CAT the most preferred MBA/PGDM entrance test for graduates from all disciplines and gateway to 7 older, 6 new and 6 proposed IIMs gets a dip of 6000 with registration count of 1,89,759 for CAT 2014. The registration for CAT 2014 may have largest number of registrations in comparison to all other management entrance tests, still there is a marginal dip of around 6 thousand registrations over CAT 2013. This is despite the fact that 6 more new IIMs have been proposed to begin functioning from admission session 2015-16.
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. In 2008 CAT was a paper pencil based test which suddenly switched over to computer based test (CBT). 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 some of the aspirants
Prior to analyzing the reasons for fluctuations in CAT registrations over the years, let us know what has been the trend in CAT registrations since 2008. Following table shows the past trends in CAT registration
|
CAT year
|
Total registration in lakhs |
|
2008 |
2.76 |
|
2009 |
2.42 |
|
2010 |
2.04 |
|
2011 |
2.05 |
|
2012 |
2.14 |
|
2013 |
1.95 |
|
2014 |
1.89 |
Source: CAT data and MBAUniverse.com analysis
CAT 2008
CAT 2008 witnessed highest number of 2,75,873 registrations. This figures has become a dream since then and none of the CAT years have been able to come around this mark.
Interestingly, CAT 2008 was not only a paper pencil based test it had highest number of questions also. While CAT 2007 had 75 questions, number of questions in CAT 2008 increased to 90. Since then number of questions were decreased in CAT but there has not been any substantial improvement in number of CAT registrations.
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 rise in the number of registrations. From 2.04 lakh in CAT 2010, the number of registrations reached 2.05 lakh in CAT 2011. Commenting on the rise, Prof. Janakiraman Moorthy, CAT 2011 Convener from IIM Calcutta, had told MBAUniverse.com, “The rise in number of CAT takers is evidence to the fact that there is still growing demand for MBA among the students. Though it is a marginal rise, I am hoping that the number will increase in the coming years. http://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/5203/
http://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/4817/
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 was increased by around 4.5 per cent. It was a good sign for MBA education world and for MBA aspirants as well who were otherwise facing the economic slowdown.
While around 2.15 lakh candidate bought the CAT 2012 vouchers, 2.14 lakh candidates actually registered themselves for the exam. Dr. Debashis Chatterjee, director, IIM Kozhikode, said: “The rise in the number of CAT takers is a positive indication that people have restored faith in the exam. The higher number of experienced candidates has also indicated that the economy is going to improve over the next two-three years.” http://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/6392/
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 shows 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. http://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/7247/CAT-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. Confirming the number of registrations, Dr Rohit Kapoor, Faculty IIM Indore and convener, CAT 2014 has informed ‘The total CAT 2014 registration count is 1,89,759’
Although CAT 2014 registration has crossed 1.89 lakhs which reflects that CAT 2014 is the largest management entrance test, the constant decline in number of registrations cannot be ignored.
Number of PGDM seats in IIMs have increased with the announcement of proposed 6 new IIMs, but instead of more registrations in CAT 2014 to compete to secure a seat in the prestigious B schools, the decline is evident.
Possible reasons for decline
The possible reasons could be many for the decline in CAT registrations. A few of them could be
-Competition is among top 30 thousand candidates who wish to enter only top tier IIMs and other B schools
-Not all the CAT aspirants have access to models of CBT
-High Fee structure of MBA education and low ROI
-Lack of International recognition of even top tier B schools
Related Links
CAT 2014 Registration count 189759 reveals Dr Rohit Kapoor, Convener CAT 2014
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CAT 2014 Registration last day: Hurry up, no date extension is expected
10 Tips for CAT 2014: Namita Kapaley CAT topper shares the Mantra with Aspirant
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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates and analysis on CAT 2014
