CAT Selection Process 2023: Check IIM Admission Criteria

CAT Exam - Selection Process After the Entrance Exam   

As mentioned above, the CAT selection criteria vary for one IIM campus to another. However, there are certain common elements that all MBA aspirants should be well prepared for. The common elements in the CAT selection process are as given below:

Step 1: Appear for the CAT Entrance Exam

MBA aspirants first need to appear for the CAT Entrance Exam that is conducted usually in the month of November. The CAT exam results are announced by the exam conducting body along with the CAT overall and sectional cut-offs. Based on the candidate's performance in the CAT exam, different IIM campuses send out call letters to the qualifying candidates. Each IIM campus defines their own individual cut-offs.

Check here CAT Syllabus

Step 2: Appear for Written Ability Test /Group Discussion Round

Qualifying candidates are called in for a Written Ability Test/Group Discussion Round. The written Ability test is a recent development in the IIM selection criteria. The majority of the IIM campuses now conduct the WAT rounds instead of the previously popular Group Discussion rounds. However, there are some IIM campuses that still conduct the GD rounds so you need to prepare yourself for both. The WAT rounds are aimed at testing the communication and writing skills of the candidates and generally involves an essay writing competition among the candidates. The topics of the WAT Round usually are taken from the contemporary happenings around us. Whereas the topics for the GD rounds have been seen to range from diverse fields such as current affairs, politics, sports, economics, social events, and others. Some of the common skills that the candidates are tested for in the WAT rounds are as given below:

• Grammar Skills
• Language Skills
• Vocabulary
• Writing Ability
• Expression
• Clarity of Thought

Step 3: Appear for Personal Interview (PI) Round

Candidates who qualify the group discussion/wat rounds are called in for the personal interview session. In the personal interview round candidates are interviewed by a panel of senior interviewers. This round of the selection process is basically aimed at understanding the candidates personality, attitude, his interests towards management as a career choice etc. There are certain criteria based on which the interviewers put up questions and assess the candidate's profile, these include

• Past Academic Records
• Communication Skills
• Personality
• Confidence

Step 4: Individual Final Merit List

Lastly, each of the IIM's releases its own final merit list comprising of the list of candidates who have been offered admission at the institute. As discussed above, IIM campuses have the authority to decide upon their own admission and selection criteria. Some of the factors based on which the IIMs release the final merit list are:

• Class 10th and 12th Marks
• CAT exam score
• Overall performance in WAT, GD and PI rounds
• Work Experience
• Gender Diversity Factor
• Reservations

Know the CAT exam centre 2023

CAT 2020 - Documents required for Admission

After the successful completion of the CAT selection process the candidates who make it to the final merit list will be required to complete the admission process by submission of the required documents and other admission formalities. Candidates are required  to keep the following documents handy for the CAT 2023 admission process:

• Class 10th marksheet and Passing certificate
• Class 12th marksheet and Passing certificate
• Graduation degree certificates
• CAT Scorecard
• Reservation category certificates (if applicable)