An MBA is more than just a degree—it goes beyond academics and curriculum. Today, the true value of an MBA is realized only when pursued from a top-tier institution. In India, the three leading B-schools—IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta—stand at the pinnacle of management education, offering amazing opportunities.
For most MBA aspirants, securing admission to one of these three prestigious institutes is a dream. But the key question remains: Which B-school is the best choice?
In this blog, we will compare IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta based on placements, fees, acceptance rate, batch profile, and job roles offered, helping you make an informed decision.
What is the best of them? IIM A vs. IIM B vs. IIM C
Rankings often place IIM Ahmedabad as the top B-school in India, yet many students choose IIM Bangalore or IIM Calcutta over it. Why? Because rankings don’t always reflect every important factor.
For instance, some students prefer IIM Bangalore due to its structured curriculum, where difficult subjects are spread across semesters. Others opt for IIM Calcutta because it has a higher proportion of freshers, and companies often offer fresh graduates salaries equal to or even higher than those with prior experience. Another reason could be their job role preference, as IIM Calcutta primarily offers finance roles, IIM Bangalore focuses on product management, and IIM Ahmedabad provides a mix of roles, mainly in consulting.
Personal preferences also play a role. A student from Gujarat might lean toward IIM Ahmedabad, while someone from Karnataka may prefer IIM Bangalore. Factors like placements, alumni network, infrastructure, batch diversity, and future opportunities also influence decisions.
Ultimately, choosing between these three institutes is a subjective decision—aspirants look beyond rankings to find the best fit for their goals.
MBA Placement – IIM A vs. IIM B vs. IIM C
Based on the figures below, IIM Calcutta holds an edge over the others in terms of median salary, which is a fairer metric for placement comparison. On the other hand, IIM Bangalore offers the highest average package despite having the largest MBA batch. However, when considering fluctuations across different years, all three institutes remain in the same league in terms of placements.
| MBA College | Particulars | CTC (INR) |
| IIM Ahmedabad (Domestic Job offers) (2023) | Highest Package | 1.46 Cr. Per Annum |
| Average Package | 34.45 LPA | |
| Median Package | 31.58 LPA | |
| IIM Bangalore (2024)(Domestic+International Job Offers) | Average Package | 35.92 LPA |
| Median Package | 32.50 LPA | |
| IIM Calcutta (2023)(Domestic Job Offer) | Highest Package | 1.15 Cr. Per Annum |
| Average Package | 35.07 LPA | |
| Median Package | 33.67 LPA |
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MBA Fees – IIM A vs. IIM B vs. IIM C
| MBA College | Total Fees (INR) |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 28 Lakhs |
| IIM Bangalore | 26.20 Lakhs |
| IIM Calcutta | 27 Lakhs |
In terms of fees, all three institutes are more or less the same, reflecting the cost of pursuing an MBA from a top-tier college. This investment is well-suited for ambitious students looking to turn their once-in-a-lifetime MBA experience into a golden opportunity.
Acceptance Rate & Batch Profile – IIM A vs. IIM B vs. IIM C
Despite the acceptance rate being below 1%, the number of batches is still promising for any aspirant since a large pool of applicants are accepted based on their overall profile and not just CAT percentile.
| MBA College | Number of Students in a Batch (2023) | Acceptance out of the admission process |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 389 | 0.15% |
| IIM Bangalore | 530 | 0.16% |
| IIM Calcutta | 465 | 0.18% |
Job Roles Offered – IIM A vs. IIM B vs. IIM C
In spite of the variety of job roles offered, there are only a few preferred job roles that aspirants target, such as those below mentioned. More importantly, it must be noted that in consulting roles, several job functions were focused on marketing, finance, product management roles, and many other functions that these institutes are preferred for. The percentage is based on the total number of students in the batch participating in the placement.
| MBA College | Consulting | Finance | Sales & Marketing | Product Management |
| IIM A | 45% | 21% | 6% | 13% |
| IIM B | 40% | 9% | 11% | 14% |
| IIM C | 41% | 15% | 9% | 18% |
Looking at the whole, it’s very hard to decide which MBA college is the best. Not only placement, but these colleges overall stand at the same level in all parameters, which favors personal and subjective decision to take control of the final decision.
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