Is CAT likely to get canceled because of the threat of COVID-19? Will students give this examination from their home instead of visiting test centers? Will the exam become tougher in 2020? Has the competition increased? Will the CAT become easier or fiercer? These are some of the many uncertainties that are looming large. These are the questions that will be discussed in this post.

If the current scenario is analyzed, then it can be said that the levels of uncertainly are certainly very high and there isn’t any specific skill-set that can answer these quasi-philosophical queries. But it becomes important to churn out some pompous equity research reports and focus on the worthy things.

The highly uncertain things in life are taxes, death and of course, life itself

Even during the best times, the IIMs don’t turn out to be transparent and communicative and Coronavirus is considered a 6-sigma event. However, the need arises to get clarity on some other examinations too, such as JEE and NEET that were supposed to happen in May-June 2020.

Hence, it is possible for the snake-oil salesmen too to predict something regarding the schedule, timing, and dates of CAT. So, when you wish to be in the ideal end of doubt, you need to be a CEO.

When things change more, they continue to remain the same

CAT has seen the transformation to computer-based from paper-based and students will observe a couple of sections to 3 sections.

Additionally, it has changed from easy to hard to easy in the past 20 years. However, the one thing that has continued to remain the same is the objective paper which tests students’ fundamental quantitative aptitude, verbal aptitude, and logical aptitude. 

Nearly 2 lakh students sit for the CAT and when they score better marks, they get better admits too. As this is a competitive examination, you must not bother about the CAT being a little easier or tougher. 

Many students struggle hard to concentrate and due to the outbreak of COVID-19, students ended up performing poorly in this exam.

However, there is a flip side to it. Due to this situation, many aspirants have been working from home or they have become jobless. Hence, every aspirant should prepare themselves well.

The prospects of an MBA

The gravest economic recessions do last for nearly six to seven quarters and looking ahead and recruitment into the subsequent cycle will certainly start one or a couple of quarters ahead of the retrieval.

This fall began towards the quarter of January or February of this year. Students who have been preparing themselves for the CAT are thinking of starting a two-year MBA.

They will graduate in the month of April 2023. Again, they will hunt for a job in January or February 2023. So, this is full three years from the starting of COVID-19. 

There isn’t any guarantee that everyone will take their leaps of faith formed on the odds only and so, most probably, the botherations about the MBA of 2021-2023 are overcooked.

So, it can be said that students who are beginning with a 1 year MBA from the next year must be optimistic. To some industries, such as Cruise Ships, COVID-19 must turn into a game-changer. Again, for some industries, like Tourism it will be a dampener. 

Will the value of doing an MBA remain the same when students will do one year or one term online?

Every education acts as a signal and when students have secured 95 percent in their board examination, then they are acknowledged as sharp students. Again, when they clear JEE, they turn into a real deal.

Now, if they clear engineering with 75 percent marks then they might know or might not know about engineering. Therefore, it can be said that reputed brands send potent signals. The reason behind this is they do teach excellently well.

The important thing is the best brands get the unmatched kids. IIM and IIT are recognized as big brands as they have got a monopoly on skilled students and they end up alluring the best students.

An online MBA doesn’t send a potent signal as anyone is liberal to apply to a modest online course and when they do split some money, they can bag the degree.

However, this season is pretty different from other seasons. When a student joins IIT Bombay this year and finishes the full 1st year online, then his MBA will be an MBA from IIT Bombay only and not from its online counterparts.

The signal which obtaining an IIT Bombay admit does send is still potent and recruiters are well aware of this fact. Hence, students do not bother about getting an MBA where a couple of or three terms have been spent online. So, for this season, it will not matter anymore.

The options open to students

What do students need to do is pretty simple. They need to put the variables that they can’t control in the back seat.

They should concentrate on their preparation with full vigor. So, if you haven’t got employment somewhere, you need to bag a job. Always remain connected to people. Keep this belief that this phase would be hard.

Everyone should accept this fact. Even when you have found someone whom you can blame, you need to accept it. Never fret about the layers of uncertainty. When you are bothering about whether or not the CAT would be conducted, then you have got the First World Problems.

Try to transfer your mind from thinking uselessly and devote time to things that will change your chances for the better. Find out time to have fun while preparing as well as retaining your optimism all through this phase.

Stay connected with fellow students on PaGaLGuY for CAT Exam 2020 Discussion

Stay connected with fellow students on PaGaLGuY for [Official] IIM-Indore PGP 2020-22 [Shortlisted for WAT/PI] Discussion