IIM Shillong Admission Criteria for PGP 2026-28

For CAT aspirants aiming at the PGP (MBA) 2026–28 batch, understanding IIM Shillong admission criteria is crucial, as they differ significantly from many other IIMs.

This blog offers a detailed breakdown of the IIM Shillong MBA admission process, including CAT cut-offs, composite score calculation, academic diversity handling, work experience scoring, gender diversity points, and final merit list preparation, all explained in simple language. The Indian Institute of Management Shillong (IIM Shillong) is known for its unique positioning among the IIMs emphasizing sustainability, ethics, diversity, and holistic leadership.

Overview of IIM Shillong Admission Criteria: Process for PGP 2026-28

The admission process for IIM Shillong’s PGP 2026–28 is divided into 2 phases:

Phase 1 – Shortlisting of candidates for Personal Interview (PI).

Phase 2 – Final Merit List & Admission Offers.

Each phase follows a transparent, data-driven, and diversity-oriented approach.

Shortlisting for Personal Interview (PI): Phase 1 of IIM Shillong Admission Process

Phase 1 of the admission process decided the eligibility of candidates based on their CAT exam scores and cutoffs.

Step 1: Preliminary Screening

The candidates have to have the minimum required CAT percentiles to be eligible for admission to IIM Shillong. All candidates who:

• Appeared for CAT 2025, and
• Selected IIM Shillong in their CAT application,

are eligible, provided they meet the minimum sectional percentiles in CAT as below:

Step 2: Composite Score Calculation for Shortlisting

Composite Scores is based on the total CAT percentile and normalized application rating score (NARS). NARS will be based on scores assigned to Class X, Class XII, and Graduation percentages, along with the scores for months of experience.

Work Experience Scoring (D):

Now, Understand the Application Rating Score (ARS)

Step 3: Academic Discipline-Wise Shortlisting

The candidates will be ranked based on their composite score. The candidates, then, will be grouped as per their academic disciplines in graduation. IIM Shillong strongly believes in academic diversity.

There are 6 Academic Categories (ACs) to group the candidates, including:

• AC1: Medicine & Surgery
• AC2: CA, CS, CMA, Actuarial
• AC3: Commerce, Economics, Management
• AC4: Engineering, Technology, Science
• AC5: Arts, Humanities, Law, Design, Education
• AC6: Any other disciplines

From each academic discipline, a certain percentage (𝛼) of candidates would be shortlisted for PI calls.

If,

• 𝑁: Number of candidates appeared for CAT exam,
• 𝑔: Number of academic disciplines
• Ni: Number of Candidates present in an Academic Discipline
• (𝜶𝒊) : Percentage of Candidates from each Academic Discipline

Each academic category is allocated shortlisting proportionally, based on:

(𝜶𝒊) = Number of candidates in discipline i / Total CAT applicants

This calculation matters because it ensures equal chances. Say, an Arts or Humanities graduate is not competing directly with Engineers for PI calls.

Step 4: Category & Gender-Based Distribution

The identified pool of eligible candidates in respective academic discipline (i) would be further grouped as per their social categories, the number of candidates in a social category, like EWS, ST, SC, OT, and General.

There will be a gender-based sub-grouping within every academic discipline and social category.

Also read, IIM Shillong Placement Report

Final PI Shortlist Ranking

Within each micro-group based on academic discipline, category, and gender, candidates are ranked purely on composite scores. The top candidates will get Personal Interview calls.

Phase 2 of IIM Shillong Admission Criteria: Final Merit List & Admission Offers

There will be different cut-off scores for candidate’s performance in the PI process in various categories. Though, communication skills are evaluated but not included in final score computation.

The minimum PI Cut-offs

Once PI rounds are completed, the overall scores candidate will include marks of PI round, along with ARS, scaled CAT scores, and gender weightage for the final merit list. The various weightage score for all the components are as shown here in a table.

Final Overall Score (OS)

Next, candidates will receive admission offers in order of their rank based on the overall scores. Final admission offers are made strictly by rank and multiple waitlist iterations may occur.

Important Notes Every Aspirant Must Know

• IIM Shillong reserves the right to modify criteria.
• The sectional CAT performance is non-negotiable and PI shortlisting is independent of other IIMs
• Graduation must be completed by 31 December 2026. All the candidates getting admission offers for the PGP 2026-2028 batch must provide proof of completion of their graduation or equivalent exams by 31st December 2026.
• Admission updates are shared via IIM Shillong Website, Email, and SMS. And, only shortlisted candidates receive communication.