ISB PGP YL Cut Off 2026, Check Previous Years Cut-off Analysis

ISB PGP YL Cut Off 2026

The Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad was established in 2001. ISB Hyderabad is a private MBA college, located in Gachibowli, Telangana. It is known for its international placements and enhanced infrastructure. Over the years, it has built a reputation as a top-tier management college in India. ISB offers diverse MBA programs for national and international students.

The Indian School of Business Post Graduate Programme in Management for Young Leaders (PGP YL) is offered at the ISB Hyderabad campus and it is a 20 month full time residential program designed for fresh graduates and young professionals with maximum 2 years of professional experience. It is structured for those individuals who have demonstrated excellence in academics and beyond, showing a clear intent to become changemakers of the future. This programme aims to provide a unique blend of academics with campus experience.

This blog provides complete information on ISB PGP YL Cut off, which includes the minimum cutoff for ISB PGPX YL, Minimum Cut Off, Exam-wise Cut Off analysis for GMAT, GRE & CAT, previous year trends, factors affecting the cut off, steps to improve the chances of making it into the final list and many more.

What Is the Minimum Cut Off for ISB PGP YL?

One of the most common questions among the applicants is: "What is the minimum cutoff for ISB PGP YL?". However, no minimum cutoff is officially announced by ISB for the PGP YL program. ISB maintains a holistic review process in the selection, and it is evaluated not solely by entrance exam scores in an application but based on the applicant's strong profiles, academic excellence, and benchmark achievements.

In order to remain in the "safe zone," the following scores should be required for the ISB PGP YL selection:

Note: These are not the official cutoffs. These cutoffs are based on the previous year's trends and the reputation of the ISB.

Read More: ISB Hyderabad PGP YL Summer Placements 2025, Recruiters

ISB PGP YL Cut Off for GMAT, GRE & CAT (Exam-Wise Analysis)

ISB PGP YL Program is distinct from others because it accepts three forms of standardised tests, which are CAT, GMAT, and GRE. Here are the details of the exam-wise Cutoff scores that need to be targeted for selection

Candidates should remember that attaining these scores does not assure a selection for an interview, and not attaining them does not assure a rejection. But it also depends on strong profiles, academics, leadership quality, and essays.

Previous Year ISB PGP YL Cut Off Trends

Analysing the previous year's trends of the ISB PGP YL program cutoff, Candidates came to know how much competition had increased from the previous year. Here are some of the key highlights in the previous year's trends.

Increasing average GMAT/GRE Scores: With increasing awareness of the program, the average GMAT scores keep rising.

Higher competition due to limited seats: the PGP YL program is highly competitive owing to the limited number of candidates due to the presence of a substantial pool of fresh graduates and due to Graduates from IITs, NITs and other top private universities

Higher importance on profile quality over test scores: The candidates having low test scores but with strong profiles, better academic background, leadership skills have more chances of selection compared to candidates with high test scores but with weak profile.

The previous year trends summary are discussed in the following table

Read More: ISB GMAT Cut Off 2025, Fee Structure, Admission Process

Factors Affecting ISB PGP YL Cut Off

Some of the key factors impacting ISB PGP YL program cutoff are discussed below

Pool of Qualified applicants volume: If the volume of applicants to the CAT program doubles in the year 2025, the shortlist percentile incrementally raises.

Academic excellence: In cases where the candidate has a good grade, that is, more than 90% in 10th, 12th, and Graduation, ISB might be flexible even if the GMAT/GRE are lower.

Experience Quality: Although it’s for "Young Leaders," internships, or 6 to 12 months of impactful work experience in an esteemed company, can balance out low performance on test scores.

Gender & Diversity: ISB aspires to have a diverse class. If a female candidate has a background in liberal arts, ISB may call her at the 96th percentile in CAT, while for a male engineer, it may be a call at the 99+ percentile.

Read More: How to Get Into ISB Hyderabad? Admission Process, Cut Offs

How to Improve Your Chances if You Are Near the ISB PGP YL Cut Off

Here are the important steps to improve your chances of selection for the ISB PGP YL program, if your score is close to the ISB PGP YL cut-off:

1. Master the Essays

There are 3 essays that are mandatory in the PGP YL application. Given that you do not have much work experience, you should write "Leadership without Authority." You can give examples of where you exhibited the qualities of leadership in college clubs, NGOs, or internships that you have/had.

2. Quantify Your Achievements

Do not write: I helped manage a fest.

Should be written: I led a team of 20 to secure ₹5 Lakhs in sponsorship, a 20% increase from the previous year.

3. Strong Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

Pick a recommender who has observed your work up close to one of your professors or an internship boss. It’s better to have a specific letter from the CEO of the corporation your recommender works for, whom they don’t know personally.

4. "On-the-Spot" Essay Preparation

The interview phase requires that ISB make an on-the-spot essay entry as a criterion. It is possible that a poor performance in the test score can be compensated for by improved essay writing skills.

5. Emphasis on “Impact”

If you are selected for an interview with a lower score, the “cut off” does not apply to you anymore. It's a new beginning with the interview. Your emphasis should be on your clarity of goals - Why ISB? Why at this time period? and more related questions.

Read More: ISB PGP YL Application Form 2026, Eligibility Criteria, Deadlines

ISB PGP YL Cut Off 2026: Conclusion

The ISB PGP YL cut-off is not fixed to one exact score or exam. Getting a good CAT, GMAT, or GRE score can help, but ISB looks at your full profile. This includes your academic record, leadership skills, diversity, and clarity about your career goals. Looking at previous year trends helps you set practical score targets and prepare in a better way.

If your score is close to the expected ISB PGP YL cut-off, there is no need to feel discouraged. Well-written essays, clear achievements, strong recommendation letters, and a clear career plan can greatly improve your chances of selection. Instead of focusing only on test scores, try to build a strong and honest overall profile.