IIFT Delhi campus seats 240 students in MBA International Business plus 60 additional seats in MBA Business Analytics — a program exclusive to Delhi — while Kolkata campus offers 240 MBA IB seats only, with a slightly lower CAT cutoff requirement than Delhi.
For the 2026-28 batch, IIFT is running admissions across four campuses — Delhi, Kolkata, Kakinada, and GIFT City. Understanding the differences between Delhi and Kolkata helps you set the right CAT percentile target, judge your waitlist position realistically, and make a stronger campus preference decision during counselling.
- Delhi MBA IB intake: 240 seats; Kolkata MBA IB intake: 240 seats — equal in size but different in demand.
- Delhi also offers 60 seats in MBA Business Analytics, a program not available at Kolkata or any other IIFT campus.
- The campus preference hierarchy for waitlist movement runs: GIFT City → Kakinada → Kolkata → Delhi.
- Delhi demands a higher overall CAT percentile; the General category cutoff for Delhi is typically 99+ percentile vs around 98 percentile for Kolkata.
- The non-refundable waitlist fee to hold a seat is Rs 20,000 at either campus.
| Direct Link — IIFT MBA 2026-28 Admissions Portal (ACTIVE) iift.ac.in/iift/new-admissions.php |
IIFT MBA 2026-28 Seat Matrix: Delhi vs Kolkata
IIFT’s two flagship campuses — Delhi and Kolkata — each offer 240 seats in the MBA International Business program. However, Delhi holds an additional edge with 60 seats in MBA Business Analytics, a program not available at Kolkata, Kakinada, or GIFT City.
| Campus | Program | Total Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | MBA International Business (MBA IB) | 240 |
| Delhi | MBA Business Analytics (MBA BA) | 60 |
| Kolkata | MBA International Business (MBA IB) | 240 |
| Kakinada | MBA International Business (MBA IB) | 120 |
| GIFT City | MBA International Business (MBA IB) | 120 |
| Total (All Campuses and Programs) | 780 |
The MBA BA program at Delhi is a data and analytics-focused two-year full-time degree. Students who clear the IIFT 2026 selection process — comprising GD, WAT, and PI — indicate campus and program preferences; final allotment follows merit rank and seat availability in each category.
Category-wise Seat Distribution
IIFT follows Government of India reservation norms for all campus intakes. The table below shows the indicative category-wise seat distribution for the 240-seat MBA IB program at both Delhi and Kolkata, calculated on statutory reservation percentages.
| Category | Reservation % | Delhi MBA IB (indicative) | Kolkata MBA IB (indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / Unreserved (UR) | 40.5% | ~97 | ~97 |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 27% | ~65 | ~65 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% | ~36 | ~36 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | ~18 | ~18 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% | ~24 | ~24 |
A horizontal 5% reservation applies for Persons with Disability (PwD) across all categories. Seats for Defence personnel and Kashmiri Migrants are carved out separately. These figures are indicative based on GoI reservation norms applied to the 240-seat intake; the official campus-wise category breakdown is published in the IIFT Selection Criteria document available on the admissions portal.
CAT Cutoff Percentile: Delhi vs Kolkata
The CAT cutoff for IIFT Delhi is marginally higher than Kolkata because Delhi is the most preferred campus and fewer seats are vacated through waitlist movement. Both campuses require students to clear the same sectional cutoffs first; only those who clear sectional thresholds are considered for the overall composite score cutoff.
| Category | Sectional Cutoff (Each Section) | Delhi MBA IB (expected overall) | Kolkata MBA IB (expected overall) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 65 percentile | ~99+ percentile | ~98 percentile |
| OBC-NCL | 55 percentile | ~97–98 percentile | ~96–97 percentile |
| SC | 30 percentile | ~90–92 percentile | ~88–90 percentile |
| ST | 30 percentile | ~75–80 percentile | ~72–78 percentile |
| PwD | 30 percentile | ~75 percentile | ~72 percentile |
These percentile ranges are expected figures based on 2024-26 and 2025-27 IIFT admission trends. IIFT uses a composite score that combines CAT percentile with academic performance across Class X, XII, and graduation, plus work experience and GD-WAT-PI performance — so CAT score alone does not determine admission. All shortlisted students go through the same centrally conducted GD-WAT-PI process regardless of campus preference.
Waitlist Movement and Campus Upgrade Process
IIFT runs two types of waitlist for the 2026-28 batch. The external waitlist covers students not initially offered any campus seat. The internal waitlist covers students who received a lower-preference campus and want to upgrade. The campus hierarchy from lowest to highest demand is:
GIFT City → Kakinada → Kolkata → Delhi
A student holding a Kolkata seat and on the internal waitlist is waiting for a Delhi seat to open as confirmed Delhi students decline or exit. The table below shows historical internal campus upgrade movement based on 2024-26 IIFT waitlist trends.
| Round | General Category Moves (approx.) | OBC-NCL | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolkata → Delhi (pre-Round 1) | ~26 | ~10 | ~10 | 0 |
| Round 1 (External + Internal) | ~66 | ~33 | ~12 | 0 |
| Round 2 | ~71 | ~27 | ~22 | 3 |
| Round 3 | ~36 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
To hold a waitlist position, students must pay a non-refundable fee of Rs 20,000. If a seat is confirmed through the waitlist, the seat acceptance fee is approximately Rs 3.2 lakh. Waitlist movement figures for the 2026-28 batch will be updated on the official IIFT admissions portal as each round closes.
Key Differences: IIFT Delhi vs Kolkata at a Glance
| Parameter | IIFT Delhi | IIFT Kolkata |
|---|---|---|
| MBA IB Seats | 240 | 240 |
| MBA BA Seats | 60 | Not offered |
| General Category CAT Cutoff (expected) | ~99+ percentile | ~98 percentile |
| Sectional Cutoff (General) | 65 percentile | 65 percentile |
| Campus Preference Rank | Highest (most preferred) | Second most preferred |
| Internal Waitlist Role | Receives upgrades from Kolkata | Students can upgrade to Delhi |
| Waitlist Fee | Rs 20,000 | Rs 20,000 |
| Industry Access | NCR — largest corporate and trade hub | Eastern India — trade, PSU and port sector focus |
IIFT MBA 2026-28 Delhi vs Kolkata FAQs
Ques. How many seats does IIFT Delhi have for the MBA 2026-28 batch?
Ans. IIFT Delhi campus has 240 seats in MBA International Business and 60 seats in MBA Business Analytics, totalling 300 seats for the 2026-28 batch. MBA Business Analytics is offered exclusively at the Delhi campus.
Ques. Is the CAT cutoff higher for IIFT Delhi than Kolkata?
Ans. Yes. Based on previous year trends, the General category overall CAT cutoff for Delhi is around 99+ percentile while Kolkata is around 98 percentile. The sectional cutoff of 65 percentile for the General category applies equally to both campuses.
Ques. Can I move from Kolkata to Delhi through the IIFT internal waitlist?
Ans. Yes. IIFT runs an internal waitlist process where students allotted to a lower-preference campus can move to a higher-preference campus as seats free up. Based on 2024-26 trends, approximately 26 General category students moved from Kolkata to Delhi in the pre-Round 1 phase, with further movement in subsequent rounds.
Ques. What is the IIFT waitlist fee for 2026-28?
Ans. Students who wish to remain on the IIFT waitlist must pay a non-refundable fee of Rs 20,000. If a waitlisted student receives and accepts a seat, the seat confirmation fee is approximately Rs 3.2 lakh.
Ques. Does IIFT Kolkata offer MBA Business Analytics?
Ans. No. MBA Business Analytics is currently offered only at the IIFT Delhi campus with 60 seats for the 2026-28 batch. Kolkata, Kakinada, and GIFT City campuses offer only the MBA International Business program.
Ques. How does IIFT decide which campus to allot to a student?
Ans. After the GD-WAT-PI rounds, IIFT prepares a composite merit list combining CAT score, academic performance, work experience, and interview performance. Students indicate campus preferences and are allotted a campus based on merit rank and seat availability in their category. Students who do not receive their first-choice campus are placed on an internal waitlist for upgrades in subsequent rounds.
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