IIM Ahmedabad MBA-FABM Selection Criteria 2026–28 | CAT 2025
December 28, 2025 2025-12-28 2:48IIM Ahmedabad MBA-FABM Selection Criteria 2026–28 | CAT 2025
IIM Ahmedabad MBA-FABM Admission / Selection Criteria (CAT 2025 → MBA-FABM 2026–28)
This page compiles the official admission & selection process for MBA-FABM (PGP-FABM) at IIM Ahmedabad for the 2026–28 batch via CAT-2025 — with clear explanations of screening cutoffs, shortlisting, Application Rating (AR), and final selection weights.
📌 Quick Navigation
1) Snapshot 2) Eligibility 3) CAT Cutoffs (Table 1) 4) Shortlisting for AWT & PI (Stages + CS) 5) Application Rating (AR) Tables (A–E) 6) Criteria C1–C3 + P Cutoffs (Table 7) 7) Academic Categories (Table 8) 8) Final Selection (FCS) 9) Cities + Reservation 10) Video 11) Sources✅ Snapshot (What you must know in 60 seconds)
FABM has an academic-category lens during screening (Table 1). That means the “minimum percentiles” can depend on whether you belong to Agriculture/Allied groups vs other groups.
2) Eligibility (Domestic candidates)
The FABM admissions page specifies that applicants must satisfy IIMA’s stated eligibility conditions and apply through the prescribed route (CAT-2025). In practice, your eligibility is checked at two levels:
- Academic eligibility: your degree status and documentation should meet IIMA’s requirements for domestic candidates.
- CAT-based screening eligibility: you must meet the applicable minimum CAT percentile cutoffs (Table 1) for your group/category.
3) CAT Cutoffs (Table 1) — Academic Category-wise minimum percentiles
FABM uses different minimum percentiles for AC-1 & AC-2 versus AC-3 to AC-5. Treat this as a strict screening gate.
| Academic Category Group | Category | Overall (PT) | Sectionals (PVARC / PDILR / PQA) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC-1 & AC-2 Agriculture + Allied Agriculture |
General / EWS | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Minimum percentiles apply at screening stage. |
| AC-1 & AC-2 | NC-OBC | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Category certificate must match CAT form. |
| AC-1 & AC-2 | SC | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Cutoffs are lower but still binding. |
| AC-1 & AC-2 | ST | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Strict screening gate applies. |
| AC-3 to AC-5 Life Sciences/Commerce + Engg + Others |
General / EWS | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Different thresholds vs AC-1&2. |
| AC-3 to AC-5 | NC-OBC | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Apply correct group before judging eligibility. |
| AC-3 to AC-5 | SC | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Still must clear all required percentiles. |
| AC-3 to AC-5 | ST | (as per official Table 1) | (as per official Table 1) | Strict screening gate applies. |
4) Shortlisting for AWT & PI (Stages + CS)
After the screening gate (Table 1), IIMA shortlists candidates for Analytical Writing Test (AWT) and Personal Interview (PI). The official FABM page describes this as a structured shortlisting process where candidates who clear the minimum gate are ranked using the programme’s shortlisting logic (Composite Score framework).
Think of it as a ranking score used to invite candidates for AWT & PI, after applying minimum gates. It is built to reward a combination of CAT performance and profile/academics signals (through AR tables).
- Step-1 outcome: You either get shortlisted for AWT & PI, or you don’t.
- Shortlist ≠ final offer: FABM final offers are decided after AWT & PI using stated weights.
- Strategy implication: If you are borderline on CAT, your AR strength becomes critical to reach the interview stage.
5) Application Rating (AR) Tables (A–E)
FABM uses an Application Rating (AR) framework to convert your academics, work-ex and diversity indicators into a score. This is important because AR influences how you rank in the shortlisting pool (especially when candidates have similar CAT percentiles).
Table 2: 10th Std (Rating Score A)
| 10th % | Rating A |
|---|---|
| ≤ 55 | 1 |
| > 55 and ≤ 60 | 2 |
| > 60 and ≤ 70 | 3 |
| > 70 and ≤ 80 | 5 |
| > 80 and ≤ 90 | 8 |
| > 90 | 10 |
Interpretation: Strong 10th score improves AR early — this helps especially when you’re tied on CAT.
Score E: Gender Diversity
E = 3 for all other candidates
This is part of AR. It supports a balanced classroom composition.
Table 3: 12th Std (Rating Score B) — Stream-wise
FABM uses different rating slabs for Science, Commerce and Arts/Humanities. This prevents an unfair comparison across streams.
Science
| 12th % | Rating B |
|---|---|
| ≤ 55 | 1 |
| > 55 and ≤ 60 | 2 |
| > 60 and ≤ 70 | 3 |
| > 70 and ≤ 80 | 5 |
| > 80 and ≤ 90 | 8 |
| > 90 | 10 |
Commerce
| 12th % | Rating B |
|---|---|
| ≤ 50 | 1 |
| > 50 and ≤ 55 | 2 |
| > 55 and ≤ 65 | 3 |
| > 65 and ≤ 75 | 5 |
| > 75 and ≤ 90 | 8 |
| > 90 | 10 |
Arts / Humanities
| 12th % | Rating B |
|---|---|
| ≤ 45 | 1 |
| > 45 and ≤ 50 | 2 |
| > 50 and ≤ 60 | 3 |
| > 60 and ≤ 70 | 5 |
| > 70 and ≤ 85 | 8 |
| > 85 | 10 |
Table 6: Rating Scores for Bachelor’s Degree (Rating Score C)
FABM assigns the graduation rating in two tracks: one for AC-1, AC-2, AC-3 and AC-5, and another for AC-4. This matters because engineering/tech grading patterns differ from agriculture/allied and other disciplines.
AC-1, AC-2, AC-3 and AC-5
| Percent score | Rating C |
|---|---|
| ≤ 55 | 1 |
| > 55 and ≤ 60 | 2 |
| > 60 and ≤ 65 | 3 |
| > 65 and ≤ 70 | 4 |
| > 70 and ≤ 80 | 7 |
| > 80 | 10 |
AC-4 (Engineering)
| Percent score | Rating C |
|---|---|
| ≤ 60 | 1 |
| > 60 and ≤ 65 | 2 |
| > 65 and ≤ 70 | 3 |
| > 70 and ≤ 75 | 4 |
| > 75 and ≤ 85 | 7 |
| > 85 | 10 |
Table 7: Rating Scores for Work Experience (Rating Score D)
Work-ex is not rewarded linearly from month-1. FABM’s table gives zero until 12 months, then scales up till 36 months, and caps after that.
| Work Experience in Month (as filled in CAT form) | Rating D | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| < 12 months | 0 | Less than a year does not add AR-workex advantage. |
| ≥ 12 and ≤ 36 months | MF × (months − 11) | Gradual advantage in the “sweet-spot” range. |
| > 36 months | 5 | Capped maximum benefit. |
Work-experience Multiplication Factor (MF) = 0.20
6) Criteria C1–C3 + P Cutoffs (Table 7)
For FABM, the most important “criteria” layer for aspirants is: (a) identify the correct Academic Category (Table 8), (b) apply the correct minimum CAT cutoffs (Table 1), and (c) ensure your AR inputs (Tables 2, 3, 6, 7, E) are correctly mapped.
Because students make the same 3 mistakes every year: wrong academic category, wrong cutoff group, and wrong work-ex months. Your page can prevent these errors with clear warnings + calculator logic.
7) Academic Categories (Table 8) — FABM discipline grouping
FABM’s Academic Categories are explicitly agribusiness-linked and are mapped from your bachelor’s/master’s degree as captured in the CAT application. This classification is the foundation for applying the correct screening cutoffs and AR mapping.
Table 8 (as published on IIMA FABM page)
Agriculture, Agricultural Biotechnology, Agricultural Entomology, Genetics & Plant Breeding, Plant Pathology, Seed Science & Technology, Agronomy, Soil Science, Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Statistics, Agriculture Biochemistry, Agriculture Systems and Management, etc.; plus Animal Husbandry/Veterinary Science; Dairy Science/Technology; Horticulture; Agricultural Marketing; Agricultural Marketing and Cooperation.
ALLIED AGRICULTURE (AC-2)
Agricultural Engineering / Agricultural and Food Engineering; BAMS; Biotechnology / Biological Science and Bio Engineering; Fisheries; Food Management; Forestry; Food Technology (and variants like Food & Bio-Technology, Food Process, etc.); Rural Studies / Rural Sociology / Rural Cooperatives / Rural Banking, etc.
LIFE SCIENCES, COMMERCE AND RELATED DISCIPLINES (AC-3)
Includes life sciences and related disciplines; economics/commerce/accounting/finance; management and related; and science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Biochemistry, Botany, Life Sciences, Zoology, Statistics, etc.).
ENGINEERING (AC-4)
Engineering/Technology (B.E., B.Sc. Engg., B.Tech. in all engineering subjects including Computer Engineering, Computer Science, IT).
OTHERS (AC-5)
Architecture; Law; and any other discipline not mentioned above.
Official note: Final discretion on the academic category classification rests with the Admissions Committee of IIM Ahmedabad.
8) Final Selection (FCS) — after AWT & PI
After completing AWT & PI for all shortlisted candidates, IIMA selects the final admitted candidates from among those who attended AWT & PI. The FABM page clearly states the weight split used to compute the Final Composite Score.
Final Composite Score = 10% (AWT) + 40% (PI Score) + 50% (Composite Score)
The official text further clarifies that the Personal Interview score is not just “talking skills” — it can incorporate verified awards/recognitions, academic performance, exceptional achievements, extra-curriculars, relevant work experience after graduation, and even post-graduation education, depending on what is applicable to the candidate.
9) Cities + Reservation
FABM admissions follow Government of India reservation norms as applicable to IIMs. City/venue details for AWT & PI are typically communicated with shortlist/interview communication and operational instructions.
Reservation (GoI norms)
27% NC-OBC • 15% SC • 7.5% ST • 5% PwD • up to 10% EWS
Always ensure the same category is selected in CAT form and supported by valid certificates.
AWT/PI Cities (operational)
City/venue allocation, schedules and instructions are communicated by IIMA during the AWT/PI phase.
If you want, I can add a small “What to do if city is far?” advisory block (like your XAT theme) — FABM edition.
10) Video
Coming Soon.
11) Sources (Official) + Disclaimer
https://www.iima.ac.in/academics/MBA-FABM/admissions-FABM/domestic-candidates
This official page is the final authority for eligibility, screening cut-offs (Table 1), AR rating tables, academic category mapping (Table 8), and final selection weightage for MBA-FABM.
Disclaimer: This page is an explanatory and aspirant-friendly compilation created by AzuCATion | Maths by Amiya for guidance. Final authority for admission decisions, cut-offs, shortlisting logic, interview evaluation, and offer criteria rests solely with IIM Ahmedabad. IIM Ahmedabad reserves the right to modify its admission criteria based on CAT-2025 data distribution, operational constraints, statutory requirements, or institutional policy decisions.
