CAT 2022 was a landmark exam. The number of CAT 2022 registrations grew by 11%, while the average growth of registrations has merely been 1% per annum in last decade. This growth was a result of a well thought out strategy adopted by IIM Bangalore and CAT Convenor Dr Ashis Mishra. Even the results were declared about two weeks in advance, on December 21!
So how is CAT exam actually conducted? How did IIM Bangalore increase registrations by 11%? And, why do Engineers dominate CAT exam? MBAUniverse.com decided to interview CAT Convenor, Dr Ashis Mishra to find these answers.
In the face-to-face interview, conducted at his IIM Bangalore office, CAT Convenor shared many important insights. MBAUniverse.com will publish a series of articles based on this interaction for the benefit of aspirants and B-school decision makers.
This first article is focussed on the often-debated issue – Engineers Vs Non-Engineers in CAT Exam.
First, let’s review some important facts.
Engineers continue to dominate CAT exam
This was the headline of most newspapers on the day of release of CAT results. Out of 2.55 lakh candidates who registered for CAT 2022, there were 2.22 lakh actual test takers. 11 candidates, including 10 Engineers and 1 Non-Engineer, have scored 100 percentile in CAT 2022.
CAT 2022 Toppers by Discipline:
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Percentile
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Academic Discipline
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|
100 percentilers
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Engineers – 10
Non-Engineers – 01
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|
99.99 percentilers
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Engineers – 16
Non-Engineers -06
|
|
99.98 percentilers
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Engineers – 15
Non-Engineers -07
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So, what percentage of CAT 2022 test takers were Engineers?
This information is not available in public domain. Media release issued by IIM Bangalore on official CAT website doesn’t have any details on this. Knowing this number or percentage can help in a better understanding and admission planning, MBAUniverse.com raised this query to CAT Convener. Responding to MBAUniverse.com question -- What is the percentage of engineers who took CAT 2022 – Dr Ashis Misra said, “We are yet to do final calculations. But I think about 90% of CAT 2022 takers were engineers.”
Going by this calculation as shared by CAT Convener, out of 2.22 Lakh total CAT exam takers, it is estimated that around 2 lakh Engineers appeared in CAT 2022. It is disconcerting to note that only about 22,000 non-engineers took the CAT 2022 exam.
Why this trend?
In the context of recent discussions around Diversity, the reasons for this trend are important to understand. When MBAUniverse.com asked CAT Convenor for his perspective, Dr Misra said, “This is a high number because most engineers see a management degree as a logical progression in their careers. They see that their seniors have done well, got good jobs, and they want purse the path.”
“IIT-IIM combination has been a passport to success in India,” he added.
Dr Misra also quoted that there are about 16 lakhs students who take the engineering entrance exam, and many see a management degree as a logical extension.
How to improve academic diversity, then?
Given these facts, how can IIM and other top B-schools improve Diversity of batch.
Realising that CAT is a quantitative and reasoning focussed exam, where students from non-engineering streams don’t do so well, IIMs and other B-schools have taken many steps to admit students from Arts and other streams. For instance, Cut off as well as weightage of CAT score has been reduced in shortlisting by almost all the IIMs and in lieu of this the weightage for academic diversity (Like Arts, Commerce, Humanities), Gender diversity has been increased. For example, IIM Ahmedabad has announced lowest CAT cut off at 80%ile with a weightage of 25% while PI-WAT will be awarded 60% weight in final selection and weight for Academics (Including diversity) & Work Ex is 15%. According to IIM Bangalore Admission policy 2023, CAT cut off has been reduced to 85 percentile in shortlisting with a weightage of 55% while the weight for Class 10 & 12 marks is 25% and gender diversity will be awarded additional weight of 5% this year in shortlisting process. IIM Indore has substantially reduced CAT score weightage to 20% both at shortlisting and final selection stage, 74% Weightage goes to academic performance in class 10 & 12 in shortlisting, 6% Weight goes to Diversity factor, 40% Weight is awarded to PI performance in Final Merit List Generation. All this is done by IIMs to achieve academic and gender diversity in their class rooms. Check table below:
How IIMs are Improving Diversity in Class Rooms? Award of Weightages
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IIM & CAT Cut off for Shortlisting
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CAT Score Weight in final selection
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Weight for Academics/Diversity
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Weight for Gender Diversity
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IIM Ahmedabad: 80%ile
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25%
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15%
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Awarded at Shortlisting Stage
|
|
IIM Bangalore: 85%ile
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25%
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20%
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5% at Shortlisting Stage
|
|
IIM Calcutta: 85%ile
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30%
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6%
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4% at Shortlisting Stage
|
|
IIM Indore: 90%ile
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20%
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20%
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6% at Shortlisting Stage
|
As per admission Policy 2023 of Respective IIM
Diversity and merit have to be balanced
But Dr Misra believes that diversity and merit have to be balanced.
“We should not force diversity in an MBA class at the cost of merit. Diversity has to come up from the ground. Undergraduate education should be reviewed so that it produces a more diverse group. We should not force diversity at the higher education level,” says Dr Misra.
Indeed, balancing Merit and Diversity in MBA admissions is a delicate task, and is being debated across the world.
Coming back to the interview, MBAUniverse.com will publish next article on how is CAT exam actually conducted? And how IIM Bangalore grew registrations by 11%? So, stay tuned!
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