Most CAT aspirants focus entirely on percentile, but IIM admissions depend on much more. Academic consistency, work experience quality, diversity points, extracurricular achievements, and interview performance often decide who gets the final admission offer.

Many CAT aspirants believe a 99 percentile guarantees admission to top IIMs. The reality is very different. Personal interviews, academics, work experience, WAT performance, and diversity factors often carry more weight than CAT scores. Here's a complete breakdown of what really decides IIM admissions in 2026.