WAT 2019: Written Ability Test for IIMs and Other Top MBA Institutes

Written Ability Test (WAT) is pen-paper based writing test of 15 to 30 minutes duration conducted by IIMs and other top B-schools to test your writing skills after you are shortlisted for final admission round. In fact most of the IIMs have replaced Group Discussion (GD) round by WAT in the final selection round.

Out of the 20 IIMs except 2 IIMs, all have replaced GD round by WAT round as their final selection process for admission to their flagship programmes. IIMs found WAT a better testing process to assess a candidate than GD as many candidates could not express their opinion and views during GD while who could speak louder made their presence felt during GD round.

In WAT round a candidate can freely put down his views and thoughts on paper coherently without fear of getting disrupted.

Latest Written Ability Test updates

Register for WAT Updates

Don't miss anything important! Register to receive regular updates, alerts and preparation tips from Toppers

Name *

Email *

Contact No *

Country Code

Phone number

Verified

Location *

Your Preferred City for MBA *

Type of MBA *

MBA Exam you are taking/have taken *

Your Percentile in MBA Exam taken *

WAT Topics

Written Ability Test (WAT) or as IIM Ahmedabad has put it Academic Writing Test (AWT) 2018 is an important component of final selection round at all the IIMs and other MBA colleges. During the past years weightage to WAT in IIMs has increased. Now WAT 2018 carries 10 percent onwards in almost all the highly ranked IIMs and other top MBA colleges in India like IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Bangalore, Lucknow.

WAT Tips

When you write in Academic Writing Test (AWT) in the final selection round of IIM Ahmedabad, or Written Ability Test (WAT) of IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, FMS Delhi or in the CAP 2017 of 9 IIMs, before beginning to write just think, who you are writing for?

WAT Preparation

Well worded writing skills always make good managers who reach the top corporate positions, with this thought, not only IIMs but also other top Management B-schools like XLRI, IIFT have started the WAT process in PI round to select the suitable candidates to their flagship management programmes.

IIMs earlier focused on Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interviews (PI), now most of them have substituted the Group discussion with Essay Writing and some of them have added WAT along with GD for admission to their various Management programmes.

Top MBA CollegesUsing WAT in 2019

B-School: IIM Ahmedabad (AWT-WAT) Spot Test
Time Limit: 20-25 minutes
Suggested Word Limit: 300+ words
Probable Topics: Current affairs, Finance, economics, socio-political, abstract topics

B-School: IIM Bangalore (WAT) Spot Test
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Suggested Word Limit: 400 words Appx.
Probable Topics: National, International

Important Dates

WAT as the part of PI round at top B-schools will begin in the last week of January or the first week of February 2018. This round will continue till April 2018 and the final admission offer will be made in the last week of April or in the beginning of May 2018.

Both WAT and PI will be held on the same day either in the forenoon session or in the afternoon session. The candidate does not need to come twice to attend WAT and PI separately.

My WAT Experiences

CAT, XAT, SNAP, IIFT, IRMASAT toppers have shared their WAT and PI experiences at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Bangalore, FMS Delhi, IIM Indore, XLRI, XIMB, SPJIMR, IRMA, IMI among other top B-schools. For the benefit of the MBA aspirants going to appear in final selection round at top MBA colleges, MBAUniverse.com shares the key topics, questions and experiences of the toppers in this section.