IIMs want change in CAT format

Updated on: Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have called for a change in the Common Admission Test (CAT) format while stressing that a more diverse student profile is needed in terms of academic background and genders.

''We feel, we need to change the way CAT is conducted. Despite efforts to get students from other backgrounds, the number of engineering students has increased. The blame is on our admission process,'' IIM Lucknow Director Devi Singh said.

The Directors of IIM, Calcutta, Bangalore, Lucknow, Indore and Ranchi noted during a meet here yesterday on the occasion of IIM-C's golden jubilee celebrations that there had been a greater presence of engineering students in the insitutes, and girls accounted for only ten per cent of the students.

According to IIM-Indore Director N Ravichandran, the reason for high entry of engineering students into the IIMs is because the CAT gives emphasis on quantitative aptitude.

''We are now going to take the issue seriously but cannot assure whether this could happen from next academic year,'' IIM-C Director Shekhar Chaudhuri said.

He said an average, girls accounted for only ten per cent of the students studying in IIMs, while in other B schools, the average number was about 40 per cent.

Minister of State for Human Resource Development D Purandeswari also stressed the need for inclusiveness of management education.

''Though, the demand for management education has increased by leaps and bounds, the IIMs have not been able to respond adequately,'' she said while addressing the inaugural session.

IIMs want change in CAT format

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