Every CAT aspirant who dreams of the Joka campus eventually asks the same question: “What does it actually take to get into IIM Calcutta?” Coaching claims and forum guesses rarely agree. The most trustworthy answer comes from numbers the institute itself has disclosed under the Right to Information Act.
This guide explains IIM Calcutta RTI data 2026 in plain language. It covers the minimum CAT cutoffs, how many candidates were called for the WAT-PI round, what composite scores decided the shortlist and the final merit list, how many offers went out, and how far the waitlist moved. It also shows how the latest batch compares with the one before it, and ends with a practical plan for your CAT attempt.
What Is IIM Calcutta RTI Data, and Which Batch Does It Cover?
RTI stands for Right to Information. Under the RTI framework, applicants and researchers can request admission statistics from public institutions. For IIM Calcutta, these disclosures typically cover:
- The number of applicants by category
- The number of candidates called for the interview round (WAT-PI)
- The composite-score cutoffs for the shortlist and the final offer
- The number of admission offers
- The waitlist movement by category
A note on the “2026” label
Much of the RTI data discussed in 2026 comes from the 2025–27 admission cycle, which used CAT 2024 scores. This is the latest detailed disclosure available to aspirants planning for CAT 2025 and CAT 2026, so it is widely labelled “RTI data 2026”. Treat it as a historical benchmark and not as a promise for the next cycle. For the current admission policy, always check the official IIM Calcutta website.
IIM Calcutta Minimum Cutoffs: The First Filter
Before any composite score is calculated, a candidate must clear minimum sectional and overall CAT percentiles. These are qualifying thresholds, not interview-call cutoffs.
Table 1: Minimum CAT percentile requirements (MBA 2026–28 policy)
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General / 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 |
Why the minimum cutoff is easy to misread
An 85 overall percentile for a General candidate only means you are eligible to be considered. Your actual chance of a call depends on a composite score that includes academics and gender diversity. A candidate with a strong overall percentile can also be rejected at this stage if one section falls below its sectional cutoff. That is why balanced preparation across VARC, DILR and QA matters.
How IIM Calcutta Shortlists Candidates: The 85-Point Composite
After Stage I, IIM Calcutta ranks eligible candidates using a pre-interview composite score out of 85. For MBA 2026–28 admissions, the reported weightage is:
- CAT score: 56 points
- Class 10 marks: 10 points
- Class 12 marks: 15 points
- Gender diversity: 4 points (for female and transgender candidates)
This is why two candidates with identical CAT scores can land on different sides of the shortlist line. CAT carries most of the weight, but academics and diversity still move the needle.
PI Calls: Who Gets Called for WAT-PI?
The call numbers show how steep the first funnel is. The table below combines the disclosed figures with call-rate calculations.
Table 2: Applicants, WAT-PI calls, offers and waitlist movement (2025–27 cycle)
| Category | Applicants | WAT-PI calls | Calls as % of applicants | Final offers | Offers as % of calls | Waitlist movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General / Open | 1,77,009 | 956 | 0.54% | 471 | 49.3% | 117 |
| EWS | 14,108 | 70 | 0.50% | 20 | 28.6% | 14 |
| NC-OBC | 46,567 | 437 | 0.94% | 280 | 64.1% | 92 |
| SC | 21,447 | 459 | 2.14% | 175 | 38.1% | 79 |
| ST | 5,727 | 248 | 4.33% | 94 | 37.9% | 47 |
| Total | 2,64,858 | 2,170 | 0.82% | 1,040 | 47.9% | 349 |
The percentage columns are my own calculations from the disclosed numbers. The applicant counts match those reported for the earlier batch in several compilations, so treat them as indicative and verify them against the official documents.
What the PI-call numbers tell you
1. Fewer than one in a hundred General applicants got a call. Only 956 of about 1.77 lakh General applicants, or roughly 0.54%, reached the interview round. EWS was similar at 0.50%.
2. The interview is a second elimination round. Across all categories, about 48% of those called ended up with an offer. That means roughly half of the called candidates did not convert, even after clearing a very tough first filter.
3. Conversion varies sharply by category. NC-OBC had the highest call-to-offer rate (about 64%), while EWS had the lowest (about 29%). General sat near the middle at roughly 49%. These differences reflect category-wise merit lists and seat numbers, so avoid reading them as a measure of “difficulty”.
4. Total calls were 2,170. That is about 4.5 calls for every approved seat, which shows how competitive the interview stage is.
Composite Score Cutoffs: Shortlist vs Final Offer
RTI data reports two different composite scores, and mixing them up is the most common mistake.
- The pre-interview composite score is out of 85 and decides who gets a WAT-PI call.
- The final composite score is out of 100 and decides who gets an offer.
Table 3: Composite scores by category
| Category | Pre-PI shortlist cutoff (out of 85) | Last offered candidate’s final score (out of 100) |
|---|---|---|
| General / Open | 56.105 | 56.768 |
| EWS | 51.010 | 56.432 |
| NC-OBC | 48.753 | 43.329 |
| SC | 42.305 | 44.766 |
| ST | 36.508 | 36.166 |
How to read this table
Do not compare the two columns directly. They use different scales and different components. A 56 on the first scale and a 56 on the second scale mean different things.
General candidates faced the highest bar. The Open-category shortlist cutoff was 56.105 out of 85, and the last General offer had a final score of about 56.77 out of 100. Reserved categories had lower cutoffs, with ST at the lowest end of both columns.
Small discrepancies exist across sources. Different compilations list slightly different values for the same cutoff (for example, 56.768 versus 56.786 for the General final score, and 48.753 versus 48.735 for NC-OBC). The differences are tiny, but check the original RTI document before you quote any figure.
Final Offers: 1,040 Offers for 480 Seats
The RTI data shows 1,040 admission offers for an approved intake of 480 seats. That is more than two offers per seat.
Why offers exceed seats
Institutes issue more offers than seats because not every admitted candidate joins. Some choose another IIM, a different programme, or a job. Offers also include candidates who receive a seat as the waitlist moves. This is normal, and it is why a waitlist position can still be valuable.
The category split
- General / Open: 471 offers
- NC-OBC: 280 offers
- SC: 175 offers
- ST: 94 offers
- EWS: 20 offers
The EWS figure is lower than the others, which fits the smaller category size and the 70 calls shown in Table 2.
Waitlist Movement: How Far Did the List Move?
Waitlist movement shows how many positions moved forward in each category. For the 2025–27 cycle:
- General / Open: 117
- NC-OBC: 92
- SC: 79
- ST: 47
- EWS: 14
In total, 349 waitlist positions moved. These numbers do not tell you the exact rank that eventually got an offer, but they show that waitlists at IIM Calcutta do move, and by a lot in some categories.
How to read waitlist data sensibly
- Movement is not a guarantee. It reflects how many selected candidates declined or did not join that year.
- Past movement is a clue, not a rule. The number can rise or fall with the batch’s competing offers.
- Rank matters. A small waitlist number in the General category has far better odds than one near the bottom.
If you are waitlisted
Keep your documents ready, respond promptly to any communication, and avoid making a final decision on another offer without understanding timelines.
A disclosure gap worth knowing
One compilation reports that IIM Calcutta’s RTI reply gave “NA” for the minimum CAT percentile at which seats were converted in every category. That means aspirants cannot read a single “lowest percentile admitted” figure from this data. Pages that claim a precise minimum admitted percentile are estimating, not quoting official numbers.
Year-on-Year: 2024–26 vs 2025–27
Trends matter more than one-year snapshots. The table below compares the two most recent disclosed cycles.
Table 4: Batch comparison (selected categories and totals)
| Metric | 2024–26 batch | 2025–27 batch | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General WAT-PI calls | 931 | 956 | +25 |
| General final offers | 426 | 471 | +45 |
| NC-OBC final offers | 271 | 280 | +9 |
| SC final offers | 140 | 175 | +35 |
| ST final offers | 92 | 94 | +2 |
| Total WAT-PI calls | 2,070 | 2,170 | +100 (about +4.8%) |
| Total final offers | 955 | 1,040 | +85 (about +8.9%) |
| General last-offer final score | 52.794 | 56.768 | +3.97 |
What the comparison shows
- Both calls and offers grew. Total calls rose by about 5%, and total offers by about 9%.
- The General bar moved up. The last General final score rose by almost four points, which suggests a tougher General cut for the later batch.
- Reserved-category scores were stable. SC and ST last-offer scores stayed close to the earlier year.
The caveat: the offer counts depend on how many candidates the institute chooses to offer, so a higher offer count does not automatically mean an easier admission.
What Decides the Final Merit List?
After the interview, IIM Calcutta uses a 100-point final composite. For the MBA 2026–28 batch, the reported weights are:
- Personal Interview (PI): 48 points
- CAT: 30 points
- Writing Ability Test (WAT): 8 points
- Work experience: 8 points
- Academic diversity: 6 points
The big takeaway
The PI is the single largest component, at 48 points, and it is bigger than CAT’s 30. CAT gets you into the room, but the interview does most of the final work. Combined, the WAT and PI make up 56 of the 100 points.
What This Means for Your CAT 2026 Plan
Use the data to build a layered plan.
1. Aim well above the minimum
An overall percentile of 85 only makes you eligible. Because the composite blends CAT with other factors, the safest approach is to maximise your CAT score and keep all three sections above their sectional cutoffs.
2. Protect your weakest section
A single section below the cutoff can end your chances even with a strong overall score. Take regular sectionals and fix weak areas early.
3. Know your academic profile
Class 10 and Class 12 marks feed into the pre-interview composite. You can’t change them now, but you can understand where you stand and set CAT targets accordingly.
4. Start interview preparation early
With 48 of 100 final points on the PI, treat it as a core exam. Practise with mock interviews, prepare your résumé thoroughly and build a clear story.
5. Prepare for a long process
Calls, interviews, offers and the waitlist unfold over months. Keep your documents ready and have a backup plan.
Limits of the RTI Data: What to Keep in Mind
- It is historical. The numbers describe one past cycle and can change next year.
- Compilations differ slightly. Always compare with the original RTI document.
- Applicant counts look repeated. Several compilations show identical applicant totals for two different batches, so treat applicant counts as indicative.
- Percentile floors are not disclosed. Without an official minimum admitted percentile, any “cutoff” you read online is an estimate.
- Category numbers reflect policy and seats. Differences between categories don’t measure how smart or hardworking candidates are.
Summary
- IIM Calcutta RTI data 2026 mainly reflects the 2025–27 cycle and acts as a benchmark for future applicants.
- The minimum overall CAT cutoff for General candidates is 85 percentile, with sectional minimums of 80, 80 and 75 for VARC, DILR and QA.
- The pre-interview composite is out of 85 (CAT 56, Class 10 10, Class 12 15, gender diversity 4), and the final composite is out of 100 (PI 48, CAT 30, WAT 8, work experience 8, academic diversity 6).
- A total of 2,170 candidates were called for WAT-PI, and 956 of them were General candidates.
- IIM Calcutta made 1,040 offers for 480 seats, which is about 48% of those called.
- Waitlist movement was 117 (General), 92 (NC-OBC), 79 (SC), 47 (ST) and 14 (EWS).
- Compared with 2024–26, total calls rose by about 5% and offers by about 9%, and the General last-offer score rose by almost 4 points.
- The minimum admitted percentile was not disclosed, so treat any exact “cutoff” as an estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is IIM Calcutta RTI data 2026?
It is admission data disclosed under the RTI Act. It covers applicants, WAT-PI calls, composite-score cutoffs, final offers and waitlist movement, mostly from the 2025–27 cycle, and it is widely used by aspirants planning for 2026.
2. What is the minimum CAT cutoff for IIM Calcutta in the General category?
The minimum overall CAT percentile is 85, with sectional minimums of 80 in VARC, 80 in DILR and 75 in QA. These are qualifying thresholds, not interview-call cutoffs.
3. How many candidates were called for WAT-PI at IIM Calcutta?
The RTI data lists 2,170 candidates called across categories: 956 General, 70 EWS, 437 NC-OBC, 459 SC and 248 ST.
4. What was the composite score cutoff for the General category?
The pre-interview shortlist cutoff was 56.105 out of 85, and the last candidate who received an offer had a final composite score of about 56.77 out of 100. These two scores use different scales and should not be compared directly.
5. How many final offers did IIM Calcutta make?
The data shows 1,040 admission offers for an approved intake of 480 seats. Offers exceed seats because some candidates decline and the waitlist moves.
6. How much did the IIM Calcutta waitlist move?
Waitlist movement was 117 for General, 92 for NC-OBC, 79 for SC, 47 for ST and 14 for EWS, which is 349 positions in total.
7. Is the PI or CAT more important at IIM Calcutta?
At the final stage, the PI carries 48 of 100 points and CAT carries 30. CAT is still essential, since it determines whether you reach the interview.
8. Can I get an IIM Calcutta call with an 85 percentile?
You can meet the minimum eligibility, but a call depends on your composite score rank. Earlier-year data shows that actual shortlists are determined by the composite, so 85 alone is not a safe target.
Conclusion
IIM Calcutta RTI data 2026 replaces rumour with evidence. It shows a narrow funnel: fewer than one in a hundred applicants reached the interview, about half of those called received offers, and offers outnumbered seats because the waitlist keeps moving. It also shows why scores must be read carefully, since the 85-point shortlist score and the 100-point final score are different yardsticks.
Use the numbers to plan, not to predict. Build a strong, balanced CAT score, protect every sectional cutoff, and treat the interview as the biggest scoring component of the final merit list. Verify any figure against the official disclosure before you rely on it, and good luck with CAT 2026.
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