Indian Institute of Management Lucknow
(IIM Lucknow)Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026
Established
1984
Campus Size
195.00 Acres
Total Students
900
Faculty
90
Student-Faculty
10:1
IIM Lucknow Cutoff Marks: CAT Score Requirements and Categories
Disclaimer: Cutoff data is compiled from official IIM admission documents, RTI data, and verified sources. Qualifying cutoffs are minimum thresholds - actual shortlisting cutoffs are significantly higher. Always verify from the official IIM website before making admission decisions.
IIM Lucknow Cutoff 2023
IIM Lucknow (IIML) is the fourth-oldest IIM and consistently ranked among India's top five business schools. IIML has the highest stable qualifying cutoff (90 percentile) among top IIMs, and its selection process places significant emphasis on the Personal Interview. Below is the complete cutoff data for IIM Lucknow across all programmes and categories.
CAT Cutoff Percentiles - IIM Lucknow PGP 2023
| Category | Overall | VARC | DILR | QA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| EWS | 82 | 77 | 77 | 77 |
| OBC-NCL | 82 | 77 | 77 | 77 |
| SC | 65 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| ST | 60 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| PwD | 60 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
These are qualifying cutoffs for CAT 2024 (PGP 2025-27 batch). IIML has the highest qualifying cutoff (90 percentile) among top-5 IIMs. From the 12,461 candidates who cleared the MBA qualifying cutoff, approximately 3,914 were shortlisted for PI.
Programme-wise Cutoffs and Admission Routes
IIM Lucknow offers four distinct MBA programmes with separate admission criteria:
| Programme | Seats | Exam | Cutoff | Selection | Weightage / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBA (PGP) | ~436 | CAT 2024 | 90 (Gen) | WAT + PI | 60% CAT + 10% 12th + 10% UG + 10% WE + 10% Diversity |
| MBA-ABM (Agri-Business) | ~60 | CAT 2024 | 85 (Gen) | WAT + PI | Agriculture background preferred |
| MBA-SM (Sustainability) | ~50 | CAT 2024 | 85 (Gen) | WAT + PI | Sustainability interest/experience valued |
| IPMX (1-Year MBA) | ~50 | GMAT/GRE | GMAT 650+ | Interview | 5+ years WE; Noida campus |
| PhD/FPM | ~15-20 | CAT | Varies | GD + PI | Fully funded with stipend |
Selection Process and Weightage - IIML
IIM Lucknow uses a two-stage selection process with significant PI weightage:
Stage 1: Shortlisting for WAT-PI
| Component | Weightage |
|---|---|
| CAT Score | 60% |
| 12th Standard Marks | 10% |
| Graduation Marks | 10% |
| Work Experience | 10% |
| Academic Diversity | 5% |
| Gender Diversity | 5% |
Stage 2: Final Selection
| Component | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Personal Interview (PI) | 40% |
| CAT Score | 30% |
| Written Ability Test (WAT) | 10% |
| Academic Profile | 10% |
| Work Experience | 5% |
| Diversity Factors | 5% |
Year-wise CAT Cutoff Trends (General Category)
| Year (CAT) | Overall | VARC | DILR | QA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 2022 | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| CAT 2023 | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| CAT 2024 | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
IIM Lucknow has maintained the most stable cutoffs among all top IIMs - 90 percentile overall with 85 sectional for General category across 2022-2024 without any change. This consistency reflects IIML's preference for a higher qualifying bar that filters applicants earlier in the process.
How to Check IIM Lucknow Cutoff
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Take CAT (late November). Check results in January at iimcat.ac.in. |
| Step 2 | Verify that your overall percentile is ≥90 and all sectional scores are ≥85 (General). |
| Step 3 | IIML computes a shortlisting score: 60% CAT + 10% 12th + 10% UG + 10% WE + 10% Diversity. |
| Step 4 | Shortlisted candidates (~3,900 from ~12,400 eligible) receive WAT-PI invitations in February. |
| Step 5 | WAT (30 min, 300 words) + PI (20-25 min). Minimum PI score of 12/40 required for consideration. |
| Step 6 | Final merit list: 40% PI + 30% CAT + 10% WAT + 10% Academics + 5% WE + 5% Diversity. |
Cutoff Comparison - Top 5 IIMs
| IIM | CAT Cutoff (Gen) | Seats (PGP) | Selection Focus | Unique Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Lucknow | 90 | ~436 | PI 40% + CAT 30% | Highest stable qualifying cutoff |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 80 → 95 (2025) | ~414 | PI 50% + CAT 25% | Highest PI weight |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 | ~544 | PI 40% + CAT 25% | Largest PGP batch |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | ~462 | PI 48% + CAT 30% | Highest controllable weight (86%) |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 | ~580 | WAT 20% + PI 35% | Highest WAT weight |
IIM Lucknow CAT Cutoff (2023)
| Year | Branch / Programme | Category | Cutoff Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Round 1 | General | 97.00 |
| 2023 | Round 1 | OBC-NCL | 90.00 |
| 2023 | Round 1 | SC | 82.00 |
| 2023 | Round 1 | ST | 70.00 |
| 2023 | Round 1 | EWS | 90.00 |
| 2023 | Round 1 | PwD | 60.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions - IIM Lucknow Cutoff
Q: What is the CAT cutoff for IIM Lucknow 2025?
For the MBA 2025-27 batch (CAT 2024), IIM Lucknow's qualifying cutoff was 90 percentile overall with 85 percentile in each section (VARC, DILR, QA) for General category. This is the highest stable qualifying cutoff among all top-5 IIMs.
Q: Why is IIM Lucknow's cutoff higher than IIM Ahmedabad?
IIM Lucknow sets a higher qualifying cutoff (90 vs 80 at IIMA for CAT 2024) as a deliberate filtering strategy. A higher qualifying bar means fewer candidates in the shortlisting pool, resulting in more focused PI interactions. IIMA, by contrast, uses a lower qualifying cutoff but applies stricter composite-score-based shortlisting.
Q: How many candidates get PI calls from IIM Lucknow?
For the MBA 2025-27 batch, approximately 12,461 candidates cleared the qualifying cutoff, of whom 3,914 were shortlisted for PI. The shortlisting ratio is roughly 1 in 3 - significantly better than IIMA (1 in 20) - because IIML's higher qualifying cutoff pre-filters the applicant pool.
Q: What is the minimum PI score needed at IIM Lucknow?
IIM Lucknow requires a minimum PI score of 12 out of 40 for consideration in the final merit list. Candidates scoring below 12 in PI are eliminated regardless of their CAT score or other parameters. This ensures that only candidates with adequate communication and analytical skills are selected.
Q: What is IIM Lucknow MBA-ABM?
MBA-ABM (Agri-Business Management) is a specialised 2-year programme at IIM Lucknow with ~60 seats. It has a lower qualifying cutoff (85 percentile for General) than the regular MBA (90 percentile). Candidates with agricultural backgrounds receive preference. Placements are in FMCG, agri-tech, commodity trading, and rural management sectors.
Q: Does IIM Lucknow have a campus in Noida?
Yes. IIM Lucknow's IPMX (International Programme in Management for Executives) operates from its Noida campus. IPMX is a 1-year full-time MBA for professionals with 5+ years of work experience. The Noida campus provides proximity to Delhi-NCR's corporate ecosystem. The main MBA programme continues at the Lucknow campus.