Which is cheaper, IIM Visakhapatnam or IIM Trichy?

Trichy, on the printed tables re-read 23 October 2026. Trichy's six-term bill comes to Rs 21,24,000 as printed — Term I Rs 3,79,000 including the Rs 1,00,000 acceptance, the Rs 30,000 refundable caution and the first mess advance; Terms II-VI Rs 3,49,000 each with mess inside. Vizag prints Rs 23,58,590 and then adds a Rs 40,000 caution deposit plus a Rs 25,000-per-term mess/AC advance — about Rs 25.5 lakh all-in. The honest gap is roughly Rs 4.3 lakh in Trichy's favour.

What CAT percentile do IIM Visakhapatnam and IIM Trichy need?

The widest gap in this series. Vizag's printed first bar is General 82 overall with 70 sectionals (EWS/NC-OBC 72, SC 50, ST/PwD 40) — a shortlist bar. Trichy's printed table asks General 95.25 overall with 75 in each section (EWS 89, NC-OBC 88.5, SC 75, ST 44, DAP 30). Thirteen percentile points separate the two doors at the first cut: a General candidate at 85-95 has a printed shot at Vizag and none at Trichy.

Is the admission process shared between the two?

No. Vizag runs its own three-phase solo process. Trichy admits through JAP 2026 — the four-IIM Joint Admission Process hosted by IIM Raipur with Kashipur and Ranchi — with the interview conducted jointly at the printed JAP venues. One CAT registration can feed both doors, but the applications behind them are separate efforts.

How is the final merit list computed at each?

Vizag weights the interview above everything: PI 48, CAT 25, Class X 4, XII 4, Bachelor's 4, gender diversity 5, work experience 10 — with the option to import the average of your IIM Bangalore, Kozhikode, Lucknow or Indore PI scores. Trichy reads the CAT percentile at 52%, then PI 20%, work experience 10%, UG performance 5%, Class XII 3%, Class X 2%, gender diversity 6% for female candidates and academic diversity 2% reserved for non-engineers with first class. Vizag's machine rewards the interviewee; Trichy's rewards the tested percentile.

Is there a management quota at IIM Visakhapatnam or IIM Trichy?

Neither prints one — an IIM seat is not purchasable. Vizag admits through its solo published three-phase process; Trichy admits through JAP 2026 — both on CAT 2025 under Government of India reservation law. Trichy's printed concession is academic, not paid: the AFWS waives 50% of academic fees for financially needy students, capped at 2% of the batch. Anyone quoting a priced seat at either institute is describing fraud.

Which should I prefer — IIM Visakhapatnam or IIM Trichy?

On documents, Vizag is the only one of the two whose printed door a sub-95 General candidate clears — and its 48-weight interview can move a strong interviewee up the list. Trichy rewards the high scorer: the 95.25 bar is steep, but the six-term Rs 21,24,000 is the fuller printed bill, the JAP interview covers four IIMs at once, and the AFWS line exists in writing for financially needy admits. Model both formulas against your own profile.

IIM Visakhapatnam vs IIM Trichy: the lowest printed bar against the 95.25 table

IIM Visakhapatnam vs IIM Trichy: an 82-overall door with a 48/100 interview against the JAP-era 95.25/75 table — Rs 23,58,590 vs Rs 21,24,000 all-in.

By Piyush Agarwal, 10 years in direct admissions counselling · Reviewed by Piyush Agarwal · Last verified 23 October 2026 · every claim linked to its source · Latest change: Initial publication; both institutes' official pages re-read today. IIM Visakhapatnam's admission-criteria page re-read: three-phase PGP 2026-28 process — Phase-1 CAT-2025 minimums General 70/70/70 with 82 overall (EWS 63s/72, NC-OBC 63s/72, SC 40s/50, ST 30s/40, PwD 30s/40), printed as shortlist bars not admission bars; Phase-2 /100 — CAT 50 (VARC 18, DILR 14, QA 18), X 10, XII 10, Bachelors 10, gender diversity 10, work experience 10 on the printed curve (zero under 12 months, 10 across 24-36, 2.5 beyond 48, measured to 31 December 2025); Phase-3 the PI with the IIM-Bangalore/Kozhikode/Lucknow/Indore PI-AVERAGING import; final aggregate PI 48, CAT 25, X 4, XII 4, Bachelor's 4, gender diversity 5, work experience 10. Vizag's program-fee page re-read the same day: tuition Rs 3,79,765 x 6 + Student Welfare Rs 40,000 in terms 1 and 4 = Rs 11,79,295 a year, Grand Total Rs 23,58,590 — caution Rs 40,000 and the Rs 25,000-per-term mess/AC advance outside. IIM Trichy's PGPM admissions page re-read: the shortlist table General 75/75/75 with 95.25 overall (EWS 60s/89, NC-OBC 60s/88.5, SC 45s/75, ST 25s/44, DAP 25s/30) with the JAP 2026 PI venues printed; the final-admission weights 52% CAT percentile, 20% PI, 10% work experience, 2% Class X, 3% Class XII, 5% UG performance, 6% gender diversity for female candidates, 2% academic diversity (non-engineering, first class or above only); the fee block re-read: Rs 19.5 lakh EXCLUDING caution deposit and mess advance — Term I Rs 3,79,000 (acceptance Rs 1,00,000 + tuition Rs 2,25,000 + mess advance Rs 24,000 + caution Rs 30,000), Terms II-VI Rs 3,49,000 each = Rs 21,24,000 across six terms as printed; the Academic Fee Waiver Scheme (AFWS), introduced AY 2025-26, waives 50% of academic fees for financially needy students, applicable to 2% of the registering batch (Oct 2026)

The short answer

As of 23 October 2026, IIM Visakhapatnam prints the series' lowest General first bar — 82 overall — with a 48/100 interview, while IIM Trichy's table asks 95.25 with 75 sectionals. Vizag's bill is Rs 23,58,590 before extras; Trichy's Rs 21,24,000 all-in across six terms. Both official pages were re-read today.

Thirteen percentile points — the widest first-bar gap in this comparison series. IIM Visakhapatnam shortlists at 82 overall, the lowest printed General bar mapped anywhere here, and hands 48 of 100 final points to the interview; IIM Trichy’s table asks 95.25 with 75 sectionals and reads the CAT percentile at 52% of the final. Vizag’s bill prints Rs 23,58,590 before extras; Trichy’s comes to Rs 21,24,000 across six terms with the mess inside the instalments. Both official pages were re-read today, 23 October 2026.

The two bills, side by side

	IIM Visakhapatnam (PGP 2026-28)	IIM Trichy (PGPM 2026-28)
Printed total	Rs 23,58,590 grand total (Rs 11,79,295 x 2 years)	Rs 19.5 lakh EXCLUDING caution and mess advance — Rs 21,24,000 across six terms as printed
Structure	Rs 3,79,765 tuition x 6 + Student Welfare Rs 40,000 in terms 1 and 4	Term I Rs 3,79,000 (acceptance Rs 1,00,000 + tuition Rs 2,25,000 + mess Rs 24,000 + caution Rs 30,000); Terms II-VI Rs 3,49,000 each
Hostel and mess	A Rs 25,000-per-term advance (mess, AC, printing) OUTSIDE the headline	Mess advance Rs 24,000 a term INSIDE each printed instalment
Caution deposit	Rs 40,000, outside	Rs 30,000, inside Term I, refundable on leaving
All-in as printed	About Rs 25.5 lakh with the deposit and six terms of advances	Rs 21,24,000 with the acceptance adjusted
Fee-waiver line	Financial-aid pages linked from the fee page	AFWS: 50% of academic fees waived for financially needy students, capped at 2% of the batch, introduced AY 2025-26
Document	Official program-fee page	Official PGPM admissions page

The honest label: Trichy’s instalment table already carries what Vizag bills separately — the six printed terms total Rs 21,24,000 against Vizag’s roughly Rs 25.5 lakh once its deposit and per-term advances count. The gap is about Rs 4.3 lakh in Trichy’s favour.

The widest bar gap in the series

Vizag’s Phase-1 table prints General 82 overall with 70 in each section (EWS and NC-OBC 72, SC 50, ST/PwD 40) — shortlist bars, with the printed caution that clearing them does not admit you. Trichy’s table prints General 95.25 overall with 75 sectionals (EWS 89, NC-OBC 88.5, SC 75, ST 44, DAP 30), with the JAP 2026 interview venues listed beneath it. The practical read: a General candidate anywhere in the 82-95 band has a printed shot at Vizag and no printed path at Trichy; at 95.25-plus, both doors open and the formulas decide.

The formulas behind the lists

Vizag’s final aggregate: PI 48, CAT 25, Class X 4, Class XII 4, Bachelor’s 4, gender diversity 5, work experience 10 — the heaviest interview block in the series, plus the rule importing the average of IIM Bangalore, Kozhikode, Lucknow or Indore PI scores for candidates those institutes shortlisted. Trichy’s final, printed as percentages: CAT percentile 52%, PI 20%, work experience 10%, UG performance 5%, Class XII 3%, Class X 2%, gender diversity 6% for female candidates, academic diversity 2% — the last reserved for non-engineering graduates with first class or above. At Vizag the interview room decides; at Trichy the CAT hall writes over half the score.

The Phase-2 middle at Vizag

Between the bar and the interview, Vizag scores a detailed application out of 100: CAT 50 (VARC 18, DILR 14, QA 18), Class X 10, XII 10, Bachelors 10, gender diversity 10, work experience 10 on the printed curve — the full 10 across 24-36 months, zero under 12, tapering to 2.5 beyond 48, measured to 31 December 2025. Trichy’s published process moves from the JAP shortlist to the joint PI to the 52/20/10 final with no equivalent middle layer.

The quota question, answered from print

Neither institute prints any management, institutional or discretionary route — no IIM does. Vizag admits through its solo three-phase process; Trichy admits through JAP 2026, the joint process hosted by IIM Raipur. The only concession either prints is academic: Trichy’s AFWS waives half the academic fee for financially needy students, capped at 2% of the registering batch. An agent quoting a priced seat at either campus is selling fraud.

Who should pick which

Pick Vizag if your percentile sits in the 82-95 band — its printed first bar is the only one of the two you clear — or if you interview well: a 48-weight PI is the biggest lever any page in this series prints.
Pick Trichy if you carry a 95.25-plus percentile and want the joint-process efficiency — one JAP interview covers four IIMs — with the fuller printed bill: Rs 21,24,000 across six terms with mess inside, plus a printed 50% fee-waiver scheme for financially needy admits.
Either way — one CAT 2025 registration feeds both. Fill Vizag’s scored Phase-2 application carefully, and watch for the JAP invitation email after the result for Trichy.

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Straight answers

Which is cheaper, IIM Visakhapatnam or IIM Trichy?: Trichy, on the printed tables re-read 23 October 2026. Trichy's six-term bill comes to Rs 21,24,000 as printed — Term I Rs 3,79,000 including the Rs 1,00,000 acceptance, the Rs 30,000 refundable caution and the first mess advance; Terms II-VI Rs 3,49,000 each with mess inside. Vizag prints Rs 23,58,590 and then adds a Rs 40,000 caution deposit plus a Rs 25,000-per-term mess/AC advance — about Rs 25.5 lakh all-in. The honest gap is roughly Rs 4.3 lakh in Trichy's favour.
What CAT percentile do IIM Visakhapatnam and IIM Trichy need?: The widest gap in this series. Vizag's printed first bar is General 82 overall with 70 sectionals (EWS/NC-OBC 72, SC 50, ST/PwD 40) — a shortlist bar. Trichy's printed table asks General 95.25 overall with 75 in each section (EWS 89, NC-OBC 88.5, SC 75, ST 44, DAP 30). Thirteen percentile points separate the two doors at the first cut: a General candidate at 85-95 has a printed shot at Vizag and none at Trichy.
Is the admission process shared between the two?: No. Vizag runs its own three-phase solo process. Trichy admits through JAP 2026 — the four-IIM Joint Admission Process hosted by IIM Raipur with Kashipur and Ranchi — with the interview conducted jointly at the printed JAP venues. One CAT registration can feed both doors, but the applications behind them are separate efforts.
How is the final merit list computed at each?: Vizag weights the interview above everything: PI 48, CAT 25, Class X 4, XII 4, Bachelor's 4, gender diversity 5, work experience 10 — with the option to import the average of your IIM Bangalore, Kozhikode, Lucknow or Indore PI scores. Trichy reads the CAT percentile at 52%, then PI 20%, work experience 10%, UG performance 5%, Class XII 3%, Class X 2%, gender diversity 6% for female candidates and academic diversity 2% reserved for non-engineers with first class. Vizag's machine rewards the interviewee; Trichy's rewards the tested percentile.
Is there a management quota at IIM Visakhapatnam or IIM Trichy?: Neither prints one — an IIM seat is not purchasable. Vizag admits through its solo published three-phase process; Trichy admits through JAP 2026 — both on CAT 2025 under Government of India reservation law. Trichy's printed concession is academic, not paid: the AFWS waives 50% of academic fees for financially needy students, capped at 2% of the batch. Anyone quoting a priced seat at either institute is describing fraud.
Which should I prefer — IIM Visakhapatnam or IIM Trichy?: On documents, Vizag is the only one of the two whose printed door a sub-95 General candidate clears — and its 48-weight interview can move a strong interviewee up the list. Trichy rewards the high scorer: the 95.25 bar is steep, but the six-term Rs 21,24,000 is the fuller printed bill, the JAP interview covers four IIMs at once, and the AFWS line exists in writing for financially needy admits. Model both formulas against your own profile.

Sources

Page updated 23 October 2026. Rules, fees and dates change; confirm with the institution and the official authority before acting.

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