Top IIMs in India 2025: Leading the Way in Placements, Rankings, Admission Criteria, and Fees Structure

Top IIMs In India: The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are a group of prestigious public business schools in India, known for their academic excellence, distinguished faculty, and strong industry connections. Offering a range of management programs, IIMs prepare graduates for leadership roles in the business world. With around 21 IIMs across the country, these institutions are consistently ranked among the top management schools in India. Each IIM campus provides a unique blend of experiential learning, academic rigor, and leadership development, making them highly sought-after for management education in India and beyond.

NIRF Rankings of IIMs in India

The official NIRF Rankings for 2024 haven't been released yet. The most recent NIRF rankings available are for 2023. Here's what I found about the NIRF Rankings 2023 for IIMs:

• IIM Ahmedabad secured the top spot.
• IIM Bangalore and IIM Kozhikode followed closely behind in the second and third positions respectively.
• It's likely the NIRF Rankings for 2024 will follow a similar trend, but we'll have to wait for the official release to know for sure. You can check the NIRF website https://www.nirfindia.org/ for updates on the NIRF Rankings 2024.

The top IIM India according to NIRF rankings for the last three years, from 2021 to 2023, are shown in the table below:

Eligibility Criteria of IIMs in India

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) offers admission to diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes. The qualifying requirements vary depending on the course and branch.

The following are normally included in the qualifying requirements for admission to Indian Institutes of Management:

• Academic Requirements: Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university or other institution in any field is required of candidates. A minimum aggregate score of 50% or higher is often required for a recognised university to offer a degree, however this might vary.
• Entrance Exam: Candidates must pass a national entrance exam, such as the Common Admission Test (CAT). For most IIMs, CAT scores are an important part of the admissions process; however, some may take additional tests into consideration, such as the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for applicants from outside.
• Work Experience: Although not required for all the programmes, certain IIMs may give preference to applicants with relevant work experience, especially for Executive MBA programmes or other specialised courses.
• Reservation Guidelines: In accordance with government regulations, candidates from the SC (Scheduled Castes), ST (Scheduled Tribes), OBC (Other Backward Classes), EWS (Economically Weaker Sections), and PwD (Persons with Disabilities) categories are eligible for reservations. 

Admission Process for IIMs in India 

The admission process for the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in India generally follows a structured procedure, which includes several stages:

1. Participate in Entrance Exam: The first step is to show up for the Common Admission Test (CAT), which is administered yearly on a rotating basis by one of the IIMs. In the selection procedure for the majority of IIMs, CAT scores play a vital role. 
2. Shortlisting for WAT/GD-PI: Each IIM selects applicants for the next round, which traditionally consists of a Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI), based on CAT results, occasionally academic achievement, and other factors.
3. Final Selection: Each IIM creates a final merit list based on a composite score that takes into account CAT results, WAT/GD-PI performance, academic background, job experience (if applicable), and other pertinent variables after performing the WAT/GD-PI rounds. Those who successfully complete all phases are invited to apply for admission to the IIMs MBA programme or other management courses.
4. Offer of Admission: Selected applicants are given admission offers, which they must accept by remitting the necessary funds by the deadline in order to reserve a spot.

It's crucial to remember that certain IIMs and their programmes may have slightly varying admissions procedures and requirements. Applicants seeking precise information on qualifying requirements, application deadlines, and the selection process may consult the IIMs' official websites.

Specialisations offered by the IIMs in India 

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in India offer a wide range of specialisations across various management disciplines. While the specific specialisations available can vary between different IIM campuses and programs, here are some common specialisations offered:

• Finance
• Marketing
• Operations Management
• Human Resource Management
• Information Technology Management
• Strategy
• Business Analytics
• Rural Management
• Healthcare Management
• Public Policy
• Retail Management
• Energy Management

Best IIMs in India

There are around 21 IIMs in India (IIM Mumbai being the newest), which are centrally-funded.

Top 10 IIMs in India

Following are the top 10 IIMs in India:

• IIM Ahmedabad
• IIM Bangalore 
• IIM Calcutta
• IIM Lucknow
• IIM Indore
• IIM Kozhikode
• IIM Udaipur
• IIM Shillong
• IIM Ranchi
• IIM Rohtak

Entrance Exams accepted by the IIMs in India

The Common Admission Test (CAT) results are the main source of admission scores for the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for their MBA and other management programmes. Every year, CAT is administered on a rotating basis by one of the IIMs. Following are the primary admission exams that IIMs accept:

• CAT (Common Admission Test)
• GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
• GRE (Graduate Record Examination)
• GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)
• XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)
• CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)
• MAT (Management Aptitude Test)

Fee Structure of the top IIMs in India 

The fee structure of the top Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in India can vary depending on the program (PGP, PGPX, etc.), domicile status (Indian or international), and other factors. Here's a general overview of the fee structure for some of the top IIMs:

Placements of the top IIMs in India 

Look at the table below to see the top IIM recruiters in India-