IIM & B-School Interview Preparation

Bachelor's degree with at least 50 percent (45 percent for reserved categories), or final year, with a CAT percentile and academic profile that clears the institute's shortlist. Each of the four institutes shortlists separately on CAT sectional and overall scores, Class 10, Class 12 and graduation marks, work experience and academic diversity, per its published admission policy.

Bachelor's degree with at least 50 percent (45 percent for reserved categories), or final year, with a CAT shortlist from one or more of the newer IIMs. Several of the IIMs set up after 2008 run a Common Admission Process coordinated by one of them each year: one WAT and one PI whose scores each participating IIM then weighs under its own policy. Some newer IIMs run their own process instead; check the institute's notification.

Bachelor's degree or final year. FMS Delhi and MDI Gurgaon shortlist on CAT; XLRI Jamshedpur shortlists mainly on XAT (and GMAT for some programmes); SPJIMR Mumbai shortlists on CAT, XAT or GMAT with a strong profile component covering academics, work experience and extracurriculars. Each institute sets its own cut-offs by programme.

Bachelor's degree or final year. IIFT shortlists on its own entrance exam (conducted by the NTA) for the MBA in International Business; NMIMS Mumbai shortlists on NMAT; JBIMS admits mainly through the Maharashtra MBA-CET centralised process, where selection is largely merit-based, with CAT and other scores also accepted for some seats, so check whether an interview applies to your category. Other university and private B-schools in this tier run a PI after CAT, XAT, CMAT or their own test.

Class 12 pass or appearing, with the minimum Class 10 and Class 12 marks and the age limit set by each institute (relaxed for reserved categories). IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak shortlist on their own IPMAT; IIM Jammu and IIM Bodh Gaya use JIPMAT conducted by the NTA; IIM Ranchi, Amritsar and others shortlist on IPMAT or SAT scores per their notification. Shortlisted candidates face a personal interview; a written test is included at some institutes in some years, per the institute's policy.

Bachelor's degree with at least 50 percent (45 percent for reserved categories), or final year, with a SNAP score that clears the shortlist of the Symbiosis institute applied to. Each institute, such as SIBM Pune, SCMHRD, SIBM Bengaluru or SIIB, publishes its own cut-off and calls candidates for the GE-PI-WAT round.

Bachelor's degree with a GMAT or GRE score and full-time work experience: ISB's PGP generally asks for at least two years (with an early-entry option for those with less), while the one-year programmes at IIM Ahmedabad (PGPX), Bangalore (EPGP), Calcutta (MBAEx) and Lucknow (IPMX) typically require around four to five years or more. Applications are essay-based and shortlisting weighs career progression, leadership and clarity of goals.