IIM Guwahati MBA Admission Process 2026–28
Complete guide to IIM Guwahati MBA admission 2026–2028: official selection process, CAT cutoff, seats, eligibility, composite score formula, work-experience marks, important dates, and what students should actually understand before applying.
IIM Guwahati MBA Admission 2026–28: Key Overview
IIM Guwahati is the newest IIM in India and has been launched with mentoring support from IIM Ahmedabad. For the MBA 2026–28 batch, the institute has published its own admission process, minimum CAT cutoffs, seats, and key timelines. The official admission process clearly states that the final selection is based on a composite score built from CAT, academics, and work experience.
Students should still keep checking official communication because new institutes can refine processes in later cycles.
IIM Guwahati Eligibility Criteria
Stage 0: Basic Academic Eligibility
A candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. For candidates from SC, ST, and PwD categories, this requirement is relaxed to 45%.
- The bachelor’s degree must involve at least three years of education after 10+2.
- Final-year students can also apply, subject to completion and later document submission.
- Provisional admission depends on completing degree requirements by June 30, 2026.
- The final marksheet and certificate deadline is December 31, 2026.
IIM Guwahati CAT 2025 Cutoff for MBA Admission 2026–28
To qualify for the next stage, candidates must meet both overall and sectional CAT percentile cutoffs and must also have a positive raw score in all three CAT sections.
| Category | Non-PwD Overall | Non-PwD Sectional | PwD Overall | PwD Sectional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 85 | 75 | 75 | 65 |
| NC-OBC | 80 | 70 | 70 | 60 |
| SC | 75 | 65 | 65 | 55 |
| ST | 65 | 55 | 55 | 45 |
For many students, the key takeaway is that the threshold is reasonable compared with older top IIMs, but final conversion will still depend on the full composite score, not cutoff alone.
IIM Guwahati Final Selection Criteria
Candidates who satisfy Stage 0 and Stage 1 receive an email from the IIM Guwahati Admission Office with a link to an online application form. Once the form is completed and submitted, the institute computes a Composite Score.
Composite Score Formula
Where:
- NCAT = CAT overall normalized score divided by maximum possible CAT score
- NAR = (A + B + C + D) / 35
The NAR components are:
- A = Class 10 score
- B = Class 12 score
- C = Bachelor’s score
- D = Work experience score
Academic Score Table
| Percent Score | Class 10 Score A | Class 12 Score B | Bachelor’s Score C |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 55 | 1 | 1 | — |
| >55 and ≤60 | 2 | 2 | 1 (for Bachelor’s ≤60) |
| >60 and ≤65 | — | — | 2 |
| >60 and ≤70 | 3 | 3 | 3 (for >65 and ≤70) |
| >70 and ≤75 | — | — | 5 |
| >70 and ≤80 | 5 | 5 | — |
| >75 and ≤85 | — | — | 8 |
| >80 and ≤90 | 8 | 8 | — |
| >85 | — | — | 10 |
| >90 | 10 | 10 | — |
Work Experience Score
| Work Experience in Months | Score D |
|---|---|
| Less than 12 months | 0 |
| 12 to 36 months | 5 × (W - 12) / 24 |
| 36 to 60 months | 5 × (60 - W) / 24 |
| More than 60 months | 0 |
This means work experience gets the strongest benefit in the mid-range, not at very low or very high duration. Students with roughly 24–36 months of experience are generally placed in the sweet spot.
IIM Guwahati MBA Seats 2026–28
The official planned batch size for the IIM Guwahati PGP-MBA 2026–28 batch is 70 students.
| Category | Quota % | Total Seats | PwD Seats | Non-PwD Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 40.5 | 28 | 1 | 27 |
| EWS | 10.0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| NC-OBC | 27.0 | 19 | 1 | 18 |
| SC | 15.0 | 11 | 1 | 10 |
| ST | 7.5 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 100 | 70 | 3 | 67 |
PwD seats are shown within categories as published by the institute.
IIM Guwahati MBA Admission Important Dates
| Event | Official Timeline |
|---|---|
| Communication to candidates meeting basic academic and CAT eligibility | First week of May 2026 |
| Communication to candidates selected for admission | From 1 June 2026 onwards |
| Degree completion deadline for final-year candidates | 30 June 2026 |
| Last date to submit final marksheet and certificate | 31 December 2026 |
Students should monitor the email address used in their CAT application carefully, because IIM Guwahati has stated that eligibility communication and admission communication will be sent by email.
Azucation Analysis: What Students Should Understand
1) This is a new IIM, so discovery and perception matter
IIM Guwahati is newly launched and was inaugurated on February 14, 2026. For students, this means decision-making will involve balancing the IIM brand, mentor support, batch size, location, future growth potential, and first-mover uncertainty.
2) Small batch size can become a major talking point
A 70-seat batch is relatively compact. In the early years, this can help in visibility, student-faculty attention, and brand shaping, though students will naturally want more clarity over placements, campus development, peer quality, and processes over time.
3) CAT is important, but profile still matters
Since the final composite score includes academics and work experience, this is not a pure CAT-only game. Good 10th/12th/grad marks can help. Balanced work experience can also add value.
4) This page should internally link to more Azucation assets
- IIM Guwahati official links page
- IIM Guwahati result page
- IIM Guwahati waitlist movement page
- CAT 2025 expected percentile vs calls page
- MBA profile mapping service page
- GD-PI-WAT preparation page
Who Should Seriously Consider IIM Guwahati?
- Students who want the IIM ecosystem and are open to a new campus journey.
- Candidates with decent academics who may benefit from the composite-score system.
- Students looking beyond only legacy names and willing to evaluate long-term upside.
- Aspirants who want another quality MBA option through CAT 2025.
FAQs on IIM Guwahati MBA Admission
Is IIM Guwahati officially launched?
Yes. The official website states that the institute was inaugurated on February 14, 2026.
Who is mentoring IIM Guwahati?
IIM Ahmedabad is the mentor institute for IIM Guwahati.
What is the planned MBA batch size for IIM Guwahati 2026–28?
The planned batch size is 70 students.
What CAT percentile is required for IIM Guwahati?
For General and EWS candidates, the minimum published CAT cutoff is 85 overall and 75 sectional for non-PwD candidates.
Does IIM Guwahati use academics and work experience in final selection?
Yes. The official process states that the final Composite Score includes CAT, 10th, 12th, bachelor’s marks, and work experience.
When will IIM Guwahati send admission-related communication?
Eligibility communication is scheduled for the first week of May 2026, and selection communication is expected from June 1, 2026 onwards.
Need Help with IIM Calls, Profile Mapping, or MBA Decisions?
If you are targeting IIM Guwahati or comparing it with other IIMs and top B-schools, build supporting pages around this article and connect them with strong internal links.