What is the minimum CAT percentile required for IIM Lucknow PGP admission 2027?

The minimum qualifying CAT percentile for the General category is 90 overall and 85 in each section (VARC, DILR, QA). For NC-OBC and EWS candidates, the cutoff is 82 overall and 77 sectional. SC candidates need 65 overall and 55 sectional. ST and PwD candidates need 60 overall and 50 sectional. Meeting these cutoffs only earns a place in the shortlist scoring pool. The actual CAT percentile of admitted General category students in the 2024-26 batch ranged from a minimum of 92.41 to an average of 99.44.

Is CAT the only exam accepted for IIM Lucknow MBA admission?

Yes. IIM Lucknow PGP, PGP-ABM, and PGP-SM accept only CAT for the two-year MBA routes. GMAT or GRE is accepted only for the one-year IPMX executive programme. For the FPM doctoral programme, CAT, GATE, GRE, GMAT, or UGC or CSIR or ICAR JRF or SRF qualifies the candidate.

How many students are shortlisted for IIM Lucknow WAT-PI each year?

For the 2024-26 batch, IIM Lucknow shortlisted 3,914 candidates for WAT-PI across PGP, PGP-ABM, and PGP-SM combined. Of these, 509 were finally admitted to PGP alone, giving a shortlist-to-PGP-admission conversion rate of about 13%.

What is the IIM Lucknow PGP WAT-PI selection weightage?

The final merit score for PGP weighs Personal Interview at 40%, CAT score at 30%, WAT at 10%, academic record at 10%, work experience at 5%, and diversity at 5%. Candidates must score at least 12 out of 40 in the PI to be eligible for the final merit list.

Is work experience mandatory for IIM Lucknow PGP admission?

No. Work experience is not mandatory for PGP or PGP-ABM. It contributes a maximum of 5% to the PGP final merit score and zero weight in PGP-ABM. For PGP-SM, a minimum of 24 months full-time post-graduation work experience is mandatory. IPMX requires at least four years full-time work experience after graduation.

Can final-year graduation students apply for IIM Lucknow admission 2027?

Yes. Final-year students may apply and appear in CAT 2026. They must complete all degree requirements and produce proof of graduation before the cut-off date specified in the IIM Lucknow 2027 admission notification.

What is the total fee for IIM Lucknow PGP 2027?

The indicative total fee for IIM Lucknow PGP is INR 20,75,000 (Year 1: INR 10,95,000 and Year 2: INR 9,80,000). For IPMX, the total programme fee is INR 26,00,000 plus caution deposit and alumni membership (INR 25,000 combined). All figures are subject to revision. Visit iiml.ac.in for the confirmed fee structure for the 2027-29 batch.

Does IIM Lucknow offer direct admission or a management quota?

No. IIM Lucknow does not offer direct admission or a management quota. All seats in PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM, and IPMX are filled strictly through merit-based selection via CAT or GMAT or GRE and the WAT-PI process.

What is the reservation policy at IIM Lucknow?

IIM Lucknow follows Government of India reservation norms: General (40.5%), NC-OBC (27%), SC (15%), ST (7.5%), EWS (10%), and PwD (5% horizontal across all categories). The reservation applies uniformly across all programmes including PGP, PGP-ABM, and PGP-SM.

What is the IPMX work experience requirement and how is selection done?

IPMX requires a minimum of four years full-time post-graduation work experience. Selection uses a composite score: GMAT or GRE (30%), academic and professional profile (30%), Personal Interview (30%), and WAT (10%). Applications are accepted in three phases, with Phase 1 closing September 2, 2026, Phase 2 closing October 17, 2026, and Phase 3 closing December 1, 2026.

IIM Lucknow PGP: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Collegedunia Team

Content Curator | Updated on - Sep 15, 2026

What's New?

12 Jun, 2026 IIM Lucknow Fee Structure 2026 for PGP-ABM program is out. The total academic fee is ₹ 20.75 Lakhs.

12 Jun, 2026 IIM Lucknow Fee Structure 2026 has been released for PGP program. The total academic fee is ₹ 20.75 Lakhs.

IIM Lucknow offers the Post Graduate Program in Management (PGP), a 2-year full-time residential MBA across 8 specializations. Total programme fee is INR 20,75,000. Admission requires a valid CAT score with minimum 90 overall percentile for the General category. The 436-seat programme is fully residential at the Lucknow campus. IIM Lucknow holds NIRF 2025 Rank 5 in Management.

📋 Admission Status: Admissions for the 2027-29 batch are expected to open January 2027 (Tentative).

Key Points

NIRF 2025 Rank 5 in Management, ranked 4th among all IIMs nationally
100% placement for the 2025 season with average salary INR 32.30 LPA, median INR 31 LPA, and 604 total offers
CAT score carries 60% weight in the shortlisting composite and 30% in the final selection score alongside WAT and PI
PGP-ABM variant (60 seats) covers agri-business with the same fee structure and a distinct rural-sector career track

IIM Lucknow PGPM Fees 2026

The total PGPM fee for the 2026-28 batch is INR 20,75,000 across six terms. Year 1 is INR 10,95,000 and Year 2 is INR 9,80,000. Hostel, mess, and personal expenses are charged separately.

Programme	Year 1	Year 2	Total Fee
PGP (MBA)	INR 10,95,000	INR 9,80,000	INR 20,75,000
PGP-ABM	INR 10,95,000	INR 9,80,000	INR 20,75,000

Fees are subject to change. Verify with official sources before admission.

IIM Lucknow PGPM Admission 2026

Important Dates

Event	2026-28 Batch (Reference)
CAT registration window	August 1 to September 13, 2025
CAT exam	November 30, 2025
CAT results	Early January 2026
WAT and PI rounds	February to March 2026
Final admission offers	April 2026
Programme commencement	June 2026

The 2027-29 cycle is expected to open January 2027 (Tentative).

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with minimum 50% marks or equivalent CGPA from a UGC-recognized institution
SC, ST, and PwD candidates require minimum 45% marks in the Bachelor’s degree
Minimum overall CAT percentile of 90 for General and NC-OBC. Sectional minimum is 85 in each of VARC, DILR, and QA
Final-year students may apply provisionally, subject to completing the degree with the required percentage

Admission Process

Register for CAT and meet both overall and sectional cutoffs declared by IIM Lucknow for the relevant category
IIM Lucknow shortlists using a composite where CAT score contributes 60% and academic record, work experience, and diversity contribute the rest
Shortlisted candidates attend a Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) at designated centres in February to March
Final selection uses a composite: CAT 30%, WAT 10%, PI 30%, academic record and other parameters 30%
Offer letters are released in April. Candidates confirm admission by paying the seat deposit within the deadline

IIM Lucknow PGPM vs Other Colleges

Here is how IIM Lucknow PGPM compares with peer IIMs on fees, entrance exam, cutoff, and ratings.

College	IIM Lucknow	IIM Calcutta	IIM Bangalore	IIM Kozhikode
Fees	20.75 L	27 L	26 L	23.5 L
Exams	CAT	CAT	CAT	CAT
Cutoff	90 percentile (2025)	Not Disclosed	Not Disclosed	Not Disclosed
Salary	INR 32.30 LPA (Avg, 2025)	Not Disclosed	Not Disclosed	Not Disclosed
CD Rating	4.2/5	4.4/5	4.6/5	4.2/5

Comparison fees are based on the latest available batch data.

✓ Opt for this if

CAT score is 90-plus overall percentile with 85-plus in each of the three sections
The goal is an MBA from a top-5 NIRF Management school with a consistent 100% placement record
Two years of fully residential study at a dedicated campus with a structured internship fits the plan

✗ Skip if

A part-time or online MBA format is needed to balance ongoing employment with studies
Total outlay of over INR 20 lakhs exceeds the available loan and scholarship capacity
An executive MBA for working professionals with blended or weekend delivery is the preferred route

IIM Lucknow PGPM Placement 2026

IIM Lucknow recorded 100% placement for the 2025 season, with 604 offers for the batch. Average salary was INR 32.30 LPA and median salary was INR 31 LPA. The highest offer stood at INR 75 LPA.

Metric	2025 Season
Average Package	INR 32.30 LPA
Median Package	INR 31 LPA
Highest Package	INR 75 LPA
Placement Rate	100%
Total Offers	604
Top Recruiters	McKinsey BCG Bain Accenture Amazon Goldman Sachs HUL Procter and Gamble

IIM Lucknow PGPM Scholarships 2026

IIM Lucknow provides need-based financial support to PGP students from low-income families alongside government scholarships through national and state channels.

Scholarship	Amount	Eligibility	Deadline
IIM Lucknow Need-Based Scholarship	Partial to full tuition waiver	Annual family income below INR 4 LPA	At admission
National Scholarship Portal (NSP)	Varies by scheme	SC, ST, OBC, EWS with valid NSP profile	As notified by NSP
Education Loan (IBA Scheme)	As per bank sanction	Valid IIM Lucknow offer letter	Before fee payment

Need-based award quantum is decided by the PGPM office post-admission.

IIM Lucknow PGP Ranking

According to Collegedunia Ranking 2025, IIM Lucknow ranks #6 out of 370 colleges in India. According to 53 Reviews collected by Collegedunia, the PG Program program at IIM Lucknow is rated 4.3/5. The college has an overall Collegedunia score of 1974.29/2000, calculated based on NAAC grade, exam cutoff, rankings, placements and student reviews.

IIM Lucknow is ranked by several ranking agencies such as Outlook, QS World University, Financial Times. Some of these rankings are as follows-

#4 out of 25 under Outlook Ranking 2026.
#201-250 out of 301 under QS World University Ranking 2026.
#71 out of 100 under Financial Times Ranking 2025.

Ranking Agency	Latest	Previous
	#5 out of 350 (2026) #2nd Uttar Pradesh	#6 out of 372 (2025) #1st Uttar Pradesh
	#3 out of 270 (2026) #1st Uttar Pradesh	#2 out of 275 (2024) #1st Uttar Pradesh
	#58 out of 100 (2026)	#71 out of 100 (2025)
	#3 out of 150 (2019) #1st Uttar Pradesh	-
	#5 out of 125 (2025) #1st Uttar Pradesh	#7 out of 125 (2024) #1st Uttar Pradesh
	#4 out of 25 (2026)	#4 out of 25 (2025)
	#5 out of 100 (2026)	#4 out of 100 (2025)
	#8 out of 50 (2019) #2nd Uttar Pradesh	-
	#201-250 out of 301 (2026)	#201-250 out of 251 (2025)

IIM Lucknow PGPM FAQs

Ques. Does IIM Lucknow PGP award an MBA degree or a PGDM, and does the distinction matter for jobs or higher studies?

Ans. IIM Lucknow now grants a full MBA degree under the IIM Act, since the institute received degree-conferring authority. Earlier batches received a PGDM or PGP diploma, which was treated as MBA-equivalent for placements and PSU jobs. From the 2021-23 batch onward the nomenclature changed to MBA, which also simplifies documentation for international higher studies where a diploma may require additional paperwork. Current students receive the MBA degree directly at convocation.

Ques. Is work experience mandatory for IIM Lucknow PGP, and how much does it help in WAT-PI?

Ans. Work experience is not mandatory. Freshers are eligible and regularly admitted. Experience carries a defined weight in the shortlisting composite alongside CAT score and academics. Candidates with 12 to 36 months of relevant experience can draw on real-world examples in the PI, which helps. Freshers with 98-plus CAT percentile and strong academics remain competitive. Batches typically include a mix of freshers and experienced professionals across sectors.

Ques. How does PGP-ABM differ from the general PGP in curriculum and career outcomes?

Ans. PGP-ABM (Agri-Business Management) has 60 seats and shares the first year with the general PGP. Year 2 covers agri-specific electives on food supply chains, rural markets, and commodity trading. Graduates join FMCG agri divisions, commodity trading firms, rural NBFCs, and government agri policy roles. Top recruiters include ITC, Godrej Agrovet, and Rabo Bank. The total fee is identical at INR 20,75,000.

Ques. What specialization areas are available at IIM Lucknow PGPM and when do students choose them?

Ans. The programme covers 8 areas: Finance and Accounting, Marketing, Strategic Management, HRM, Operations Management, IT and Systems, Business Environment, and Decision Sciences. Year 1 is common coursework. Electives begin in Year 2. No formal major or minor appears on the degree certificate. Most students concentrate on one area while taking cross-functional electives to build breadth across domains.

Ques. How are summer internships structured and what are the typical stipends?

Ans. Summer placements happen after Term 3, typically in April to May. Companies offer 2-month internships and top performers often receive a Pre-Placement Offer (PPO) converting to final hiring. Stipends are not officially published but historically range from INR 1 lakh to INR 4 lakh for the internship period. Consulting and investment banking roles pay the highest amounts. A strong internship is the most reliable path to a final placement offer from the same recruiter.