IIM Calcutta (MBAEx)

Kolkata, India · Public · 1-year full-time residential MBA for Executives (MBAEx; formerly PGPEX); minimum 5 years' experience

Median GMAT Focus: 640
Class size: 91 (Class of 2027)
Median base salary: INR 34,264 (Class of 2025)

Deadlines

Round 1 (Batch 21, 2027-28; interviews 31 Oct-1 Nov 2026): Oct. 12, 2026
Round 2 (Batch 21, 2027-28; interviews 19-20 Dec 2026; final pooled results): Dec. 1, 2026

Essays

Current job description (500 words)

Your current job description [Word Limit 500 words] Please give a description of your exact job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities etc.

Statement of Purpose (500–1,000 words)

Your SOP should include an objective and clear statement about why you want to join the MBAEx programme. Please include qualities, experience and achievements that you believe justifies your admission. Please mention the types of jobs and the managerial level you expect to work at after successful completion of MBAEx. (Online instructions: Use the essay to highlight who you are, your career path so far, professional interests and future goals.)

Essay (500 words (form: expected length; online instructions: maximum))

Any other information you would like to highlight in support of your application (Online instructions: Use the Essay to provide any other information you would like to highlight in support of your application or explain unusual aspects of your profile, such as poor academic performance in a semester/class or a gap in work experience.)

Written Aptitude Test (interview stage)

Written Aptitude Test (WAT) shall be conducted as part of the interview process in a pen and paper format that will be scored out of 15.

Editor's notes

Know the formula before you write a word. IIM Calcutta publishes its weights: interview 30%, GMAT 25%, work experience 15%, written test 15%, academics 10%, diversity 5%. Your essays feed the interview, which is the biggest single lever, so write things you're ready to be questioned on.
Round 1 has a catch. Only the top of the Round 1 rank list gets offers; everyone else is waitlisted into a pooled Round 2 list. You can apply only once a year, so apply in Round 1 (Oct. 12, 2026) only if your GMAT and documents are ready. A rushed Round 1 file doesn't get a second try.
Experience has a sweet spot. Work-experience points peak between 85 and 108 months as of March 31, 2027, and taper after that. If you're well past 13 years, your SOP needs to explain why a one-year programme now, and at what level you expect to land.
Paperwork is part of the test. Every job needs an appointment letter, a relieving letter and a salary slip, and recommenders have to submit by your deadline. Start collecting documents now; the school itself warns that references and transcripts take time.