Grads still need 50% to bell the CAT

KOLKATA: A joint meeting of the chairpersons of the Common Admission Test (CAT) group held at the IIM-C premises on Tuesday decided that there would be no change in the new rules that were set earlier for the CAT ‘07 test on November 19.

A number of students were disgruntled that from this year, for a candidate to be eligible for the Post Graduate Programme(s) in management from IIMs, he/she must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50per cent marks or equivalent CGPA (45per cent marks or equivalent CGPA in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD categories).

According to Prof Asish K Bhattacharyya, chairman, admissions, IIM-C, “We arrived at the new eligibility criteria after much thought. So, there is no question of reversing the decision.” Only the IIM, Lucknow representative could not make it for the meeting.

However, the CAT group issued clarifications for students who have appeared in their final year examinations and are awaiting results from the candidates who are in their final year of bachelor’s degree. For the former, it is required to enclose a copy of the course completion certificate from the college/institute that they have appeared in the final exam. Also required is a copy of the available marksheets/grade transcripts.

As for candidates in the final year, it is required that they should have obtained 50per cent marks or equivalent CGPA (45per cent marks or equivalent CGPA in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD categories) on a cumulative basis even if these marks are not considered by the university/institute for declaring division/class. Mr Bhattacharyya informed ET that other than internal operations, no other policy-making decision had been taken during the meeting.