The Common Admission Process is popularly abbreviated as IIM CAP. It is a common selection process adopted by a few of the young IIMs. Candidates who are shortlisted need not go to different Written Ability Test and Personal Interview sessions for different institutes. They need to appear for a single common WAT and PI. 

Every year, one of the IIMs is allotted to undertake the CAP process. For the 2025 intake IIM Bodh Gaya handled the entire CAP process.

Key Point for IIM CAP 2026 is that five of the eight regular members of IIMs taking part in CAP have opted out. These are IIM Kashipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Trichy and IIM Udaipur. IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Sirmaur and IIM Nagpur are currently on the final list for participation in the 2026 CAP.

The CAP includes shortlisting of candidates based on the CAT score followed by WAT and PI rounds then finalising the merit list based on academics, work experience and other profile factors.

IIM CAP 2026: What is it?

IIM CAP 2026 is a common admission call for candidates shortlisted by various new IIMs. Candidates would be required to go for a single common interview process for WAT and PI in comparison to many interviews at different IIM campuses. So that in case a candidate applies for admission to IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Nagpur and IIM Sirmaur he/she would require attending only one common interview call.

The shortlisted candidates' names are sent to the CAP conducting institute by each participating IIM. This institute then conducts the WAT and PI and shares the scores of the candidates with all IIMs. Each IIM thereafter creates its own final merit list based on the scores of its candidates and publishes this merit list on its website which can be viewed by the candidate with his/her login details.

Important Facts about IIM CAP 2026

• The CAP is used for admission into full time MBA or PGP programmes offered by some of the relatively newer IIMs.

• IIM Nagpur, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Kashipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Sirmaur and IIM Trichy were on this list till last year.

• For the 2026 intake IIM Udaipur will conduct its own WAT and PI thereby not taking part in the CAP.

• Under the 2026 JAP admissions will be conducted jointly by IIM Trichy, IIM Raipur, IIM Kashipur and IIM Ranchi.

• IIM Sambalpur has been a part of the CAP until 2024 but now it has decided to conduct its own admissions process.

• For 2025 IIM Raipur which was a member of the CAP till 2024 has likewise chosen not to participate.

• Each year one of the IIMs is shortlisted for conducting the CAP.  IIM Bodh Gaya is in charge of organising the 2025 IIM CAP.

• CAT cutoffs for interview shortlisting are uniform across all CAP IIMs.

• CAP is exclusively offered to full time MBA students.

• Applicants for whom dates of interviews conflict can write to the CAP help desk for requesting a change in date.

IIMs CAP 2026 Important Dates - Tentative

Following is the tentative calendar for IIM CAP 2026 Process including Registration, Slot Selection and Interview dates -

IIM CAP 2026 Eligibility Criteria

For applying for IIM CAP 2026 candidates need to satisfy the following requirements -

• Must have appeared for 2025 CAT and obtained a valid score.

• Should have a minimum overall and sectional CAT cutoff score as set by the IIMs.

• Should have a Bachelors degree or equivalent from a recognised university with minimum marks as per category.

• Final-year students are eligible but are required to produce degree proof within the stipulated deadline.

• At the time of admission candidates shouldn't have any outstanding academic disqualifications.

• Attainment of meeting eligibility and cut off scores is not a guarantee for a WAT and PI call as there are limited seats available.

How to Register for 2026 IIM CAP?

Register themselves on the website of the IIM that is conducting the CAP process with the use of CAT login details. The process is -

1. Look at the IIM Bodh Gaya website example from the previous year.

2. You click on the CAP registration link.

3. To log in enter your set password and CAT ID.

4. New users need to complete the registration process initially.

5. Complete the application, attach files and send it in.

IIM CAP Qualifying CAT 2025 Cut Offs 

The following table provides the overall CAT cut offs that are used for shortlisting candidates for admission to the upcoming batch.

Note - The final cut offs and dates for 2026 IIM CAP would be revealed after the CAT 2025 result declarations. Candidates can look up the process from last year’s CAP.

IIM CAP Qualifying CAT Cut Offs for 2025 Batch

The following table indicates the sectional cut offs as well as the overall cut off for shortlisting WAT and PI for the 2025 admission process.

Criteria and Weightage for the IIM CAP Final Merit List

The final merit list for the 2026 IIM CAP is shown in the following table along with the weights given to other factors.

IIM CAP 2026 Admission Process - Step by Step

The whole process of admission in CAP takes place with the following steps -

1. While filling the CAT application form candidates select preferred IIMs in the Application form.

2. Participating IIMs independently shortlist candidates on the basis of CAT score and other parameters.

3. The CAP conducting IIM will send an email to the candidates who are shortlisted for IIM.

4. Participation is confirmed by candidates through an online form.

5. Details about the date and venue of WAT and PI are informed through email.

6. The common WAT and PI round is attended by candidates.

7. All participating IIMs receive the scores.

8. Offer letters are sent to the chosen applicants by each IIM which creates its own merit list.