Can an Average Student Get Into the IIMs? The Honest Answer
Published 26 August 2026 · 4 min read · Indian Institute of Management
Yes. A strong CAT score can offset average academics for the IIM call itself. Every year, students with under 70 percent in school or graduation reach the top IIMs on the back of a high percentile. The honest catch comes later, at placements, where some firms still weigh your past scores. Knowing both halves of this lets you plan for it.
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Yes. A strong CAT score can offset average academics for the IIM call itself. Every year, students with under 70 percent in school or graduation reach the top IIMs on the back of a high percentile. The honest catch comes later, at placements, where some firms still weigh your past scores. Knowing both halves of this lets you plan for it.
Average is a slippery word. It usually means marks, which depend heavily on your board, your degree plus how those are graded. So the first thing to drop is the idea that a middling percentage closes the door. It does not, at least not for getting in.
The CAT score can carry the call
For the IIM call, your CAT percentile does most of the heavy lifting. It is common for a meaningful share of an IIM batch to have modest academic scores, offset by a high percentile plus other strengths. Students with under 70 percent in class 12 or graduation do get calls plus admits at top IIMs every year, usually when their CAT score is very high. At IIM Ahmedabad I knew people who got in with school and college scores around 70 percent, most of them with excellent CAT scores that spoke louder than their marks.
The takeaway is simple. Your academic record sets the starting line, but a high CAT score can move you well past it. If your past marks are average, the single most useful thing you can do is push your percentile as high as it will go.
How the IIMs read your academics
It helps to know that IIMs do not just glance at one number. Most build a composite score that blends your CAT percentile with class 10 plus class 12 marks, graduation marks, work experience plus factors like academic and gender diversity. So a lower graduation score is not the whole story. A strong class 10 plus 12 record, a diverse academic background or work experience can each pull your profile back up. If one part is weak, lift the parts you can still control.
This is also why a non-engineer or a candidate from an underrepresented background sometimes needs a slightly different percentile than the crowd for the same call. The weights are not identical for everyone, so compare yourself to people with a similar profile, not to the whole applicant pool.
Where academics still matter
Here is the part most posts skip. Once you are on campus, some recruiters, especially in consulting plus parts of finance, put real weight on academic consistency across school, graduation plus your MBA. So a candidate with a lower academic record can find summer placement shortlists harder to come by, unless they pair it with a standout CAT score or solid work experience.
This is not a dead end. The way through is to perform once you are in. Score well in your first year at the IIM, aim for the institute rank list plus you open up the shortlists that academics alone would have closed. Plenty of students have done exactly this, missing some shortlists in summers then landing strong roles, including MBB, in final placements by doing well on campus.
So what should an average student do?
Three things. First, treat CAT as your great equaliser plus aim for the highest percentile you can, since it carries the most weight for the call. Second, build the rest of your profile, so internships, positions of responsibility plus any work experience, to give recruiters more than marks to look at. Third, go in ready to prove yourself on campus, because strong grades at the IIM can reset how recruiters see you. Average marks are a starting point, not a verdict.
One last point on mindset. Plenty of people talk themselves out of even attempting CAT because a teacher or a relative once called them average. That label is about the past. CAT is a fresh test that rewards months of focused work, not your class 12 report card. Some of the sharpest people I met at IIM Ahmedabad were quietly written off earlier, then out-worked the doubt. If your marks are ordinary, let that be the reason you prepare harder, not the reason you hold back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get into an IIM with less than 70 percent in academics?
Yes. Students with under 70 percent in school or graduation reach top IIMs every year, usually on the back of a high CAT percentile. Academics set the starting line, but a strong CAT score can move you well past it.
Do low academic scores hurt at placements?
They can. Some recruiters, especially in consulting and parts of finance, weigh academic consistency. The way around it is to score well at the IIM, aim for the institute rank list plus build a strong overall profile.
What matters most for an average student aiming at the IIMs?
Your CAT percentile. It carries the most weight for the call and can offset average marks. Push it as high as you can, then strengthen your profile with internships and responsibilities.
Can an average student still get an MBB or top finance job?
Yes, though it is harder if academics are weak. Students have done it by performing strongly on campus, reaching the institute rank list plus converting shortlists in final placements rather than summers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get into an IIM with less than 70 percent in academics?
Yes. Students with under 70 percent in school or graduation reach top IIMs every year, usually on the back of a high CAT percentile. Academics set the starting line, but a strong CAT score can move you well past it.
Do low academic scores hurt at placements?
They can. Some recruiters, especially in consulting and parts of finance, weigh academic consistency. The way around it is to score well at the IIM, aim for the institute rank list plus build a strong overall profile.
What matters most for an average student aiming at the IIMs?
Your CAT percentile. It carries the most weight for the call and can offset average marks. Push it as high as you can, then strengthen your profile with internships and responsibilities.
Can an average student still get an MBB or top finance job?
Yes, though it is harder if academics are weak. Students have done it by performing strongly on campus, reaching the institute rank list plus converting shortlists in final placements rather than summers.