Written Ability Test (WAT)

Update on: December 12, 2022

 

Written Ability Test (WAT) is an important part of final selection to MBA programme in IIMs and other top MBA colleges. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, many IIMs did not conduct WAT for admission 2021 and 2022 in their final selection process. Now, the WAT 2023 in IIMs is back for MBA admission 2023. Now without WAT Preparation for MBA Admission in IIMs, it will be difficult to get into the final merit list. IIMs have clarified in their admission policy 2023 that WAT 2023 will be an integral part in their final selection round with good amount of weightage. 

 

Read below about the important details about how IIMs conduct WAT round, What are the key Written Ability Test topics for IIMs to prepare, How to score high in WAT 2023 and more

 

What is WAT for IIMs?
WAT is a paper-pen 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. This test is conducted just before your personal Interview session. In fact, most of the IIMs have replaced Group Discussion (GD) round by WAT in the final selection round.

 

Why IIMs conduct WAT?
Out of the 20 IIMs almost all of them, have replaced GD round by WAT round as key component along with personal interview, in their final selection process for admission to their flagship programmes. Since there is no subjective skill test like WAT Topics for CAT Exam, the written ability test in final selection round is found a better testing process to assess a candidate than GD as many candidates are unable to express their opinion and views during GD while who could speak louder make 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. 

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WAT Preparation for IIMs: Important WAT Topics for MBA Preparation 
WAT Topics for MBA Preparation in an IIM or other B-school can be based on Current affairs, Business, Economics, Finance, Social or Political issues, Sports related news or could be based on abstract topics.

 

Topics for WAT in IIMs are carefully selected to enable the candidates to express their coherent views and opinion, place the relevant data and other facts to add value to their writing. Since there are many changes in the economy, tax structure, number of things are happening around, the scope of Written Ability Test Topics for IIM has also widened with such changes touching the common life.

 

Some of the important WAT Topics for MBA Preparation, for example, are:

  • Budget 2023,
  • National Education Policy (NEP),
  • RBI Digital Rupee,
  • Gati Shakti Master Plan,
  • Agnipath,
  • 5G Telecom,
  • Gig Economy,
  • Demonetization,
  • GST,
  • Make in India,
  • Bank Recapitalization
  • Need of Bullet Train in India
  • Farm Bills 2020 and Farmers’ Protests,
  • Covid-19 impact & Vaccination

These are the latest WAT topics 2023 that are making round in IIMs and other top B-schools. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to write on any of them in final selection round. A complete list of Written Ability Test Sample topics, past solved and probable WAT topics is prepared by experts at MBAUniverse.com to guide you on the WAT topics. Read more

 

WAT Preparation for MBA
WAT is not an unlimited length essay writing. You are supposed to give your best within the given time frame of 20-25 minutes. A coherent, thoughtfully written piece could be around 200 to 300 words but it should not lose track on the WAT topic in any paragraph or any line. To improve your writing skill and make you score high in WAT, you should always remain in WAT preparation mode with following suggestions:

  • Purchase a note book of fairly large size, write down the probable WAT topics on it and begin practicing, at least, one a day.
  • Once you complete writing on the WAT topic, read it again.
  • Try to find out the mistakes, like – punctuation; grammar; spelling errors in it.
  • Find out how many cuttings and cancellations are there in one paragraph of the mock WAT, you have taken.
  • Next time when you write on any WAT topic– minimise them.
  • In a few days, you will be equipped with fine writing skills with fewer mistakes or no mistakes.

Dos’ & Don’ts for Written Ability Test
Remember the following to avoid mistake in WAT

 

 No ambiguous thought

  • Avoid Repetition
  • Avoid irrelevant & heavy Vocab
  • Understand the formation of sentences and practice more
  • Avoid Grammatical mistakes
  • Synchronise your ideas, write each point one by one
  • Write simple & short
  • Avoid cuttings & cancellations

Weightage to WAT Round in Final Selection
During the past few years weightage to WAT in IIMs has increased. Now WAT carries 10 to 15 percent onwards in almost all the highly ranked IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Bangalore, Kozhikode, Lucknow and other top MBA colleges in India.

 

The 9 new IIMs who have joined hands and are going through Common Admission Process (CAP) by conducting single point WAT and PI round coordinated by one of the CAP participating IIMs for admission to 2023-25 batch have also increased the WAT and PI weightage to 35-40 percent. High scores in CAT exam may not suffice to take you through the final selection process unless you have understood how to write in WAT and practiced on probable WAT topics to hone your writing skills.

GD PI WAT Preparation: Tips from Experts and Toppers

High scores in CAT exam may not suffice to take you through the final selection process unless you have understood how to write in WAT and practiced on probable WAT topics to hone your writing skills. 

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WAT Topics

Update on: December 12, 2022

 

Written Ability Test (WAT) in final selection round is an important component of PI round in IIMs and other top MBA colleges in India. While IIM Ahmedabad has named it as Academic Writing Test (AWT), IIM Calcutta and IIM Bangalore have named it as Writing Ability Test (WAT). During the admission 2021 and 2022 WAT component was dropped by many IIMs due to Covid-19 pandemic. However, for admission 2023, WAT has been restored in all IIMs’ selection process.

 

Read more

WAT Tips

WAT, the Writing Ability Test in final selection round of IIMs and other top B-schools is an integral part of admission process. WAT in IIMs commands good weightage in final selection. During the two years of Covid Pandemic, many IIMs dropped WAT for admission 2021 and 2022. It has been restored with a high weightage in IIMs and other top B-schools in the final admission round. Read below the tips to crack the Written Ability Test for IIMs and other B-schools

 

Read more

WAT Preparation

Update on: December 12, 2022

 

WAT, the Writing Ability Test in final selection round is an important component of PI round in IIMs and other top MBA colleges in India. During the MBA admission 2021 and 2022 WAT component was dropped by many IIMs due to Covid-19 pandemic, however, for admission 2023, WAT has become an important component in all IIMs’ selection process.

 

Read more

Top MBA Colleges Using WAT

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

 

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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.

 

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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. 

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Topper interviews WAT

Vedant Mukesh Mehta

At IRMA, there was one case study and second group activity was to prioritize the objectives of

Jethwa Satyarajsinh Pradyumansinh

The WAT topics consisted of case studies, abstract topics and even extempore. My WAT topic was

Priya Sahni

Demonetisation

Nitesh Padhi

My WAT Experience:  Topics at other B-schools

Regarding

Mukesh Goyal

WAT topics were mostly related to current affairs especially related to Indian economy.