IIM Shillong PGP Admission 2026: CAT Cut-off Set at 75 Percentile, Selection via PI

IIM Shillong has officially released details of the PGP 2026–28 admission process. The entire selection is conducted in two clear phases - shortlisting for the Personal Interview (PI) and preparation of the final merit list. Below is a simple, structured, and complete explanation, written to help students understand the process without confusion.

Check Here – IIM Shillong PGP 2026 Admission Process

Phase 1: Shortlisting for Personal Interview (PI)

Step 1: CAT 2025 Eligibility & Sectional Cut-offs

Only candidates who selected IIM Shillong in the CAT 2025 application form are considered. To move ahead, candidates must meet minimum sectional percentiles in VARC, DILR, and QA.

VARC: Verbal and Reading Comprehension; DILR: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning; QA: Quantitative Aptitude.

Failing to meet even one sectional cut-off means the candidate is not considered further.

Step 2: Composite Score Calculation (CAT + Academics + Work Experience)

After clearing sectional cut-offs, a Composite Score is calculated using:

• 65% weight: Overall CAT 2025 percentile
• 35% weight: Normalised Application Rating Score (NARS)

What is ARS (Application Rating Score)?

ARS is the total of four components = A+B+C+D:

• Class X score (A)
• Class XII score (B)
• Graduation score (C)
• Work experience score (D)

Each academic stage is given marks based on percentage ranges. Work experience gets the highest score at 18–24 months, while very low or very high experience gets a lower weight.

In the IIM Shillong PGP 2026–28 admission policy, the work experience scoring shows a stronger focus on early-career candidates compared to 2025–27. Candidates with 7–12 months of experience now get marks, whereas earlier they got none, and scores for 12–18 months have also been increased. The highest score has been shifted to the 18–24 months range, instead of 24–30 months earlier, showing that moderate experience is now preferred. At the same time, candidates with very high experience (42 months or more) now get zero marks sooner than before, which reduces the advantage for highly experienced applicants. Overall, the changes favour applicants with 1–2 years of work experience the most.

What is NARS?

NARS is calculated by dividing a candidate’s ARS by the average ARS of the top 50 applicants, ensuring fair normalisation.

Step 3: Ranking by Composite Score

All eligible candidates are ranked in descending order based on the Composite Score. This ranking is only used for PI shortlisting, not for final admission.

Also Read

CAT 2025: Result (Out), IIMCAT Cutoff, Score Calculator and MBA Colleges Rank Wise

Step 4: Academic Discipline-wise Grouping

Candidates are grouped into Academic Categories (AC1 to AC6) based on their graduation discipline, such as Medicine, Engineering, Commerce, Arts, Sciences, etc.

The percentage of PI calls from each academic discipline is proportional to the number of applicants from that discipline in CAT 2025. This ensures academic diversity.

Step 5: Category-wise Grouping within Each Discipline

Within every academic discipline, candidates are further divided into:

• EWS
• ST
• SC
• Others (OT)

This step ensures reservation norms are followed within each academic stream, not just overall.

Step 6: Final PI Call Allocation

IIM Shillong decides a total number X of candidates to be called for PI based on seat availability and past trends.

Category-wise PI calls from X are fixed as:

• EWS: 10%
• ST: 7.5%
• SC: 15%
• Others: 67.5%

Additionally, 5% of shortlisted candidates are reserved for Differently Abled (DA) candidates.

Each academic discipline and category receives PI calls proportionally, with a minimum of one call ensured where applicable.

Step 7: Gender-wise Distribution

Within each academic discipline and social category, PI calls are further divided based on gender proportion in CAT 2025, maintaining balance and diversity.

Also Read

IIM Shillong CAT Cut Off 2025 (Out): Check Cut Off, MBA (2026-28) Admissions Process, Selection Criteria, Fees, Placements

Phase 2: Final Merit List & Admission Offer

After the PI process, the scores of the PI will be used, along with ARS, overall CAT performance, and the gender score of the shortlisted candidates, for the preparation of the final merit list.

PI & Communication Proficiency Cut-offs

After the PI round, candidates must clear the minimum PI and communication cut-offs to be considered for final selection.

Communication skills are evaluated but not added to the final score.

Final Overall Score Calculation

The Overall Score (OS) is calculated using:

Gender score is awarded to all candidates except the gender with the highest CAT representation, promoting diversity.

Merit List & Admission Offers

Candidates are ranked based on their Overall Score. Admission offers are released strictly in rank order, subject to seat availability.

A waitlist is also maintained, and multiple rounds of offers may be conducted. No fixed overall cut-off is announced.

Important Rules Every Applicant Must Know

• Graduation completion proof is mandatory by 31 December 2026
• Class X & XII percentages must include all subjects
• Grade-only boards must submit official equivalence certificates
• PI shortlisting is independent of other IIMs
• Composite Score is never disclosed
• Only shortlisted candidates receive communication
• Final admission status is expected by the second week of May 2026

At the end of the admission process (after the registration of the PGP (2026-28) batch), the lowest overall score for candidates across various categories who have been offered admission will be made public to all the waitlisted candidates who could not be offered admission.

Candidates are advised to check the official website of IIM Shillong and collegedunia.com for the latest updates.

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