MBA Institutes & their Emphasis on Past Academics

MBA Institutes & their Emphasis on Past Academics

Right from the moment an MBA aspirant starts his/her preparation journey for CAT & OMET's the first question that he/she asks on various preparation groups is that I have X% in 10th, Y% in 12th, Z% in Graduation, I am from so & so background, I am a Male/Female, I have n months of Work Experience & from so & so category, what %ile would I require to secure admission in so & so Institute. 

For all the MBA Institutes (for some less & for some more), these details matter & there are various admission criteria's followed by different Institutes from an IIM Ahmedabad which follows an Academic Category Criteria to shortlist to an IMT Ghaziabad which looks at the CAT/XAT/GMAT %ile to shortlist. 

However, a common concern is that several aspirants don't have a favorable profile as above & henceforth, feel extremely worried that their past academics will haunt them in the shortlisting & final selection process. With this blog's help, we wish to discuss the various Institutes one can target if he/she does not have a strong past academic record &/or profile.

Institutes that lay less emphasis on Academics

• Historically, IIM Calcutta has been aspirants who don't have that strong profiles' favorite target (among the top IIM's). The primary reason being their less emphasis on past academics.

• Suppose one secures an 80/80/60 in their 10th, 12th & Graduation respectively. In that case, he/she is eligible for all the 40 points allocated for the Academic section in their shortlisting criteria, unlike its fellow Institutes like IIM Ahmedabad & Bangalore, which have much more stringent past academic criteria's.

• Similarly, other Institutes like c, IIT Bombay have a shortlisting criterion with 80% weightage to the CAT Score in the shortlisting phase leaving a considerable chunk of the aspirants' matter hands while writing the CAT Examination.

• Similarly, IIM Shillong has done away with its minimum %age requirements & has its criteria set where the %age of calls is determined by the %age of applicants falling within a particular academic category.

• Even at the Delhi University Institutes like DFS, DBE & DSE (MIB/MHROD), a major weightage in the shortlisting phase is allocated to the CAT Score, thereby ensuring that an aspirant's fate still lies within his/her own hands when he/she writes the CAT Exam.

Institutes not emphasizing Academics in the Shortlisting Phase 

Several Institutes do not emphasize past Academics in the shortlisting phase.

A few of these include FMS, IIFT, XLRI, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE, SIBM Pune, IMT, IMI, IIM Rohtak, CAP IIM's, etc. 

However, all these Institutes do emphasize the profile in the final selection phase to a varying degree. Furthermore, a significant component remains the Interview once the shortlisting stage is cleared, making matters very much still in an aspirants' hand once the shortlisting phase is removed. 

Let's review some of these institutes in detail:

• FMS Delhi: This Institute has a 40% weightage to the VARC Section & a 30% weightage to the DILR & QA Sections each at the shortlisting phase. However, the 10th & 12th marks get a 10% weightage each in the final selection round. Plus, 5% marks are awarded for promoting Gender Diversity both at the shortlisting & final selection phases at FMS Delhi.
• IIFT: A total weightage goes to the IIFT Score in the shortlisting round. However, a weightage is allocated to the past Academics in the Final Selection Round.
• XLRI: A total weightage goes to the XLRI Score in the shortlisting round. However, a weightage is allocated to the past Academics in the Final Selection Round.

The Cutoffs for the other Institutes for the core programs are as follows:

MDI: 95(85/75/75)

NITIE: 97(92/92/92)

SIBM Pune: 98.7

IMT: 90

IMI: 92

IIM Rohtak: 95(70/70/70)

CAP IIM's: 93(70/70/70)

Conclusion

Even though the CAT Score goes a long way in securing a shortlist &, in some cases, even a final admit in MBA Institutes. However, once one does not have a great past academic record, certain doors get shut for those candidates. Moreover, opening those doors is to get some work experience that has points allocated to it, like at IIM Bangalore. It has 8 points & at IIM Lucknow, it has 10 points & is a criterion in the shortlisting phase & final selection phase at several Institutes. 

It is thereby covering up the past Academics to a great extent. To conclude, Best Wishes for the MBA Entrance exams like CAT, etc. & whatever the past Academics/Profile maybe aim for the maximum %ile possible.

Contribution by: Nikhil Jain, MBA Student at DFS 

Editing by: Rashmi Rangari