IIM Guwahati Opens Admissions for 1st MBA Batch 2026-28; CAT Cutoff 85%ile, 70 Seats Available

The Indian Institute of Management Guwahati (IIMG), India’s newest addition to the IIM family, has officially opened admissions for the MBA 2026-2028 batch. Mentored by the premier IIM Ahmedabad, the institute will admit 70 students through a three-stage selection process based on CAT 2025 scores, academic performance, and work experience.

The IIM Guwahati admission process evaluates candidates across three critical stages:

• Basic Academic Eligibility (Stage 0),
• CAT Eligibility (Stage 1), and
• Final Selection based on Composite Score (Stage 2).

Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree with a minimum 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories) to qualify for Stage 0. Stage 1 requires meeting specific CAT 2025 percentile cutoffs with positive scores in all three sections.

IIM Guwahati MBA Admission Dates 2026

Candidates who meet the Stage 0 (Basic Academic Eligibility) and Stage 1 (CAT Eligibility) criteria will be contacted via email.

IIMG MBA Batch Size and Reservations 2026

IIM Guwahati has announced a planned intake of 70 students for its upcoming MBA batch 2026-28. In compliance with Government of India regulations, the seat distribution is strictly categorized:

• General: 28 seats
• NC-OBC: 19 seats
• SC: 11 seats
• EWS: 7 seats
• ST: 5 seats

Within these categories, 5% of seats (totaling 3) are earmarked for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD).

IIM Guwahati MBA Admission Process 2026

The admission process is independent of other IIMs, meaning cutoffs and selection criteria may vary. Shortlisted candidates will receive admission offer letters from June 1, 2026 onwards via email. Selected candidates must confirm acceptance online and pay the acceptance fee by the stipulated deadline.

Stage 0: Basic Academic Eligibility

Before the CAT scores even come into play, candidates must clear the fundamental academic hurdle. IIM Guwahati mandates that applicants hold a Bachelor’s Degree with at least 50% marks (relaxed to 45% for SC, ST, and PwD candidates).

Graduates in their final year are also eligible to apply, provided they complete all examinations by June 30, 2026. This stage ensures that the founding cohort meets the minimum intellectual rigour expected of an IIM student.

Stage 1: The CAT Cutoff Percentile

To even be considered for the shortlist, candidates must meet the minimum sectional and overall percentile cut-offs in CAT 2025. Unlike some older IIMs that have moved toward higher overall thresholds, IIMG’s cut-offs remain competitive yet accessible for a wider range of high-performers.

Note: For Transgender candidates in the General category, NC-OBC cut-offs will apply.

Stage 2: The 'Composite Score' Strategy

The final selection at IIM Guwahati is a weighted calculation. The institute uses a Composite Score (CS), where the CAT performance accounts for 65% and the Normalized Academic Rating (NAR) accounts for the remaining 35%.

Unlike institutes that rely on personal interviews alone, IIMG will use a mathematical Composite Score (CS) to rank candidates for the final offer. This stage is a 65:35 split between the CAT performance and past profile (referred to as Normalized Academic Rating or NAR).

The NAR is calculated based on four pillars:

1. Class 10th Marks (Score A): Maximum weightage for scores above 90%.
2. Class 12th Marks (Score B): Significant points for students scoring above 90%.
3. Bachelor’s Degree (Score C): Top marks for those with over 85% in graduation.
4. Work Experience (Score D): IIMG rewards professional maturity. The "sweet spot" for work experience is between 12 to 36 months, after which the score begins to taper, hitting zero for those with more than 60 months of experience.

With IIM Ahmedabad as its mentor, the curriculum and pedagogy at IIM Guwahati are expected to be top-tier. For graduates who may have narrowly missed the 99th percentile required for the "old IIMs," IIM Guwahati presents a golden opportunity to join the IIM legacy.

Candidates are advised to keep their academic transcripts ready, as the institute requires the submission of all semester marksheets. If selected, a confirmation fee of INR 1,00,000 will be required to secure the seat, which is later adjusted against the Term I fees.

The first batch is expected to commence in July 2026, with classes held at the institute's campus in Tech City, Bongora, Assam.

For admission-related queries, candidates can contact: IIMG Admissions Office (PGP), Indian Institute of Management Guwahati, Tech City, Bongora, Guwahati, Assam 781017 or email at admission@iimg.ac.in.

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