Even after taking due measures to improve gender diversity in class rooms of IIMs, the data released by IIM Ahmedabad containing the list of 17 toppers in the 100 percentile league includes only one female candidate. Sharing the statistics with MBAUniverse.com, convener CAT 2015 and faculty at IIM Ahmedabad Prof Tathagata Bandyopadhyay has informed that ‘There are 17 candidates with 100 percentile in CAT 2015 and they include one female candidate’.
All the toppers are from engineering back ground and the only female candidate in 100 percentiler league accounts for about 6% of all the toppers.
8 females with 99.9 percentile
Out of total 1814 candidates with score of 99 and above percentile, 8 female candidates have scored 99.9 percentile in CAT 2015 accounting for only 0.44% of total candidates although ratio of females in 99 percentile category is 7.5% with 136 females out of 1814 in number.
The number of females scoring above 95 but below 99 percentile is 1243 out of total 9003 candidates. The ratio of females to total candidates scoring 95+ percentile comes to 13.80%.
34% female candidates among total CAT 2015 test takers
This is in contrast to total number of CAT 2015 test takers as per the data released by IIM Ahmedabad immediately after the CAT 2015 test. Out of 179602 candidates in total who appeared in CAT 2015 on November 29, 2015, according to IIM AHMEDABAD, there were 58270 female candidates. The number comes to around 34% of the total candidates taking CAT 2015. However, the contribution of female candidates in the 100 percentiler topper league is less than 6%.
All facilities extended to female candidates
IIM Ahmedabad while finalizing the CAT 2015 test taking policy, made it a policy guideline that all the female candidates would be accommodated in the city areas of their preferred test cities to reduce any type of problem to them. Sharing with MBUniverse.com, Prof Tathagata Bandyopadhyay, convener CAT 2015 and IIM Ahmedabad faculty said “We are also trying to accommodate the female candidates in centres near the city areas as far as possible so that the travel for them could be reduced”
CAT 2015: Changed to provide level playing field
To improve the gender and academic diversity in IIM class rooms in 2016, the structure and content of CAT 2015 was changed. The aim was to facilitate and attract more female candidates to register and take CAT 2015 test. According to convener CAT 2015 “Such a move will also help IIMs bring in greater diversity in the classrooms and will go a long way in enriching the learning experience.”
However the ultimate effect of these changes in helping to improve the diversity in IIM class rooms would be reflected when more female candidates would convert the call to different IIMs.
Female 100 percentiler: Number same as last year
Neha Manglik of BITS Pilani was the first female candidate since 2009 who scored 100 percentile in last year CAT. In CAT 2015 although the total number of 100 percentilers has increased from 16 to 17 but still there is only one female candidate in the 100 percentiler league. If we calculate the ratio or percentage of females in 100 percentiler league, it has reduced from 6.25% to 5.88% from CAT 2014 to CAT 2015.
The low ratio of females getting high score in CAT 2015 may create sex ratio imbalance in IIM class rooms. It may also not fulfill the aim of IIMs to improve gender diversity in their class rooms. Now the ball goes to IIMs’ court in taking the appropriate decision on amending their shortlisting criteria for admission 2016.
CAT 2015 result was declared on Friday January 8, 2016. While the result was made available on the website in the evening by IIM Ahmedabad, an SMS text was sent around 1 PM to all the 1.80 lakh candidates advising them their overall percentile scored in CAT 2015.
IIM Ahmedabad had also shared that due to technical glitch on part of testing partner TCS thousands of the candidates could view their result before it was enabled on website. Later on the site was blocked and the candidates could no longer get the opportunity to have access to it till 6.30 PM. Various Media reports termed it as a leak of the result before time but the Convener CAT 2015 and IIM Ahmedabad faculty Prof Tathagata Bandyopadhyay refuted the claim and termed them as rumours only.
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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2015 result
