CAT registration data debunks IIM myths

Nearly 2.41 lakh candidates will attempt the first online Common Admission Test   (CAT) 2009 this November. The registration process closed on October 11.

The test is conducted jointly by the seven Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Shillong, Lucknow and Indore. Prometric will be held between November 28 and December 7.

This year, 74% of the applicants are men. “We are often asked why the representation of women at IIMs is less. Now the CAT registration data shows that at the application stage itself there are fewer women,” said CAT 2009 convenor, Prof Satish Deodhar of IIM Ahmedabad.

Prof Satish said that another myth with regard to IIMs taking in a large number of enginers has been debunked using the CAT registration data. “IIMs have often had a large number of candidates from an engineering background. The registration data shows that engineers formed a majority of the applicants even at this initial stage,” he added.

Candidates from commerce comprised the second largest segment of applicants. Nearly 700 candidates from the disabled category have also registered this year. CAT 2009 will be conducted in 32 cities through 105 secure computer-based testing centres. The openings for test dates at Pune were the first to close, Prof Satish told DNA.