DoMS IIT Madras MBA admission: eligibility, CAT and selection
DoMS IIT Madras offers a full-time MBA for graduates across disciplines. Its latest complete regular-MBA cycle, for the 2026-28 batch, is already closed: the institute’s admissions portal records registration closure on 8 February 2026, the final admission result on 30 April, and subsequent wait-list results through 20 July 2026. As of 1 November 2026, applicants should use these details to understand the process, not treat them as dates for the next intake. DoMS has not yet published a verified 2027-29 calendar in the sources reviewed. MBA admission portal
Who can apply
For the regular MBA, the 2026 instructions accepted graduates in any discipline from a recognised university, including a professional qualification recognised as equivalent to a university degree. The stated academic threshold was first class or at least 60%; for SC, ST and PwD applicants the portal states 55%. Final-year students could also apply provisionally, subject to completing the qualifying degree requirements and producing the required completion evidence within the stated post-joining period. Because that deadline was tied to the 2026 cohort, candidates for a later batch should follow the new cycle’s notice rather than carry the date forward. 2026 admission instructions
The standard entrance route for Indian applicants is a valid CAT score for the relevant cycle. The portal states an exemption for a graduate of any IIT who has a CGPA of at least 8.0 on a 10-point scale. This is a narrowly described CAT exemption; it does not remove the degree requirement or imply admission without shortlisting and the rest of the selection process. The 2026 instructions also describe a sponsored category: an applicant with a valid CAT score and at least two years of work experience in the same sponsoring organisation may apply through the employer’s proper channel. The institution’s rules for sponsorship and the supporting letter should be checked in the cycle-specific application materials.
The portal separately describes foreign and NRI applicants as needing a valid GMAT score, a recognised undergraduate degree with first class or 60%, and the option to apply in the final year provisionally. Defence personnel may apply through the relevant government agency under the sponsored route; the official page says this category is exempt from the national-level test and specifies a 55% degree threshold. These categories have different application routes and document requirements. Applicants should confirm that their citizenship, employment or service status fits the current notice before selecting a category; the standard Indian CAT process should not be assumed to cover every applicant.
Application and documents
The 2026 portal directed candidates to apply online. The instructions asked applicants to upload a photograph, signature and CAT scorecard, or GMAT scorecard where applicable, along with category documents when relevant. The listed documents include OBC-NCL and EWS certificates, SC/ST certificate, PwD medical certificate, a CGPA-to-percentage conversion certificate when needed, a consolidated grade sheet for IIT graduates claiming the CAT exemption, and citizenship evidence for foreign or NRI candidates. The exact certificate issue dates and file requirements are cycle-specific; use the current portal checklist rather than an old download when a new intake opens.
The last published regular-MBA application fee was ₹1,600 for General, OBC and Foreign/NRI applicants and ₹800 for SC/ST/PwD applicants. The portal marked the amount non-refundable and listed internet banking, card and UPI payment options. These figures belong to the 2026 application cycle; they are not a promise of the next application fee. A submitted application could not be edited through the portal according to its instructions, and applicants were told to contact the admissions office for critical errors. Review names, category, score, academics and uploaded evidence before submitting, and retain the payment and application confirmation.
How selection works
DoMS describes a composite-score shortlist that considers CAT performance, past academic record, work experience, academic diversity and gender. The 2026 portal says shortlisted candidates are invited for a personal interview. Final selection then considers the composite score together with reflective writing, the interview and other achievements. This means a CAT score alone does not establish an interview call or final offer. The department does not publish a permanent cutoff on the material reviewed here; candidates should not rely on an unofficial threshold as a guarantee of shortlisting.
For the 2026 cycle, the portal scheduled interviews in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata during March, with location-specific dates. It also recorded that the shortlist for the personal interview and reflective-writing stage was announced on 19 February 2026. The general instructions list the same selection components, but some older downloadable documents contain prior-cycle dates. Use the 2026 portal’s dated announcements for that batch and disregard old dates when planning a future application.
What to do next
The next regular-MBA application dates and cycle-specific criteria remain to be announced in the official material reviewed as of 1 November 2026. Before registering for CAT, confirm the exam year accepted by DoMS once the new notice appears. Then compare the application category with the rules for regular, sponsored, defence, or foreign/NRI applicants; prepare degree and category certificates; and check the portal for application dates, fee, interview format and any updated eligibility wording. Contact the admissions coordinator for a case-specific clarification rather than inferring eligibility from a previous cohort’s FAQ.
DoMS lists the MBA admissions office at IIT Madras, Chennai, and gives [email protected] as its contact in the 2026 portal. The site also lists telephone hours on weekdays. These details are useful for questions about the application process, but a contact response should not replace the published eligibility notice or an official decision on an application.
Applicants comparing routes should also keep the department’s other programmes separate from this regular MBA. The department has a distinct Executive MBA for working professionals and separate research admissions. Their tests, experience requirements, calendars and fees do not establish eligibility for the full-time MBA. This page therefore covers only the regular two-year MBA application route and the candidate categories named in its official 2026 materials.