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    How to Get into IIM Without CAT in 2026: Executive MBA, IPM, PhD & Alternative Routes
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    • How to Get into IIM Without CAT in 2026: Executive MBA, IPM, PhD & Alternative Routes

    How to Get into IIM Without CAT in 2026: Executive MBA, IPM, PhD & Alternative Routes

    Team Careers360Updated on 12 Mar 2026, 03:55 PM IST

    How to Get into IIM Without CAT? This is one of the most highly searched queries by many management aspirants. Clearing the CAT exam is not everyone's cup of tea, as it requires a lot of dedication to score 98-99 percentile. Also, not many candidates can dedicate that much time to CAT preparation or score 99+ percentile in CAT. Therefore, many students look for options other than CAT to pursue a management programme from the top IIMs in India. While it's impossible to pursue an MBA program from an IIM, however, in this article, we will talk about how you can pursue the same even without appearing in CAT.

    This Story also Contains

    1. IIM Programs that Don’t Need CAT
    2. IIM Executive MBA 2026 Fees and Duration
    3. Integrated Program in Management at IIMs
    4. Career Scope and Placements After Integrated MBA from IIMs
    How to Get into IIM Without CAT in 2026: Executive MBA, IPM, PhD & Alternative Routes
    How To Get into IIM Without CAT

    IIM Programs that Don’t Need CAT

    In recent years, several management courses have come up in IIMs without appearing for CAT, such as Executive MBA, Integrated Management Programme, PhD, MDP, FPM and professional certification courses. Let us look at what these courses offer in depth below.

    Executive MBA: This programme has been designed for professionals looking for skill enhancement and a growth in their career. For this, candidates must have a minimum of two to five years of experience at an executive/managerial level. The course is either imparted as a full-time program or in online mode.

    Integrated Management Programme: This is a five-year programme (BBA+MBA), which students can pursue after completing their Class 12. Post completion of this programme, students will be offered an MBA degree. This option has become quite a popular option for those who do not wish to go through the process of CAT exam prep and qualifying for it.

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    How to Get Admission into IIM 2026: Find Detailed Information

    As you will read further, you will find the complete list of IIMs that offer the Executive MBA and the Integrated Program in Management program

    IIM Executive MBA 2026 Fees and Duration

    The IIMs have introduced various executive MBA programs for working professionals across industries that enable them to seek leadership positions at various levels. It is designed to advance the professional careers of candidates through efficient growth. The following is the complete list of IIMs, which offer the Executive MBA program along with the fees and duration of the same.

    IIM

    Course

    Fees (INR approx)

    Duration

    Work Experience Required

    IIM Ahmedabad

    Post Graduate Program in Management for Executives (PGPX)

    35 lakhs

    1 year

    4 years

    IIM Bangalore

    Post Graduate Program Enterprise Management (PGPEM)

    21.1 lakhs

    2 years

    4 years

    IIM Bangalore

    Executive Post Graduate Program (EPGP)

    26.5 lakhs

    1 year

    5 years

    IIM Calcutta

    MBA Program for Executives (MBA Ex)

    33.5 lakhs

    1 year

    5 years

    IIM Lucknow

    Post Graduate Program in Management for Working Executives (PGPWE)

    11 lakhs

    2 years

    3 years

    IIM Lucknow

    International Program in Management for Executives or IPMX

    26 lakhs

    1 year

    5 years

    IIM Indore

    Post Graduate Program in Management for Working Executives (PGPMX)

    17.60 lakhs

    2 years

    5 years

    IIM Kozhikode

    Executive Post Graduate Program (EPGP)

    15.95 lakhs

    1 year

    3 years

    IIM Trichy

    Post Graduate Program in Business Management ( PGPBM)

    14.5 lakhs

    2 years

    3 years

    IIM Raipur

    Executive Post Graduate Program in Management ( EPGP)

    14.95 lakhs

    2 years

    2 years

    IIM Rohtak

    Post Graduate Program in Management for Executives (ePGPX)

    8 lakhs

    1 year

    5 years

    IIM Udaipur

    MBA in Global Supply Chain Management

    23.17 lakhs

    1 year

    3 years

    IIM Ranchi

    Post Graduate Executive Program in Management (PGEXP)

    12.5 lakhs

    2 years

    5 years

    IIM Visakhapatnam

    Post Graduate Program for Experienced Professionals (PGPEx)

    11.9 lakhs

    1 year

    3 years

    IIM Shillong

    Post Graduate Program for Working Executives (MBAWx)

    22.76 lakhs

    2 years

    3 to 5 years

    IIM Kashipur

    Post Graduate Program for Working Executives (MBAWx)

    12 lakhs

    2 years

    3 years

    Integrated Program in Management at IIMs

    IIMs have introduced a 5-year joint integrated program in management (IPM) for candidates wanting to go for management roles right after school. It has its entrance exam, known as the JIPMAT exam. This course can be pursued from 5 IIMs: IIM Jammu, IIM Rohtak, IIM Indore, IIM Ranchi, and IIM Bodh Gaya. The following table mentions the list of IIMs that offer the five-year Integrated Program in Management (IPM).

    IIM CollegeCourseEligibility/Selection Criteria
    IIM IndoreIPMIPMAT and WAT-PI
    IIM RohtakIPMIPM Aptitude Test and WAT-PI
    IIM JammuIPMJIPMAT and PI
    IIM Bodh GayaIPMJIPMAT and PI
    IIM RanchiIPMJIPMAT and PI
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    Career Scope and Placements After Integrated MBA from IIMs

    In this section, we have included the career scopes students will have after completing their Integrated MBA from IIMs. You can check out the following table for complete information.

    Name of IIMAverage Package Top RecruitersPopular Roles Offered
    IIM Indore (IPM)Rs. 25-30 LPABCG, McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, DeloitteAnalyst, Consultant, Manager
    IIM Bodh Gaya (IPM)Rs. 8-12 LPATCS, Wipro, Aditya Birla GroupManagement Trainee, Analyst
    IIM Ranchi (IPM)Rs. 12-18 LPARelaince, L&T, HDFC BankBusiness Analyst, Operations Manager
    IIM Rohtak (IPM)Rs. 15-122 LPAKPMG, HUL, EY, ITCMarketing Manager, Financial Analyst
    IIM Jammu (IPM)Rs. 10-15 LPAInfosys, Amazon, CognizantProduct Manager, Analyst
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    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: Can I join IIM without CAT?
    A:

    CAT is mandatory for admission to the MBA/PGDM programs at IIMs. Without CAT, IIM can be joined for an integrated management program and executive MBA programs. These programs can be pursued without CAT.

    Q: Can I directly join IIM after 12th?
    A:

    To join IIM directly after 12th candidates can give the IPMAT exam and join the 5 year integrated program in management. The IPM program is offered by IIM Indore, IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi, IIM Jammu, and IIM Bodh Gaya.

    Q: How can I join IIM MBA without CAT?
    A:

    Candidates can go for the GMAT exam instead of CAT exam. Some IIMs accept GMAT scores for admission to their executive MBA programs. GMAT scores might only be considered for a few specific courses.

    Q: Can I take direct admission in IIM?
    A:

    IIMs do not have any criteria for direct admission. Candidates have to go through accepted exams like CAT, IPMAT, and perform well in the evaluation rounds to secure a seat in the prestigious IIMs.

    Q: Is CAT necessary for IIM?
    A:

    Yes, the Common Admission Test (CAT) is most important national-level MBA entrance exam to take to get admission in management courses  at IIM. 

    Q: Which IIM is easiest to get into?
    A:

    Getting into baby IIMs like IIM Sirmaur, IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Amritsar, IIM Nagpur, and IIM Shillong are easy as compared to major IIMs.

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    Questions related to CAT

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to CAT ?

    Hey there,

    For NIT Hamirpur MBA, the General-category CAT cutoff is not a fixed official percentile. NIT Hamirpur's 2026–27 admission process gives CAT a 10/10 weightage in the test component, followed by an interview; it accepts CAT, CMAT and MAT.

    As a practical target, 80+ percentile is worth considering, while

    Hello Student,

    Your question is incomplete because the name of the app or platform is not mentioned.

    Please tell me which CAT online batch or app you are referring to. Then I can tell you whether the classes are conducted through the app, website, or both.

    Best Wishes for your

    If by B-category you mean management/private quota MBBS seats, the cutoff is very different from government-quota MBBS.

    In Tamil Nadu, management-quota MBBS seats are available in self-financing/private medical colleges through the state counselling process. The closing rank varies significantly between colleges and counselling rounds. The 2025 counselling data shows that

    Hello Student,

    With a CAT 2025 percentile of 98.25, you have a good chance of receiving calls from several IIMs, particularly newer IIMs. However, IIM Ahmedabad , Bangalore , Calcutta , and Lucknow generally require higher percentiles for General-category candidates. Calls also depend on sectional percentiles, academics, work experience, and

    Hello Aspirant,

    Yes, you can access CAT preparation resources, including mock tests, practice questions, previous-year papers, and study material. Explore the CAT preparation resources and test series using the link below:

    https://www.careers360.com/mba/download/ebooks-and-sample-papers?exam=45

    Hope this Helps!