IIM Waitlist movement is a process in which the students who did not get a seat in the first round get a seat in this round, only if a student has rejected their accepted seat.
Students awaiting a response from the IIMs, the IIM waitlist movement 2026 is a significant factor in final admissions. Every year, almost 2.5 lakh students apply for courses such as PGDM, PGP, and MBA at top IIMs in India . But with just about 7,500 seats available in 2026, it is no surprise that not all of them get seats in the first round. After the initial admission offers are released, a few students accept their seats, but a percentage of them don’t. That is when the waitlist comes into action. If students are on that list, your hope relies on someone else leaving their seat, which starts the IIM waitlist movement 2026. It is a stressful time, but learning how it works, particularly by examining past trends, can relieve you and prepare you for what's coming.
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IIM Waitlist Movement 2026 Dates
Here are the tentative release dates for the different IIM waitlist movement 2026 based on previous years’ trends:
Name of IIM | Expected IIM Waitlist Movement 2026 Release Dates |
|---|---|
| March/April 2026 (Tentative) | |
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What is the IIM Waitlist Process 2026?
Most students receive offers from multiple IIMs and other top institutions and choose one among the rest. The pace of the IIM waitlist movement 2026 depends on a variety of factors, such as:
- Total Number of Waitlisted Students: If there are too many students waitlisted, the process slows down.
- How Many Students Take the First Offer: The more students who take their seats immediately, the less opportunity there is for the waitlist to advance. But if lots of them turn it down, your odds are better.
- Differences based on Program and Category: All IIMs and programs (such as MBA, PGPX, etc.) deal with their waitlist individually. Your category (General, OBC, EWS, SC, ST, etc.) also matters a lot to how quickly the list is progressing and how many seats may be available for you.
Also Read: IIM CAP 2026: Result (Soon), PI/WAT (Concluded), Cutoffs, Colleges
Category-Wise IIM Waitlist Movement
If students are waitlisted at an IIM, you will begin noticing updates in stages between May and July 2026. Remember, the pace of the IIM waitlist movement 2026 depends on the rank of the institute. The following are the expected IIM waitlist movement trends for different categories:
List of IIMs and Programs | GEN | EWS | NC-OBC | SC | ST | PWD | Waitlist Batch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IIM Ahmedabad – MBA | 10 | 0 | 21 | 30 | 0 | 3 | 2022-2024 |
IIM Ahmedabad – MBA | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 2023-2026 |
IIM Ahmedabad – MBA | 27 | 2 | 14 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 2024-2026 |
IIM Ahmedabad – MBA-FABM | 24 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2022-2024 |
IIM Ahmedabad – MBA-FABM | 9 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2023-2026 |
IIM Ahmedabad – MBA-FABM | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2024-2026 |
IIM Jammu – MBA | 1941 | 212 | 1014 | 616 | 133 | 24 | 2022-2024 |
IIM Jammu – MBA | 1434 | 5 | 861 | 374 | 151 | – | 2023-2026 |
IIM Jammu – MBA | 169 | 60 | 128 | 80 | 45 | – | 2024-2026 |
IIM Nagpur – MBA | 281 | 10 | 212 | 53 | 50 | 14 | 2022-2024 |
IIM Nagpur – MBA | 389 | 37 | 65 | 63 | 28 | 3 | 2024-2026 |
IIM Rohtak – PGP | 484 | 32 | 185 | 108 | 87 | 2 | 2022-2024 |
IIM Rohtak – PGP | 283 | 12 | 71 | 63 | 39 | 0 | 2023-2026 |
IIM Rohtak – PGP | 96 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 2024-2026 |
IIM Shillong – PGP | 144 | 83 | – | 135 | 25 | – | 2023-2026 |
IIM Shillong – PGP | 646 | 79 | – | 91 | 0 | 5 | 2024-2026 |
IIM Sirmaur – MBA | 978 | 228 | 530 | 143 | 100 | – | 2022-2024 |
IIM Sirmaur – MBA | 1181 | 200 | 405 | 359 | 163 | 46 | 2023-2026 |
IIM Sirmaur – MBA Tourism | 39 | 2 | 25 | 17 | 5 | – | 2022-2024 |
IIM Udaipur – MBA | 790 | 150 | 328 | 334 | 50 | 15 | 2022-2024 |
IIM Udaipur – MBA | 545 | 18 | 300 | 148 | 0 | 0 | 2023-2026 |
IIM Udaipur – MBA | 268 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2024-2026 |
IIM Visakhapatnam – PGP | 311 | 76 | 205 | 130 | 57 | 37 | 2022-2024 |
IIM Visakhapatnam – PGP | 220 | 70 | 187 | 100 | 70 | 68 | 2023-2026 |
IIM Visakhapatnam – PGP | 219 | 54 | 158 | 120 | 80 | 80 | 2024-2026 |
IIM Bangalore | 67 | 15 | 16 | 40 | 8 | 2 | - |
IIM Calcutta | 172 | 8 | 137 | 90 | 50 | 28 | - |
IIM Lucknow | 612 | 107 | 412 | 223 | 127 | 51 | - |
IIM Kozhikode | 710 | 91 | 453 | 268 | 175 | 89 | - |
IIM Indore | 800+ | 98+ | 581+ | 347+ | 181+ | 90+ | - |
Important Tips for IIM Waitlisted Students
If students are on the IIM waitlist, here's what students can do to remain prepared and boost their chances:
- Maintain a Positive Attitude: It is completely natural to feel a little down when students are waitlisted. But do not give up hope; a lot can still go right. Remaining confident and positive can make a difference in how they approach the situation.
- Have your Documents Ready Ahead of Time: Get ahead of the game by keeping all examinees' important documents in order. Make sure the CAT scorecard, academic transcripts and recommendation letters are ready, just in case they receive the call.
- Stay Connected with the Admissions Staff: Send them a courteous email or call them to tell them about your interest in admissions. It is helpful to stay in their memory without being too persistent.
- Be Ready to Act Fast: If students are offered a job, you may have little time to respond. Be prepared in your mind and in reality to act spontaneously, as others on the list are waiting as well.
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Top IIMs rarely have much movement, just because candidates from most often take their offers. The lower-ranked IIMs, however, have a lot of waitlist movement. That's largely because candidates often opt for top management colleges in India after getting in. Additionally, your category also comes into play. If students fall under categories such as SC, ST, or OBC, there's normally more movement on the IIM waitlists, which provides them with a greater chance as the rounds continue. If you have any doubts regarding the IIM waitlist movement 2026, you can ask questions in our Q&A zone . Besides this, those interested in admission into any top MBA colleges in India can fill out our Common Application Form . Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more articles on IIMs and MBA admission in India.
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FAQs
An IIM waitlist movement is a ranked list of applicants who qualify for admission but were not offered a spot in the first round due to limited seat availability. They may receive admission if the initially offered candidates choose not to accept their offers.
IIM waitlist movement happens when those who got initial offers of admission do not take them up (maybe because they got into another IIM, another B-school such as FMS or XLRI, or an international offer). The seat thus falls vacant and is offered to the subsequent waitlisted candidate based on their position in their respective category.
IIM waitlist movement is based on multiple factors:
- Candidates who decline offers, program seat intake, and dynamics of categories.
- High acceptance rates at older IIMs, such as Ahmedabad and Bangalore, result in little movement, whereas newer IIMs witness more changes.
- Your category (General, OBC, SC, etc.) also makes a difference; reserved categories tend to witness more shifts.
- Historical trends indicate changes across IIMs and years, so remain updated and patient in the process.
The waitlist movement at IIMs usually starts in April or May, after the first round of admission offers. Established IIMs like Ahmedabad and Bangalore witness little movement, usually in single digits, whereas newer or baby IIMs witness greater movement, sometimes up to 40%. The process goes on until July or August, with updates being published from time to time.
To verify your IIM waitlist status and movement, you must log in to the official admission portal of the concerned IIM with your credentials. Waitlist movement notifications are generally communicated via email or posted on the portal. Regularly check from May and June, as maximum movement occurs then. Every IIM has its procedure, so closely monitor individual institute websites and official notifications.
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