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WAT in IIMs: Check IIM CAT Written Ability Test Important Topics, & Preparation Tips
WAT in IIMs is the part of selection process but IIMs like Ahmedabad, Trichy, Calcutta, etc had scrapped the process due to COVID-19. On the other hand IIMs like Bodh Gaya, Bangalore might conduct WAT depending on the situation during the time of admissions. Check IIM Shortlist and Admission
- The weightage of WAT is decided by IIMs separately based on the other criteria or parameters of admission adopted by them. Generally, it is between 10-20 marks. Check CAT 2021 Cut off
- WAT is a pen-paper test for which candidates get around 20-30 minutes but only those candidates who will qualify for CAT Cut off decided by the respective institutes will be eligible to appear for WAT round.
- The topics for WAT can range from any Current Affairs to previous years' trends, case studies, or abstract ideas.
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WAT in IIMs: Weightage of WAT in Selection Process
Different IIMs allocate different weightage to the Written Ability Test factor. While appearing for CAP counselling process, a candidate has to attempt only one WAT and the scores of the same will be accepted by all the CAP participating IIMs.
| Institute | Weightage |
|---|---|
| IIM Bangalore | 10 (WAT might get conducted) |
| IIM Calcutta | Scrapped |
| IIM Lucknow | 10 (WAT might get conducted) |
| IIM Ahmedabad | Scrapped |
| IIM Trichy | Scrapped |
| IIM Indore | 20 (WAT might get conducted) |
| IIM Sirmaur | Scrapped |
| IIM Jammu | Scrapped |
| IIM Rohtak | Scrapped |
| IIM Ranchi | Scrapped |
| IIM Amritsar | Scrapped |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | Scrapped |
| IIM Raipur | Scrapped |
| IIM Udaipur | Scrapped |
| IIM Kashipur | Scrapped |
| IIM Kozhikode | Scrapped |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 10 (WAT might get conducted) |
Quick Links:
| CAT Score vs Percentile | CAT 2021 Answer Key | CAT Question Paper | CAT 2021 Cut off for IITs |
WAT in IIMs: Evaluation Criteria
Topics for WAT can range from any Current Affairs issues to static topics, case studies, or for that matter even abstract ideas. While the basic evaluation criteria for WAT assignment remain the same for all B-Schools, the change in evaluation comes with the direct proportion of the allotted time with the content given. Greater the time, the greater the expectations for a good write-up. While evaluating the assignment, the panel primarily focuses on four parameters:
- Clarity of Thought in the Written Ability Test
- Simplicity of Expression
- Comprehensiveness of Perspective
- Robustness of Reasoning
It is true that not all can write an essay satisfying all the above standards. Thus what all test takers advise is Proper Background Preparation. A candidate who writes on a continuous basis with a clarity of thought and is well aware of all that’s happening in the surroundings will surely ace through the test.
Quick Links:
- IIM Calcutta CAT 2021 Cut off and Admission Criteria
- IIM Banglore CAT 2021 Cut off and Admission Criteria
WAT in IIMs: Preparation Tips
While writing for WAT assignment, one does not know who will be reading it further. Of course it will be a panel of learned beings, and for sure every candidate wishes to impress them with their thoughts expressed via writing. As numerous essays are presented in front of the panellists, writers should make sure that the very first paragraph is able to catch the attention of the reader. Following are the tips on how one can prepare to write a good essay in WAT:
- Step 1: WAT topic can range from any subject. While practising make sure of drawing an outline of the given topic as it will help in writing the essay in a coherent manner including all aspects. Maintain knowledge of quotes/pieces of information that can be utilized for various topics. Backing up your arguments/ pointers with data will increase the strength of your statements
- Step 2: Introductory paragraph shouldn’t be general but reflect your ideas clearly as to what all will you be discussing in the essay. Follow through on your perspective, do not provide contradictory statements. Try to avoid generalized or ambiguous statements
- Step 3: There is a possibility that a topic may contain different standpoints. It is upon the writer how clearly you portray the different points of view. Do not incorporate separate/contradictory ideas in one paragraph. A paragraph should reflect a single standpoint.
- Step 4: Avoid quoting or paraphrasing points that you are ambiguous about.
- Step 5: Some may suggest using heavy vocabulary in WAT to generate a good impression. However, since there is time constraint it is advised to use lucid language and focus on presenting ideas clearly rather than decorative writing. Make sure that the piece is grammatically correct and proofread it at least once before submission. If you decide to use complicated jargon, make sure it is placed correctly and in the right sense. Instead of using connecters such as ‘and, but’ etc, try using better transition words such as “Nevertheless/ Hence/ Therefore/ However”
- Step 6: Correct use of grammar and punctuation is a vital part of WAT, as a wrong usage can change the entire meaning of the sentence or paragraph. Keep the reader in mind while preparing your written task. Make sure that you are not nervous during the writing assignment since it will affect your handwriting. Your handwriting should be legible and coherent. Keep your ideas and pointers structured and consistent
- Step 7: The concluding paragraph should summarize the entire essay and present your concluding remarks. Use of quotes from leading personalities can be used to support your viewpoint. Make a mental structure of your entire essay so that you have a semi-structured outline to reduce ambiguity. It is better to have a simple structure that can be elaborated well rather than a complicated topic that has very little substance
Sample Question in WAT Round: MBA is necessary to succeed in life?
Candidates can get an idea from the table below to know about the right approach while writing the answer to such questions in WAT rounds.
| Argument in Favour | According to a survey conducted by Harvard Business Review, on analysis and ranking of the performance of 2,000 CEOs around the globe, 40% of the CEOs in India have an MBA, 60% don’t. That’s a lot to back one degree and maybe these numbers are the reason why Indian youth is seduced by the scope of the MBA degree.
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Arguments against the notion | On a personal note, I won’t agree with the statement to the fullest. There are many successful people around the world, who succeeded without any MBA degree. No doubt, an MBA degree boosts your professional skills and give you a holistic perspective to lead life. Moreover, success is a subjective idea that depends upon a person’s own efficiency and skills.
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Conclusion | But that doesn’t mean that an MBA graduate is destined to succeed. That actually depends on your career plans. If a person is opting for an MBA just to get a 6 digit salary, then it's worthless. And if someone really has a keen interest in the MBA, then he/she must go for it. So the famous saying "Investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.'' There's nothing wrong with an MBA because it will surely help you get a successful career in life. |
Must Read:
- IIM Visakhapatnam CAT 2021 Cut off & Admission Criteria
- IIM Trichy CAT 2021 Cut off & Admission Criteria
WAT in IIMs: Suggested Reading List
The more you read more information you will have on multiple topics. From news and latest updates, newspapers are a useful medium. Reading more will eventually also complement your verbal comprehension skills. Written Ability Test tends to check the reading ability and information processing and presentation of the candidate. Some of the recommended newspapers are mentioned below:
- Economic Times
- Business Standard
- The Mint
- The Hindu
- Wall Street Journal
Books to read while preparing for WAT:
Books are responsible for the overall personal development of a person. For an MBA aspirant, books will help you improve speed, vocabulary, and context. One can start with classics:
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini
- The Namesake, Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Apart from these classics, the following books can help you to have a general context about different circumstances and situations:
- The monk who sold his Ferrari
- The Freedom at Midnight
- The Argumentative Indian
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad
- Steve Jobs
- The Social Network
A few more books are listed below, which have been recommended multiple times by IIM alumni:
| Book Name | Author | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| The Alchemist | Paulo Coelho | Adventure, fantasy |
| The Zahir | Paulo Coelho | Novel |
| The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari | Robin Sharma | Fiction, inspirational |
| Nineteen Eighty-Four | George Orwell | Political satire, social science fiction |
| The Compassionate Samurai | Brian Klemmer | Motivational |
| The Great Gatsby | F. Scott Fitzgerald | Fiction novel |
| The Catcher in the Rye | J. D. Salinger | Realistic fiction |
| The Fountainhead | Ayn Rand | Philosophical novel |
| Narcissus and Goldmund | Hermann Hesse | Historical fiction, philosophical fiction |
| Atlas Shrugged | Ayn Rand | Philosophical, Mystery and Romance |
WAT in IIMs: Important Topics
Based on the topics asked in previous years we have created the lust for you. CAT aspirants can practice these topics for their WAT round
- Why Dollar is Getting Expensive Compared to Rupees
- Future of sports in India
- How does social media impact human behaviour and society
- Cashless Economy - A Boon or Bane
- India needs a uniform civil code- for or against?
- The success of Swachh Bharat Mission
- Should the Indian economy be privatized?
- Intellectual Property Rights Issues in India
- Is making Aadhaar mandatory a good idea?
- Privatisation of Government Sectors - A Critical Analysis and many more.
- Values Challenged
- Media Influence
- President Rule vs Parliamentary Rule
- Corruption in India
- How do you measure success?
- India has a large pool of manpower but still very few patents.
- Allowing foreign universities in India will have a negative impact on the Indian education system.
- Patriotism vs Nationalism
- Demonetization in India: Decision is more appreciated than criticized
- GST: Aim to take the economy on a faster growth path
- "Make in India" Ground realities; India leaps to surpass China
- Rising Population of India could be turned into an asset
- Corruption is the root cause of current economic and social woes in India
- FDI in multi-brand retail is a boon or bane
- Ethics and morals cannot be taught in classrooms only
- Net Neutrality: Very Essential to Make India Digital
- Union Budget: Merging the General & Railway Budget will save exchequer from unnecessary spending
- E-commerce: Unrealistic Discounts are Dangerous
- Aadhar -Utility is more than perceived
- Smart City Project: India’s new urban vision
- Bank Recapitalization: Will it restore faith in Banking Industry?
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao will change the orthodox mindset?
- Law should be an instrument of Social Change
- Browsing at Workplace affects productivity
- Social Activism is necessary for the survival of democratic society
- RERA should win the trust of home buyers
- Moody’s Rating Upgrade to boost the economy of India
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WAT in IIMs: Points to Remember
While attempting the written test, a candidate should focus on time management. For this test, you have to put a pen over paper, thus an article with a lot of cutting will send a wrong message to the panelists from IIM. Candidates have to visualize the entire article in their minds before they start writing. The following tips will help you to understand the dos and don’ts of WAT for CAT 2021:
| Element | Instructions |
|---|---|
| Time Management | Take the first 2-3 minutes (not more than that) to gather your thoughts |
| Structure | The structure should be Concise, engaging, informative paragraph |
| Introductory Paragraph | The idea of the article should be clear in the first paragraph |
| One Idea | Explain one idea in one paragraph. Avoid ambiguity. |
| Vocabulary | Avoid using heavy vocabulary. Use the simplest language to express your views. |
| Cutting | Avoid Cutting. It tends to send a negative message. |
| Explanation | Avoid explaining in detail. |
| Positives | Emphasize more on positives than negative |
| Concluding Paragraph | Your concluding paragraph should summarise your views effectively. Use a quote if you can. |
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WAT in IIMs 2021 FAQ
Ques: Will IIMs be conducting WAT in 2021 admission process?
Ans. There are chances that IIMs like Bangalore, Lucknow, Indore, Bodh Gaya might conduct WAT rounds during the time of admission process to shortlist the candidates for the final selection process.
Ques: What will be the weightage of WAT round in IIMs?
Ans. The weightage of WAT in IIMs is different for each institute. The weightage of WAT is decided by IIMs separately based on the other criteria or parameters of admission adopted by them. Generally, it is between 10-20 marks.
Ques. What are some topics asked for WAT?
Ans. Topics like –
- How India is fighting against COVID-19 crisis?
- Does Arogya Setu App set for COVID-19 breach privacy issues?
- Why has there been no price cut in petrol/diesel despite US Crude Oil falling to negative?
- Should India ban trade with China?
Candidates can also keep checking the newspapers daily to get an idea about the current affairs or other important news articles based on which WAT topic might be asked in the selection process.
Ques: Are the score of class 10th and 12th also important for admission in IIMs?
Ans: Yes, class 10th and 12th scores are equally important for getting admission in the MBA program in one of the IIMs as the scores are evaluated while selecting a candidate into the program. As per the admission policy of IIMs, candidates are assigned ratings depending upon their percentage score in class 10th and 12th.
Ques: What is the minimum score that IIMs accept for their admission in PGPM?
Ans: IIMs sets a very high benchmark score to get into the program offered by the institute. One cannot define a particular score as every year IIMs release their own cutoff score. Candidates taking the CAT exam must aim to score a minimum 95 percentile score in order to get into IIMs.
Ques: Will the 99+ percentile fetch me an interview call from all top IIMs?
Ans: Getting a 99+ percentile does not guarantee a call from top IIMs since a lot of other factors like past academics, gender, and academic diversity, etc also play an important role.
Ques: Which are the top three colleges for MBA in India accepting CAT?
Ans: Top three colleges in India are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta. All these colleges accept CAT scores.
CAT 2024 : 314 Answered QuestionsView All
Ans. Before taking any decision, you must go through all three options that you have in great detail. There are a few reasons why you should not go for IIM-Kozhikode. First, the fees are extremely high, estimated to be around Rs 19.00 lakh. Second, the average package offered at IIMK is around 16-17L, and you will earn more than that after two years. But, once again, if you are desperate for an MBA, you can enroll in IIMK, which comes with the 'IIM' label, which will be very useful in the long run. Give CAT once more. You only need to get a high CAT score and then leave the rest up to their selection process. Second, CAT is extremely unpredictable. With proper preparation, you can achieve excellent results. So, if you're willing to work another year and are confident enough to take the CAT, this is the perfect way to take it. You should look into PGPX from ISB or elsewhere. This option is appealing, but it requires hard work and careful consideration. If you enjoy working in IT and want to advance quickly, this is the path to take. Read more
Ans. Every IIMS and other management colleges make a shortlist based on the percentile after CAT result is declared. With percentile, IIMs also consider other factors like academics, category, gender factor, diversity, etc. The list is made for the second round i.e. GD/PI or WAT/PI. GD/WAT will have a generic topic. There can be a topic from current affairs. PI is taken by some of the faculty and alumni of the institute. In institutes like FMS, there is an extempore after PI. After these rounds, a final shortlist is made with weightage given to GD/PI or WAT/PI performance and CAT percentile. Individual IIMs also have some additional factors. The offer letters are then sent out to top candidates in each category up to the maximum number of seats. The rest candidates are waitlisted. As students choose admissions, the waitlist continues to change. Read more
Ans. I know this decision is a bit difficult to make. What you need to keep in mind is that these two colleges should not be compared to other great IIMs or even ISBs. Those B Schools are at another level and cannot be on par with Kashipur or Raipur. To facilitate a better decision, I will mention the circumstances of these B Schools then you can choose after considering all options. IIM Indore and IIM Kashipur: Both these colleges are not worth a year drop as they will help you earn only an extra 1.5-2 LPA. Moreover, in the coming years, Kashipur and Raipur will have almost the same brand value as that Indore and Kozhikode. IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Lucknow and Bangalore: All these top IIMs are definitely worth a year's drop provided that you are confident enough to cope with the cutoff. All these IIMs consider your academics while selecting so if that is your reason for the year drop I don’t think it will help. There is no surety of admission even after a percentile of 100. ISB: This one is at a whole different level and is in the category of elite B Schools like UCB, NYU, HBS, etc. The top-notch faculty offers amazing pedagogy at relatively low fees. CAT is sufficient for IIMs. But if you want to go for ISB, a work experience of 4+ years and a GMAT are a must. Read more
Ans. IIMs shortlists students for admission based on their CAT score. The second step of selection is GD-PI. For final selection, students are usually shortlisted based on their past academic performance, entrance examination score, and performance in GD-PI. IIMs also consider other factors such as work experience, gender diversity, academic diversity, etc. while shortlisting students. Weights given to these factors are different for different IIMs. Having relevant work experience can certainly help you get a shortlist. Read more
Ans. Everyone knows that IIM A values diversity over grades. There have been students who were not even waitlisted at IIM K but were at IIM A due to their extremely unique profiles. If you want to build a profile for IIM A, strive for originality. Do something that no one else is doing, such as starting a blog, having a strong digital presence on Instagram, writing on Quora, and so on. Consider what students with a 99 percentile typically do, such as being brilliant in academics and receiving a call from IIM Ahmedabad. Choose a domain in which these students are unlikely to excel and excel in that domain. Furthermore, activities such as writing a blog or hosting a YouTube channel will undoubtedly help you, in the long run, to secure summer and final placements during your MBA. As a result, you will gain valuable insights and hands-on experience with various social media tools such as SEO, SEM, Analytics, and so on. Read more
Ans. If you are aiming for old IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, you will need to score above 99 percentile in CAT. For IIMs and other top-tier B-Schools in India, the CAT cutoff stays above 90 percentile. If you have a good profile, and 99+ CAT score, you can expect to get calls from old IIMs, XLRI, JBIMS, IIFT, FMS, etc. Read more
Ans. Here are some of the things that you will realize after appearing for the CAT examination. Spend the first few minutes going over the papers before diving in. Browse through the problems and start with the ones that you know you can solve in one go. CAT prioritizes solving not sequence. If you aren’t sure about an answer, leave it. Concentrate on other problems. You shouldn’t spend more than 2-3 minutes on a single problem. Don’t use the elimination method, if you can solve the problem in less than 1 minute. Do rough work thoroughly. Don’t answer any questions, just by guessing. There will be a few lengthy questions. Try to ignore these. Even CAT toppers don’t score the full marks. CAT doesn’t test your knowledge. The only thing matters are how much you score. So, try to attempt as many questions as you can correctly. Read more
Ans. You need to practice a lot in order to be able to solve Quantitative Aptitude in the CAT examination. Quants involve using mathematical ability as well as imagination. You need to memorize some concepts as well as formulas. CAT syllabus for Quants includes a lot of topics that we have studied in 9th and 10th and only the application is different for topics such as PNC & Algebra, Numbers, etc. Most important topics in terms of weightage are as follows. Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Numbers P&C, Series, Log Several chapters are easy and can be completed in a short period of time. You should start your preparation with numbers, it is the base for the quants topics. Once you are a clear knowledge of the topics, start giving time-based mocks. Analyze the mocks and work on the common mistakes that you made. Read more
Ans. Yes, average students can crack CAT. Students who get through CAT at one go, have the right aptitude for CAT, which was built over time. They have been practicing Maths right from their school days and have been avid readers. If you are average at your studies, you need to spend a lot of time practicing, in order to score good percentile in CAT. Most students usually have gaps in Maths or DILR or English. You need to put in the extra hours to bridge the gap. Find out the subjects in which you are weak, clear the basics, and practice as much as you can. Read more
Ans. Take a look at the below table to know what CAT score will fetch what CAT percentile, for 2022. Percentile Score VA-RC Score DI-LR Score QA Overall Score 90% 29 1 26 72 95% 32 20 29 81 In 2021, for 90 percentile the required score was 59 and for 95 percentile the required score was 72. Read more
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College
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