Admission Process at IIM B for Candidates for PGP through CAT-2019
The admission process at IIM B was developed internally that aims to identify the most promising candidates for the PGP. The selection criteria are usually reviewed every year and revised as necessary. The admission committee fixes these criteria and weights at the beginning of each admission cycle before looking at information pertaining to candidates applying in that cycle so as to avoid any bias.
The admission process at IIM B adopts a two-phase selection process. The first phase of the process is applied to all eligible candidates who appear for CAT 2018 to determine candidates to be called for a personal interview (PI). Candidates selected for the PI process will be additionally required to take a Writing Ability Test (WAT) on a topic to be provided by IIM B. The time provided for the WAT will typically be about 30 minutes.
Phase 1
- A first shortlist is prepared for the admission process at IIM B comprising candidates who have secured a predetermined minimum score on all sections of CAT 2019. Candidates obtaining a positive (greater than zero) raw score, at the minimum, in all sections of CAT-2019 will only be considered.
Table 1 : Batch of 2019-21 based on CAT 2018
| Minimum percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist | ||||
| Category | Section 1(VARC) | Section 2(DILR) | Section 3(QA) | Aggregate |
| General | 80 | 75 | 75 | 85 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| PWD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
2. For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in Table (1), the candidates percentage scores in the 10th and 12th board exams are initially adjusted by dividing each score by the 90th percentile score obtained in that board. An adjusted score is calculated for each of the candidates based on the final scores obtained by the candidate in his/her bachelors’ degree and/or professional degrees, as the case may be.
The form for application to IIM B’s PGP provides clear guidance on how to present grade related information at the 10th, 12th and graduation level. For example, a 10 CGPA in the 10th grade may not be entered as 100%.
3. Candidates with Chartered Accountancy, Cost Accounting, and Company Secretary certifications are eligible for weightage under the category of professional course. No other professional course is eligible for weightage under the said category.
4. For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in (1), the score/weight for work experience is calculated as: Pre PI score for Work Experience
= 8x/36 if 0 < x < 36
= 8 if x >= 36
Where x is the months of work experience up to July 2019, as captured in CAT application form (and substantiated in the application to IIM B). This implies that the score will peak at 36 months work experience and will remain at that level for candidates with work experience exceeding 36 months. The work experience score (maximum 8 in the pre-PI stage) will be multiplied by the quality of work experience score on a 5 point scale (0.25 - 0.5 – 1 - 1.5 - 2) as given by interviewers in the PI process in Phase 2 to then arrive at a weighted work experience score.
Candidates will be required to produce the following as evidence of work experience for each instance of employment claimed by the candidate:
- Letters from each of the employers that the candidate claims to have worked with. The letter should state the following details (i) The starting date of the employment, ending date of that respective employment, positions occupied during employment with that particular employer. In case the candidate claims to have moved through different positions/titles during the period, the application should provide the starting date of each of those positions, pay with break up during each of the positions held and a brief description of the responsibilities during each of those positions held by the candidate.
- In case the employer had opened a provident fund (PF) account during the period of employment the candidate should provide the PF registration number.
- The name and designation of official to whom the candidate reported and the contact coordinates of the official to whom IIM B may write in case it wishes to verify the employment related claim that is being made.
5. For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in Table (1), in the case of candidates who have undergone a professional course of study listed in point no.3 above, the maximum of the work experience score and the professional course score is considered for selection under a common parameter of work experience, since both provide professional work experience relevant to a management programme.
6. For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in Table (1), the weights for the parameters are fixed as:
| CAT | 40 |
| 10th Board | 20 |
| 12th Board | 10 |
| Bachelor's | 20 |
| Gender Diversity | 2 |
| Work Experience | 8 |
The 40 points for CAT are derived from the performance in each of the three sections as follows:
| Verbal and Reading Comprehension(VARC) | 14 |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning(DILR) | 16 |
| Quantitative Aptitude(QA) | 10 |
7. For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in Table (1), the top 10 candidates in each of the following automatically qualify for PI :
| Total Score in CAT |
| Adjusted Bachelor's score (commerce, arts, and science disciplines) |
| Professional (CA / ICWA / CS) |
However, at the end of Phase 2, all such candidates must merit selection based on the composite aggregate score, like any other candidate.
For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in Table (1), normalisation or standardisation in any component stated above is carried out as per the following formula.
Max [0, min {wt, wt/2 + ((val-mean) / sd) * wt / 6}]
Phase 2
9. The performance of each candidate on the Written Ability Test (WAT) will be scored in terms of the content and style of the note. The average of the scores given by the interviewers in the personal interview will be used in calculating the multi factor score based on which offers of admission will be finally made, while for the WAT, the scores given by an independent evaluator will be considered.
All candidates will be required to provide two confidential reference letters from their employers or from teachers in the academic institutions where they had been students previously. These reference letters will also be used in the personal interview evaluation.
10. The work experience score will be multiplied by the quality of experience score, as evaluated by the interviewing panel as an assessment of the relevance of the work experience to the programme. The quality of work experience score will be evaluated on a 5 point scale (0.25 - 0.5 - 1 - 1.5 - 2) by each member of the panel during the interviews. The average quality of work experience score will be multiplied by the pre-PI work experience score and accordingly the work / professional experience component score used in Phase 1 will be revised to arrive at a weighted work experience score.
12. The WAT score (weight = 10), and the personal interview score (weight = 30), after standardization across interview panels and sessions, will be added to the following scores to arrive at the final aggregate score. CAT (weight = 25), 10th board (weight = 10), 12th board (weight = 5), Bachelors (weight = 10), Weighted Work Experience (weight = 10).
Since the admission process at IIM B follows a comprehensive multi-criteria process at the pre-PI stage, it is able to identify many candidates for the PI who have an excellent academic record and work experience but who, while doing well enough in the CAT to be in the first shortlist, may have narrowly missed the high score that would have been required if CAT alone was the basis for the PI shortlist.