The higher ever registrations recorded in CAT 2015 during past 5 years is a reflection of growing demand for MBA from good management institutes that can ensure better career opportunities after completion of this expensive course. Apart from 19 IIMs on board there are also other top rated B-schools in India where admission 2016 is based on CAT 2015 scores. The registrations for CAT 2015 have increased by 14000 as compared to CAT 2010 and by 22000 as compared to CAT 2014.
CAT 2015 convener and faculty IIM Ahmedabad Prof Tathagata Bandyopadhyay has all the reason to smile after breaking the past 5 year record and getting 22000 more applicants for CAT 2015 than last year along with higher number of girl candidates registered for the exam. Besides following the decision of Hounourable Supreme Court of India, 80 applicants from the third gender known as Transgender have also applied to appear in CAT 2015.
CAT 2015 registration which has clicked the closing mark at 218664 applicants contains 69176 girls and 80 transgenders implying ever growing popularity of PGP programmes of IIMs and other top rated B schools that accept CAT scores
The most preferred MBA/PGDM entrance test for graduates from all disciplines and gateway to 7 older, 6 new and 6 newest IIMs got a shot in the arm with more than 2.18 lakh registration count in CAT 2015 as compared to 1.97 lakh for CAT 2014. 22000 more candidates have applied for CAT 2015 and obviously after spending a good amount of money as registration and application fee with Rs.1600/- for CAT 2015, no aspirant would like to forego the opportunity of studying in IIM, FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, NITIE, IMI, IMT, BIMTECH, TAPMI, Great Lakes among other highly ranked B-schools.
Past trends in CAT
The high number of registrations and applications in CAT has been going through ups and downs in number of CAT applicants over the past years. The declining trend got set in when CAT preferred to go green in 2009. CAT 2008 was the last paper pencil based test which suddenly switched over to computer based test (CBT) in 2009.
CAT 2008 had the highest number of registrations also. IIM Ahmedabad with the testing partner agency Prometric was the first IIM to conduct computer based CAT in 2009. However entire CAT 2009 testing window encountered number of technical problems and CAT had to be rescheduled for many aspirants.
The trends in CAT registrations since 2008 show a downward journey initially but since 2013 it has been showing a rising registration count reflecting the regaining trust of CAT aspirants and anticipation of better career opportunities after completing MBA/PGP from a good B-school
|
CAT Exam year
|
Total registration in lakhs |
|
2008 |
2.76 |
|
2009 |
2.42 |
|
2010 |
2.04 |
|
2011 |
2.05 |
|
2012 |
2.14 |
|
2013 |
1.95 |
|
2014 |
1.97 |
|
2015 |
2.19 (218664) |
Source: CAT data and MBAUniverse.com analysis
Brief year-wise Analysis
CAT 2008
CAT 2008 despite being non computerized paper pen based test, witnessed highest number of 2,75,873 registrations. This figure has become a dream since then and none of the CAT years have been able to come around this mark.
CAT 2009
In 2009, CAT went green and instead of a paper pencil based test, it became a computer based test (CBT). Registration figures for CAT 2009 witnessed a substantial dip in comparison to CAT 2008 as it couldn’t cross 2.42 lakhs while the expectation was much higher.
The exam also encountered number of technical glitches and the test for some of the aspirants had to be rescheduled in January 2010.
CAT 2010
CAT 2010 saw a further dip in registrations from 2.42 lakhs in 2009 to 2.04 lakhs in 2010. The expectation of IIMs was to achieve a new high in registration in CAT 2010 as Prometric claimed to have done away with all the anticipated problems in CAT 2010. But despite all this the registration count dipped by more than 15%.
CAT 2010 had 3 sections with 60 questions equally divided among them.
CAT 2011
CAT 2011 witnessed a marginal rise of 1000 in the number of registrations. From 2.04 lakh in CAT 2010, the number of registrations reached 2.05 lakh in CAT 2011.
The significant change that was seen in CAT 2011 test pattern was that the test got clubbed into 2 sections with 30 questions in each section. From 2011 to 2013 CAT continued with this pattern only.
CAT 2012
Number of applications in CAT 2012 increased by around 4.5 per cent. It was a good sign for MBA education in India and for MBA aspirants in particular as the economic slow down begal to melt then.
While around 2.15 lakh candidate bought the CAT 2012 vouchers, 2.14 lakh candidates actually registered themselves for the exam.
CAT 2013
CAT 2013 registration process got over on September 26, 2013. Around 1.96 lakhs of CAT 2013 vouchers were sold, while the total registrations for CAT 2013 closed at 1,94,516. Analysis of CAT 2013 registration data had females applicants count to nearly 30% of total registrations while applicants with engineering and technology background continued to dominate CAT registrations with around 70% of total share.
But as per the past trends in CAT, not all the registered number of candidates took the CAT 2013 and the total number of absentees in the test was more than twenty thousand. Revealing the facts, IIMs and Prometric admitted that although 194,516 was the number registered for CAT 2013 but actual test takers were only 173,738. The rate of non test takers has however remained the same at 11% in 2012 and 2013.
CAT 2014
Registration for CAT 2014 closed on September 30, 2014 with the registration count of 189,759 keeping in line with the trend of continuous dip in number of registrations. CAT Centre 2014 received number of requests and complaints from the candidates that due to technical glitches they could not register and make final payment. Considering the problem the registration for CAT 2014 was reopened on Oct 10, 2014 for one day.
The single day registration in CAT 2014 accounted for 7100 candidates and this enabled CAT Centre 2014 to surpass the registration count of CAT 2013 from 1.95 lakhs to 1.97 lakhs.
CAT 2015
CAT 2015 has the largest number of registrations in comparison to all other management entrance tests. Although 2 weeks ago before the extended closing date for CAT 2015 registration, there was huge dip. The fact was also admitted by CAT 2015 convener who shared with MBAUniverse.com on Sep 16, 2015 “The registration count is indeed less compared to last year till now.”
As on Sep 13, 2015 there were 92000+ candidates who registered for CAT 2015 even after the lapse of about 40 days from the date of opening of CAT 2015 registration window on Aug 6, 2015. In a week’s time the registration count shot-up to 1.60 lakhs and after extension of CAT 2015 registration date from Sep 20 to 25, the registration count made a smart jump reaching 218664 candidates as at the close of CAT 2015 registration window. The dip got converted into record breaking achievement for CAT 2015 with a mile stone that only IIM Ahmedabad would like to surpass in CAT 2016 as it would also convene CAT 2016.
CAT 2015 registration and exam pattern has gone through tremendous changes. Number of firsts has taken place in CAT 2015 registration process. Candidates registering for CAT 2015 had the facility to choose 4 most preferred test cities; girl candidates will be allotted the testing venue near the city. However CAT 2015 test takers wouldn’t have the facility of self scheduling the test, choosing the date and time slot.
In case all the registered candidates for CAT 2015 take the test, the number of CAT 2015 test takers will be higher by about 50000 in comparison to CAT 2014 test takers whose number was a little less than 1.70 lakh.
Related Article
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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2015
