IIM Sambalpur Eliminates The Minimum Sectional Cut-Off Limit

Q: What change has IIM Sambalpur made to its admission criteria?

IIM Sambalpur has eliminated the minimum sectional cut-off requirement from its admission criteria, focusing instead on overall performance and holistic evaluation.

Q: How does eliminating the minimum sectional cut-off benefit CAT aspirants?

By removing sectional cut-offs, candidates with strong overall CAT scores but weaker performance in one section still have a chance to be considered for admission.

Q: Where can candidates find the updated admission criteria for IIM Sambalpur?

Candidates can find the updated admission criteria on the official IIM Sambalpur website and through official admission notifications released by the institute.

Author :

Shilpa Nigam

Last Updated on : 24 Dec 2025 11:31AM

IIM Sambalpur has taken a significant step of removing the sectional CAT percentile cut-off for the MBA 2026–28 admission cycle. This major policy change aims at a more comprehensive and flexible assessment of the applicants. For detailed policy information, visit the official website of IIM Sambalpur 2026-28 Admission Policy.

For MBA Class 2026-2028

No section-wise cut-off: Minimum percentile not required in any of the sections, VARC, DILR, or QA.
Positive score must be: Every section should have a score above zero; zero or negative means cut off.
PI shortlisting: Primarily by total CAT percentile and basic academic qualification.

Overall CAT Cut-offs (Expected):

General: 90 percentile (reduced to 85 for women and men with the same work experience of ≥1 year).
EWS: 80 percentile.
NC-OBC: 75 percentile.
SC: 55 percentile.
ST/DAP: 40 percentile

Impact on Final Selection

No sectional cut-offs for shortlisting, but section scores still matter in final selection.
High weightage to academics, work experience, and diversity.
IIM Sambalpur has opted out of CAP and will run its own selection process for 2026–28.

Advantages for Candidates after the removal of the Sectional Cut-off

Flexibility for uneven performance: Students can qualify even if one section is weak, but overall performance is strong.
Higher shortlisting chances: More candidates move to GD/PI since there are no sectional cut-offs.
Reduced exam stress: Aspirants can focus on their strengths instead of balancing all sections equally.
Benefit for non-engineers: Humanities and commerce students are not penalized for weaker QA scores.

FAQ's

What change has IIM Sambalpur made to its admission criteria?

IIM Sambalpur has removed the minimum sectional cut-off requirement for candidates applying through the CAT exam, meaning applicants will no longer need to score a minimum percentage in each individual section to be eligible for shortlisting.

How does eliminating the minimum sectional cut-off benefit CAT aspirants?

By removing the sectional cut-off, IIM Sambalpur allows candidates with strong overall CAT scores — even if they have relatively lower scores in one specific section — to be considered for shortlisting, broadening eligibility and increasing opportunities for admissions.

Where can candidates find the updated admission criteria for IIM Sambalpur?

Candidates should refer to the official IIM Sambalpur admissions webpage or CAT admission brochure for the most accurate and updated eligibility details, including the new policy on sectional cut-offs.

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