While schools newly opting for the Common Admission Test (CAT) made headlines last few weeks, now it’s time for some ‘opposite’ news – schools that have decided to opt out of taking CAT 2011 scores. At least the list (of b-schools taking CAT) on the CAT website says so. This year about (excluding the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)) 145 have decided to opt for CAT. These include news names such as Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Last year the same list stretched to 147. Given the fact that so many new institutes have opted for CAT this year, it is estimated that at least some 50 plus institutes have decided to forgo CAT 2011 scores.

When asked, Professor Janakiraman Moorthy, CAT Convenor 2011 said that he had heard that there are some institutes that are not taking CAT this year but he is not sure of the number. There are some small schools that have opted out of CAT. We have not made any research on why these schools have opted out or how many they are exactly, he said.

The 2011 Cat Convenor however added that with so many new schools accepting CAT from this year, some thoughts are going into making some changes in the CAT paper, though not from this year. A wide variety of schools are now taking CAT so we must do something to include some of the different profiles they are seeking in the candidates, Prof Moorthy said. He added that the CAT exam should deliver what the b-schools are really looking out for in candidates and so some discussion will be held on how to make a few differences in the CAT exam to suit the different requirements.

From the look of it, some of the institutes that seems to have opted out of CAT 2011 are Institute of Management and Development, New Delhi, JK Padampat Singhania Institute of Management & Technology, Gurgaon, Haryana; Skyline Business School, New Delhi, Fostima Business School, New Delhi; Vignana Jyothi Instititute of Management, Andhra Pradesh; Osmania University Campus, Hyderabad. Most of these names figured in the Cat 2010 list.

PaGaLGuY spoke to some of the institutes whose names do not figure in CAT’s list for 2011. Surprisingly, all said that they are going to take CAT scores this year! Rajeeva Kansal , Chairman, Placement Committee at Fostima Business School said that he too had heard that news about his school not going to take CAT scores this year. I have read that and I don’t know how this news has spread. But we are taking CAT scores this year like every year,” he said. When asked, whether there was an official tie-up with CAT authorities for the exam, he said there was none. When asked whether there was a tie-up last year, Mr Kansal said he was not sure.

Sheelu Puri, director with Skyline Business School had a similar thing to say. She explained: “While CAT is indeed a prestigious entrance test, in India there are several more entrance tests. For our admissions we accept CAT/MAT/XAT/GMAT and ATMA scores. MBA aspirants who are taking these entrance tests are getting their score cards and applying to Institutes based on their individual scores.It is not necessary for Institutes to participate in each one of these entrance tests to avail of their scores and therefore the talent. Ms Puri confirmed that while her school is not listed as a CAT participating Business School, we are accepting CAT scores.

Sharad Chavan of JK Padampat Singhania Institute of Management & Technology, Gurgaon also said that his school is accepting CAT scores this year and not only CAT but all other national level entrance exams.

When Prof Moorthy was asked why the names of some of the above schools were not in the list while they are still accepting CAT, he answered that may be the schools are not officially signed up with CAT. Conducting CAT is not a commercial activity for us so it could be that while some schools are not on our list, they are accepting CAT scores. CAT’s steep charges could probably be cited as a reason why some schools may have chosen not sign up with CAT authorities but still accept its scores. According to reports, a one time membership with CAT costs Rs 50,000, annual fees is Rs 2 lakhs and per candidate the fee is Rs 200.