IIM Sambalpur Course Admission 2026: Dates, Fees, Eligibility, Application Process, Selection Criteria

Sambalpur, OdishaAutonomous UniversityEstd 2015
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Vaibhav Kumar Singh

Content Strategist | Updated on - Jan 9, 2026

IIM Sambalpur offers an MBA as its flagship program in three different specializations, with General Management being the most preferred choice among students. Admission to the MBA course is based on CAT exam scores and a personal interview. The CAT 2025 exam will be held on 30th November 2025, and the further admission process, including the PI and WAT, usually takes place in March and April.

For shortlisting candidates for the Personal Interview, the institute considers academic scores (10% weightage), CAT score (40% weightage), work experience (20% weightage), and gender diversity (10% weightage). The final admission decision is based on the candidate’s performance in the Personal Interview and the Pre-PI score, which is calculated using the above parameters.

Note: IIM Sambalpur Releases its First PI Shortlist for MBA (2026-28). Candidates can check their status Here

IIM Sambalpur Admission Dates 2026

Candidates seeking admission to IIM Sambalpur MBA course need to register themselves and appear for the CAT exam. Important dates regarding PI & WAT and CAT 2025 are given below-

Events Dates (Tentative)
PI & WAT Registration Jan 10 –Jan 25, 2026
Shortlist Date

Feb 23, 2026

PI Dates

Mar 3 – Apr 18, 2026

First Merit List

May 10, 2026

IIM Samabalpur MBA Admission Dates 2025

Events Dates
CAT Registration Aug 01, 2025 - Sep 20, 2025
CAT 2025 Application Dates for Admission [MBA] Aug 01, 2025 - Sep 20, 2025
CAT Admit Card Nov 05, 2025
CAT Exam Date Nov 30, 2025

IIM Sambalpur MBA Admission 2026

For admission to the MBA course at IIM Samabalpur, the candidates need to have passed a bachelor’s with at least 50% marks. The candidates need to have secured a minimum CAT percentile (Overall & Sectional) to be considered for further admission process. The more detailed admission process is given below.

See what Sanchari Roy, a student of MBA (2024) has to say about course curriculum at IIM Sambalpur

In her words: “The pedagogy is excellent since majorly learning is through real-world case studies, research papers, peer discussions and interactive class activities. The professors provide materials and pre-reads at the starting of the term and the content is highly focussed on practical learning. The AI sessions are enriching. The difficulty level of exams varies among the instructors but usually is aligned with topics already taught”. Read More

IIM Sambalpur MBA  Admission Process for Indian Candidates

IIM Sambalpur follows a three-step admission process for admission to the 2-year MBA course offered at the institute.

Step 1: The application forms of the candidates are applicable for the next step of the admission process if they have secured a minimum CAT percentile. The minimum CAT percentile for general category candidates was 90 percentile in 2024, and 65 percentile as the sectional CAT cutoff.

Note: All the candidates shortlisted in Step 1 will be sent an email in January 2026 containing a link to an online application form on the admission portal of IIM Sambalpur. The online application form will have to be completed and submitted by the candidate by a stipulated deadline.

Step 2: Pre-PI Shortlisting

The candidates who have fulfilled the step-1 criteria and filled the application form, a Pre-PI score will be calculated based on the following criteria out of 80-

  • CAT score = 40
  • Class X = 3
  • Class XII = 3
  • Graduation = 4
  • Work Experience = 20
  • Gender Diversity = 10

Prior Academic Performance

The following Table gives details of the marks to be awarded for prior academic performance.

Ranges Class X Class XII Graduation
< 75% 0 0 0
≥ 75% and < 80% 0.75 0.75 1
≥ 80% and < 85% 1.5 1.5 2
≥ 85% and < 90% 2.25 2.25 3
≥ 90% 3 3 4

Work Experience

The score for the Work Experience will be calculated based on the total months of completed work experience of the candidate as of 31st January 2026. The following Table provides details of the marks allocated for the work experience component.

Months of Work Experience Marks
< 12 months 0
12 months 5
18 months 10
24 months 15
30 months 20
36 months 15
42 months 10
48 months 5
> 48 months 0

Gender Diversity

10 marks will be awarded to female and transgender candidates only.

Step 3: Personal Interview & Final Merit- List

  • Based on the Step-2 shortlist, all the eligible candidates will be required to attend the Personal Interview (PI) process conducted by IIM Sambalpur.
  • The PI score (out of a maximum of 25 marks) will be added to the adjusted Pre-PI score (adjusted to 75 marks instead of the earlier 80 marks) (as in step 2) to obtain the final merit score. Candidates who do not obtain a certain minimum score in the PI process would not be considered for the merit list

Offer Acceptance Policy: A candidate receiving an admission offer from IIM Sambalpur and accepting the offer within the stipulated date needs to send an Offer Acceptance Amount of INR 50,000 along with the Offer Acceptance Form on IIM Sambalpur’s admission portal.

IIM Sambalpur MBA Batch Profile

The approximate batch size of the MBA course at IIM Sambalpur is 320. As per the batch profile of the MBA course at IIM Sambalpur over the past few years, the percentage of engineering graduates has decreased since 2023. The number of freshers and female candidates has also been increasing steadily. A more detailed batch profile for the MBA course at IIM Sambalpur is given below.

Particulars Batch 2023 Batch 2024 Batch 2025
Engineers 65% 48% 53%
Freshers 37% 54% 43%
Females 48% 35% 59%

IIM Sambalpur Cutoff 2025

The candidates who have scored above the minimum cut-off in all the sections and the overall CAT percentile will be shortlisted for the personal interview. The minimum cutoff percentile does not guarantee an interview call letter from the institute. The candidates will receive an interview call letter as per the composite score based on CAT Score, Academic Scores, Gender Diversity, and Work Experience.  IIM Sambalpur CAT cut-off for MBA General in 2024 is mentioned in the table below-

Category QA (Percentile) DILR (Percentile) VARC (Percentile) Overall (Percentile)
General 65 65 65 90
EWS 60 60 60 80
NC-OBC 55 55 55 75
SC 40 40 40 55
ST 35 35 35 40
DAP 35 35 35 40

# For male candidates having at least one year of relevant work experience, and for all the female candidates, the minimum overall percentile in the General Category will be reduced to 85.

IIM Sambalpur CAT Cutoff 2024 for MBA (BA)

Category QA DILR VARC Overall
General 65 65 65 85
EWS 60 60 60 80
NC-OBC 55 55 55 75
SC 40 40 40 55
ST 35 35 35 40
DAP 35 35 35 40

MBA Admission Process at Similar Institute

Students often compare similar colleges such as IIM Amritsar, IIM Jammu, TAPMI, etc. while searching for MBA admission at IIM Sambalpur. While all IIMs (Jammu, Sambalpur & Amritsar) use CAT as its initial shortlisting criteria for further admission process at the institute. TAPMI considers CAT/XAT/NMAT scores for its initial shortlisting criteria. Admission process for MBA course at these institutions are given below-

Particulars IIM Sambalpur IIM Jammu IIM Amritsar TAPMI Manipal
Entrance Exam CAT CAT CAT CAT/XAT/NMAT
Shortlisting Criteria CAT Cutoff +Profile Based CAT Percentile CAT Cutoff +Profile Based CAT Percentile
CAT Cutoff 2024 90 percentile 94 percentile 90 percentile 85 percentile
Next Stage PI PI PI WAT + PI
Weightage (CAT vs others) CAT & Profile (75%), PI (25%) CAT & Profile (70%), PI (30%) CAT & Profile (50%), PI (50%) CAT & Profile (55%), PI (45%)

IIM Sambalpur Executive MBA Admission 2026

IIM Sambalpur offers an Executive MBA course for candidates having work experience of at least 3 years, and passed a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks.

IIM Sambalpur Executive MBA Selection Criteria

Personal Interview

Upon being shortlisted (Profile Based), the candidate shall appear for a personal interview in front of the Expert panel.

Statement of Purpose (SOP)

The candidate should submit an SOP not exceeding 2000 words and should include a discussion about their career path, interests, professional contributions, goals, and the driving force behind pursuing ExeMBA.

*Merit List will be prepared based on Personal Interview, Academic Qualification, Relevant Work Experience and Statement of Purpose (SOP).

IIM Sambalpur B.S. Admission 2026

IIM Sambalpur offers B.S. course at the UG level in two different specializations. For admission to these courses, the candidates need to have at least 70% marks in 10+2. More details about the admission process is given below-

IIM Sabalpur B.S. Eligibility Criteria

  • Must have either passed their Standard XII/HSC or equivalent examination in the year 2024 or 2025, or be currently appearing for Standard XII/HSC or equivalent examination, with results expected by June 2025.
  • Min. 70% in both Standard X/SSC and Standard XII/HSC or equivalent examinations (General Category); 65% for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/ PwD and EWS Categories.
  • Must have passed English language examination in both Standard X/SSC and Standard XII/HSC or equivalent examinations.
  • Max age: 21 years (as of July 31, 2026); relaxations as per Govt. norms.

IIM Sabalpur B.S. Entrance Exam Requirement

  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Management & Public Policy: Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET UG) 2026: General Aptitude & English subjects scores (mandatory for all applicants).
  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence: JEE (Main) 2026 score (mandatory for all applicants).

IIM Sabalpur B.S. Admission Process

Apply Online via IIM Sambalpur Admission Portal

  • Submit CUET (General Aptitude & English subjects) 2026 Test score.
  • Standard X/SSC and Standard XII/HSC or equivalent examinations scores, certificates, category/ PwD proofs.

Merit List Preparation

Entrance Exam Score: The final merit list will be prepared based on the respective entrance exam Score.

IIM Sambalpur PhD Admission 2026

The candidates who wish to apply for the PhD program at IIM Sambalpur should fulfill the eligibility criteria mentioned below:

Education

  • Master’s degree with 60% marks , or
  • Postgraduate Diploma from IITs/ IIMs/ Other reputed Universities with 60% marks or
  • Bachelor’s degree with a professional qualification like CA, ICWS, CS with 60% marks
  • Integrated Masters degree with 60% marks or
  • 4-year bachelor’s degree with 6.5 CGPA

Entrance Exam

The applicants will have to appear for CAT/ GRE/GATE/GMAT/JRF (UGC/CSIR), taken during the last 2 years OR Research Aptitude Test (IIMSAT) at IIM Sambalpur. Those who have already passed a 2-year PGP/ MBA with a 6.0 CGPA are exempted from the exams mentioned above.

Age Limit

The candidates should not be more than 40 years of age.

IIM Sambalpur Ph.D. Admission Process

  • Application Form: Interested candidates will have to fill out the PhD application form on the IIM Sambalpur website.
  • Shortlisting for PI : The applicants will be shortlisted based on their percentile in the qualifying examination.
  • Personal Interview : The shortlisted candidates will have to appear for the personal interview.
  • Final Merit-list: The final merit list of the selected candidates will be prepared based on Personal interviews, Academic Qualifications, Relevant Work Experience, and SOP.

IIM Sambalpur Admission FAQs

Ques. What are the reservation criteria followed by IIM Sambalpur for MBA admission?

Ans. IIM Sambalpur follows the reservation policy according to Government of India norms, which are as follows:

Category Reservation %
SC 15%
ST 7.5 %
OBC-NCL 27%
DAP 5%
EWS 10%

Ques. Is there any admission offer acceptance fee charged by IIM Sambalpur?

Ans. Yes, the candidates who have received an admission offer from IIM Sambalpur and are accepting the offer will have to pay an acceptance fee of INR 50,000.

Ques. Can I withdraw from MBA admission after accepting the admission offer at IIM Sambalpur?

Ans. Yes, the candidates can withdraw from MBA admission after accepting the offer. If the candidate withdraws within the withdrawal period, then the acceptance amount will be refunded with only INR 1,000 deducted. But if they withdraw after the withdrawal period, then no refund will be given.

Ques. How much weightage does gender diversity have on MBA final selection?

Ans. Gender diversity is considered while calculating the final composite score of the candidates for final selection. Gender diversity has a weightage of 10 points, which will be given only to female or transgender candidates.

Ques. What is SOP required during ExMBA admissions at IIM Sambalpur?

Ans. SOP refers to the Statement of Purpose which is an essay of not more than 2000 words. It includes details about the candidate’s career path, interests, professional contributions, goals, and the driving force behind pursuing the ExMBa program.

Ques. Can I get admission into the IIM Sambalpur PhD program without appearing for any exam?

Ans. Candidates who have passed two-year full-time PGP/ MBA from IIMs or Institutions/ Universities in NIRF 2023 top 50 Ranking with a minimum CGPA of 6.00 and above or a minimum of 60 percent marks or equivalent are exempted from the test score.

IIM Sambalpur Upcoming Important Dates 2026


Expired Events

EventsDates
CAT results
Dec 24, 2025
Objection Management Window CAT 2025 [MBA/PGDM]
Dec 08, 2025 - Dec 10, 2025
CAT Exam Date
Nov 30, 2025

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Why To Join IIM Sambalpur - Reviews & Rating

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Sanchari Roy
4.7
Reviewed on Apr 4, 2025(Enrolled 2024)

Admission:

I considered SCMHRD Pune (MBA-BA) along with IIM Sambalpur as my top choices. I chose IIM Sambalpur due to the fact that it is an institute of national importance. The infrastrcuture provided is one of the best in the industry compared to the fees charged, which was a bit unjustified for the fees demand by the other institute.
...Read More
HIMANSHU SAHU
4.4Helpful
Reviewed on Sep 30, 2024(Enrolled 2022)

Admission:

Firstly It is an IIM and most people appearing for cat have an aim of going to such an excellent institute like this. It was the best offer I had that time and also it was the most affordable. At that point of time there was only interview after you have got shortlist through cat score. Admission process was smooth and it was driven the admission committee of IIM Sambalpur.
...Read More
Nikhil
Nikhil
3.9Helpful
Reviewed on Feb 2, 2024(Enrolled 2022)

Admission:

Admission process was very simple it just had pi after cat percentile which was 91 in my case , I didn't available any reservation but there is reservation according to law . I was ti remember reservation
...Read More
AMAN SAHU
3.8Helpful
MBA, Information Systems
Reviewed on Jan 3, 2023(Enrolled 2022)

Admission:

Eligibility of the Course: Candidates must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Candidates must have taken the Common Admission Test (CAT), which is an entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Where to find the application form: The application form and other details about the admissions process can typically be found on the IIM Sambalpur website. Application dates: The application dates for IIM Sambalpur may vary from year to year. It is a good idea to check the institute's website or contact the admissions office directly for the most up-to-date information about the application timeline. Improvements in the admission process: One potential improvement to the admission process could be to allow candidates to apply to multiple institutes through a single application form, rather than requiring them to complete a separate application form for each institute.
...Read More
Anonymous
4.1Helpful
MBA, Marketing Management
Reviewed on Jul 8, 2022(Enrolled 2020)

Admission:

The admission process is a tough nut to crack as one has to clear CAT and multiple rounds associated with it to reach the pristine campus. Multiple factors play a pivotal role in deciding your entry (Academic qualifications, work experience, Curricular activities, Certifications, gender diversity).
...Read More
Gaurav Gangaram Naik
3.4Helpful
MBA, Marketing Management
Reviewed on Apr 25, 2022(Enrolled 2020)

Admission:

55% in graduation, 90+ CAT percentile, work experience When applying for CAT you are automatically eligible for the college. We have to tick mark the colleges in which we are interested in. Do not have to pay separate fee for college application Because of reservation, 10 percentile less as compared to general.
...Read More
KUNAL KISHORE
3.8Helpful
MBA, Marketing Management
Reviewed on Nov 21, 2021(Enrolled 2021)

Admission:

The admission process was very much smooth. People were there to guide you at any point in time and answer whatever query you had 24*7. Admission volunteers were very much polite and humble in their nature.
...Read More
Ankit Sharma
4.0Helpful
MBA, Marketing Management
Reviewed on Nov 13, 2021(Enrolled 2021)

Admission:

I availed myself of admission under the OBC category. To ensure to have a seat you must get more than 80 percentile. That too if you have any other benefit such as non-engineer or gender diversity. I had both nonengineer and OBC benefits.
...Read More
Safar kha
3.4Helpful
MBA, Marketing Management
Reviewed on Nov 11, 2021(Enrolled 2021)

Admission:

I have applied to XIMB, IIM sirmaur, IIM Jammu IIM Bodh Gaya, Symbiosis, and IIM Sambalpur. I converted to every college I chose Sambalpur. Every college is similar in every term IIM Sambalpur is close to my hometown so I chose it.
...Read More
Animesh kumar
3.9Helpful
MBA, Marketing Management
Reviewed on Nov 10, 2021(Enrolled 2021)

Admission:

The candidates should have get 94 percentile in the general category to confirmation off the seat but it in the ST SC category if you have more than 80 percentile that would be e enough for the assurance of seat
...Read More

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IIM Sambalpur: 2 Answered Questions

Should I join IIM sambalpur or IIM bodh gaya? Or should I try again next year? I got a 93.26 percentile with no preparation.

Vedant VyasMBA from Indian Institute of Management Indore (Graduated 2022)

Anyone who can get 93.26 percentile without any preparation is bound to get 97 or 98 with proper preparation. So why give away the chance easily when you can aim for a better institute? It’s best you prepare for the CAT sincerely this time and target the top B Schools in India. 

However, if you are planning to sit for CAT again, you need to be certain about some things. Like you will have to tolerate tremendous pressure and a hectic schedule. You will have a non-existent social life and all your energy will be invested in preparing for CAT. Most importantly you have to remain consistent throughout your preparation. Without consistency, all your efforts will go in vain. You should also make research the colleges you are planning to target next year and study their respective admission criteria.

But if you are not confident enough to sacrifice so much just to risk a year, you can always go for IIM Bodh Gaya or Sambalpur. Both these IIMs are new but will provide the necessary means to start your career. Basically, you need to be sure of what you are expecting from your MBA degree and you will have the answer.

...Read More
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What are some facts about going to IIM Sambalpur this year if I have 2.5 years of experience in IT?

Ankush GoelLives in Sambalpur City, Odisha, India

Some facts about IIM Sambalpur are

  • The majority of students are from BTech or MTech background 
  • Most of the students have worked or are working at reputed companies across the country
  • Many students have taken a study leave to pursue MBA while some have even left their job for the same
  • The majority of students are from the General category that too engineers
  • The minority students belong to the ST category
...Read More
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Comments


Found 4 Comments

P
pranjal sapra
Apr 22, 2024 16:04
What are the requirements to apply for the MBA in Fintech Management at IIM Sambalpur?
A
Ashish Ramtari
Apr 23, 2024 06:39

The candidate must have completed a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent with at least 50% marks in the aggregate. He or she must also possess minimum 2 years work experience. The Statement of Purpose not exceeding 2000 words should have reason of pusuing MBA in Fintech Management. Candidate should also submit No Objection Certificate. 

V
vidhi sharma
Apr 12, 2024 13:58
Is work experience mandatory to apply for the executive MBA program at IIM Sambalpur?
R
Rency Daniel
Apr 13, 2024 17:01

Yes, aspirants to IIM Sambalpur's Executive MBA programme must have at least three years of management, entrepreneurial, or professional experience following graduation. The experience must be full-time as of the application deadline. Executive MBA candidates must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent in any discipline with a minimum of 50%. 

V
vikram dewan
Jun 28, 2022 16:24
What are the Ph.D admission requirements of IIM Sambalpur?
A
Aniket Ranjan
Jun 29, 2022 20:51

The admission requirements for admission to PhD programs is a Master's degree or B.Tech degree with 55% marks or 6.5 CGPA from recognized University. Also one must have minimum 5 Years full time work experience in relevant field. 

K
karan rathod
Jun 28, 2022 16:22
Does IIM Sambalpur conduct its own Ph.D entrance test?
A
Aniket Ranjan
Jun 29, 2022 20:49

Yes, IIM sambalpur conduct is it's own entrance exam for admission to PhD program i.e IIM Sambalpur Research Aptitude Test (IIMSAT). 


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