IPMAT Indore 2026 Analysis
IIM Indore conducted IPMAT Indore 2026 for admission to its 5-year Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) on Monday, 4 May 2026. The test was conducted as a computer-based exam from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM across around 39 test cities. The sanctioned domestic intake for the IPM 2026 batch is 150 seats. The number of applicants is estimated to be around 30,000–32,000, making the competition extremely intense.
IPMAT Indore 2026: Paper Pattern
| Section | No. of Questions | Weightage in ATS | Time Limit |
|---|
| Quantitative Ability – Short Answer | 15 | 25% | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Ability – MCQ | 30 | 25% | 40 minutes |
| Verbal Ability | 45 | 50% | 40 minutes |
| Total | 90 | 100% | 120 minutes |
Each correct answer carried 4 marks. There was a negative marking of 1 mark for each wrong answer in the MCQ sections. There was no negative marking in the QA Short Answer section.
The sections had to be attempted in the pre-specified order, and candidates could not switch between sections.
Overall Difficulty Level
Based on the initial analysis and student feedback, the overall difficulty level of IPMAT Indore 2026 can be considered moderate.
| Section | Overall Difficulty |
|---|
| QA – Short Answer | Easier than last year |
| QA – MCQ | Tougher than last year |
| Verbal Ability | Same level as last year / a shade easier |
The QA-MCQ section appears to have been the most challenging section of the paper. Initial student feedback strongly suggests that many candidates found the MCQ section tougher and more time-consuming, while QA-SA was perceived as more manageable by several students.
Verbal Ability Analysis
The Verbal Ability section had 45 questions. The section was broadly manageable, though a few questions in vocabulary, para-completion, and sentence insertion may have required careful judgement. The para summary questions made a surprise appearance.
There were three Reading Comprehension passages, with 6 questions each.
| RC Topic | No. of Questions | Passage Length |
|---|
| Animal Communication | 6 | Medium |
| Rage bait in social media | 6 | Short / Easy |
| Nile River and Egyptian Society – Interview-based passage | 6 | Long |
Apart from Reading Comprehension, the section had questions from the following areas:
| Area | Approximate No. of Questions |
|---|
| Para Jumbles | 5 |
| Fill in the Blanks | 6–7 |
| Cloze Test | 3 |
| Para Summary | 4 |
| Sentence Insertion | 3–4 |
| Grammar | 3–4 |
Overall, the VA section was moderate to easy. The RC questions were largely detail-based, while some of the non-RC questions needed careful elimination. The section itself required intensive reading. Most test takers would have found it easy to moderate, while others felt the vocabulary and para-based questions were moderately tricky. A good number of attempts in VA would be around 35 to 38 questions, provided accuracy was maintained.
Quantitative Ability Analysis
The Quantitative Ability section was split into two parts: QA Short Answer and QA MCQ.
The questions were distributed across the major areas of Quantitative Aptitude, including Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Numbers, Modern Maths, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, and Coordinate Geometry.
Broad Area-wise Distribution
| Area | Approximate No. of Questions |
|---|
| Ratio, Proportion and Variation | 1 |
| Percentages / Profit and Loss | 1–2 |
| Simple Interest-Compound Interest | 1 |
| Time, Speed and Distance | 2 |
| Time and Work | 1 |
| Quadratic Equations | 2–3 |
| Logarithms | 1–2 |
| Progressions | 3 |
| Modern Maths (P&C, Probability) | 3 |
| Inequalities and Modulus | 2 |
| Matrices and Determinants | 2 |
| Statistics | 1 |
| Geometry | 3 |
| Data Interpretation | 5 questions, 1 table-based set |
| Logical Reasoning | 3 |
| Venn Diagrams | 1–2 |
| Coordinate Geometry | 1–2 |
QA Short Answer Section
The QA-SA section was comparatively more manageable. It included more doable questions, and students with strong fundamentals could have attempted a good number of questions in this section. Since there was no negative marking, students had the opportunity to attempt questions more freely, provided they had a clear approach.
A good number of attempts in this section would be around 8 to 10 questions.
QA MCQ Section
The QA-MCQ section was tougher than last year. Some questions were challenging, and the section tested not just conceptual clarity but also question selection and time management. A few students reported that the DILR set in the MCQ section was doable, but reaching it late affected their performance.
A good number of attempts in the QA-MCQ section would be around 14 to 16 questions, provided accuracy was maintained.
Good Attempts
| Section | Good Attempts |
|---|
| QA – Short Answer | 8–10 |
| QA – MCQ | 14–16 |
| Verbal Ability | 35–38 |
| Overall | 57–64 |
These are indicative attempt ranges. The actual score will depend heavily on accuracy, especially in the two MCQ sections.
IPMAT Indore 2025 Cut-offs
For reference, the IPMAT Indore 2025 cut-offs were as follows:
| Category | VA | QA-MCQ | QA-SA | No. of Candidates Shortlisted |
|---|
| General | 112 | 28 | 24 | 301 |
| EWS | 87 | 18 | 16 | 75 |
| NC-OBC | 78 | 15 | 12 | 245 |
| SC | 65 | 10 | 12 | 113 |
| ST | 48 | 6 | 8 | 51 |
| PwD | 47 | 5 | 8 | 33 |
| Total candidates shortlisted for PI | 818 |
The final selection process for IPM 2026 will be based on Aptitude Test Score and Personal Interview, with 65% weightage to ATS and 35% weightage to PI. The ATS itself gives 25% weightage each to QA-MCQ and QA-SA, and 50% weightage to VA.
Expected Cut-off Trend
Since the QA-MCQ section was tougher than last year, the cut-off for this section could remain around the previous year’s level or dip slightly, subject to actual candidate performance. The QA-SA section was easier, so the cut-off there may remain competitive. The VA section was broadly manageable, so the VA cut-off may remain at the same level or climb slightly.
Students must remember that clearing the sectional cut-offs is essential. A high overall score may not help if the candidate fails to clear the cut-off in any one section.
What Students Should Do Now
Students should avoid making decisions based only on immediate post-exam reactions. Students who expect to clear the sectional cut-offs should immediately start preparing for the Personal Interview stage. Others should continue their preparation for upcoming exams such as IPMAT Rohtak, JIPMAT, SET, NPAT, CUET, and other BBA/IPM entrance tests.
The key learning from IPMAT Indore 2026 is clear: apart from conceptual clarity, students need strong question selection, time management, accuracy, and composure under pressure.
Indore 2026 · Live
Rohtak 2026 · Upcoming
