CAT 2015: Loses weightage points to other factors in IIMs; 99 percentile not suffice now to get top IIM

Add Review

MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
October 12, 2015
IIMs have decided to award lesser weightage to CAT 2015 scores in their admission 2016 while weightage to other factors have increased
Even after scoring 99 percentile in CAT 2015, IIMs may not offer you admission to PGP 2016-18 batch

CAT 2015 aspirants going to appear in the largest MBA entrance exam with 2.18 lakh candidates writing the test to get one of the top IIMs, need to ensure that they have other weights with them apart from scoring high sectional and overall percentile as IIMs have modified their admission criteria for PGP 2016-18 batch.

Dreaming big is good but day dreaming may not. Getting into IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Bangalore, Lucknow and 15 other existing ones apart from other top rated B-schools in 2016 is the cherished desire of every CAT 2015 aspirant. To realize the dream of making it to PGP 2016-18 batch in one of the top rated IIMs, CAT 2015 aspirants are preparing hard to score 99+ percentile.

But has the thought ever occurred to you that even after scoring 99 percentile in CAT 2015, IIMs may not offer you admission to PGP 2016-18 batch as the admission process at IIMs has changed. In fact top rated IIMs have decided to award lesser weightage to CAT 2015 scores in their admission 2016 while weightage to other factors have increased.

CAT 2015: Less weightage to high scores
Top IIMs have modified their admission criteria for PGP 2016-18 and have reduced weightage for CAT 2015 scores while the weightage to other factors have been increased.

IIMA
IIM Ahmedabad requires 80 sectional and 90 overall percentile in CAT 2015 as the minimum qualifying score to shortlist a candidate at the first stage. But this low score is one of the many criteria points required for 1st stage shortlisting. With other plans in its basket to improve diversity in its class rooms, IIM Ahmedabad will award higher weightage even with a low score to class 12 and graduation students with Commerce, Arts & Humanities background.

IIMC
On the similar lines IIM Calcutta has reduced weightage for CAT 2015 score from 77 to 67 with a vision to improve academic and gender diversity in class rooms in 2016. The weightage to academics as shortlisting criteria has been increased from 20 to 30%.

IIML
IIM Lucknow is not far behind as it has also granted 24% weightage (12 points on a scale of 50) to academics, academic diversity, gender diversity and work experience. The weightage to CAT 2015 score is only 38 points at a scale of 50.

IIMB
IIM Bangalore is in the process of bringing about a more modified PGP 2016-18 admission criteria with diversified weightage points and will be announcing it shortly.

FMS Delhi
Not only this other top B-schools like FMS Delhi, the high ROI institute with lowest fee structure in India has also modified its shortlisting criteria and has announced weightage to CAT 2015 exam sectional scores as well as to gender diversity.

While out of the total weightage to CAT 2015 scores, 30% weightage will go to Quant & DILR sections each and 40% weightage will be assigned to VRC section. Besides in the final admission round a 3% weightage will be assigned to female candidates.

The Myth busted
IIMs do not therefore need only high overall percentile of 99+ and there are certain other factors even more important than scoring 99 or 100 overall percentile in CAT 2015 to get your dream B school in 2016.

After coming to know all about the criteria to get into IIMs, the most important part to win the race is how to overcome the ignorance and succeed in our endeavour. According to Prof S K Agarwal, expert on Verbal Ability and mentor on CAT 2015 preparation, the very first tip to success journey in CAT 2015 is to shed the CAT fear and build up your confidence.

Those who are preparing in right direction should understand the pros & cons and weightage of each criterion prescribed by IIMs for admission in 2016.

Overall high percentile: Not a necessity
CAT 2015 aspirants should be aware of this surprising fact that IIMs need a high balanced sectional percentile instead of only high overall percentile. All the IIMs fix a minimum sectional cut off. Usually, the minimum sectional cut off is above 80 or 85 for an IIM. A candidate scoring 98 overall percentile might have scored 100 percentile in quant and 83 in Verbal. Despite such a high score, his sectional percentile is not to the minimum prescribed standard. He would not be shortlisted by any IIM unless his sectional percentile was above the minimum prescribed cut off point of 85 or 90.

No IIM prefers to offer any grace percentile option and therefore even if you are short of one percentile in scoring the minimum cut off percentile, you wouldn’t be shortlisted nor any generosity from any IIM must be expected in this regard.

On the other hand candidates with good sectional percentile of 85+ in each section or 90+ in each section, despite having lesser overall percentile say 96 or 97 not only receive the calls from older IIMs but also would stand fair opportunity to convert them.

When the results for CAT 2014 were out, happier were the students who scored 97 and 99 percentile and were more or less assured of their admission in top rated B school. The comparatively low overall percentilers were more worried and continued their search, remained in constant touch with MBAUniverse.com for further course of action and guidance about the admission criteria in various B schools across the country. In a turn of events the higher overall percentilers lagged behind the low scorer ones in the final admission round.

How important is to score high and balanced sectional percentile as against the overall percentile is a fact supposed to be known by all. CAT 2015 Preparation expert on Verbal Ability Prof S K Agarwal is of the strong view that ‘candidates should target a high and balanced percentile in all the 3 sections of CAT 2015 exam else it will be difficult to even get shortlisted by any IIM’.

Focus on your profile: IIMs to award higher weightage
Your profile consists of 3 most important items out of which one is beyond your reach. For remaining 2 they are also static and nothing much can be done now.

Academic Profile- Your academic excellence can give a boost to your percentile and in converting the call. IIMs award points on a scale of 100 in a range of 20 to 30 for scoring high marks in 10th, 12th and graduation. Good academics mean percentage of marks above 85. Apart from this if you have background in Arts, humanities or commerce, the highest weightage even at lesser percentage will be awarded by IIMs in their shortlisting criteria.

This weightage despite being very important is static now and you may not be able to do much about it, in case your graduation final exams are also over.

Work experience- IIMs will award weightage for relevant work experience in admission 2016. If you have quality work experience of 2-3 years after completing graduation degree, it would go in your favour.

Gender diversity-IIMs will award points to girl candidates in their admission process after result for CAT 2015 is announced. If you are a girl candidate, you may have better luck. But for others it can’t be helped since whatever gender you are, you are supposed to be throughout your life.

Please also remember apart from high overall scores in CAT 2015 both sectional as well as overall, you need to have good writing and communication skills as almost all the IIMs and other top rated B schools conduct Written Ability Test (WAT) in their final admission interview round. Your Verbal communication is assessed in personal interview (PI) round and in the 2 minutes extempore round conducted just before the PI.

CAT 2015 is the mandatory exam to explore admission to PGP 2016-18 programme in IIMs. This year CAT will have 3 sections instead of earlier 2 sections comprising 100 MCQs and Non-MCQs. The exam carries one third negative marking in scoring pattern.

CAT 2015 will be held on November 29, 2015 in 2 sessions of 3 hours duration each for admission to 19 IIMs and other top rated B schools in India.

Related Article

CAT 2015: Battle between 54% engineers & 46% non-engineers; Mah contributes max percentage increase

CAT 2015: Admit card delayed by 10 days; now to be issued on Oct 25 instead of Oct 15

CAT 2015 Applicants Alert: Are FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, IMI better than IIM L, IIM I, IIM K; which ones you should apply

CAT 2015 Score booster to VRC: Changes need focused preparation on Verbal Ability & RC

CAT 2015: No tutorial before the start of exam; confirms CAT convener

CAT 2015: Don't gamble with options A, B, C, D; may drag your score down

CAT 2015: Summing up in 1 day 2 sessions; still the test 'aspirant friendly'- know how

CAT 2015: Sectional time constraint-a blessing in disguise; tool to maximise your scores

CAT 2015:"Set targets and achieve them"- success mantra by Raghvendra Singh, CAT topper & IIM Ranchi student

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2015