Under the updated system, performance in CAT 2026 will account for 65% of the initial composite score. The remaining 35% will be based on an Application Rating that incorporates a candidate's academic record and selected profile characteristics.

A significant change in the revised methodology is the introduction of undergraduate-discipline-based normalisation. Candidates' composite scores will be adjusted in relation to the performance of applicants from the same broad area of undergraduate study.

How the New Shortlisting Formula Works

IIMA will first determine an Application Rating for each eligible applicant. Factors contributing to this rating include performance in Class 10 and Class 12, undergraduate results, gender diversity and qualifying full-time work experience.

The institute will then combine the adjusted Application Rating with the candidate's overall CAT 2026 percentile to produce the initial composite score.

The Application Rating will be normalised using the average rating among the highest-performing applicants in the relevant applicant pool.

Undergraduate Background Gets Greater Importance

The revised framework gives an additional role to the candidate's undergraduate discipline.

After the initial composite score has been calculated, IIMA will compare and normalise scores within broad undergraduate subject categories. These include areas such as engineering and technology, computer science and information technology, commerce, accounting and finance, economics, mathematics, management, law, arts and humanities, medical and health sciences, journalism and media, as well as other disciplines.

For each discipline, the normalisation process will use the highest-performing group of applicants as the benchmark. The calculation will use at least five and no more than 100 scores, depending on the number of eligible candidates available in a particular category.

CAT 2026 Minimum Percentile Requirements

Candidates must first satisfy IIMA's minimum CAT 2026 qualifying thresholds to remain eligible for consideration.

Separate qualifying requirements apply to PwD applicants.

Clearing these percentile thresholds does not automatically result in an invitation to the AWT or PI. The institute will apply its broader selection methodology after candidates meet the minimum CAT requirements. Shortlisting will also take reservation-category representation into consideration.

Personal Interview Gets the Highest Final-Stage Weight

Applicants who progress to the AWT and PI stages will be assessed using a separate Final Composite Score.

The Personal Interview will have the largest share of the final evaluation, while the normalised composite score and Analytical Writing Test will make up the remaining components.

Consequently, CAT performance has a substantial role during the initial shortlisting process, while the Personal Interview becomes the most influential component at the final selection stage.

What the Revised Policy Means for Applicants

The updated admission framework indicates that a strong CAT score remains important for candidates seeking admission to IIM Ahmedabad. However, CAT performance alone will not determine whether an applicant progresses through the selection process.

Academic performance in school and undergraduate studies, qualifying work experience, gender diversity considerations and the candidate's undergraduate discipline will also contribute to the evaluation.

The new discipline-based normalisation further means that applicants from different academic backgrounds may not necessarily be assessed against an identical composite-score benchmark.

For the 2027-29 PGP intake, IIMA is expected to publish the AWT and PI shortlist on its official website by the second week of January 2027, following the declaration of CAT 2026 results.