Written Ability Test (WAT)

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Update on: December 13, 2023

 

Written Ability Test (WAT) is an important part of IIM Final Selection process for MBA program. Other leading B-Schools for example IIFT is also using WAT in its final selection process. MBAUniverse.com provides below complete details What actually WAT is, Top B-schools using WAT, important WAT topics, how to prepare for WAT and other details  

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Table of Contents

  1. What is Written Ability Test? Why IIMs conduct WAT?
  2. IIMs using WAT for Admissions 2024 with Weightages
  3. Other Top B-schools Using WAT for Admission 2024
  4. Actual WAT Topics in IIMs
  5. Types of WAT Topics
  6. IIM WAT Topics 2024 Expected This Year
  7. Solved IIM WAT Topics
  8. IIM WAT Preparation: How to write a good Essay for IIM WAT

1. What is WAT for IIMs? Why IIMs conduct WAT?
WAT is a paper-pen based writing test of 20 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. Most of the IIMs have replaced Group Discussion (GD) round by WAT in their final selection round.

 

Managers and Business Leaders are expected to possess strong effective verbal and written communication skills to make effective presentations and proposals. While verbal communication skills are assessed during Personal Interview, written communication skills are assessed by IIMs through Written Ability Test (WAT).  

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Woxsen University | Closing Soon | Apply Now Delhi School of Business (DSB) | Apply Now
Rajagiri Business School Kochi | Apply Now Jaipuria Noida, Lucknow | Closing Soon | Apply Now
XIME Bangalore | Closing Soon | Apply Now NDIM New Delhi (NDIM) | Closing Soon | Apply Now
Sparsh Greater Noida | Closing Soon | Apply Now SIES Mumbai | Closing Soon | Apply Now

2. IIMs using WAT for Admissions 2024 with Weightages – MBAUnivese.com Research
While most of the IIMs which conduct individual final selection process use WAT and award varying weightage to it, the conduct of WAT in CAP participating new IIMs depends upon the fact whether both PI and WAT will be conducted or only PI round with be conducted. For admission to CAP participating IIMs, the candidate has to participate in one PI-WAT round only.

IIMs Using WAT in Final Admission 2024
Weightage Percentage
IIM Ahmedabad
10%
IIM Bangalore
10%
IIM Calcutta
08%
IIM Kozhikode
20%
IIM Lucknow
10%
IIM Mumbai
To be confirmed
IIM Indore
To be confirmed
IIM Shillong
To be confirmed
IIM Rohtak
To be confirmed
IIM Udaipur
To be confirmed
IIM Tiruchirappalli
To be confirmed
IIM Kashipur
To be confirmed
IIM Raipur
To be confirmed
IIM Ranchi
To be confirmed
IIM Nagpur
To be confirmed
IIM Amritsar
To be confirmed
IIM Bodh Gaya
To be confirmed
IIM Jammu
To be confirmed
IIM Sambalpur
To be confirmed
IIM Sirmaur
To be confirmed
IIM Visakhapatnam
To be confirmed

3. Other Top B-schools using WAT for Admissions 2024 with Weightages

MBA/PGDM College Using WAT
Weightage Percentage
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Delhi/Kolkata
10%
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) Delhi
Does Not Use WAT
Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon
Does Not Use WAT
SPJIMR Mumbai
To be confirmed
XLRI Jamshedpur
To be confirmed
MICA Ahmedabad
To be confirmed

4. Past Topics for WAT in IIMs

 

WAT Topics in IIM Ahmedabad Admission

  1. Your Views on Change of Union Budget Presentation Date
  2. How Effective has been Brexit – Share your Opinion and Thoughts
  3. How do you see State of News Media in India
  4. What are your views on Performance of Refineries in India
  5. Spending money on Statue of Unity resulted in wastage of resources

WAT Topics in IIM Bangalore Admission

  1. Aadhar has been a game changer as it has enrolled more than 100 crore people in India. However, a lot of people are worried about the privacy and protection of their data. What are your views on the same

WAT Topics in IIM Calcutta Admission

  1. Social media has given the freedom of speech to the masses. However, it has led to a lot of false information being spread resulting into incidents of violence and riots. What are your views on the same?

5. Types of WAT Topics
There are different types of WAT topics on which you would be asked to write a well worded fact or opinion based coherent piece in 20-30 minutes. The types of WAT Topics for MBA admission in an IIM or other top B-school can be based on:

  • Current Affairs,
  • Business, Economics, Finance,
  • Social or Political issues,
  • Sports related news
  • Abstract topics.

 

6. Important WAT Topics for Admission 2024: Download 100+ WAT Topics
Some of the important category wise WAT Topics for MBA 2024 admission, for example, are: 

Alert! MBA Admissions 2024 Open for Top Colleges | Apply Now
Sri Balaji University Pune MBA | Apply Now JAGSoM Bangalore Admission 2024 | Apply Now
IBA Bangalore Admission 2024 | Apply Now CIMP Patna PGDM Admission 2024 | Apply Now
Amrita Business School Admission 2024 | Apply Now  MDI Murshidabad  Admission 2024| Apply Now 
IPE Hyderabad Admission 2024 | Apply Now Appejay School of Management | Apply Now
SSIM Hyderabad Admission 2024 | Apply Now Sri Balaji University Pune MBA | Apply Now

 

Business & Economy

  • Union Budget of India: What is “Budget” and Key Features
  • RBI Digital Rupee
  • Gati Shakti Master Plan
  • India as the world’s 5th largest economy
  • Rise of Gig Economy

Current Affairs

  • Agnipath,
  • Need of Bullet Train in India
  • Article 370 Abrogation
  • Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019
  • Management Lessons from Success of Chandrayan-3 Mission

 

Education & Social Issues

  • National Education Policy (NEP
  • Single Use Plastic Ban
  • Shortage of Open Spaces and Playgrounds Lead to Negative Tendencies in Children
  • Women Empowerment & Gender Justice
  • Modicare: Affordable healthcare  

 

Abstract Ideas

  • Fact Vs Opinion: There are no facts only opinions
  • Failures can be your stepping stones or stumbling blocks
  • Work- Life Balance is a Myth
  • East or West India is the best
  • Innovation Vs Invention: What is more important?

wat for iims

 

7. Solved IIM WAT Topics
To help you do well in WAT & PI round for IIMs, MBAUnivese.com, India’s No 1 Portal, has prepared 100+ Latest WAT Topics 2024 for MBA admission. You can download these Latest solved WAT Topics listed below:

Sl
Solved WAT Topics for Download
1.
Viksit Bharat Vision 2047 
iims
2.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): How is the AI Future 
iims
3.
G 20 Summit - India’s Presidency
iims
4.
Management Lessons from Success of Chandrayan-3 Mission
iims
5.
Women Empowerment & Gender Justice
iims

8. IIM WAT Preparation
WAT 2024 is not going to be unlimited length essay writing. You are supposed to give your best within the given time frame. So, in 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.

 

 

8.1 How to write a good Essay for IIM WAT
The standard structure of an essay in WAT consists of three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Each of these sections has a specific purpose and contributes to the overall coherence and effectiveness of the essay. Here's a breakdown of the standard essay structure for WAT:

Introduction:

  • Hook/Attention Grabber: Begin with a compelling statement, question, quote, or anecdote that captures the reader's attention and encourages them to continue reading.
  • Background Information: Provide any necessary background information to contextualize your topic and make it accessible to your readers.
  • Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main point or argument of your essay. This is the central idea that your entire essay will revolve around.

Body:

  • Topic Sentences: Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph.
  • Supporting Details: Support each topic sentence with relevant evidence, examples, data, or quotations. This is where you develop and expand on your main points.
  • Transitions: Use transitional words and phrases to ensure a smooth flow between paragraphs and ideas. This helps readers follow your argument coherently.
  • Unity and Coherence: Ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single idea that relates to your thesis. The body should present a logical progression of ideas that builds a strong case for your argument.

Conclusion:

  • Restate Thesis: Summarize your main argument by restating your thesis in a slightly different way. Do not introduce new information in the conclusion.
  • Summary of Key Points: Provide a brief recap of the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
  • Closing Statement: End with a strong concluding statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. This could be a call to action, a prediction, or a thought-provoking idea related to your topic.
  • Significance: Explain the broader significance or implications of your argument and why it matters.

Optional: Counterargument and Rebuttal (if applicable):

  • Counterargument: Acknowledge and address potential counterarguments to strengthen your essay's credibility.
  • Rebuttal: Refute or respond to the counterarguments to reinforce the validity of your own position.

 

8.2 Mastering WAT Preparation in IIMs: Essential Reading List

Newspapers for Current Affairs:

  • Business Standard
  • The Mint
  • The Hindu

Books

  • "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
  • "The Kite Runner" by Khalid Hosseini
  • "Atomic Habits" by James Clear
  • "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari
  • "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
  • "Rich Dad, Poor Dad"

Online Essay Writing Resources (If you can spare even more time!)

  • Longreads (longreads.com): A treasure trove of long-form essays covering diverse topics.
  • Aeon Essays (aeon.co/essays): Intellectual essays exploring philosophy, science, and society.
  • The New Yorker (newyorker.com/magazine/essays): A rich collection of essays spanning various genres, from cultural critiques to personal reflections.

8.3 WAT Preparation: Key Tips
To prepare for Written Ability Test in IIMs, following preparation tips will help you to write better:

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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

 

Read more

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.

 

Read more

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.