With the change of guard, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) breaks its legacy of punctuality and time bound schedule of activities for conducting its entrance exam in 2017 for MBA (IB) 2018-20 batch by delaying the release of exam notification. IIFT has earned the reputation of releasing its MBA entrance exam notification on July 15 and conducting the entrance exam on last or 3rd Sunday of November during past many years.
The delay in exam notification release may result in late conduct of IIFT 2017 entrance exam and the exam date may clash with CAT 2017 exam, the notification of which is proposed to be released on July 30.
The practice adopted by IIFT in last many years has become an established convention. However the convention is broken in 2017 with the new director has taking over the charge. After Dr Surajit Mitra, former director IIFT demitting office 8 months prior to his scheduled date of tenure completion at IIFT, Mr Binoy Kumar IAS, has taken over as the Director of IIFT. This is the first time during the last many years that IIFT has not been able to release the forthcoming entrance exam notification till date.
IIFT conducts its National Level Admission Test for MBA (IB) every year for its Delhi and Kolkata campuses. The IIFT 2017 entrance exam is the gateway to MBA (IB) 2018-20 batch at this prestigious institute that still has lower fee than top IIMs and has high placements at par with highly ranked B-schools.
Related Links:
- IIFT 2017: Exam notification on July 15; MBA (IB) entrance test on Nov 26, 2017
- IIFT 2016: Exam notification out, Registration opens for MBA (IB) Admission 2017
The IIFT entrance exam notification dates in last 3 years
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) clearly mentions on its website that Release of advertisement / Availability of Brochure and application form on IIFT’s website for IIFT entrance exam will be in second week of July. Although the 2nd week of July has passed but IIFT has not been able to release the entrance exam 2017 notification till date. Past 3 years record of IIFT exam notification reveals a different story of punctuality of time and exam schedule:
| IIFT exam year | IIFT exam notification release date |
| 2014 | July 15, 2014 |
| 2015 | July 15, 2015 |
| 2016 | July 15, 2016 |
| 2017 | Not released till July 17 |
Impact of Notification delay on IIFT 2017 exam activities
All activities following the late release of IIFT 2017 exam notification may get delayed or their time duration may get shortened especially of the registration process and IIFT 2017 exam date clashing with CAT 2017 exam which has also become a single day exam.
Impact on IIFT exam date
Candidates may expect a delayed IIFT entrance exam in 2017. Over the years, IIFT has been conducting the entrance exam for admission to its MBA (IB) programme on last or third Sunday of the November. This happened when IIFT exam notification was released in the 2nd week of July. Now it appears that IIFT 2017 entrance exam for 2018-20 batch may be delayed as the notification release is delayed.
Since IIFT entrance exam is a paper based exam, it requires sufficient preparation and home work at the exam conducting level also. Accordingly, sufficient time is needed to complete the ground work and modalities to convene the exam.
If IIFT and CAT 2017 exam dates clash…
During the last 3 years CAT has also become a single day exam with 2 sessions on the same day. IIMs conducted CAT on Nov 30 and on Dec 4 in 2015 and 2016 respectively. It is expected that CAT 2017 would be held on Sunday December 3.
If IIFT chooses to delay the exam notification release resulting in delayed exam date, it may land on December 3 which is the first Sunday after the last Sunday of November which falls on November 26. Besides, CAT is taken by almost all the MBA aspirants in India including all those who appear in IIFT entrance exam.
Now, since IIM Lucknow the CAT 2017 convening IIM has not yet officially announced the date of CAT 2017 exam, it will be the job of IIFT to see that it avoids any clash with CAT exam and ensures to conduct it before the CAT 2017 exam. If the exam dates for both IIFT and CAT clash, a phenomenon which has not happened so far, IIFT can see a huge dip in registrations.
Impact on IIFT Exam Registration process
By not releasing the exam notification 2017, IIFT has also delayed the exam registration and application process. Earlier the IIFT exam registration process used to begin with the release of exam notification. Now it is delayed and may further delay the date of exam.
The registration window for IIFT exam remains open for 50 days. Earlier it used to close in the first week of September but now for IIFT 2017 it may close in the 2nd or 3rd week of September depending upon the date of release of IIFT 2017 exam notification.
Impact on Last date to submit Test Centre Change Request
One of the unique features in IIFT entrance exam is that an IIFT aspirant who has registered and applied for IIFT 2017 exam, can also submit request for change in exam test centre. Earlier the last date to submit such request used to be in the 1st week of November. The delay in release of IIFT exam notification can further delay the last date to submit such request. This request used to be in offline mode and was to be submitted to IIFT office along with a Bank Draft for Rs.500/-.
Delay in exam admit card issue
IIFT has been very punctual in release of the exam admit card in the 1st week of November every year. The Admit card is sent by post to the candidate’s registered address. Those who did not get their admit card could download it from Nov 15 onwards.
The delay in release of notification may further delay the release and dispatch of IIFT 2017 exam admit cards. This delay may cause the late conduct of IIFT 2017 exam.
Expect Notification in 3rd week
It is expected that IIFT may release the 2017 exam notification any day in the 3rd week of July. Candidates planning to appear in IIFT 2017 entrance exam for admission to MBA (International Business) at IIFT Delhi and Kolkata campuses should watch the space on MBAUniverse.com for regular updates on IIFT 2017 exam and its key features.
It is expected that around 60 thousand candidates would register and apply for admission to 360 seats of MBA (International Business) programme for both campuses of IIFT at Delhi and Kolkata. The ratio per candidate is higher than any other MBA entrance test.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on IIFT 2017
Also See:
- CAT 2017 Exam date: Know CAT registration dates, last date to apply; online application process
- CAT 2017: 5 changes aspirants seek from IIM Lucknow in CAT exam structure, IIM admission criteria
- CAT 2017 in changed pattern: Know all about CAT 2017 exam notification date, registration, pattern, IIM cutoffs
- MBA Ranking 2017: Check MBA Ranking 2017 for top 100 B-schools in India to guide you in MBA admission decision
