IIFT 2017: Entrance exam date changed to December 3; no clash now with CAT 2017 exam date

The issue of exam date clash for IIFT 2017 entrance exam for MBA (IB) 2018-20 and CAT 2017 has been resolved. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade has changed the IIFT 2017 entrance exam date to Sunday December 3 from earlier November 26 and the last date of registration has been extended to September 15 from earlier September 5, 2017. IIFT has extended the online registration date to make up the loss of time as thousands of candidates have not registered and applied to IIFT entrance exam due to the date clash.

Announcing the new dates, IIFT has shared the changes in Dates, “ Last date to apply online: Friday, 15th September 2017 & Written Examination: Sunday, 3rd December 2017.” With the announcement of new exam date by IIFT, the issue of date clash is over and stands resolved.

IIFT 2017 and CAT 2017 exam dates coincided for November 26, 2017. This is the first time such an incident has taken place. Taking cognizance of exam date clash, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) announced earlier “The issue related to clashing of date of MBA (IB) Entrance exam with CAT, is being resolved. You will be updated soon on the issue.”

Read  more CAT 2017 & IIFT exam date clash: Relax! Issue getting resolved; No need to panic

Now the candidates who were in dilemma whether to apply for CAT 2017 or IIFT entrance exam may proceed to apply for both the exams.

Exam date clash was anticipated
Even before the IIFT MBA (IB) and CAT 2017 exam notifications were released, MBAUniverse.com on July 17 published the apprehension that IIFT entrance exam date could clash with CAT 2017 exam date.

Read the full article IFT 2017 exam notification delayed: Exam date may clash with CAT 2017

IIFT exam notification on July 25 announced its entrance exam date as November 26. Next day MBAUniverse.com came to know that CAT 2017 exam date was also on November 26.

CAT 2017 to be a single-day two-session exam; likely Exam Date is November 26: MBAUniverse.com

The CAT 2017 exam press release and CAT notification from IIM Lucknow confirmed again that the exam date for both the exams is November 26, 2017.

60000 to apply for IIFT
Around 60000 candidates are expected to apply for IIFT MBA (IB) entrance exam, while more than 2 lakh candidates are expected to register and apply for CAT 2017 exam. It would have been the hard time for all those thousands of candidates who apply for IIFT entrance as well as for CAT exam to take the decision whether to apply for IIFT or CAT 2017, if the IIFT entrance exam date had not been changed to December 3.

IIFT conducts its own test
It is not possible for the CAT 2017 aspirants to forego the charm of getting into one of the top IIMs by not applying for CAT. The irony is that IIMs or any other B-school do not accept IIFT entrance exam scores in their admission process, nor does IIFT accept CAT scores for admission to its MBA programme. The only exam scores acceptable for admission to MBA (IB) course at IIFT is its own entrance exam.

CAT 2017 aspirants were expecting the CAT exam would be held in the first week of December as it was held in 2016 but the date had clashed. Those who prepare for Common Admission Test (CAT) are very well aware that success in CAT would lead them to one of the top 20 IIMs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurugram, IMI New Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, JBIMS Mumbai, TAPMI Manipal among others.

Since IIFT is also one of the top B-schools in India and is rated at par with any highly ranked MBA institute in terms of learning and placements, no candidate wants to give up the admission opportunity to MBA (IB) 2018-20 at IIFT. There are currently 360 seats in Delhi and Kolkata campuses of IIFT for which around 60000 candidates are waiting to apply and were stuck due to clash of CAT and IIFT entrance exam dates.

One week gap in IIFT & CAT 2017 entrance exam dates
With the announcement of new exam date on December 3, IIFT has given a sigh of relief to thousands of candidates as it was unlikely that CAT 2017 exam date would be revised. Now there is a one week gap between CAT 2017 and IIFT 2017 entrance exam dates. Now the candidates would be able to appear in both the exams without difficulty.

IIFT 2017 entrance exam will be a paper based test of 2 hours duration whereas CAT 2017 is a computer based test. There are number of similarities in exam syllabus, topics, type of questions between IIFT and CAT exams. However, while IIFT has a GK section in its exam, CAT does not have any GK test, which can be cited as the major difference between the two exams.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2017 and IIFT 2017 exams

Related links:

• IIFT 2017 exam date, registration, exam syllabus, exam pattern
• CAT 2017: 10 Questions on CAT exam & CAT Registration answered by IIM Lucknow; must read
• CAT 2017: 12.5% Application fee hike in 2 years; Registration starts August 9 – note the key points
• 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