IIM Lucknow is ranked fifth in the NIRF 2025 Management ranking. Its two-year MBA, long known as the PGP, is taught on a large residential campus on the edge of Lucknow. The institute is known for case-based teaching, an agribusiness MBA alongside the flagship programme, and some of the highest sectional CAT cut-offs among the IIMs. It suits candidates who score evenly across all three CAT sections and want a large, established batch.
At a glance
| NIRF 2025 Management rank | 5 (score 77.97) |
| Established | 1984 |
| Type | Indian Institute of Management, governed by the IIM Act, 2017 |
| Location | Prabandh Nagar, IIM Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (with a second campus in Noida) |
| Flagship programme | MBA (formerly the Post Graduate Programme, PGP) |
| Duration | Two years (six terms), full-time, residential |
| Sanctioned intake | 621 across two-year PG programmes in 2023-24 (NIRF 2025 data) |
| Admission test(s) | CAT |
| Programme fee | Rs 20,50,000 total fee for the 2026-28 batch, plus Rs 25,000 in deposits and alumni fee; mess charged separately (official fee structure) |
| Median salary | Rs 30 lakh per annum for the two-year PG cohort graduating in 2023-24 (NIRF 2025 data) |
| Website | iiml.ac.in |
About IIM Lucknow
IIM Lucknow was set up by the Government of India in 1984. Its main campus is at Prabandh Nagar, about 21 km from Lucknow railway station and 26 km from the airport. The institute also has a campus in Noida.
The flagship two-year programme was historically called the Post Graduate Programme (PGP), and the institute now lists it as the MBA; graduates receive the MBA degree. The institute sums up the programme as "Good practice flows from strong theory" and follows a case-based teaching method. The first year has 22 compulsory core courses over three terms, followed by two months of summer training; the second year is mostly electives.
IIML has AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS accreditations, according to its website. Its 2025-26 exchange fact sheet notes a ranking of 55th globally in the FT Masters in Management ranking (2024).
Programmes
- MBA: the two-year flagship programme covered on this page (40th batch graduated in 2026).
- MBA-ABM: a two-year MBA in agribusiness management, with its own diversity criteria favouring agriculture-related disciplines.
- MBA-SM: a two-year MBA that requires at least 24 months of work experience.
- IPMX: a one-year MBA for executives.
- MBA-WE and MBA in Family Business: further programmes for experienced candidates.
- BS in Artificial Intelligence and Business Analytics: an undergraduate programme.
- PhD and PhD for working executives: the NIRF 2025 data lists 103 full-time and 66 part-time PhD students.
Admissions and eligibility
When we checked in October 2026, the latest admission policy on IIML's website was for the 2026-28 batch (CAT 2025). We could not find a 2027-29 policy there yet. The details below come from that policy and the MBA admissions page, and may change.
- Degree: a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates).
- Final-year students can apply and join provisionally if they complete their degree requirements by the stated date (30 June for the 2026 intake).
- Test: CAT. Candidates are shortlisted on CAT performance, academic record and work experience.
- Reservation: 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% NC-OBC, up to 10% EWS and 5% PwD.
Selection process
Stage 1a: minimum CAT percentiles
For the MBA (2026-28, CAT 2025), IIML set these sectional and total minimums:
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 85 | 85 | 85 | 90 |
| EWS | 77 | 77 | 77 | 82 |
| NC-OBC | 77 | 77 | 77 | 82 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
| PwD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
MBA-ABM and MBA-SM have lower minimums, at 80 per section and 85 overall for General candidates.
Stage 1b: composite score for the WAT-PI shortlist
Candidates who clear Stage 1a are ranked on a composite score out of 100:
- Scaled CAT score: 60, your CAT score relative to the highest CAT score of the year
- Class 12 marks: 10. Points start only above the 80th percentile of your board and discipline's past results.
- Graduation marks: 10, normalised within your academic discipline
- Work experience: 10. You earn 0.5 points per month beyond six months, up to the full 10 points. Only full-time work after graduation counts.
- Academic diversity: 5, for a non-engineering bachelor's degree
- Gender diversity: 5, for female candidates
Class 10 marks are not part of the formula.
Stage 2: WAT, PI and final score
Shortlisted candidates submit a WAT-PI form and take a Writing Ability Test (WAT) and a Personal Interview (PI). The MBA page lists these as held in Bangalore, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad. The final score for the MBA is:
- Personal interview: 40
- CAT: 30
- WAT: 10
- Academic performance (Class 12 and graduation): 5 + 5
- Diversity factors: 5
- Work experience: 5
You must score at least 12 out of 40 in the PI to appear on the final merit list.
Fees and financial aid
IIML's official fee structure for the 2026-28 batch (PGP and PGP-ABM) lists:
- First year (2026-27): Rs 10,75,000: admission fee Rs 1,00,000, tuition Rs 6,30,000 and infrastructure fee Rs 3,45,000
- Second year (2027-28): Rs 9,75,000: tuition Rs 6,30,000 and infrastructure fee Rs 3,45,000
- Total fee: Rs 20,50,000, plus refundable deposits of Rs 20,000 (library, computer and mess) and an alumni membership fee of Rs 5,000, giving Rs 20,75,000
- Mess charges are paid separately each term, based on actual use
The infrastructure fee covers items such as library resources, course material and hostel maintenance. Confirm the 2027-29 fee on the official site before you apply.
Financial assistance: IIML offers need-based scholarships based on gross family income (the student's own, parents' and spouse's). Income criteria are announced after admissions; each award lasts one year and is not renewed automatically. Students can also apply for central and state government scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal.
Placements
NIRF 2025 data: for the two-year PG programmes, all 614 students who graduated in 2023-24 within the stipulated time were placed. The median salary was Rs 30,00,000 per annum. It was also Rs 30 lakh for 2022-23 graduates and Rs 29 lakh for 2021-22 graduates.
Final Placement Report, batch of 2026: this report covers the 40th PGP batch and the 21st PGP-ABM batch. It does not state whether the figures were audited.
- More than 580 offers for 559 students
- Median salary Rs 32.9 lakh per annum; average Rs 33.2 lakh per annum
- Highest domestic offer Rs 1 crore per annum; highest international offer Rs 65 lakh per annum
- Average of the top 50% of the batch: Rs 42.2 lakh per annum
- Placement distribution: consulting 39%, general management 20%, finance 17%, IT (tech, analytics, product) 13%, sales and marketing 8%, operations 3%
- Top recruiters by number of offers included Accenture (56), Deloitte (26), PwC (24), Bain & Company (18) and BCG (18)
Placement figures vary by year and role; read the official report.
Campus and student life
The Lucknow campus is residential, with hostels, a library that IIML says is open 24 hours, and a computer centre with about 200 PCs. Sports facilities include football and cricket grounds and basketball, volleyball, tennis and badminton courts. The Umang activity centre adds a swimming pool, squash court and gym.
Student committees and clubs run events through the year, such as Manfest-Varchasva. The international student exchange programme links IIML with partner business schools, and incoming exchange students join second-year terms.
How to prepare for IIM Lucknow
IIML's sectional minimums are demanding: in the 2026-28 policy, General candidates needed the 85th percentile in every section and the 90th overall. That makes balance across VARC, DILR and QA essential, and one weak section can rule you out. Use our CAT 2026 preparation guide to plan for balance. Our guide to analysing mock tests will help you spot the section that needs work.
The CAT score then carries 60% of the shortlisting composite. Class 12 marks only earn points above a high threshold, and Class 10 marks are not used. Work experience earns the full 10 points at about 26 months. Women and graduates from non-engineering disciplines earn 5 diversity points each.
At the final stage, the interview carries 40 points and you need 12 of 40 to pass. Prepare thoroughly for your academic subjects, work and current affairs. Practise short, structured writing for the WAT. The reading comprehension strategy guide helps with both VARC and writing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CAT cut-off for IIM Lucknow?
For the MBA 2026-28 batch (CAT 2025), IIML's minimums for General candidates were the 85th percentile in each of VARC, DILR and QA and the 90th overall. EWS and NC-OBC candidates needed 77 per section and 82 overall. These qualify you for the composite-score stage, not for a guaranteed interview call.
What is the IIM Lucknow MBA fee?
For the 2026-28 batch, the official fee is Rs 20.5 lakh over two years. Refundable deposits and the alumni fee add Rs 25,000, and mess charges are paid separately each term.
What is the average salary at IIM Lucknow?
IIML's Final Placement Report for the batch of 2026 gives an average of Rs 33.2 lakh and a median of Rs 32.9 lakh per annum. The NIRF 2025 data gives a median of Rs 30 lakh for the two-year PG cohort graduating in 2023-24.
Does IIM Lucknow consider Class 10 marks?
Not in the 2026-28 policy. Shortlisting uses CAT, Class 12 marks, graduation marks, work experience and diversity factors.
IIM Lucknow or IIM Kozhikode: which is better?
Both are top-five IIMs in NIRF 2025, with different selection formulas. IIML relies more on CAT and has higher sectional floors, while IIM Kozhikode gives more weight to Class 10 and 12 marks. Compare their fees and placement reports against your profile and goals.
Sources
- NIRF India Rankings 2025: Management: rank and score (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIM Lucknow NIRF 2025 data submission (IR-M-S-8959): sanctioned intake, graduates, placed students, median salary, PhD numbers (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIML Admission Policy for MBA, MBA-ABM and MBA-SM, 2026-28 (CAT 2025): cut-offs, shortlisting composite, final score weights, PI minimum (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIML MBA programme page: programme structure, eligibility, reservation, WAT-PI cities, financial assistance (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIML Fee Structure, PGP and PGP-ABM, batch 2026-2028: fees, deposits, mess charges (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIML International Student Exchange Fact Sheet 2025-26: founding year, campus location, facilities, exchange (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIML Placement Reports: list of official reports (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIML Final Placement Report 2024-26 (batch of 2026): offers, salary statistics, domain split, recruiters, batch profile (accessed 22 October 2026)
- IIM Lucknow home page: programmes, campuses, accreditations (accessed 22 October 2026)
Researched from official sources on 22 October 2026. Admissions policies, fees and placement figures change every year: confirm them on the institute’s website before applying.