CAT 2017: 5 changes aspirants seek from IIM Lucknow in CAT exam structure, IIM admission criteria

Columnist & Author, MBAUniverse.com

Updated on July 10, 2017

Fewer No-penalty questions, mismatch in CAT and IIMs eligibility, short testing window, hidden age bar, CAT exam structure are some of the key reasons that have prompted the CAT 2017 aspirants asking for changes from IIM Lucknow in CAT 2017 exam pattern, content and schedule

The suggested changes are not out of place and can be considered favourably by the CAT 2017 exam Convener Prof Neeraj Dwivedi, faculty and admission chair at IIM Lucknow

The evolution and changes in CAT exam pattern, its conduct and admission policies of IIMs sometimes not matching the CAT eligibility criteria are the key reasons that have prompted the CAT 2017 aspirants asking for changes from IIM Lucknow in CAT 2017 exam pattern, content, schedule among others.

IIM Lucknow will shortly be releasing the CAT 2017 notification in the leading news papers of the country regarding the CAT 2017 exam schedule, CAT exam eligibility, CAT test centres, CAT exam pattern, CAT 2017 registration dates and IIMs admission process among other important information items. IIM Lucknow is going to decide on the modalities to conduct CAT 2017 as well as the exam structure and the contents.

Going by the last year CAT exam pattern which contained fewer No-penalty questions and different marking pattern, many of the CAT 2017 aspirants fear some hard changes this year. Accordingly they have approached MBAUniverse.com demanding changes in CAT 2017 with a request to convey their suggestions to IIM Lucknow for its consideration while finalizing the CAT 2017 exam structure and schedule.

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No doubt IIM Lucknow will take the call whether to accept or reject the CAT 2017 aspirants’ demands on different aspects of CAT 2017, but the aspirants are the major stake holders and without them there is no relevance of the exam.

The suggested changes are not out of place and can be considered favourably by the CAT 2017 exam Convener Prof Neeraj Dwivedi, faculty and admission chair at IIM Lucknow.

Make CAT 2017 two days event
CAT 2017 aspirants have requested IIM Lucknow to make CAT 2017 at least a 2 day exam as it was in 2014. At that time the testing partner was also TCS which happens to be the testing partner for CAT 2017 also. If the CAT 2017 is conducted on 2 different Sundays after IIFT entrance exam, it will be much more convenient for the test takers.

The reason cited by the CAT 2017 aspirants is that sufficient gap between their other exams like NMAT by GMAC; IIFT and CAT is needed. They have to go for rescheduling the other exam and have to incur higher expenses and re-plan their journey. It may be noted that registration for NMAT by GMAC and IIFT would begin much earlier than CAT 2017. It is very much possible that the test dates for longer duration exam may clash with CAT 2017. Besides, there are very limited 20 test centres for IIFT entrance exam. As such candidates find it difficult to rush from one city to another overnight.

Include more small towns as Test centres
After shortening the test window from 20 days to 2 days and from 2 days to only 1 day, IIMs have not substantially increased the CAT test centres to accommodate the candidates of small towns. Only a handful of small towns have been included as CAT test centres.

CAT 2017 exam is proposed to be held in winters and the candidates from small towns sometimes have to take a long journey to reach the designated test centre in unknown city. If only the test centre is nearby say not more than 50-60 Kilometres away, it will be convenient for the small town candidates to reach the test centre.

Change CAT 2017 structure
Splitting of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning from their respective Quant and Verbal sections and clubbing the duo forming a separate section did cost many otherwise high scorers as they could not qualify on the minimum required percentile in DILR section.

Many candidates who performed well in Quant and Verbal sections found it difficult to clear the threshold limit in newly created DILR section. Sharing their concern, they clarified that DILR questions are always tricky and time consuming. Earlier they were clubbed to other sections and the support system worked well. In the new pattern both DI and LR questions have found place in same section. According to them, if IIM Lucknow and testing partner TCS can think and club back both the DI and LR parts to their parent sections, it would be great help for the CAT 2017 aspirants. If it is not possible, both these parts should be separated and placed as separate Data Interpretation section and Logical reasoning section.

Increase the CAT Test Time duration
Till 2013 CAT had the time limit of 140 minutes for 60 questions. Since 2014, number of questions in CAT has increased to 100 but the time limit has been increased only to 170 minutes in 2014 and 180 minutes in 2015.

Despite this increased time limit, CAT test takers find that the time limit available per question in 2013 was 2.3 minutes which has now gone down to 1.8 minute only. On the top of it sectional time constraint also exists. If the test duration is increased from 3 hours to 3 and half hours, it would be helpful to avoid errors in attempts, CAT 2017 aspirants suggest.

Allow to move between sections
CAT aspirants were jubilant when they were allowed to toggle between the sections in 2014 exam. The time constraint has again been imposed since 2015. It was a tough time for the candidates who attempted one section a few minutes before the allotted time limit but could not move on to other section. It so happened that due to this time constraint they lost their threshold percentile in one of the three sections despite scoring high overall percentile of 99+ and were not even shortlisted by any IIM.

Such aspirants who are planning to appear again in CAT 2017 are worried what more tough changes could be there in coming exam. It would be a good aspirant friendly change, if the sectional time limit is removed and the test takers are allowed to move between the sections in CAT 2017.

Match the CAT eligibility & IIM admission policy
CAT specifies that there is no age bar to appear in the exam but till 2013 there was hidden age bar as with 2 years of graduation you were not allowed to appear in the exam. It may be noted that in middle 80’s, Universities in India had switched over to 3 year graduation pattern from the earlier existing 2 year graduation degree course.

Those who did their graduation in the old pattern remained out of CAT registration purview. Even during past 2 years, although 2 years of bachelor’s degree was allowed but the candidates had to fill in 3 years duration.

The CAT registration form in 2015 allowed the old age people who completed their graduation as 2 years course as per the then existing pattern but had to fill in 3 years degree in the relevant column. In 2016 it justified the ‘No age bar’ clause in CAT registration form. But the admission policy of IIMs state that a candidate must have completed his/her graduation with minimum 3 years duration. For example IIM Ahmedabad explicitly states it and other IIMs follow it although do not explicitly mention it in their admission policy documents.

If CAT 2017 eligibility and Admission criteria of IIMs remain different, how the candidates could rely upon it as CAT is conducted by IIMs only. Accordingly, if CAT allows 2 years of graduation as correct for eligibility, IIMs should also follow it in their admission criteria without deviating from it.

CAT 2017 aspirants who are above 50 years of age but still wish to pursue PGP from an IIM have suggested that since they have the 2 years graduation degree as per the old pattern as existed in most of the Indian universities, they should be allowed to appear in CAT 2017 and if they qualify, there should not be any deterrent from IIMs rejecting their own criteria while making admission offer.

Since 2015, CAT has become a totally revamped exam. Going by the same standard and in view of the ever changing face of CAT, it is very much expected that CAT 2017 would bring yet more changes and surprises. The notification for CAT 2017 is proposed to be out in the last week of July 2017.

IIM Lucknow is well known for its different academic rigour, admission criteria. High percentilers in past CAT exams are the testimony to the fact that despite scoring 99 many of them were not shortlisted by IIM Lucknow but those who had excellent academic profile, quality work experience and other innovative ideas were shortlisted despite their low percentile in CAT exam.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2017

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