12 out of 40 marks.

IIM Mumbai, the newbie on the block, has introduced its first admission policy. Their minimum CAT 2023 cut-off is set at the 85th percentile, with sectional cut-offs of the 80th percentile for VARC & DILR and 75th percentile for QA. The first selection stage hinges on CAT 2023 scores and the institute's cutoff. If you meet the criteria, you're invited for a personal interview. CAT-2023 scores, sectional cut-offs, reservation category, and gender diversity factor into the final selection. A substantial 55% weightage is given to CAT 2023 scores. School-level marks and graduation performance combine for 20%. Personal interviews and gender diversity contribute 20% and 5%, respectively.

Final selection stage—CAT score holds 55% weightage, while class 10, class 12, gradation marks and work experience hold 20% weightage. Gender diversity holds 5% weightage. Personal interview holds 20% weightage.

Keep an eye on the IIM websites for the most up-to-date admission policies. With CAT 2023 coming up on November 26, 2023, and a staggering 3.3 lakh students registered.