Student Decision Snapshot
IIM Sirmaur is a two-year residential MBA. If you are comparing it with other IIMs, do not look at the IIM tag alone: check the CAT cutoff, the final-selection formula, fee, placement trend, role mix, campus location and your own career target.
IIM Sirmaur MBA: What Students Should Know
IIM Sirmaur is a third-generation IIM established in 2015. Its permanent campus is at Dhaula Kuan in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh. The institute describes its flagship MBA as a two-year, full-time residential programme focused on developing principled leaders and capable decision-makers.
The MBA begins with three terms of compulsory core courses covering management concepts, analytical frameworks and functional disciplines. A structured summer internship follows the first year, giving students an opportunity to apply classroom learning to an industry assignment.
Your CAT percentile is only the entry point. For the 2026 admission cycle, IIM Sirmaur's final composite score gave 35% weight to CAT, 20% to PI, 15% to academics, 20% to work experience, 5% to gender diversity and 5% to the Trailblazer score. This makes the profile and interview important even after clearing the shortlist cutoff.
IIM Sirmaur MBA Eligibility & CAT Cutoff
Basic eligibility
| Requirement | 2026 published position |
|---|---|
| Qualifying degree | Bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification from a recognised institution |
| Academic eligibility | The admission policy applies minimum academic thresholds and calculates academic points using Class 10, Class 12 and graduation performance. |
| Entrance exam | CAT 2025 for the 2026-28 admission cycle |
| Final-year candidates | Can be admitted provisionally subject to completion/document requirements stated by the institute. |
2026 CAT shortlist cutoff
| Category | Male overall | Female overall | Sectional VARC / DILR / QA |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 90 | 85 | 65 / 65 / 65 |
| EWS | 75 | 70 | 50 / 50 / 50 |
| NC-OBC | 75 | 70 | 45 / 45 / 45 |
| SC | 60 | 55 | 40 / 40 / 40 |
| ST | 38 | 35 | 25 / 30 / 30 |
| PwD | 38 | 35 | 25 / 30 / 30 |
Important: these are the published CAT 2025 shortlisting cutoffs used for the 2026-28 process. They are not a guarantee of admission and should not be treated as the 2027 cutoff.
IIM Sirmaur MBA Admission Process
Phase 1: CAT-based PI shortlist
IIM Sirmaur uses CAT as an evaluation criterion. Candidates meeting the applicable category-wise cutoff are considered for the personal interview stage under the institute's 2026 admission policy and the Common Admission Process.
Phase 2: Final composite score
| Component | Weight | What it means for a student |
|---|---|---|
| Scaled CAT Score | 35% | CAT remains the largest single component. |
| Personal Interview | 20% | Interview performance can materially change the final position. |
| Academic Performance | 15% | Class 10, Class 12 and graduation marks contribute points. |
| Work Experience | 20% | Weight varies by duration; 23–35 months received the maximum 20 points in the 2026 policy. |
| Gender Diversity | 5% | 5 points for female/transgender candidates; 0 for male candidates under the policy. |
| Trailblazer | 5% | Additional score for specified academic/professional backgrounds. |
What does this mean?
A candidate who clears the CAT cutoff but has a weak interview or profile does not automatically secure an offer. Conversely, the final formula rewards more than CAT percentile alone. IIM Sirmaur also applies Government of India reservation norms.
Admission offers are made in order of merit according to the applicable selection parameters and composite score. The institute's policy also says applicants should regularly check official communications for admission updates.
IIM Sirmaur MBA Admission Dates 2026 & 2027
2026-28: published process reference
The current official admission policy is for the 2026-28 MBA intake and uses CAT 2025. The current admissions portal is already beyond that intake cycle.
Tentative 2027-29 planning schedule
The institute has not yet published the complete 2027-29 MBA admission calendar. The dates below are tentative planning dates only, modelled on the normal CAT-to-IIM admission cycle. They are not institute-announced dates.
| Event | Tentative exact date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CAT 2026 result | 3 January 2027 | Tentative |
| IIM Sirmaur shortlist / CAP communication | 20 January 2027 | Tentative |
| PI window | 15 February 2027 to 15 March 2027 | Tentative |
| Final admission offers | 15 May 2027 | Tentative |
| Programme commencement | 15 June 2027 | Tentative |
Do not use these dates as official deadlines. Replace them with IIM Sirmaur/CAP announcements when the 2027-29 cycle is published.
IIM Sirmaur MBA Fees 2026-28
| Term | Admission Fee | Tuition | Hostel | Alumni | Mediclaim | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | ₹1,00,000 | ₹2,92,500 | ₹40,000 | ₹3,000 | ₹2,000 | ₹4,37,500 |
| II | — | ₹2,92,500 | ₹40,000 | — | — | ₹3,32,500 |
| III | — | ₹2,92,500 | ₹40,000 | — | — | ₹3,32,500 |
| IV | — | ₹2,92,500 | ₹40,000 | ₹3,000 | ₹2,000 | ₹3,37,500 |
| V | — | ₹2,90,000 | ₹40,000 | — | — | ₹3,30,000 |
| VI | — | ₹2,90,000 | ₹40,000 | — | — | ₹3,30,000 |
| Programme total | ₹21,00,000 | |||||
Refundable caution money: ₹30,000.
Scholarships and education loans
IIM Sirmaur says enrolled students can apply for scholarships available through the National Scholarship Portal, subject to each scheme's eligibility. The institute also says it has empanelled leading banks for education loans and provides loan information with admission offers.
The published fee should not be treated as your entire two-year personal budget. Keep a separate buffer for laptop, travel, clothing, laundry, personal purchases, club activities and other individual expenses. Exact personal spending varies widely.
IIM Sirmaur MBA Placements: 3-Year Comparison
The latest programme-specific figure available in the institute's 2024-25 annual report is an average CTC of ₹13.7 LPA for the MBA 2023-25 cohort. The same report notes that the cohort had 295 students, around 78.3% freshers, and 64 students with prior work experience.
Average CTC trend
| Placement year | MBA average CTC | Change vs previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ₹13.94 LPA | — |
| 2023 | ₹14.45 LPA | -3.6% |
| 2022 | ₹12.81 LPA | — |
The comparable official three-year series shows average CTC rising sharply from 2022 to 2023 and then moderating in 2024. Do not read this as a guaranteed salary for a future batch; role mix, hiring conditions and individual profile affect outcomes.
Latest role and sector signals
The 2024-25 annual report records opportunities across BFSI, IT/ITES, fintech, consulting, finance, automobile, FMCG, manufacturing, e-commerce, energy, hospitality and other sectors. Recruiters highlighted by the institute include ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Accenture, Cognizant, PwC, EY and DE Shaw & Co.
See detailed placement analysis →IIM Sirmaur MBA Curriculum
The first year is common and core-heavy. The official curriculum includes courses such as Behaviour in Organisations, Communication and Critical Thinking, Financial Reporting & Analysis, Marketing Management, IT Concepts, Legal Aspects in Management, Managerial Economics, Quantitative Analysis and Data Visualization. Later terms add areas such as Financial Management, HRM, Strategic Analysis, Supply Chain Management, Corporate Governance and Ethics.
What you build
- Finance and accounting fundamentals
- Marketing and operations understanding
- Quantitative and analytical skills
- Strategy and leadership perspective
- Technology and information-systems exposure
- Ethics, governance and sustainability awareness
Student reality
The curriculum is broad rather than a narrow job-training bootcamp. Your internship, electives, projects, competitions and placement preparation will matter when converting that breadth into a specific career profile.
IIM Sirmaur Campus & Student Life
IIM Sirmaur's permanent campus is at Dhaula Kuan in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh. The institute describes its setting as the foothills of the Himalayas and highlights modern infrastructure, a residential environment and connectivity through Dehradun and Chandigarh airports.
Campus advantages
- Permanent residential campus
- Academic and learning resources
- Student clubs and co-curricular activities
- Sports and student events
- Himalayan setting and lower-density environment
Location trade-off
If your priority is being physically inside a major metro's corporate district every day, compare the location with your alternatives. If you value a residential campus and a quieter setting, Sirmaur's location can be a positive.
IIM Sirmaur MBA: Estimated Additional Student Costs
The institute publishes programme fees separately from personal expenses. The estimates below are planning estimates, not IIM Sirmaur charges.
| Expense | Planning estimate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop | ₹60,000–₹1,00,000 one-time | Budget according to your existing device/requirements. |
| Personal travel | ₹20,000–₹50,000 per year | Depends on home city and travel frequency. |
| Personal/stationery | ₹15,000–₹30,000 per year | Books, printing, personal purchases and similar items. |
| Clothing/laundry/personal care | ₹15,000–₹30,000 per year | Highly individual. |
| Contingency | ₹20,000–₹40,000 per year | Useful buffer for unexpected student expenses. |
If you already own a suitable laptop, keeping roughly ₹50,000–₹1,00,000 per year beyond the published programme fee is a reasonable planning range for personal expenses. This is not an official institute estimate.
Popular MBA Programmes at IIM Sirmaur
MBA
Flagship full-time residential MBA with broad management training, summer internship and a general management orientation.
Current page →MBA Tourism Management
Sector-focused MBA covering tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation and allied services.
Explore MBA Tourism Management →MBA TTHM
Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Management programme with an international component in Mauritius.
Explore MBA TTHM →IIM Sirmaur MBA FAQs: Questions Students Actually Ask
Is a 90 percentile enough to get into IIM Sirmaur MBA?
Not by itself. For the 2026-28 process, 90 was the published overall CAT shortlist cutoff for General male candidates and 85 for General female candidates, with 65 sectional percentile in VARC, DILR and QA. Clearing that cutoff only makes a candidate eligible for the next stage. Final selection used a 100-point composite score in which CAT carried 35%, PI 20%, academics 15%, work experience 20%, gender diversity 5% and Trailblazer 5%.
Can a fresher get IIM Sirmaur MBA admission without work experience?
Yes. Work experience is one component of the final score, not an eligibility requirement that automatically excludes freshers. In the 2023-25 MBA cohort, the institute's 2024-25 annual report recorded approximately 78.3% freshers and 64 students with prior work experience. Candidates without work experience do not receive points from the work-experience component under the 2026 selection formula.
How much does work experience matter in IIM Sirmaur MBA selection?
It carries 20% of the final composite score for the 2026 MBA process. The policy awards the maximum work-experience score for 23–35 months and lower scores outside that range. Simply having more years of experience does not automatically mean more admission points because the score changes according to the institute's defined bands.
Is the ₹21 lakh IIM Sirmaur MBA fee the final amount I should plan for?
The official 2026-28 fee table totals ₹21,00,000 across six terms and includes admission fee, tuition, hostel, alumni membership and mediclaim. A separate ₹30,000 caution money is refundable. Students should also keep a personal-expense buffer for items such as travel, laptop, clothing, laundry and other individual spending because these are not presented as part of the published programme-fee total.
What does the recent IIM Sirmaur placement trend actually say?
The comparable official MBA average-CTC series was ₹12.81 LPA in 2022, ₹14.45 LPA in 2023 and ₹13.94 LPA in 2024. The latest programme-specific annual-report figure is ₹13.7 LPA for the 2023-25 MBA cohort. The data shows improvement over 2022 but also moderation after 2023; it should not be treated as a guaranteed salary for the next batch.
Should I choose IIM Sirmaur MBA, MBA Tourism Management or MBA TTHM?
The programmes have different positioning. The flagship MBA is broad general management. MBA Tourism Management adds a sector focus on tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation and events. MBA TTHM adds a nine-month international component in Mauritius through the programme's collaboration with the University of Technology Mauritius and University of Mauritius. The published 2026-28 fee is ₹21 lakh for each of these programmes, so the decision should be driven more by career target and programme structure than by the published fee alone.
Can final-year students apply for IIM Sirmaur MBA?
Yes, candidates in the final year can be considered provisionally, subject to the institute's document and course-completion requirements. The 2026 policy states that pending marksheets and the provisional degree certificate have to be submitted within the prescribed deadline, and eligibility is verified against the applicable minimum requirements.
Are the IIM Sirmaur MBA 2027 admission dates on this page official?
No. The 2027-29 dates shown on this page are clearly marked as tentative planning estimates because IIM Sirmaur has not published the complete 2027-29 calendar. Students should replace them with the institute/CAP schedule when the official cycle is announced.