BLACKI IIMs 2026: Fees, Placements, Selection and Which to Pick

IIM Bangalore, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Kozhikode and Indore (the "BLACKI" group) often sit on the same CAT call list. This comparison covers fees, class size, selection criteria, latest placements and who should pick which, using batch-labelled data.

Why This Comparison Matters

A CAT percentile in the high 90s can bring calls from most or all six. They look similar on paper, since five of the six report average packages between Rs 33 and 37 lakh. They differ in fee (Rs 20.75 lakh to Rs 27.5 lakh), in how much weight the interview carries, and in how reliable the published numbers are. Indore's average is Rs 27.27 LPA and Kozhikode's latest published average is Rs 28.18 LPA, so the group is not uniform either. The choice deserves a careful look.

How We Picked These Colleges

We did not rank these colleges against each other. "BLACKI" is the common shorthand for the six older IIMs with the strongest overall brand, and all six accept CAT. This is not an official ranking. Numbers come from official college reports where we could read them (IIM Lucknow's Final Placement Report 2024-26 and IIM Ahmedabad's audited IPRS figures as reported) and from news and education portals for the rest. Where sources disagreed, we say so. Every figure carries its batch or year. Placement batches are labelled by graduating year (for example 2024-26).

Two cautions apply to this comparison. First, IIM Ahmedabad reports Maximum Earning Potential (MEP), which can include joining bonus and performance pay, while others report CTC, so the averages are not exactly like for like. Second, IIM Bangalore does not publish a highest-CTC figure, and IIM Kozhikode's 2024-26 final report was not available when we checked, so its row uses the 2023-25 batch.

Quick Comparison Table

IIM Bangalore

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

IIM Bangalore has held 2nd place in the NIRF management category every year from 2020 to 2025. Its placement reports publish the median and average but no single top offer, so there is no headline "highest package" to quote.

Some portals still show the 2023-25 batch (median Rs 32.61 LPA, average Rs 34.88 LPA, 660 offers), so check the batch label before comparing. The median rose year on year.

IIM Lucknow

Indian Institute of Management Lucknow

IIM Lucknow has the lowest fee of the six and a placement average close to the leaders, which makes it the strongest return on fee in this group. It was ranked 5th in NIRF 2025, up from 7th in 2024.

IIM Ahmedabad

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

IIM Ahmedabad has been first in NIRF management for six consecutive years. For the PGP Class of 2026 it reported 100% placement across a record 26 cohorts. Its audited report is published under the IPRS standard and uses Maximum Earning Potential.

An early press-summary portal quoted Rs 35.22 LPA and Rs 1.10 crore for the same year before the audited report. We use the audited figures. IIMA's headline international number is a currency conversion of a dollar offer, so do not read it as the domestic ceiling.

IIM Calcutta

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

IIM Calcutta concluded final placements for its 61st batch with 100% placement. It fell from 5th to 7th in NIRF 2025, which sits oddly beside its placement numbers, so treat rank and outcomes as separate signals.

IIM Kozhikode

Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode

IIM Kozhikode has been 3rd in NIRF management since 2023. Its final report for the 2024-26 batch was not available when we checked, so the figures below are the latest published, for the 2023-25 batch (27th PGP batch, 4th PGP-Finance and PGP-LSM batches).

Some portals mix this batch with the 2022-24 one (highest Rs 72.02 LPA, average Rs 28.05 LPA). The Rs 81 LPA and Rs 28.18 LPA figures belong to 2023-25.

IIM Indore

Indian Institute of Management Indore

IIM Indore has the lowest placement average of the six, and its average fell from Rs 29.57 LPA the year before even as its median and highest offer rose. It is the only one of the six with no WAT at any stage, and its interview carries 45% of the final score.

Entrance Exams and Selection

All six use CAT. CAT 2026 is on 29 November 2026 for the 2027-29 batch, and IIM Indore is the conducting institute. CAT registration closed on 15 September 2026, so a candidate who did not register cannot take this cycle. Results are expected in January 2027, with interviews from February to April 2027. Weights below are for the 2026-28 cycle as reported by portals. Each IIM can change them each year, and several 2027-29 policies had been published by October 2026, so confirm on official sites.

Two patterns stand out. Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta cut CAT to 25 to 30% of the final score and let the interview carry 40 to 50%, so a strong interview can move your rank a lot. Kozhikode and Indore keep CAT at 35 to 40%. Ahmedabad's 2026-28 minimum for General and EWS was 95 overall and 85 in each section, per one portal. Kozhikode and Indore place heavy weight on Class 10 and 12 marks in shortlisting, so a weaker school record hurts more there.

Which One for Whom

• Pick Ahmedabad if you want the top-ranked brand and the highest reported average and median, and you are comfortable with a profile and interview process that weighs the interview at 50%. Remember its figures are MEP, and the fee is the highest of the six.
• Pick Bangalore if you want consulting. Consulting took 45% of offers, and the median is among the highest of the six. Note that no highest package is published, so do not choose it for headline numbers.
• Pick Calcutta if you want the highest top-end offers (Rs 1.45 crore) alongside a Rs 36 LPA average and 100% placement, and you have a strong Class 10 and 12 record, since those marks decide the shortlist.
• Pick Lucknow if fee matters. At about Rs 20.75 lakh it is the cheapest of the six and still reports a Rs 33.2 LPA average and Rs 32.9 LPA median.
• Pick Kozhikode if you want a top-3 NIRF institute at a mid-range fee, and a candidate who does well in the WAT, which carries 20%. Its latest published placement batch is a year older than the others, so confirm the 2024-26 report when it appears.
• Pick Indore if you prefer a strong interview-led process with no WAT, or you want the 240+ recruiter base. It has the lowest average of the six, so compare the median (Rs 25 LPA) against your loan.
• If you hold calls from several, compare the median and your loan position, not the highest package. Then compare the process each one uses to pick, since your interview strength decides where you rank.

Return on Investment

A simple way to compare is the ratio of average CTC to total fee, using each college's own figures. Calcutta (Rs 36 LPA against about Rs 27 lakh) comes to about 1.33 times. Ahmedabad (Rs 36.98 LPA against Rs 27.5 lakh) is about 1.34 times. Bangalore (Rs 35.35 LPA against Rs 26 lakh) is about 1.36 times. Lucknow (Rs 33.2 LPA against Rs 20.75 lakh) is about 1.60 times, the highest of the six. Kozhikode (Rs 28.18 LPA against about Rs 23.5 lakh) is about 1.20 times. Indore (Rs 27.27 LPA against about Rs 25.15 lakh) is about 1.08 times. This ignores forgone salary, taxes, bonuses and interest on any loan. Also remember that fees and placements come from different years and that Ahmedabad reports MEP, so treat the comparison as indicative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CAT compulsory for all six? Yes. Each uses CAT for its flagship two-year programme and then runs its own shortlisting, WAT (except Indore) and PI.

Which has the lowest fee? IIM Lucknow, at about Rs 20.75 lakh for 2026-28 per one portal (others list Rs 21 lakh or more). IIM Ahmedabad is the highest at Rs 27.5 lakh.

Which has the highest average package? IIM Ahmedabad reported Rs 36.98 LPA MEP for 2024-26, IIM Calcutta Rs 36 LPA, IIM Bangalore Rs 35.35 LPA, IIM Lucknow Rs 33.2 LPA, IIM Kozhikode Rs 28.18 LPA (2023-25) and IIM Indore Rs 27.27 LPA. The Ahmedabad figure is MEP, not plain CTC.

Which has the highest single package? IIM Calcutta, at Rs 1.45 crore domestic. IIM Lucknow reported Rs 1 crore. IIM Bangalore does not publish a figure, and Ahmedabad's Rs 81.6 lakh is its domestic ceiling (its international offer converts to about Rs 2.31 crore).

Is the placement rate 100% everywhere? Ahmedabad and Calcutta report 100% placement, and Bangalore reports 100% for final and summer placements combined. Kozhikode reports 100% for its past batches. We did not find a stated rate in Lucknow's or Indore's summary, so confirm with their reports.

Do I need work experience? No. It is optional at all six, and it carries a small weight (3 to 10%) in the scoring at most of them.

Can I apply to all six? Yes. Each runs its own application and shortlisting, so they do not conflict. Check each institute's official admission page for 2027-29 dates after CAT 2026.

Final Word

Five of the six deliver average packages of Rs 33 to 37 lakh, so the deciding factors are the fee, the interview-heavy selection and how much of the batch's median you can expect to hit. Fees, selection weightage and placement figures change each year, and some numbers differ across portals. Verify every detail on the official IIM websites and in each institute's latest placement report before you decide.