IIM Bangalore (Offline UG) - Exam Pattern Revealed!
Full PDF (official link): https://ug.iimb.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/UG-Programmes-FAQs.pdf
Key pointers:
Programmes: BSc Economics or Data Science (with minors)
Intake: 80 students total (40 per major)
Duration: 4 years, residential at Jigani campus
Application: Oct 10–Nov 20, 2025
Test Date: Dec 13, 2025
Exam Pattern:
- 120 minutes, computer-based, 60 MCQs total
- English Comprehension: 15Q
- Quant & Data Interpretation: 30Q
- Logical Reasoning: 15Q
- Negative marking: -1/3 per wrong answer
Interviews: Jan 22–31, 2026 (in-person)
Age Eligibility: ≤20 years as of Aug 1, 2026
Academic Eligibility:
- Class XII passed (recognized board), Math in Class XII mandatory
- Minimum 60% in Math (Class X)
Selection: 60% test + 40% interview
Interview Assesses: Academic consistency, motivation, communication, curiosity, extracurriculars, integrity, authenticity
Fee: ₹8.5L/year (Years 1-2; will be increased after that) + ₹8-10K/month mess
Exam Fee: ₹3,000 (General/EWS/NC-OBC) / ₹1,500 (SC/ST/PwD)
Scholarships: Need-based available
Exit Option: Degree after 3 years possible
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Comments (109)
Bhaiya! I am a dropper and I don't want to spare any exam coming ahead; but I'm unsure about this one. Since many students said that the iim k's ug program was not worth it (9 lpa) as there's no masters, this gives me the same vibe. Please enlighten and guide 🙏🏻.
LinkedIn can give you thousands of bachelor students doing better, earning more and having a much higher job-role than masters students too.
Vani and I did not do our masters either. I'm currently at LocalHouse and I don't think anyone has done their masters here either, they're killing it (and are more successful than most IIM-grads).
The objective is that you need to be a VERY competent individual. My batchmate from college (left after 3 years of BBA), he went to IIM Indore... to take the placement interviews of the MBA students. Think about it.
Plus, the government is hoping to make the 4-year management/science degrees to be equivalent to the 4-year BTech-isque degree.
I really needed to hear this, bhaiya. Thank you.
are u a full dropper?
Yea
So it is final that GK won't be a part of the scope ? ( I read the pdf but I want to cross check). Also, can AfterBoards please make a detailed youtube video discussing the benefits and the risks of this program? I understand that this is the very first batch of the program (and of the new campus) and it would be great if experts could give me a thorough analysis of potential downsides. Thank you!
Yes, GK is not part of the written entrance test.
The benefits/risks are determined by YOU. How do you define RoI? Colleges are NOT objective like a stock where you buy at 100 and sell at 120.
A college is like buying a vacuum cleaner. Imagine you and your friend live in your own houses. Both your houses are dirty. You buy a vacuum cleaner. Yes, the specifications and power of the vacuum is the same, but just keeping a vacuum in your house doesn't automatically clean. Both of you have the exact same vacuum... but your house is cleaner (because you chose to use it regularly).
We'll try getting an interview with a faculty to get more details.
Right now, we don't really have a lot of information or any empirical data, so the first 2-3 years would be ambiguous.
Thank you so much for the swift and succinct reply!
So minimum of 60% in 12th maths not required?
Correct. As per the latest circular, the eligibility criteria is:
Mathematics as a subject in Class XII is mandatory for both majors. Students should have secured a minimum of 60% marks in mathematics in Class X. Successful completion of Class XII or equivalent from a recognised board.
but bhaiya, when i checked thier website it was shown like this...."Mathematics in Class XII with a minimum of 60% marks."
The latest circular makes the website data outdated. Either they'll update the website data once they realise it or release another circular clarifying it.
Yo will afterboards provide mocks ( and help
Of Any form, think videos and topic tests for extra topics etc) for this to the all access students?
Yes! We'll be having mocks once we have clarity on the LoD and the type of questions (hopefully a sample paper is provided!)
Class 12 TH passed is written. Does that mean that the students who are currently in 12th can't appear?
Also, quants includes higher math or not?
There is no official confirmation about the same. However, there's a very high probability that modern math would show up (provided the nature of the course).
I'm assuming that you need to have passed 12th as of August 1, 2026. Until then, you'll have provisional admission. It would be illogical to only accept droppers.
Students in 12th currently can appear.
Ahh. Sad
Why so?
There's no specific minimum percentage mentioned though right?
Correct. The document just says this wrt 12th grade:
Successful completion of Class XII or equivalent from a recognised board.
bhaiya but the offer release and last date to accept are in feb and march respectively, tab tak toh boards result nhi aaya hoga. so how will the know abt a canditate's - a) successful completion of Class XII or equivalent from a recognised board and b) mathematics as a subject in Class XII is mandatory for both majors ? (am i missing smth obvious?)
also, does no weightage to boards mean it wont even act as a tie breaker?
You have provisional admission. There's a high chance that someone who is doing well in the entrance test and the interview would have passed class 12. The marksheet (once submitted) would cement your admission.
I doubt a tie-breaker is needed when they have 40% weightage to the interview. As per their official documents, there is no such tie-breakers via board marks.
Is modern maths important for this exam? Bcoz the degree itself includes alot of modern maths.
Could be—we have no surety as they've not sured specific subtopics that their exam would test.
Where on the website the forms are available?? Today is 15th of October!!
Has it been confirmed that students who have applied maths in class 12 can apply for the exam? They haven't replied to my email yet!
Not yet!
in the faqs its mentionwed that a min of 60% is needed in class 10, but the programme pages (both econ and ds) mention 60% in twelfth as eligiblity req
tysm!
Do we need to submit the category certificates (such as the obc-ncl certificate, income certificate and ITR for OBC-NCL candidates) at the time of registering and filling out the application form? Or is it required to be presented later during the admission process in the college?
I appreciate any guidance you can provide on these important documents and when and how we should submit these important documents.
Thank you for your help!
We don't know yet -- however, best to be prudent and have it right now itself (at least the OBC-NCL).
Will there be an onscreen calculator for this for this entrance exam as well?
We don't know yet. Have to wait for more information.
Is the use of calculators permitted for the QA section / virtual calculator provided ?
We don't know yet. Have to wait for more information.
When will the Afterboards mocks for IIMB will be live?
Depends on when the sample paper comes and we get more idea as to their LoD.
Bhaiya what could come from the Quantitative & Data Interpretation section. Would you recommend continuing IPMAT prep ? should i start preparing on other concepts outside of ipmat
You can get a clean idea by actually going through the DILR of Rohtak, JIPMAT and even CAT (style of DI questions) — https://www.aftergrad.in/cat-past-year-questions/pyp-analyser
We don't know if it'll be Indore or JIPMAT/Rohtak level or even CAT level (also varies a lot).
We have to wait for their sample paper.
Could you pls tell me what should I study in logical reasoning for iim b ug
You can get a clean idea by actually going through the DILR of Rohtak, JIPMAT and even CAT (style of DI questions) — https://www.aftergrad.in/cat-past-year-questions/pyp-analyser
We don't know if it'll be Indore or JIPMAT/Rohtak level or even CAT level (also varies a lot).
We have to wait for their sample paper.
Where can i find this information on official website?
First line has the official-domain URL!
what are the scolarships available ?
No official details have come out so far.
Is 12 th appearing in Feb 2026 eligible
Yes, provision admission given that you pass 12th grade.
Bhaiya I HAVE done my CLASS 12 from kv same as you in pcb english plus cs 90 percent and i have done maths from nios in class 12 with 92 percent will I be eligible.
Unsure about how they'll be handling NIOS. Best to wait for some official response.
I didn't get 60% marks in maths in class 12. I am a dropper. Am I eligible to the admission processand exam ?
Yes. The document says 60% in class 10 maths.
However, you'll have a very tough time in the interview explaining your low marks.
What will be the marks allocated for per question, The examination will be for how many marks overall?
Since the negative marks is -1/3. We assume that the marks (correct:wrong) will be in the ratio 3:1.
Sir,will these courses from IIMB can help me to step into quant finance/trading?
Yes. These two degrees helps you get an entry level position. Rest depends on your personal competency. BBA-FIA from SSCBS would be more helpful though for this role (at the current moment, since we have no empirical data from IIM-B).
I'm not done with the syllabus yet. I've completed number system, algebra and half way through geometry; but I'm still left with modern maths and Arithmetic. Thinking of strategy, and as there is not much time left, I have decided to leave arithmetic and focus on modern math and what I'm done with. But I still feel skeptical. Idk if this is a sound decision.
You'll have to do both regardless. Basics of any chapters should not be skipped!
can we exit after 3 years? or is it compulsory to do the 4th year as well?
You can exit after 3 years without the honours.
Would the English comprehension be CAT level or IPMAT level? considering that this programme is by IIMB and all candidates<=20 can apply.
We don't know. There's nothing to base this off (at the moment). However, my intuition is saying it might probably be in between those. However, anything can happen. Need to see a sample paper to have some justification.
Bhaiya, is extracurriculars mandatory?? As it is mentioned
where is it mentioned?
They've mentioned that for the interview:
The interview evaluates a candidate's consistency in academic performance, clarity of motivation, communication skills, intellectual curiosity, extracurricular achievements, integrity, and authenticity.
However, this is one of many parameters. Even if you try to build "ECAs" now, it'll show that you were doing it 2 months before the entrance test.
Focus on controllable variables only.
Bhaiya, could you also shed some light on how the prep should look from now onwards? As in, how many RCs should be solved /day? No. Of mocks before the exam, approx? For DIL, R, how many sets each day should we solve? QA practice? With hardly 60 days remaining, I need to revise my strategy for the upcoming pre-boards as well in November and December.
Please guide.
There's no one size fits all rigid approach. We don't know your base to comment on it. The more RCs and DILR sets you solve, the better. Don't optimise for an absolute number, rather, maximise it.
Preboards need to be compromised if you want to prioritise this exam.
Im in class 12th right now,can i still get in??
You're eligible to write the exam this December 2025 (before your boards), yes.
How many marks is the exam for? Do we get 3 or 4 marks for every correct answer?
Seems like it is in the ratio of +3/-1.
They mentioned -1/3 for every wrong answer.
Yes, that's why the assumption is that it'll be +3 for the right answer.
If and when we get mocks on afterboards for this, the all access ppl do not need to pay extra for them right?
Correct. All-Access students wouldn't have to pay extra.
Wait wait isn't this 8.5L inclusive of hostel an mess fees?
That's like insane!!
it includes hostel fee but not mess charges
What can we expect from the LR section? A CAT-style set of problems or something more akin to the final 5 questions in the IPMAT QA (SA) section? Either way, what would be a good resource to prepare from?
You can get a clean idea by actually going through the DILR of Rohtak, JIPMAT and even CAT (style of DI questions) — https://www.aftergrad.in/cat-past-year-questions/pyp-analyser
We don't know if it'll be Indore or JIPMAT/Rohtak level or even CAT level (also varies a lot).
We have to wait for their sample paper.
Bhaiya what should be the preference list as compared to other ipm colleges as the fees is almost same to ipm. And what about ROI and placement. Do bank also provide loan for this program same as they provide for ipm course.
How do you define RoI?
Colleges are NOT objective like a stock where you buy at 100 and sell at 120.
A college is like buying a vacuum cleaner. Imagine you and your friend live in your own houses. Both your houses are dirty. You buy a vacuum cleaner. Yes, the specifications and power of the vacuum is the same, but just keeping a vacuum in your house doesn't automatically clean. Both of you have the exact same vacuum... but your house is cleaner (because you chose to use it regularly).
Banks would most likely provide the same kind of loans. Plus, this is very different from IPM. It's a Data-Science/Economics course, not a business + liberal arts course like most of the IPMs. So, your personal interest plays a role too.
Does english comprehension mean RCs only?!
We can definitely infer that. However, they could have 'parasummary' also within this technically — we can't say with a guarantee unless they release a sample paper.
I think that critical reasoning could also come in this test.
Is there any info on reservation?!
As said in the doc Reservations will be provided as per the Government of India norms across both programmes. what is that?
Reservation is the same throughout all the colleges coming under the central govt. (except Shillong since the special state status kicks in).
Here's the post with the reservation percentage, same logic applies among the 40 people for each of the course:
https://www.afterboards.in/forums/general/info/jnQPJ4qVPDKIKcVT
they were saying earlier gk hoga
They never said that. I've also been very clear about it. Please read the old post: https://www.afterboards.in/forums/general/colleges/oVJ2suCxqimkFejx?commentId=5qQFgZqXm35Wwt5Z
Only random youtube channels (0 credibility) have been yapping non-stop for "sensationalism" with 0 official data.
I certainly dont support these coaching and vouch for ABs as they've been very amazing with regards to info but ( and i could be mistaken, maybe this is not official). Not that it matters now.
Yep! This was my reply in the earlier post: https://www.afterboards.in/forums/general/colleges/oVJ2suCxqimkFejx?commentId=mh9iL3CDnH6Ckui8
Yeah fair.
Bhaiya please elaborate data interpretation
What is the possible data they can ask for
I just know pie chart, bar graph, line graph
What else can??
Any descriptive statistics: from tables to candlestick graphs to even radar charts.
You can get a clean idea by actually going through the DILR of Rohtak, JIPMAT and even CAT (style of DI questions) — https://www.aftergrad.in/cat-past-year-questions/pyp-analyser
It says last date to accept is 31st. What if I get into an IPM program later in July and have also accepted IIMBs offer? Ik it's not revealed yet but do u think you'd get a refund atleast a part of it I'm unsure if thats in other colleges asw
Unfortunately, the concept of sunken cost kicks in. We do not know when the IIM-B classes start. However, refund would be provided before the beginning of classes.
It ends bro i wanted to go there i was studying my ass off since the news i was not able to give my X boards fully prepared because my dad passed away just 1 and a half month before it i scored like 35 in maths
Ugh, I'm so sorry to hear about that.
Right now, don't let this pull you down. This is one of many colleges. Aukat dikhado by getting in for the MBA programme (through CAT -- if needed).
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Is Applied Maths considered?
They've not officially stated the same. Do email them!
However, there's a very high possibility that the various variants of maths should be accepted.
they replied to my email stating students with any mathematics background can apply
Lovely, can you share the screenshot of the same if possible? (and forward it over to [email protected]), thank you!
Perfect, thank you!