You typed “IIMC: Indian Institute of Mass Communication score 2026 - complete list” because you expect a table of colleges. That made sense a few years ago.
For the 2026-27 academic cycle, the ground has shifted entirely. IIMC - now a deemed university - has aligned most of its admissions with the national Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduates (CUET PG). A separate IIMC-specific entrance exam exists only for four regional-language journalism diplomas. The “score” you get is overwhelmingly a CUET PG percentile, not an isolated IIMC score, and the “colleges” that use it are IIMC’s own six campuses.
No centralised master list of external colleges accepting the IIMC score exists - and that’s not a gap in coverage; it reflects how journalism admissions work in India. This guide walks you through what is real, what you must verify yourself, and how to build a safe shortlist for 2026.
What IIMC Admission Looks Like in 2026
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) was granted deemed-to-be-university status on January 31, 2024. For the 2026-27 session, it offers six Master of Arts (MA) programmes and four one-year Post Graduate Diploma (PG Diploma) programmes across six campuses.
Admission now runs through two distinct tracks:
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CUET PG track - for all MA programmes and most PG Diploma courses (English journalism, Hindi journalism, Radio & TV journalism, Advertising & PR). Your CUET PG score in Mass Communication & Journalism (COQP17) or other approved subjects is the primary academic input. IIMC then runs an e-counselling process where you rank campus and programme preferences.
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IIMC regional-language entrance track - only for PG Diploma courses in Odia, Marathi, Malayalam, and Urdu journalism. A separate entrance test conducted by IIMC forms the basis of selection. No CUET PG is required for these streams.
This dual system means the phrase “colleges accepting IIMC score” is now misleading. For most programmes, you are using a CUET PG score, not an IIMC-specific score. The short answer to which institutions accept that score: IIMC’s six campuses, via the e-counselling portal at iimc.admissions.nic.in. [s: PIB release 03-June-2026]
The Actual List: All Programmes & Campuses That Accept Your CUET PG / IIMC Test Score
The table below captures every programme offered by IIMC in the 2026-27 session, with seat counts, eligibility, and the entrance basis. These are the only institutions you can directly reach with a CUET PG score in Mass Communication & Journalism or the separate IIMC test for regional programmes.
MA Programmes (2 years)
Figures for seats of the three new MA programmes (Health Communication, Media & Communication Governance, Corporate Communication & Brand Management) were not specified in the initial prospectus; final seat tallies will be announced on iimc.gov.in.
PG Diploma Programmes (1 year)
Sources: IIMC prospectus 2025-26/27 page 4-5, PIB release dated 03 June 2026, IIMC official course pages. Age limits confirmed via PIB and prospectus page 13. [s: Prospectus p.4-5, 12-13; PIB 03-June-2026]
The total PG Diploma seats across all streams and campuses come to 672 for the 2026 cycle. MA seat totals (excluding the three new programmes) are around 200.
What You’ll Pay: Fee Structure 2026-27
All fees are per the official IIMC prospectus and are payable in semester instalments. For PG Diploma programmes, the total is split across two semesters; for MA programmes, across four semesters.
PG Diploma Programmes (Total Course Fee)
These totals include tuition, student welfare, library, examination, development, and convocation fees. The library fee includes ₹3,000 refundable and ₹2,000 non-refundable.
MA Programmes (Total Course Fee for 2 Years)
Fees are split across semesters. For MA New Media Communications, the higher fee reflects the ₹3,20,000 tuition component. [s: Prospectus p.15-16]
Candidates allotted a seat must pay a confirmation fee of ₹20,000 online. The remaining balance must be paid within the timeline specified by the institute.
Selection & Weightage: How Your Score Translates to a Seat
The selection process differs slightly depending on the programme category.
For MA programmes (via CUET PG): You will be shortlisted based on your CUET PG score in the relevant paper. For MA Media Business Studies and MA Strategic Communication, the final merit list uses 85% weightage to the CUET PG score and 15% weightage to a personal interview. For MA New Media Communications, selection proceeds through a counselling process without an interview component, directly based on CUET PG scores. Supernumerary seats are available for defence personnel, industry professionals with at least 10 years of experience, and wards of Kashmiri migrants. [s: Prospectus p.11-12]
For CUET PG-based PG Diploma programmes: There is no personal interview. IIMC generates a category-wise merit list from your CUET PG score. You then fill a counselling form indicating your programme and campus preferences. Campus allocation follows merit-cum-preference rules - rank all six campuses when you register, because leaving a campus blank means IIMC will assign one alphabetically. [s: Prospectus p.14-15]
For regional-language PG Diploma programmes: These rely entirely on the IIMC-conducted entrance test followed by a counselling process. If two candidates have identical scores, the older candidate gets preference. [s: Prospectus p.12]
Reservation: Seats follow the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation of Seats) Act, 2006: 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% OBC-NCL, 10% EWS, with 5% horizontal reservation for PWD in each category. [s: Prospectus p.13-14]
Key Dates for the 2026 Cycle
The e-counselling portal (iimc.admissions.nic.in) is live. The last date to register for e-counselling was June 7, 2026, and the first allotment list was published on June 9, 2026. Since today is June 14, 2026, you are mid-cycle - further rounds of counselling will continue as per the schedule announced on the IIMC website.
If you have not yet registered, check the portal immediately. If you missed the deadline, IIMC may open additional rounds or waitlist movement depending on seat availability.
Candidates who have already registered must keep checking their dashboard for seat allotment results and respond within the given timeframe - typically 2-3 days - to freeze or float their seat.
What About Other Journalism Colleges?
The gap between “IIMC score” and “other colleges” is real. IIMC is India’s most respected government-funded journalism school, but it does not act as a central admission authority for other institutions.
If you are considering other top media colleges, you will need to appear for their own entrance exams or apply via CUET PG separately. The following institutions offer strong journalism and mass communication programmes, but they do not accept a unified “IIMC score.”
- Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication (SIMC), Pune - conducts its own MA (Mass Communication) entrance test.
- Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC), Mumbai - has a separate entrance for PG diplomas in Journalism, PR, Advertising.
- AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi - admits via CUET PG or its own entrance test.
- Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai - conducts an independent entrance test.
- Department of Communication & Journalism, University of Madras - accepts CUET PG or university-level test.
- Manorama School of Communication (MASCOM), Kottayam - has its own admission process.
The CUET PG score in Mass Communication & Journalism (COQP17) is accepted by several central universities for their MA and MJMC programmes, including Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad, and Aligarh Muslim University. So while your CUET PG score was used for IIMC, you can also check the separate admission portals of other central universities that accept CUET PG - but you must apply independently.
Documents You’ll Need for IIMC Admission
Keep these ready, both scanned and in physical form. The e-counselling process requires uploads, and the final physical verification happens at the allotted campus.
- CUET PG 2026 scorecard (or IIMC entrance test score for regional languages)
- High school certificate (for date-of-birth verification)
- Final graduation mark sheet (provisional certificate acceptable if final result awaited, due by the date specified by IIMC)
- Caste/EWS/PWD certificate (if applicable, OBC certificate must not be older than 6 months from the date of registration)
- Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, etc.)
- Recent passport-size photographs
Candidates in the reserved category who cannot produce the caste certificate during admission may submit an undertaking and provide the certificate within the stipulated period. [s: PIB 03-June-2026]
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I took the CUET PG. Can I use that score for IIMC and other universities at the same time?
Yes. CUET PG scores are accepted independently by each participating university. Applying to IIMC through its e-counselling portal does not block you from using the same score for other central universities like BHU, JMI, or University of Hyderabad. You must register and apply separately on each university’s admission portal.
Q: I appeared for the IIMC entrance test for Odia journalism. Can I also apply for English journalism?
No. The IIMC test for Odia/Marathi/Malayalam/Urdu is programme-specific. For English/Hindi journalism or any MA programme, you need a valid CUET PG score in the relevant paper. There is no cross-walk between the two entrance tracks.
Q: What is the minimum CUET PG percentile for IIMC?
IIMC does not publish a fixed percentile cutoff in advance. Cutoffs vary by programme, campus, and category, and are determined by the number of applicants and available seats. As a benchmark, Delhi English journalism and Radio & TV journalism have historically been the most competitive. The institute generates a category-wise merit list after CUET results are released, and you will know your standing during the e-counselling rounds.
Q: Can final-year graduation students apply?
Yes. You can apply if you are appearing for your final year examination. If selected, you must submit a provisional marks sheet or certificate from your college/university by the date specified in the prospectus (typically September 30 of the admission year, extendable in genuine cases). [s: Prospectus p.13]
Q: Is there an age limit for MA programmes?
No. There is no upper age limit for any MA programme. The age restrictions (25/28/30 years for General/OBC/SC-ST-PWD respectively as on 01/08/2026) apply only to PG Diploma programmes. [s: Prospectus p.13]
Q: How do I get a refund of the ₹3,000 library deposit?
The library security deposit is refundable at the end of the programme upon production of a no-dues certificate from the librarian. If not claimed within one year of completing the programme, the deposit is forfeited. [s: Prospectus p.20]
Q: Where do I find the official counselling schedule and updates?
The single authoritative source is the IIMC admission portal: iimc.admissions.nic.in. For programme-specific queries, email [email protected]. The full prospectus is available at iimc.gov.in under the “Downloads” section.