Is It Possible to Get Into IIMs with a Low Academic Profile? Strategies That Work

Is It Possible to Get Into IIMs with a Low Academic Profile? Strategies That Work

With a good CAT score and work experience, you are all set to get into IIMs even after having a low academic track record.

The IIMs are known for their selective admission policy, but they evaluate the applicant holistically, considering the different variable applications.

This article seeks to give insights to applicants with underwhelming academic profiles regarding the 2025 IIM admission requirements and choice criteria. By focusing on school targeting and strategic planning, it illustrates how students can secure admissions in IIMs despite a bad academic history.

How to Get Into IIM Even If Your Academic Performance Is Poor

Despite their poor academic records, many applicants are hoping to gain admission to prestigious universities like the IIMs. However, some IIMs have lenient admissions criteria that emphasize certain other aspects involved in the application.

Here are certain tips to help you get into IIMs even with a bad academic record:

Common Admission Test (CAT): This test, which is administered by IIMs, is the prerequisite for admission. This highly competitive examination has about 2 lakh candidates with roughly 5000 seats at IIMs.

Those who satisfy the cutoffs further proceed to the second stage of the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI). PI checks for multiple soft and interpersonal skills and is typically conducted by faculty members at IIMs.

Questions range from those on academic and professional experience to personal matters. The WAT assesses writing skills and knowledge of the subject. IIM Shillong continues offering GD in the second round of its selection process, but GD has been phased out across IIMs.

Work Experience: Applying for an MBA as soon as you graduate is a common mistake. If you are familiar with some related techniques, you will have a better chance of being accepted into the MBA program. Working in an industry closely related to your MBA program shows your dedication and focus, which improves your chances of landing a job.

Extracurricular Activities: While good academics matter, success in extracurricular activities displays strong managerial abilities: leadership, teamwork, initiative, and achievement of personal pursuits.

IIMs that Accept Weak Academic Profiles

These IIMs place more emphasis on elements like CAT scores and work experience and give less weight to prior academic performance. The names of these IIMs and the prerequisites for admission are listed in the table below.

IIM Calcutta

No consideration of graduation scores or work experience.

Class X and class XII scores above 80% for a call.

Decent CAT score percentile guarantees a call.

For lower class X or class XII scores, a high CAT percentile (e.g., 99.8) is required.

IIM Lucknow

No consideration of class X marks.

High weightage to CAT score and work experience.

Offsetting poor graduation scores with a high CAT percentile and work experience.

10% weightage to 12th and graduation scores, 60% to CAT score, and 10% to work experience.

Higher chances with over 2.5 years of work experience and a good CAT score.

IIM Kozhikode

No consideration of class X scores.

75% weightage to CAT score, 7.5% to class XII, and 7.5% to graduation scores.

99.8+ percentile in CAT can offset low academic records.

IIM Indore

36% weightage for class X scores, 40% for class XII, and 20% for CAT score.

 Expect a call if you scored less only in graduation.

Unlikely to get a call if either class X or class XII scores are low, regardless of CAT score.

Normalizes board percentages, considering mark inflation for certain boards.

Is a 7.5 CGPA good for IIM admission?

A CGPA of 7.5 is well thought of in terms of academic performance for IIM admissions in A, B, and I; however, it cannot guarantee admission. Your chances of getting into these prestigious schools will be improved if you have a strong CAT score (the higher the percentile, the better) and a respectable profile that includes extracurricular activities, work experience, and high grades in classes 10 and 12.

A more elaborate explanation is given below:
Not bad but not too good either:

Though a 7.5 CGPA is considered pretty good in most circles, your chances of gaining entry into the selective IIMs would be limited by it.

A better CGPA would help in bettering chances in a few of the IIMs:

A CGPA of 8 or above would increase your chances in IIMs such as A, B, I.

Profiles matter:

Apart from the CGPA and CAT score mentioned above, your profile, such as 10th and 12th marks, any work experience, extracurricular activities, statements, and letters of recommendation, is of great significance for admission.

The Final Thoughts

One can list numerous concerns that CAT applicants have before the test, but the most common ones are related to their academic standing in school and college. Many fear that these B-schools only consider candidates with a high level of academic success as evidenced by profiles of past batches, while IIMs simply require above 60% for eligibility.
However, this is not true. By the same premise, high scorers do not get through admissions alone, for many do not have the skills and experiences that other candidates would have to offer.

What is most important for you now is what will improve your chances into your dream B-school, and don’t worry about your past academic performance.

Sambhavi Prakash