CAT 2015 Convener should anticipate high number of registrations; may cross 200000 mark

Prior to going green from paper pencil mode to CBT in 2009, Common Admission Test (CAT) used to have number of registrations to the tune of 2.75 to 3 lakhs candidates every year. It is an irony that despite more number of IIMs and more intake since 2009, there has been a fluctuating and declining trend in number of CAT registrations. The declining trend showed up some positives in CAT 2014 when number of registrations increased by 2000 candidates over CAT 2013.

CAT 2014 brought with it many changes and this might have been the reason to get higher than earlier registrations. On the same lines, number of innovations and changes are proposed in CAT 2015 whose notification is expected to be released on July 26, 2015 and the online process of registration is anticipated to begin in the first week of August, 2015.

With single day 2 sessions CAT 2015 in the offing and expected to be held either on Saturday or Sunday in the month of October, 2015, more number of candidates are expected to register for the exam. The fact is that CAT 2014 which was held in 2 days 4 session had 2000 more number of registered candidates than CAT 2013. It implies candidates have begun preferring shorter CAT window than a very long one spread over 15-20 days. In that case, IIM Ahmedabad, the convening IIM for CAT 2015 should expect yet more number of registered candidates for a single day 2 session CAT 2015.

Going by the past trend since CAT was computerized in 2009 the testing window for this prestigious entrance exam to PGP programmes in IIMs had remained open for more than 10 to 20 days with fluctuations in registration number. After the technical glitches that were encountered CAT 2009, the registration never touched that high. CAT 2014 remained glitch free with change of testing agency from Prometric to TCS, and it is anticipated that the CAT 2015 convening IIM Ahmedabad may go back to gain its lost number of registrations crossing 200000 mark for CAT 2015.

Despite the great fan-fare with which Computer based CAT began in 2009, the registration has never touched 2.76 lakhs which was the registration figure for paper pencil CAT 2008.
IIM Ahmedabad with the proposed innovations and aspirant friendly changes in CAT 2015 is hopeful to register a higher number of applicants for CAT 2015 with the new strategy. However, following few points if kept in mind by the CAT 2015 centre, it might increase the registration number for the exam substantially.

Better to share the changes along with Registration
Proposed changes in CAT 2014 were not shared along with opening of CAT 2014 registration window in the first week of August. As a result the registration remained sluggish in the early days. Later on when aspirant friendly changes were placed in public domain, registration for CAT 2014 picked up. Learning lesson from the fact is that unless too necessary, it will be a good idea to share the proposed changes on CAT 2015 site to enable the candidates to decide on CAT 2015 registration early.

CAT 2015 registration window is expected to remain open for about 2 months. Most of the CAT aspirants avoid registration in the early days of CAT registration window and later on something or other shifts their priority and sometimes they plan for MBA Abroad which also reduces the registration statistics.

Pay while registering
Like CAT 2014, if CAT 2015 aspirants are allowed to proceed with free registration, many of them may not go for the next step of applying where they are supposed to pay the registration and application fee. In such case, it may not be necessary that the candidates going for CAT 2015 registration without paying any fee would also apply for CAT 2015. If  Prof Tathagata Bandyopadhyay, convener CAT 2015 and faculty at IIM Ahmedabad can make such arrangement that payment of registration fee becomes the first step for registration, the number may increase substantially.

Better to allow first come-first served
CAT 2015 test takers may not be allowed to self-schedule the test choosing their preferred test centre and session. If it can be that those who register early will be allotted their preferred session and test centre on the first come-first served basis, the strategy could boost the registrations manifold.

Aspirants for CAT 2015 may not find the early registration much useful if the centres are not allotted on the first come first served basis as against earlier CAT exams when the rush for early registration was more to secure the seat in the preferred session at the preferred test centre.

More IIMs to attract higher number of CAT 2015 registrations
The thought would be definitely be on these lines. But going by the past record, number of CAT  registration has gone down tremendously and number of actual CAT test takers has also gone down from 2.76 lakhs in CAT 2008 to 1.70 lakhs in CAT 2014.

This dip in number is despite the fact that in 2011 six new IIMs started functioning. It may again be the expectation of CAT 2015 convener and all other IIMs and B schools alike to have a higher number of registrations for CAT 2015 with the launching of 6 more new IIMs in 2015. The registration will also be open for these IIMs and for IIM Jammu & Kashmir which is proposed to commence operation in 2016.

The intake is also supposed to increase in 19 existing IIMs. In the Cabinet meeting held on June 24, 2015, it has been decided that each of the new IIMs would have an intake of 140 students. Since it is not possible due to paucity of space and other problems, it is most likely that this high intake may become the reality in 2016. As such, with the increased intake in all IIMs, higher registration can be expected in CAT 2015.

CAT is the most favourite management entrance test and despite all the changes it is expected that the registration figure will go beyond 2 lakhs of aspirants in CAT 2015. It is suggested to CAT 2015 aspirants to go for an early registration and application since you never know what technical problems may come up at any point of time.

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