- IIM gender diversity weightage is a points item in the score, not a seat quota: 5 to 10 of 100 points in the 2026-28 policies that state a figure.
- It can apply at the shortlist stage, the final stage or both. IIM Calcutta's 2027-29 policy uses a gender factor at shortlisting only.
- What the points are worth depends on how CAT is scored: at IIM Jammu (2026-28), 8 gender marks equal about 19 percentile points of the CAT term.
- Recent batches range from about 24% to 67% women, so the points are only one factor among several.
IIM gender diversity weightage is a fixed number of points added to the scores of eligible candidates, usually women and sometimes transgender candidates, at the shortlist stage, the final stage or both. In the 2026-28 policies that state a figure, it is worth 5 to 10 points out of 100. It adds to a score and does not reserve a seat.
The figures below come from IIM policies for 2026-28 unless another cycle is named. As of 6 Nov 2026, 2027-29 policies are only partly out, so check each IIM's current document before you rely on a number.
How does gender diversity enter a score?
Points are the main mechanism. A candidate in the eligible group gets fixed points added to her composite, and the IIM ranks everyone on the total. The wording differs. FMS Delhi's 2027-29 bulletin adds 5 extra marks for women at shortlisting and 5 more for women who appear for the interview. IIM Shillong's 2026-28 rule gives a gender score of 10 to every candidate except those of the gender with the largest share of CAT 2025 appearers, so it names no gender.
Some IIMs also use a seat pool. IIM Bodh Gaya's 2026-28 policy says 70% of seats are gender-neutral, and the remainder may include supernumerary seats for girls.
IIM gender diversity weightage: which IIMs give points, and when?
| IIM | Cycle | Gender item | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Calcutta | 2027-29 | 4 of 85 shortlist points, for female and transgender candidates | Shortlist only |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 2027-29 | 3 points in the application rating, for all non-male candidates | Shortlist (rating carries 35% of the composite) |
| IIM Bangalore | 2026-28 | 5 of 100 per our records | Pre-interview score |
| IIM Sambalpur | 2026-28 | 5 of 100 | Shortlist and final |
| IIM Tiruchirappalli | 2026-28 | 6 of 100 for female candidates | Final |
| IIM Kashipur | 2026-28 | 6 extra marks, female or transgender | Merit list |
| IIM Jammu | 2026-28 | 8 of 100 | Merit list |
| IIM Nagpur | 2026-28 | 10 of 100 | Shortlist score and final |
| IIM Shillong | 2026-28 | 10 of 100, all but the largest gender among CAT appearers | Final merit list |
IIM Bangalore's figure comes from our records and we could not re-read its policy PDF, so confirm it there. IIM Ahmedabad's 3 points sit inside an application rating that is normalised and carries 35% of the shortlist composite, so they are not 3 of 100. IIM Calcutta's 4 points are 4 of an 85-point shortlist score, and its final weights for 2027-29 (CAT 30, PI 48, written test 8, work experience 8, academic diversity 6) contain no separate gender item.
What do 5 or 8 points mean in percentile terms?
Convert points to percentile only when the CAT term is stated. IIM Jammu's 2026-28 merit list scores CAT as 0.42 times the percentile, so one percentile is worth 0.42 marks.
- The CAT term is 0.42 x percentile, so 1 percentile point = 0.42 marks.
- 8 / 0.42 = 19.05 percentile points.
- Check the spread: two candidates between the 91st and 99th percentile differ by at most 8 x 0.42 = 3.36 CAT marks, smaller than 8.
Answer: About 19 percentile points. Within a narrow band of CAT scores, 8 marks can outweigh the whole CAT gap.
Only IIM Jammu's policy gives the CAT term in this form. At other IIMs the answer depends on how the CAT score is scaled, so divide the gender points by the CAT weight per percentile point once you know it.
Why does the effect shrink at the final stage?
At the final stage the interview carries 15 to 50 of 100 points in the policies we hold, and interview scores vary far more across candidates than a fixed 5 to 10 gender points. At shortlisting, candidates are separated by small CAT and profile differences, so the same points can decide more positions.
This is arithmetic reasoning, not published data. No IIM in our records reports interview scores by gender.
What share of recent batches are women?
| IIM | Batch | Women |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 2026-28 | 30.92% |
| IIM Bangalore | 2026-28 | 42% |
| IIM Kozhikode | 2025-27 | 55% |
| IIM Tiruchirappalli | 2025-27 | 48% |
| IIM Mumbai | 2024-26 | 48% |
| IIM Lucknow | 2024-26 | 35% |
| IIM Indore | 2024-26 | 27% |
| IIM Jammu | 2024-26 | 67% |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 2024-26 | about 24% (77 of 320) |
The range is wide, from about 24% to 67%. A batch share does not isolate the effect of the points, because the number of women who apply, the floors and the interview all play a part.
What do the points not change?
The points are added after the floors. IIM Ahmedabad's 2027-29 floors of 95 overall and 85 per section apply to General and EWS candidates, and IIM Nagpur's 2026-28 policy needs a positive score in every section. IIM Lucknow's 2026-28 policy sets a PI pass mark of 12 out of 40. None of these is replaced by diversity points.
Some policies do set a different floor by gender. IIM Sambalpur's 2026-28 minimum overall percentile for General is 90, with 85 for women and for men with at least one year of relevant experience. IIM Jammu's General floors are 91 overall and 72 per section for men, and 89 and 71 for women. Find the row for your category and gender.
How do you read your own IIM's policy?
- Note the cycle on the first page.
- Find the diversity line and check whether it means gender, academic background or both.
- Note the stage (shortlist, final or both) and the total it is out of.
- Read the eligibility wording: female, transgender, or a rule written without naming a gender.
- Find how CAT is scored, so you can convert points to percentile.
- Find the floors for your category and gender.
The IIM call predictor adjusts your percentile for gender as one of several profile factors. The IIM CAT cutoff page lists the 2026-28 floors that IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta disclosed.