For many years now, IIMs and FMS Delhi are making admissions on the basis of candidates’ overall academic and professional profile along with their performance in CAT. CAT Score is no longer the sole admission determining factor. In addition to CAT Score, IIMs, FMS Delhi and other business schools are giving substantial weightage to class 10, 12 and graduation marks, work experience, professional qualification such as CA/ CS/ CFA and gender diversity while shortlisiting candidates for GD/ PI round and for offering final admission as well.  

Latest: CAT 2019 Admit Card is available from October 23, 2019. Download Now 

For admission in the academic session 2020-22, CAT will be held on November 24, 2019 via computer-based mode. The online registration for CAT 2019 has started from August 7, 2019. Candidates possessing a Bachelor’s Degree with at least 50% marks can register at the official website i.e. iimcat.ac.in. The last date of CAT 2019 Registration is September 18, 2019. 

Balanced Weightage to CAT, Academics and Experience

IIMs and other B-Schools are giving somewhat balanced weightage to candidates’ performance in CAT and academic and professional accomplishments as mere high CAT score does not showcase candidates’ personal, communication and aptitude skills. 

Candidates securing comparatively lower CAT percentile still have fair chance of admission in IIMs, provided they prove excellent academic profile, internships and training, participation in extra-curriculars such as debates and conferences, working experince in NGOs or corporations and other professional acheivements.

Check CAT FMS Delhi CAT Cutoff and Admission Procedure 2019

IIMs, FMS Shortlisting and Admission Criteria

This new session 2020-22 has brought a major change in the admission process of IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow and FMS for PGP. Now candidates have to know that a high CAT percentile does not guarantee a ticket to IIMs or FMS Delhi. One needs to fulfill all the criteria added by the committee this year. It is compulsory for all the aspirants to qualify in each 3 sections individually.

The overall 99 percentile will not yield the expected result if a candidate does not qualify in each section, but if a candidate scores 94 percentile and qualifies each section his probability of getting admission will definitely increase.

Here we have mentioned the eligibility criteria of IIM Calcutta, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and FMS Delhi in detail.

Less Weightage to CAT Score   

From this session 2020-22, IIMs and FMS have decided to give low weightage to CAT 2019 scores, as they have shifted their focus to candidates’ other essential skills. Now IIM Lucknow, Calcutta, Ahmedabad have decided to give more weightage to Communication skills (verbal and written), academic profile, and work experience. They have reduced the weightage of CAT Score by 10 points. Experts are considering it as a major change in the admission policy of leading B-Schools of the country.

High Weightage to Academic Profile

Excellent performances at Class 10, 12 and graduation level can compensate for lower CAT percentile as high weightage will be given to overall academic profile. Further, preference will be given to the candidates from Commerce, Arts, or any educational discipline other than engineering background. This does not mean engineers will not be admitted but preference will be given to commerce students.

Work Experience

IIMs give almost 5-10 percent weightage to the candidates who have quality work experience in their respective fields. It is informed that work experience of fewer than 6 months is not considered. Aspirants can mention their internship as a work experience as well. If any candidate has worked with any NGO or contributed in any social cause are advised to mention it as their work of experience, it shows their potential as a leader.