Ready to break past 6 years record, CAT 2016 is poised to cross 2.50 lakh registrations in next 2 days, posing stiff competition. The number has already reached very near to this count. On the other hand IIMs have also assured Honourable Union HRD Minister Mr Prakash Javadekar in a meeting held at IIM Shillong on September 21 that they would all expand the intake in their class rooms and would preferably try to double the present number of total 10000 seats to 20000.
Total candidates registered till 3.30 PM on September 22, were 2.08 lakhs. It is expected that the registration number would rise @ 10000 candidates a day and as at the close of registration on September 27, the total number of CAT 2016 registrations may cross 2.50 lakh candidates breaking the past 6 years record and increasing the competition in CAT 2016.
Overall Selection ratio 1:50: Tougher than previous years
There were 2.18 lakh candidates registered for CAT last year as against 2.50 lakhs expected in CAT 2016. The intake in IIMs was almost same as that exists for CAT 2016 aspirants. However with the increase of 32000 candidates in CAT 2016 with the same number of existing seats in PGP 2017-19 the chances of getting into the top IIMs are tougher than last year.
Out of the total 10000 seats in IIMs, the flagship PGP programmes have a total intake of around 5000 seats across 20 IIMs. Accordingly, the ratio of total seats in flagship PGP programmes in IIMs to total expected CAT 2016 test takers stands to 50 candidates for 1 seat.
If we consider the top 6 IIMs namely – IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore and IIM Kozhikode this ratio will cross all the past calculations. The total number of present seats in flagship PGP programme in top 6 IIMs is around 2600 and with more than 2.50 lakh CAT 2016 aspirants, 100 candidates will be competing for 1 seat in them.
Expect more intake in PGP 2017-19
No deadline, however to increase the assured intake in the class rooms of IIMs has been specified although CAT 2016 aspirants can expect some increase in the number of seats in IIMs by the time admission process in the 20 IIMs is finalised and admission offers are made for the PGP 2017-19 batch.
20 IIMs offer more than 45 management and doctoral programmes. Present intake except in doctoral programmes is more than 9000. The present seat capacity in flagship 2 years full time PGP programmes at 20 IIMs comes to around 4500 and the intake for other programmes like PGP-FABM; PGP-ABM; Executive Programmes among others also is around 4000. So once IIMs begin augmenting their seat capacity from the coming academic session, it will add to more admissions and more candidates who are taking CAT 2016 can expect to get admission offers from IIMs.
High score in CAT 2016: A must
Top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad has reduced its minimum qualifying percentile score in CAT 2016. Now IIMA has prescribed its minimum requirement of CAT 2016 percentile to shortlist the candidates at first stage with as low as 70 sectional and 80 overall.
But will it be suffice. No, says Prof S K Agarwal as it is a well known fact that even the 96-97 percentilers in CAT do not get a chance to be shortlisted for second round of admission process by IIM Ahmedabad.
You not only need to score high sectional percentile of 90 and above but should also score 98-99 over percentile in CAT 2016 to be considered for shortlisting for final admission round by the top IIMs like IIM A,B,C.
Too many 99 percentilers: How to get edge?
One thing the CAT 2016 aspirants should understand well is that there could be more than 4 to 5 thousand 99 percentilers in CAT 2016. But not all of them can get the chance to be shortlisted by IIMs as many of them may be having a lower than qualifying percentile in one of the 3 sections.
Now the success mantra to get an edge among so many high percentilers in CAT 2016 is to get a balanced and high percentile in each of the 3 sections. The focus on excellent preparation strategy for all the 3 sections, according to Prof S K Agarwal expert on Verbal Ability and mentor on CAT 2016 preparation, can only give you an edge in shortlisting by IIMs out of 2.50 lakh prospective CAT 2016 aspirants.
Excellent Academics: Stand out among 2.50 lakhs
The good news for CAT 2016 aspirants is that higher weightage on academic profile and academic diversity has been announced by almost all the IIMs in shortlisting the candidates for final admission round and while making final admission offer. So, if you have scored 90+ percentage of marks in class 10, 12 and bachelor’s degree, you can be awarded a high weightage of 20 to 50 points on a scale of 100 in shortlisting by IIMs.
The level of competition especially for the candidates with excellent academics and for non-engineers will be less than for others. It is very much possible that out of 2.50 lakh candidates going to register for CAT 2016, you can be shortlisted by IIMs with a percentile score of 95-96 in CAT 2016 as compared to the candidates who may or may not be shortlisted despite scoring 98-99 percentile as they do not have such an excellent academic record.
Please note that CAT 2016 although offers yet more opportunities of admission in IIMs but to convert the call in final admission round, one should also get into the merit on specific weightage which facilitates the offer of admission in IIMs.
The 2.50 lakh odd candidates, expected to register for CAT 2016 would be sharing a single day exam in 2 slots on December 4, 2016 with no scope of getting better or poorer scores on account of LOD in different sessions, thus making a competition field more fierce calling for yet higher percentile score.
Accordingly, there wouldn’t be much benefit on account of location and scale difference in the process of normalization of scores as the exam would be summed up in 2 sessions only. As such now the CAT 2016 test takers shall have to compete with 32000 more IIM aspirants than last year.
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