IPMAT Eligibility, Syllabus and Exam Pattern: IIM Indore vs IIM Rohtak Compared

By the Online Coaching 4u team

Because IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak each set their own paper, "how do I prepare for IPMAT" doesn't have one answer, it depends which IPMAT you mean. Here's a precise, side-by-side comparison of both, plus the eligibility rules that catch aspirants off guard.

Eligibility: the age limit most aspirants miss

Unlike CAT, CLAT or most other entrance exams, IPMAT (at both Indore and Rohtak) enforces a genuine upper age limit, not just an academic percentage. For the General/EWS/OBC-NCL category, candidates must be born on or after a specific date the IIM sets each cycle, in practice this caps you at around 20 years old at the time of the exam. SC/ST/PwD candidates get a 5-year relaxation, effectively raising their cap to around 25. If you've taken a gap year or two after Class 12, check this date carefully and early, it's one of the few IPM eligibility rules that can disqualify you outright regardless of how well you'd score.

IPMAT Indore exam pattern

The Short Answer Quant section is the one genuinely unusual feature here, there are no answer options, you calculate and enter the value directly, and there's no negative marking on it, which changes the risk calculus compared to the MCQ sections. Indore also enforces sectional cutoffs, meaning you must clear a minimum score in each of the three sections independently, a strong overall total doesn't help if you score too low in any single section.

IPMAT Rohtak exam pattern

Rohtak's marking is uniform across all questions (+4/-1 everywhere, no exception), and unlike Indore, there's no sectional cutoff, only an overall score threshold. That's a meaningfully different structure: at Rohtak, a candidate who's genuinely strong in two sections and weak in a third can still clear the bar by compensating, a strategy that simply doesn't work at Indore.

Syllabus: what's actually tested

Quantitative Ability (both exams)

Draws on Class 9-12 level maths, with Arithmetic (percentages, profit and loss, time-speed-distance, ratios) carrying the most weight, followed by Algebra (functions, logarithms, progressions and sequences), Number Systems, Geometry and Coordinate Geometry, and occasional Modern Math (permutations, combinations, probability).

Verbal Ability (Indore) / Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (Rohtak)

Reading Comprehension is the dominant component (roughly half of Indore's Verbal section), testing inference, tone and context from passages, alongside Vocabulary, Synonyms/Antonyms, Grammar, Sentence Correction, Para-jumbles and verbal reasoning.

Logical Reasoning / DI (Rohtak only)

A section entirely absent from Indore's format, covering data interpretation from tables and graphs alongside logical puzzles, a genuine structural difference that means Rohtak-focused prep needs a section Indore-focused prep doesn't.

After the written test: WAT and PI

Neither exam ends at the written score. Both IIMs run a Written Ability Test and/or Personal Interview stage for shortlisted candidates, and your final merit blends the written score with your Class 10/12 academic percentage and PI performance, sources we cross-checked disagree on the exact weightage split (Indore estimates range roughly 50-65% written, 35-40% PI, with WAT weighted lightly; Rohtak estimates put written around 55%, academics around 30% combined, and PI around 15%), so treat any single precise percentage you see elsewhere with some caution and focus on the direction: a good written score alone doesn't guarantee a seat, your interview and prior academic record matter too.

Where to go next

Once you know which exam (or both) you're targeting, our IPMAT cutoff and previous year trends piece shows what score actually cleared each institute's bar in 2026, and our IPMAT preparation strategy guide explains why Indore and Rohtak genuinely need different test-taking approaches.

Compare every verified IPMAT coaching institute we track on our IPMAT coaching listings page.

Frequently asked questions

Is IPMAT Indore the same exam as IPMAT Rohtak?

No, they're structurally different papers set independently by each IIM. Indore has three sections (Quant MCQ, Quant Short Answer with no options, and Verbal), each with its own sectional cutoff you must clear separately. Rohtak has three different sections (Quant, Logical Reasoning/DI, and Verbal & Reading Comprehension), with no sectional cutoff, only an overall score threshold.

What is the IPMAT age limit?

IIM Indore requires General-category candidates to be born on or after a specific date each year, effectively capping age at 20, with a 5-year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates (effectively capping at 25). This is stricter than most entrance exams, which have no upper age limit at all, so double-check your eligibility early if you've taken a gap year.

How many questions and how much time does IPMAT Indore have?

90 questions across three sections (30 Quant MCQ, 15 Quant Short Answer, 45 Verbal MCQ), for 360 total marks, in 120 minutes with roughly 40 minutes per section.

How many questions and how much time does IPMAT Rohtak have?

120 questions across three sections (40 each in Quant, Logical Reasoning/DI, and Verbal & Reading Comprehension), for 480 total marks, in 120 minutes, with +4 for a correct answer and -1 for an incorrect one uniformly across all questions.

Do I need Class 12 Maths for IPMAT?

Yes, Mathematics or Applied Mathematics as a Class 12 subject is a standard requirement across IPM programmes, since the Quant sections in both Indore and Rohtak's exams draw on Class 11-12 level maths.