Quick Facts
- Four of six old IIMs recorded their highest ever women share in flagship 2026-28 MBA batches.
- IIM Kozhikode leads old IIMs with 329 women (66%) in its 499-strong batch, a fresh record.
- Across five top IIMs, about 45.7% of the 2026-28 flagship batch are women, up from 41.7%.
In This Article
The IIM women share reached record highs in the 2026-28 batch, with at least four of the six old Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) enrolling their largest ever proportion of women in flagship two-year MBA programmes.
The gains span IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta. Across these five top campuses, about 45.7% of the total 2026-28 flagship batch are women, up from 41.7% in the 2025-27 batch. The figures come from institute inauguration data and were reported by The Economic Times.
Key Takeaways
- IIM Kozhikode sets the pace among older IIMs, with women making up roughly two-thirds of its new PGP batch.
- Diversity points at the shortlisting stage are the main lever most IIMs now use to lift the women share.
- The rise reflects a long-term admission strategy, not a one-year spike, so expect these gains to hold.
CampusFeed Take
The headline number to watch is not any single campus figure but the shift in the pipeline. IIMs are increasingly rewarding balanced profiles over raw entrance scores, and that quietly reshapes who reaches interview stage. Students planning for CAT 2026 should read this as a signal: a strong all-round profile now carries real weight at shortlisting. Recruiters watching from India Inc will be the closest observers, since a more balanced classroom feeds a more balanced leadership pipeline over the next decade. By the 2027-29 admission cycle, more campuses may cross the 50% line. By Avinash.
IIM Women Share: Campus by Campus in 2026-28
The IIM women share varies widely across the top campuses, from about 31% at IIM Ahmedabad to nearly 66% at IIM Kozhikode. IIM Kozhikode has been the forerunner in driving gender diversity among IIMs. It enrolled 329 women this year, the most on record, making up about 66% of its 499-strong flagship batch of 2026-28. This surpasses its previous high of 59.1% (289 women in 480 students) in the 2024-26 batch.
IIM Indore reported 265 women out of 487 flagship students, or 54.4%, its highest ever share. The figure rose from 262 women out of 487 last year, as reported by The Economic Times. At IIM Bangalore, women account for 42% of the 541 flagship students in the new batch. At IIM Ahmedabad, women make up 30.92% of the 414-strong batch, with 128 of 414 students being women, per figures shared by IIM Ahmedabad. At IIM Calcutta, the women share has risen to 33% this year from 26.7% in the batch that joined last year, though it trails the 36% the institute enrolled in its 2024-26 batch.
Key Data: Women Share Across Top IIMs, 2026-28
The table below sets out the reported women share in the flagship two-year MBA batch at five old IIMs for 2026-28.
| IIM Campus | Women Share (2026-28) | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Kozhikode | About 66% (329 of 499) | Highest across old IIMs, a fresh record |
| IIM Indore | 54.4% (265 of 487) | Highest ever share for the campus |
| IIM Bangalore | 42% (of 541) | Large flagship batch |
| IIM Calcutta | 33% | Up from 26.7% last year |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 30.92% (128 of 414) | Lowest among the five listed |
The most striking data point is the gap between the top and bottom of this list: IIM Kozhikode’s women share is more than double that of IIM Ahmedabad, showing how much admission design shapes the final classroom mix.
About the Indian Institutes of Management
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are a group of public business schools set up by the Government of India, with the first established at Calcutta and Ahmedabad in 1961. They are declared institutions of national importance and run flagship two-year postgraduate MBA programmes admitting students mainly through the Common Admission Test (CAT). Today there are 21 IIMs across India, and the older campuses like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta and Kozhikode regularly rank among the country’s top management schools. You can read more on the official IIM Bangalore website.
Why is the women share rising at IIMs?
The women share is rising at IIMs mainly because several institutes now award gender diversity points during the admission process, lifting more women into the interview stage. IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta and IIM Indore award such points, and IIM Kozhikode factors gender diversity into its multi-stage selection while placing greater emphasis on candidates’ motivation, intent and experiences.
“Over the years, our institute has been a pioneer in re-engineering the classroom demographic to reflect a more inclusive and progressive learning environment. We have consistently implemented a multi-layered approach to foster an inclusive cohort,” said IIM Kozhikode Director Debashis Chatterjee, as reported by The Economic Times.
IIM Ahmedabad chairperson (admission) Karthik Sriram said the institute introduced gender diversity points for the 2025-27 batch and continued the practice for 2026-28. The IIM Kozhikode admission criteria confirm that gender diversity carries weight in shortlisting, alongside academics and work experience. You can review the detailed criteria on the official IIM Kozhikode website.
What This Means For You
If you are a student
If you are preparing for CAT 2026, a strong overall profile now matters more than a high entrance score alone. Many IIMs reward gender diversity and academic diversity at the shortlisting stage. Check each institute’s published admission criteria before you plan your target list, so you know exactly where your profile stands the best chance.
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If you are a parent
If your daughter is aiming for a top MBA, the data is encouraging: women now make up a large and rising share of flagship IIM batches. This is the result of deliberate admission design, not a temporary trend. Support her CAT preparation with confidence, and focus on building a balanced academic and co-curricular record.
If you are a school principal or teacher
If you guide students toward management careers, share this data to counter the idea that top B-schools remain male-dominated. Encourage girls with strong academics to consider the CAT route. Point them to official IIM admission pages so their planning rests on verified criteria rather than hearsay.
What Is Next
The next admission cycle will show whether more campuses cross the 50% women mark. Key milestones to watch include:
- CAT 2026 registration and exam, expected later this year.
- Release of 2027-29 shortlisting criteria by individual IIMs.
- Batch profile disclosures at 2027 inauguration ceremonies.
Will your target IIM be the next to reach a balanced classroom?
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: July 02, 2026 at 08:00 IST
Last verified: July 02, 2026
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information at the time of publishing. Exam dates, cutoffs, fees, deadlines, eligibility criteria, and scholarship details can change without notice. Always verify the latest information from the official portal of the relevant body (UGC, individual IIM websites, or the Ministry of Education) before taking any action. CampusFeed and its authors are not responsible for decisions made based on this article. This is not legal, financial, or career advice. Please consult a qualified professional for individual guidance.
Written by Avinash. Published: July 02, 2026. Updated: July 02, 2026. Have a tip or correction? Write to us at editorial@campusfeed.in.
