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How to prepare

IPMAT Indore

IPM Aptitude Test (IPM AT) of IIM Indore, for the Five-Year Integrated Programme in Management. Run by Indian Institute of Management Indore.

The exam
A two-hour aptitude test in three separately timed 40-minute sections: Quantitative Ability MCQ, Quantitative Ability short answer (you type a number, no options) and Verbal Ability MCQ.
Opens
IPMAT Indore opens IIM Indore's five-year programme straight after Class 12 (a BA in Foundations of Management plus an MBA), and its score is also used by IIM Ranchi, IIM Amritsar, IIM Shillong, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Sambalpur, IIFT, Nirma, NALSAR's management department and other institutions listed by IIM Indore; IIM Rohtak and IIMs Bodh Gaya and Jammu run separate tests (IPMAT Rohtak and JIPMAT).
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Your plan, step by step

  1. Class 11, now to March 2027

    Fix your maths base

    Go back to Class 9 and 10 NCERT maths and make sure percentages, ratios, averages, time and work, speed and distance, and linear and quadratic equations are solid. Keep up with Class 11 maths at school. If you dropped maths after Class 10, this exam will be hard; think honestly about that now. If you care about IIM Rohtak, keep Class 11 and 12 marks well above 60 per cent, because board marks count for 30 per cent of its final score.

  2. Class 11, April to December 2027

    Read daily, then start sectional practice

    Read one editorial or long article every day and write a two-line summary; verbal is half of IIM Indore's shortlist score. Learn words from your reading, not from lists. Start 40-minute sectional tests on weekends, including short-answer quant where there are no options to guess from.

  3. Class 12, January to March 2028

    Apply, and put boards first

    Apply to IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak when the forms open (February to March in 2026), and to JIPMAT if you want Bodh Gaya or Jammu (April to May in 2026). Keep the fees ready. During board exams, do only one short timed section a day to stay in touch.

  4. After boards to exam day (April to early May 2028)

    Full mocks in the real format

    Take three full mocks a week with the fixed section order and 40-minute timers. After each one, list every mistake by topic and redo those questions a week later. Practise leaving an MCQ blank when you cannot eliminate options; guessing costs 1 mark each time.

  5. May to June 2028

    Interview preparation

    If shortlisted, prepare for the personal interview (35 per cent of IIM Indore's final score). Be ready to talk about yourself, your school subjects, your town and current events. Practise speaking for two minutes on a topic with a friend or teacher. Honest, clear answers beat memorised ones.

This plan is advice from the author, not an official schedule. Adjust it to your school and your pace.

What the exam testsPapers, marks, marking and the syllabus

A two-hour aptitude test in three separately timed 40-minute sections: Quantitative Ability MCQ, Quantitative Ability short answer (you type a number, no options) and Verbal Ability MCQ. Each question carries 4 marks with minus 1 for a wrong answer, except the short-answer quant section, which has no negative marking. Sections come in a fixed order. (IIM Indore IPM 2026-31 admission procedure.)

  • Three sections, 40 minutes each, 120 minutes in total. You cannot move between sections.
  • Every question is worth 4 marks. Minus 1 for a wrong answer in the two MCQ sections; no negative marking in the short-answer quant section.
  • Question count is not in the official notice. Career Launcher's analysis of the 4 May 2026 paper reports 90 questions for 360 marks: Quant short answer 15, Quant MCQ 30, Verbal 45.
  • To reach the interview, you need a positive raw score and a minimum mark in each of the three sections (set by the Admissions Committee, category-wise).
  • Interview shortlist score: Quant MCQ 25, Quant short answer 25, Verbal 50 (each scaled against the highest and lowest scores). So verbal counts as much as both quant sections together.
  • Final merit (2026): aptitude test 65, personal interview 35. Class 10 and 12 marks are not part of IIM Indore's final score.
  • IPMAT Rohtak (IIM Rohtak, 2026): a separate online test on 10 May 2026. 120 MCQs in 120 minutes: Quantitative Ability 40, Logical Reasoning 40, Verbal Ability 40; plus 4, minus 1; no sectional cut-off. Final merit: test 55, interview 15, Class 10 marks 10, Class 12 marks 20. In 2026, 12,522 candidates took it and 1,030 were called for interview.
  • JIPMAT (NTA, for IIM Bodh Gaya and IIM Jammu, 2026): computer-based, 7 June 2026, 3 pm to 5.30 pm, 150 minutes. 100 MCQs, 400 marks: Quantitative Aptitude 33, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning 33, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension 34. Plus 4, minus 1. English only.

When. Applications in February and March, test in early May, interviews in June. For the 2026 batch: applications 2 February to 14 March 2026 (extended to 17 March), test on Monday 4 May 2026, 2 pm to 4 pm, interviews 15 to 18 June 2026 (IIM Indore admission procedure and FAQ, 2026). A student now in Class 11 will sit the 2028 test, likely in May 2028, just after Class 12 boards. The 2027 notice was not out when checked.

Syllabus. IIM Indore does not publish a topic syllabus. The test covers Quantitative Ability and Verbal Ability, so prepare school maths (arithmetic and algebra first) plus reading comprehension, grammar and vocabulary. Which higher topics appear is not officially stated; use the latest memory-based papers to judge. JIPMAT's official syllabus is Class 10 level maths, data interpretation, logical reasoning and English (NTA JIPMAT 2026 bulletin).

Source: IIM Indore: Admission Procedure, IPM 2026-31 (Domestic Applicants)Source: IIM Indore: Admission Procedure, IPM 2026-31
Study materialFree official material first, then books

Free and official

Books students commonly use

Commonly used, not endorsed. Finish the free official material first.

  • Mathematics textbooks, Class 9 to 11 by NCERT

    The base for all quant work. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma

    Topic-wise quant practice once the basics are firm; much of it is above IPMAT level. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Aggarwal

    Large bank of arithmetic questions for speed. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • Magical Book on Quicker Maths by M. Tyra

    Calculation shortcuts. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

    Vocabulary through word roots. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin

    Grammar for sentence-correction questions. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay

    Reading comprehension practice. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal

    Only needed for IPMAT Rohtak and JIPMAT, which have reasoning sections. Commonly used, not endorsed.

Source: AceIPM: Best IPMAT books; PW: Books for IPMAT quantitative aptitude (not official)
Coaching: do you need it?Your options, how to choose, red flags

Self-study with free material

Free (NCERT, newspapers, official notices), plus the cost of a mock-test series if you buy one

Students with a strong maths base and the habit of reading. The test is aptitude, not syllabus, so many students prepare this way with timed mocks.

Online course or test series

varies

Students in towns without a centre, or who want a fixed mock calendar and short-answer quant practice in the real format.

Classroom programme

varies

Students who need a timetable and live doubt-solving, and who can attend without missing school. Most useful for quant if your school maths is weak.

How to choose a coaching centre

  • Check that mocks follow the current IIM Indore format: three locked 40-minute sections, including a short-answer quant section with no options.
  • Ask how many full mocks you get and whether there is a one-to-one review, not just a score report.
  • Ask whether they also prepare you for the personal interview, which is 35 per cent of IIM Indore's final score.
  • Get the fee, instalments and refund policy in writing. The 2024 Ministry of Education guidelines ask for published fees and pro rata refunds within 10 days if you leave midway.
  • Ask about batch size, counsellor and helpline; the Supreme Court's July 2025 directions require these in larger institutions.
  • Make sure classes do not clash with school; CBSE enforces 75 per cent attendance for boards.

Red flags

  • A guaranteed IIM call or seat.
  • Pressure to pay for two years upfront.
  • No refund policy in writing.
  • Topper lists with no mention of which course the topper took; the CCPA has penalised coaching institutes for this.
  • Very large batches with no mock review or doubt time.
  • Advice to skip school or join a 'dummy' school.
Names families usually consider
Mocks and the last monthsPractice tests, final months, common mistakes

IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak did not publish official sample papers or past papers on their admission pages when checked; the papers you find online are memory-based versions rebuilt by coaching sites, so treat them as close but not exact. NTA displays JIPMAT questions, recorded responses and answer keys to candidates, and posts final answer keys on exams.nta.nic.in/jipmat. Most students use a paid mock series for full-length practice; one good series is enough.

  • Take full mocks at the real time (2 pm for IIM Indore in 2026) with locked 40-minute sections.
  • In short-answer quant, check units and calculation twice; there are no options to catch a slip, but also no penalty for a wrong answer, so always enter something.
  • In the MCQ sections, skip questions you cannot narrow down; each wrong answer costs 1 mark.
  • Protect verbal: it carries half the weight in IIM Indore's shortlist score, so keep reading daily until the exam.
  • Keep your Class 12 board preparation on track; IIM Rohtak counts board marks and needs 60 per cent.

Common mistakes

  • Treating it as a maths exam. At IIM Indore verbal counts for 50 of 100 in the shortlist score.
  • Ignoring one section. You need a minimum mark in every section to reach the interview.
  • Guessing in the MCQ sections, and leaving short-answer questions blank when there is no penalty there.
  • Letting board marks drop below 60 per cent and losing IIM Rohtak eligibility.
  • Missing the application window in February and March because the focus is on boards.
Who can sitAttempts, age, marks and subjects
  • IIM Indore (2026): born on or after 1 August 2006, with 5 years' relaxation for SC, ST and PwD (born on or after 1 August 2001).
  • IIM Indore (2026): Class 12 passed in 2024 or 2025, or appearing in 2026; Class 10 passed. The 2026 notice sets no minimum percentage in Class 10 or 12 (older cycles did, so check the 2028 notice).
  • IIM Indore application fee (2026): Rs 4,130 including GST; Rs 2,065 for SC, ST and PwD. Intake for 2026: 150 domestic seats. Course fee for the 2026 batch: Rs 6 lakh a year for the first three years.
  • IIM Rohtak (2026): at least 60 per cent in both Class 10 and Class 12 (55 per cent for SC, ST and PwD), counting the best five subjects; maximum age 20 on 30 June 2026 (25 for SC, ST). Fee Rs 4,937. 198 seats.
  • JIPMAT (2026): Class 12 in any stream passed in 2024 or 2025, or appearing in 2026, and Class 10 passed not before 2022. Fee Rs 2,200 (Rs 1,100 for SC, ST, PwD, EWS and transgender candidates). IIM Bodh Gaya and IIM Jammu may add their own rules.
  • Any stream (science, commerce or humanities) can apply to all three.
Source: IIM Indore: Admission Procedure, IPM 2026-31

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Sources, checked 27 September 2026

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