Last updated: 15 October 2026 | Facts checked against IIM Shillong’s official admission process documents
75 percentile makes you eligible for IIM Shillong. It doesn’t make you shortlisted.
So what is the real IIM Shillong CAT cutoff? IIM Shillong sets a minimum percentile in each CAT section. It publishes no overall cutoff. And it picks interview calls with a composite score, not one percentile.
This guide covers four years of official cutoff data, how the shortlist formula changed, and what percentile gives you a safe shot. It also covers the flagship two-year PGP. PGPEx and PGP-WE follow separate rules.
IIM Shillong CAT Cutoff at a Glance
These are the minimums for the PGP 2026–28 batch (CAT 2025 scores).
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Others (General) | 75 | 75 | 75 | Not published |
| EWS | 75 | 75 | 75 | Not published |
| SC | 60 | 60 | 60 | Not published |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | Not published |
| DA (PwD) | 50 | 50 | 50 | Not published |
The official table has five groups: DA, ST, SC, EWS and Others. It has no separate NC-OBC row. NC-OBC candidates fall under Others, so the 75 minimum applies. Confirm your category on your CAT form and in IIM Shillong’s official PGP 2026–28 document.
IIM Shillong Cutoff: Previous Years’ CAT Percentiles
Here are the official sectional minimums for the last four admission cycles.
| Batch | CAT year | Others / EWS (each section) | SC | ST / DA | Overall minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–25 | CAT 2022 | 75 | 60 | 50 | Not published |
| 2024–26 | CAT 2023 | 75 | 60 | 50 | Not published |
| 2025–27 | CAT 2024 | 75 | 60 | 50 | Not published |
| 2026–28 | CAT 2025 | 75 | 60 | 50 | Not published |
Source: IIM Shillong’s admission process documents for each batch, including the 2023–25 document.
The floor stayed at 75/60/50 for four straight cycles. The published cutoff doesn’t move. The call list does.
Why You Need More Than the Cutoff
Clearing the minimum only puts you in the pool. Then the work starts.
- IIM Shillong ranks everyone by a composite score.
- It groups candidates by academic discipline, category and gender.
- It calls a fixed number of candidates, which it calls “X”. The institute sets X using overall CAT performance, seat count, expected overlap and past interview attendance.
- It never publishes X or the composite scores.
That’s why no single “call percentile” exists. The number shifts every year.
How the IIM Shillong Shortlist Formula Changed
The percentile floor stayed put. The formula around it didn’t.
| Batch | Shortlist formula | CAT weight in final merit |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–25 | 50% CAT percentile + 50% work experience (both scaled), then GD and PI | 30% |
| 2024–26 | 60% CAT percentile + 40% NARS, then PI | 40% |
| 2025–27 | 65% CAT percentile + 35% NARS, then PI | 40% |
| 2026–28 | 65% CAT percentile + 35% NARS (now includes graduation marks), then PI | 40% |
NARS is the Normalised Application Rating Score.
CAT’s weight at the shortlist stage rose from 50% to 65%. Your percentile matters more now than it did in 2023.
What Percentile Do IIM Shillong Calls Really Need?
IIM Shillong doesn’t say. Third-party trackers do, and they disagree. Treat the table below as a rough guide, not fact.
| Unofficial signal | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| General closing percentile, 2023 to 2025 | About 92 |
| General closing percentile, 2021 and 2022 | About 94 |
| Lowest admitted General percentile, 2023–25 (RTI-based analysis) | About 80 |
Our guidance, based on this unofficial data:
| Your overall percentile | What it means |
|---|---|
| Any section below 75 (Others/EWS) | Not eligible for the PI shortlist |
| 75 to 85 | Eligible. A call depends heavily on your profile. |
| 85 to 90 | Competitive with strong academics and work experience |
| 90 and above | Where most unofficial estimates place General calls |
Reserved categories compete inside their own pools. The official policy reserves 15% of PI calls for SC, 7.5% for ST and 10% for EWS. Their call percentile can sit lower than General’s. IIM Shillong publishes no figures.
How Your Profile Shifts the Cutoff
Two candidates with the same percentile can land on different sides of the line. NARS explains why.
| Component (2026–28) | Points |
|---|---|
| Class X, Class XII or graduation: 95–100% | 10 each |
| 90–94.99% | 9 each |
| 85–89.99% | 8 each |
| Work experience: 18 to under 24 months | 14 (highest) |
| Work experience: 12 to under 18 months | 12 |
| Work experience: 24 to under 30 months | 10 |
| Work experience: under 7 months, or 42+ months | 0 |
The maximum Application Rating Score is 44. IIM Shillong divides your score by the average of the top 50 applicants’ scores to get NARS.
The work-experience peak also moved. In 2025–27, 24 to 30 months scored highest. In 2026–28, 18 to 24 months does.
The Sectional Rule That Rejects Strong Scores
Sectional minimums are hard cut-offs. A high overall percentile can’t offset them.
Example: you score 96 overall but 74 in DILR. You’re out of the Others/EWS shortlist. One weak section ends the application.
What to Target in CAT 2026
CAT 2026 is on 29 November 2026. Check dates and notices on iimcat.ac.in. IIM Shillong hasn’t released its PGP 2027–29 admission document yet. Its past documents reserve the right to change criteria, so recheck the official page after the CAT 2026 result.
Our suggestion:
- Aim for 85+ in each section. That gives you a 10-point buffer above the 75 minimum.
- Target 90+ overall if you want a strong General call chance.
- Fix your weakest section first. Focus on improving your accuracy and identifying the question types where you lose the most marks.
- Compare how other IIMs set their cutoffs. Review the cutoff criteria, sectional requirements, and selection process to understand what matters when targeting an MBA seat at IIM Shillong.
- Test your sectionals under timed conditions with CATMOCK’s free mocks.
Summary
- IIM Shillong’s minimum is 75 per section for Others/EWS, 60 for SC and 50 for ST/DA.
- It published the same minimums for four straight cycles.
- It publishes no overall cutoff and no call percentile.
- CAT’s weight at the shortlist stage rose from 50% to 65%.
- Unofficial estimates put General calls near 90, but they conflict.
- One weak section ends your shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CAT cutoff for IIM Shillong?
The PGP 2026–28 minimum is 75 percentile in each of VARC, DILR and QA for Others and EWS. SC needs 60. ST and DA need 50. IIM Shillong publishes no overall cutoff.
Is there an overall percentile cutoff at IIM Shillong?
No. The official table lists only sectional minimums. The shortlist uses a composite score of CAT percentile and NARS.
Can I get IIM Shillong with 85 percentile?
It’s possible, but not guaranteed. You must clear 75 in each section. After that, your academics, work experience and category pool decide the call. Unofficial data shows some General admits below 90.
What is the IIM Shillong sectional cutoff for NC-OBC?
The official table has no separate NC-OBC row. NC-OBC candidates fall under Others, which means 75 in each section.
Has the IIM Shillong cutoff increased or decreased?
The official sectional minimums haven’t changed across the last four cycles. What changed is the shortlist formula, where CAT’s weight rose from 50% to 65%.
Will the IIM Shillong cutoff change for CAT 2026?
IIM Shillong hasn’t released its PGP 2027–29 document yet. It reserves the right to change criteria, so check its official page after the CAT 2026 result.
Can I get a call with 75 in two sections and 74 in one?
No. For Others and EWS, every section needs at least 75.
Conclusion
The IIM Shillong CAT cutoff is a floor, not a target. Clear 75 in every section, then aim for 90 overall to stay safe. Build your plan around your weakest section, because it decides your eligibility.
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