Student Decision Snapshot
IIM Calcutta's flagship MBA is a two-year full-time residential programme with a compulsory first-year core, summer internship and a broad second-year elective structure. The 2026–28 admission policy uses CAT, academic record, gender diversity, academic diversity, work experience, WAT and PI across its selection stages.
College Overview
About IIM Calcutta
IIM Calcutta is a two-year, full-time residential management institute at Joka, Kolkata. The flagship MBA combines compulsory first-year courses, a summer internship and second-year electives across multiple functional areas.
Academic structure
The official 2026–28 admission policy describes first-year coursework across economics, finance, marketing, operations, systems, organisational behaviour, human resources, strategy and public policy. The second year provides a broad elective basket.
Admission, fee, placement and batch figures are labelled by cycle where possible. A minimum CAT percentile is an eligibility/shortlisting threshold and does not by itself guarantee a PI call or admission.
IIM Calcutta Ranking
National Institutional Ranking Framework, Management category, 2025.
IIM Calcutta Admission Dates 2027
The institute has completed the 2026–28 domestic MBA admission cycle. The next two-year MBA cycle is expected to use CAT 2026, whose announced schedule is shown below. IIM Calcutta-specific application, PI/WAT and final-result dates for the 2027–29 domestic MBA cycle should be treated as tentative until the institute publishes the next admission policy.
| Event Name | Admission Dates 2027 (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 registration opens | 3 August 2026 — announced CAT schedule |
| CAT 2026 registration closes | 22 September 2026, 5:00 PM — announced CAT schedule |
| CAT 2026 admit card | 4 November 2026 — announced CAT schedule |
| CAT 2026 examination | 29 November 2026 — announced CAT schedule |
| CAT 2026 result | First week of January 2027 — expected |
| IIM Calcutta MBA application | To be announced for the 2027–29 cycle |
| WAT / PI | Tentatively February–April 2027 |
| Final admission result | Tentatively April–May 2027 |
| Programme commencement | Tentatively June–July 2027 |
CAT dates above are from the announced CAT 2026 schedule. IIM Calcutta-specific dates are planning estimates and should not be presented as institute-announced dates until the next MBA admission policy is released.
Admission & CAT Cutoff
Eligibility for the MBA
For the 2026–28 batch, candidates needed a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA; the threshold was 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Final-year bachelor's candidates and candidates awaiting results could also apply subject to the institute's completion and documentation conditions.
Stage-I CAT minimums for 2026–28
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPEN | 80 | 80 | 75 | 85 |
| EWS | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| PwD | 45 | 45 | 45 | 55 |
IIM Calcutta states that actual section-wise and overall cutoffs may be much higher depending on the number of candidates called for PI.
Selection process
- Stage I: Meet the minimum CAT 2025 sectional and overall percentiles and the non-negative raw-score requirement.
- Stage II: PI/WAT shortlisting uses CAT 56%, Class 10 marks 10%, Class 12 marks 15% and gender diversity 4% in the stated composite score.
- Stage III: Final selection uses CAT 30%, PI 48%, WAT 8%, academic diversity 6% and work experience 8%.
These weightages are specific to the 2026–28 MBA admission policy and should not be carried forward to 2027–29 unless the next policy retains them.
Popular Programmes
MBA
Flagship two-year residential MBA with a compulsory first-year core, summer internship and second-year electives.
Functional and cross-functional management careers across finance, consulting, marketing, operations, strategy and other areas.
MBAEx
One-year executive MBA route for experienced professionals; the 2027–28 admission cycle is currently accepting applications in two rounds.
Full-time residential executive management programme for applicants with substantial post-graduation experience.
PGDBA
Joint programme with ISI and IIT Kharagpur focused on business analytics and data-driven decision making.
Quantitative analytics, data science and business applications.
Fees & ROI
IIM Calcutta MBA Fee 2026–28
The latest 2026–28 MBA admission offer letter states a total programme fee of ₹27.00 lakh for the two-year MBA. A separate ₹20,000 refundable caution deposit is payable at registration. IIM Calcutta MBA programme page ↗
| Fee component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Two-year MBA programme fee | ₹27,00,000 | Applicable to the 2026–28 MBA batch. |
| Refundable caution deposit | ₹20,000 | Payable at registration; refundable subject to applicable institute rules. |
| Mess and personal expenses | Separate | Budget separately for food, personal, travel and other living expenses. |
What is included?
The ₹27 lakh figure is the stated two-year programme fee. The caution deposit is separate. Mess and personal expenses should not be added to the ₹27 lakh figure unless the institute's current fee schedule specifically includes them.
At minimum, the stated programme fee plus the refundable caution deposit comes to ₹27.20 lakh. Actual cash outlay over two years can be higher after mess and personal living expenses.
PGDBA Fee 2026–28
The 2026–28 PGDBA brochure states a total two-year programme fee of ₹27 lakh, plus a ₹10,000 refundable caution deposit. The brochure states that the programme fee covers tuition, on-campus lodging, some books and study materials, examination materials and laboratory charges, among other components. It does not cover the caution money, food-related expenses, off-campus lodging, or travel expenses incurred in Semester 4 for an industrial location.
| PGDBA fee component | Amount / status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Two-year programme fee | ₹27,00,000 | 2026–28 batch; paid in four equal instalments at registration for each semester. |
| Refundable caution deposit | ₹10,000 | Separate from the programme fee. |
| Covered by programme fee | Included | Tuition, on-campus lodging, some books and study materials, examination materials and laboratory charges, among others. |
| Not covered | Separate | Food-related expenses, off-campus lodging and specified Semester 4 travel expenses for an industrial location. |
ROI calculation
For ROI, compare the ₹27 lakh programme fee and additional living costs with the latest MBA placement outcomes. Use median and average salary alongside recruiter mix and role distribution rather than using the highest salary alone.
MBA Curriculum
IIM Calcutta's official MBA structure consists of a compulsory first-year core, a compulsory summer internship between the first and second year, and second-year elective courses. The institute's 2026–28 admission policy identifies economics, finance, marketing, operations, systems, organisational behaviour, human resources, strategy and public policy among the first-year areas.
Core academic areas
- Economics and business fundamentals
- Finance and accounting
- Marketing and operations
- Systems and quantitative methods
- Organisational behaviour and HR
- Strategy and public policy
Second-year structure
- Broad elective choice
- Term papers may be undertaken under faculty supervision
- Elective availability can vary by academic year
Placements & Career Outcomes
The placement reports below are for IIM Calcutta's flagship two-year MBA. They should not be mixed with MBAEx or PGDBA placement data.
| Batch | Students | Offers | Companies / firms | Average salary | Median salary | Highest domestic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (61st) | 458 | 542 | 202 firms | ₹36 lakh | ₹35 lakh | ₹1.45 crore |
| 2025 (60th) | 456 | 538 | 196 firms | ₹34.23 lakh | ₹34 lakh | ₹1.45 crore |
| 2024 (59th) | 480 admitted; 468 graduated | 529 | 190+ firms | ₹32.62 lakh | ₹30 lakh | Not stated in the annual-report summary |
Recruitment domains
The 2026 final placement report describes recruitment across consulting, finance, cloud/software/fintech, conglomerates, e-commerce, FMCG, manufacturing, banking and financial services, PSUs and start-ups. The 2025 report similarly records consulting and finance cohorts alongside technology, FMCG, manufacturing and BFSI recruitment.
These figures represent the flagship MBA batches reported by IIM Calcutta. Average, median and highest salary figures should be interpreted alongside batch size, role/domain mix and the relevant placement year.
Scholarships & Financial Assistance
IIM Calcutta provides need-based financial assistance and has also reported institute/alumni-supported scholarships. Its 2023–24 annual report records need-based financial assistance of about ₹4.44 crore and mentions scholarships including Aditya Birla Scholarship, T. Thomas Scholarship, P.M. Sinha Scholarship, OP Jindal Engineering & Management Scholarship and IDFC First Bank MBA Scholarship.
Scholarship availability, award amount and eligibility can change by academic year and student category. Students should check the latest institute notice before treating a scholarship as part of their funding plan.
Campus & Hostel
The MBA is a full-time residential programme at IIM Calcutta's Joka campus. The institute's campus ecosystem includes academic facilities, library resources, student clubs and councils, hostels, sports and other student services.
Student ecosystem
- Residential campus environment
- Student-led clubs and councils
- Academic and library facilities
- Corporate and alumni engagement
Accommodation planning
- Check the latest hostel allocation and room-charge instructions.
- Budget separately for food, personal and travel expenses.
- Review current campus rules before joining.
Batch Profile & Student Life
Latest MBA batch profile — 61st Batch / 2026
| Metric | Batch 2026 |
|---|---|
| Batch size | 458 |
| Gender ratio | 64:36 |
| IIT/NIT/BITS background | 32.8% |
| Average work experience | 22.6 months |
| CA/CFA/FRM candidates | 80+ |
| Entrepreneurs | 20 |
| Work experience 0–12 months | 23.9% |
| 13–24 months | 16.3% |
| 25–36 months | 5.2% |
| 36+ months | 54.6% |
The institute's 2026 placement report provides these batch-level indicators. They describe the incoming/placement cohort and should not be treated as a prediction of an individual student's academic or career outcome.
Programme & Career Considerations
Relevant considerations
- How your target function aligns with the MBA curriculum and recruiter domains.
- Whether a two-year residential programme fits your timeline and financial plan.
- How your academic record and CAT profile interact with the institute's composite selection process.
Points to verify
- Current fee notice for the 2027–29 batch.
- Latest admission policy and CAT shortlisting rules.
- Current placement mix for your target role.
Student discussions can provide perspectives on academics, campus life and recruitment, but they are not substitutes for the institute's admission policy, fee notice or placement report.
Read a recent student discussion ↗Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CAT cutoff for IIM Calcutta MBA?
For the 2026–28 MBA batch, the Stage-I minimum for Open candidates was 85 overall, with 80 VARC, 80 DILR and 75 QA. IIM Calcutta states that actual cutoffs may be higher depending on the number of candidates called for PI.
What is the eligibility for IIM Calcutta MBA?
A bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA was required for the 2026–28 batch, with 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Final-year candidates could also apply subject to the institute's completion conditions.
What is the IIM Calcutta MBA fee?
The 2026–28 MBA admission offer letter states a two-year programme fee of ₹27 lakh, plus a separate refundable caution deposit of ₹20,000. For PGDBA, the official 2026–28 fee notice lists a ₹27 lakh two-year programme fee and a separate ₹10,000 caution deposit.
What is the average salary at IIM Calcutta?
The 2026 final placement report records an average salary of ₹36 lakh and median salary of ₹35 lakh for the 61st MBA batch, with 542 offers for 458 students from 202 participating firms.
Does IIM Calcutta consider Class 10 and Class 12 marks?
Yes. In the 2026–28 admission policy, Class 10 and Class 12 marks contributed 10% and 15% respectively to the Stage-II PI/WAT shortlisting composite score.
Does IIM Calcutta require work experience for the MBA?
No. Prior work experience is not a basic eligibility requirement for the flagship MBA. Work experience contributes to the final-selection composite score under the 2026–28 policy.
What should students compare when evaluating IIM Calcutta and another IIM?
Compare the admission process, academic structure, total cost, location, batch profile, placement data, recruiter domains and the functions relevant to your career plans. The applicable admission and fee policies can differ by institute and year.
What should students check before accepting an IIM Calcutta MBA offer?
Check the current fee notice, admission conditions, hostel and other charges, financing options, programme calendar and the latest placement report before making the final enrolment decision.