IIMs to Change Their Selection Procedure; CAT Scores Become Less Significant

CAT is known as one of the most competitive exams where Engineers have an upper edge over other competitors. But the news of low importance of CAT scores for admission in the prestigious IIMs has taken many students aback. This article will not only clear the point on why this is happening but also what all factors will be used to judge the aspirant gaining admission in an IIM.

CAT score will not matter much for final selection in IIMs

It is important to understand that a high CAT score can take you to the final stage of the personal interview (PI) and written ability test (WAT) but will not be enough to get you selected unless you have secured good points in other parameters. Let’s take a look at how the IIMs have introduced their method of admission:

IIM Ahmedabad

IIM Ahmedabad will give 50% weightage to the Personal Interviews and 10% to the Analytical Writing Test. The composite score of CAT Score, Class 10, Class 12, under graduation will be weighed at 40% of the total marks. A noticeable thing here is that there will be a subject wise clustering with an 80 percentile cap which means that aspirants with same subjects having their scores above 80 percentile will be considered for eligibility.

The main objective of such measure is to recruit people from various fields of study like Arts, Commerce, Humanities categories.

IIM Bangalore

This may come as a shocker to many, as the final weightage of CAT score in preparation merit list would be 25%. The weightage of personal interview would be 30%. Academics and work experience would build 35% of the total weightage and the remaining 10% will be given on written aptitude test.

IIM Calcutta

Another IIM giving low importance to CAT score that of 30%. The Personal Interview is the most important part in selection at IIM Calcutta as it forms 48% of the total weightage. Writing and Analytical test have 10% importance in the preparation of final merit list. One of the striking parts of new measure that is in contrast is that 2 points have been reserved if you are a non engineer applicant, which means if you have graduation in BA, B. Sc, B. Com, B. BA, B. CA, B. Pharma, LLB, MBBS, etc. and other being, if you are a girl you will get 4 more points, this is done to have better gender diversity as Indian B-schools are behind the top B-Schools of the world in academic diversity.

Ideal work experience as per IIM Calcutta is 22 months to 36 months i.e. 2 years to 3 years for which you will 4 points else 6 months to 12 months will fetch you 2 points and for aspirant having work experience more than 4 years will get no point.

So to be honest this measures come in as good news as well as bad news. Good news because, in case you do not do well in CAT, you still have a chance to get into the IIMs but it would be a bad news for those who have not been consistent throughout their academics.

You can get the detailed notification from IIM website of most branches like Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, etc. For more information like this and further updates, you can follow our blog which can help you in having an edge over the competition.