📢 Announcements

⚡ Application OpenCAT 202511 Aug 2025CAT 2025 Registration LIVE! Apply Now for IIMsCAT 2025 is here! Ready to get into the IIMs? Registration is LIVE from Aug 1–Sep 13. Exam on Nov 30 in 170+ cities. Don’t miss key dates, fees, & top tips to apply.Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat⚡ Shortlist OutUpdate13 Dec 2024Admission Processes for Top MBA Schools

With CAT 2024 results out and shortlists rolling in from the IIMs and other top B-schools, the next critical phase of MBA admissions has begun. Each institution has its own selection process — some rely on WAT + PI, some conduct group interviews, and others use written tests or case discussions. This guide breaks down what to expect at each top school.

🔵 Where things stand

CAT 2024 response sheets have been released. IIMs and other top schools are actively shortlisting candidates. Check your email and the respective admission portals regularly for your call letters.

Top IIMs — BLACKI Category

The BLACKI IIMs (Bangalore, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Kozhikode, Indore) are the most competitive and run the most structured selection processes. Here's how each one operates after shortlisting:

IIM Ahmedabad

WAT PI

IIMA shortlists based on a composite score that gives significant weight to CAT score, academic background, and work experience. The process involves a Writing Ability Test (WAT) followed by a Personal Interview. The PI at IIMA is known to be rigorous — expect deep questions on your academic background, work experience, and current affairs. Candidates are evaluated on analytical ability and communication.

IIM Bangalore

WAT PI

IIMB uses a shortlisting model that accounts for CAT percentile, work experience, gender diversity, and academic performance. The selection process comprises a Written Ability Test and a Personal Interview. IIMB interviews tend to explore your resume thoroughly and test your ability to think on your feet. Industry knowledge and clarity of goals matter here.

IIM Calcutta

WAT PI

IIMC shortlists using a scoring model that includes CAT percentile, academic performance at 10th, 12th, and graduation levels, work experience, and gender diversity. The selection process is WAT + Personal Interview. IIMC interviews frequently involve finance, economics, and quant questions — especially for non-engineers. Expect case-based probing in some slots.

IIM Lucknow

WAT PI

IIML shortlists candidates using a WAT-PI Composite Score (WAPIC) that factors in CAT score, academic profile, and work experience. The WAT is a 30-minute essay, and the PI covers areas like Why MBA, career goals, current affairs, and your academic or professional background. Communication and confidence play a significant role.

IIM Indore & IIM Rohtak

WAT Extempore PI

IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak stand out for including an Extempore round in addition to WAT and PI. In the Extempore, candidates are given a topic (usually a business situation, social issue, or current event) and asked to speak on it for 2–3 minutes without preparation. This tests spontaneous communication, structure, and confidence under pressure.

IIM Kozhikode

WAT PI

IIMK shortlists using a holistic scoring model similar to other IIMs. The selection involves a WAT followed by a Personal Interview. IIMK panels often include faculty from the candidate's undergraduate discipline, so be prepared for technical questions from your own field. Essays tend to be abstract or philosophy-adjacent topics.

Other Top MBA Schools

Beyond the BLACKI IIMs, several other top institutions have distinct processes worth understanding in detail:

School	Process	Key Differentiator
FMS Delhi	Extempore + Group Discussion + PI	No WAT; SOP discussion is part of interview
SPJIMR Mumbai	Group Interviews (2 rounds)	Panel interviews in groups; no traditional WAT
CAP IIMs	Joint Common Interview	No WAT; single PI for multiple CAP institutes
XLRI Jamshedpur	Essay + Group Discussion + PI	XAT percentile used; separate PGP and HRM panels
Symbiosis (SCMHRD, SIBM)	Group Exercises + PI	Group exercises rather than traditional GD format
NMIMS Mumbai	Watson Glaser Test + Case Write-up + PI	Unique psychometric test component; NMAT-based shortlist

⚡ CAP Process — note

The CAP (Common Admission Process) covers IIMs not in BLACKI — including IIM Amritsar, Bodh Gaya, Jammu, Nagpur, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Sirmaur, Udaipur, and Visakhapatnam. One common interview is used across all CAP institutes. No separate WAT.

Common Interview Questions to Prepare

Regardless of which school you're interviewing at, certain question types appear consistently across IIM and top B-school panels. Prepare thoughtful, specific answers for each:

1

Walk me through your resume / Tell me about yourself

2

Why MBA? Why now? Why this school specifically?

3

What are your short-term and long-term career goals?

4

Tell me about a challenge you faced and how you resolved it

5

Questions from your academic background or undergraduate subject

6

What is happening in your industry or sector right now?

7

Describe a leadership experience / team conflict you navigated

✅ Mockat tip

For WAT preparation, practice writing essays on business, ethics, and current affairs topics — 250–300 words in 20 minutes. For the Extempore, practise speaking for 2 minutes on a random topic every day. Structure: Position → Argument 1 → Argument 2 → Counterpoint → Conclusion.

Sources

🏫

IIM Official Websites

iimahmedabad.ac.in, iimb.ac.in, iimcal.ac.in

📋

Compiled by Mockat

mockat.com — CAT MBA prep resources

Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat🔴 DeadlineXAT06 Dec 2024XAT Registration Deadline Extended4^th December, 2024

The registration deadline for the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2025 has been extended to 10^th December 2024. Candidates who have not yet applied can take advantage of this extension to register for the exam scheduled on 5^th January 2025.

Register for the exam here: XAT registration link

For details on changes to the exam pattern this year, click here

. For detailed information about the XAT examination, visit this page

. To get ahead on your prep and strategy planning for the exam, you can watch this video by Sanjana, XAT 99.98% iler.

Don’t miss this second opportunity to apply and prepare for one of India’s premier MBA entrance exams!

Source:

XAT official websiteRead full announcement Compiled by Mockat⚡ Exam AlertCAT 202426 Nov 2024CAT 2024: Exam Overview and Next StepsCAT 2024: Exam Overview and Next Steps CAT 2024 officially concluded on 24^th November, 2024. A total of 3.29 lakh candidates had registered for CAT 2024, but the number of actual test-takers on the test-day is usually a little lower. While this year’s paper in all three slots was generally considered to be easier than last year’s, there were a few question pattern changes in the VARC and DILR sections.

Key Highlights of CAT 2024:

Changes in Question Pattern: This year, there were modifications in the VARC and DILR sections, introducing a revised structure for candidates.

Overall Difficulty Level: The exam was relatively easier compared to CAT 2023, with DILR and Quant also being easier for most candidates. This could be because the CAT administrators have observed a decline in marks relative to percentiles. For example, the 85th percentile in DILR and Quant corresponded to scores of 14/60 and 12/66, respectively, in CAT 2023.

Slot-wise Difficulty: While Slot 1 was generally more manageable, Slots 2 and 3 were considered to be of higher difficulty levels.

The CAT exam increased from a total of 66 to 68 questions (with 2 additional questions in the DILR section), bringing the total marks to 204.

Section-wise Changes and Marks Breakdown

Section	Changes	Marks Breakdown	Total Questions	Total Questions
VARC	4 RCs (Reading Comprehension) - 3 Summaries - 3 Sentence Insertions - 2 Odd Ones Out No Jumbled Paragraphs	4 RCs: 4 x 4 = 16 questions (16 x 3 = 48 marks) - 3 Summaries: 3 x 3 = 9 marks - 3 Sentence Insertions: 3 x 3 = 9 marks - 2 Odd Ones Out: 2 x 3 = 6 marks	24	72
DILR	3 cases with 4 questions each - 2 cases with 5 questions each	3 cases x 4 questions x 3 marks = 36 marks - 2 cases x 5 questions x 3 marks = 30 marks	22 (increased from 20)	66 (increased from 60)
Quant	There was no change in the number of questions, but the paper was easier, with a focus on Arithmetic, followed by Algebra as the second most prominent topic. It was a well-rounded paper, including questions on Numbers and Geometry as well.	22 questions x 3 marks each = 66 marks	22	66

Negative Marking:

For MCQs: -1 for incorrect answers.
For TITA (Type-In-The-Answer) Questions: No negative marking for incorrect answers.

Next Steps:

Official Response Sheets: The official response sheets will be made available in one week. Please stay tuned for further details.
Projected Percentile: Once the response sheets are released, you will be able to check your projected percentile using our Percentile Predictor Tool on the website.

Stay tuned for further announcements and Good luck!Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat🟢 Application OpenCAT18 Nov 2024FMS Delhi Applications Are Now OpenSubmit Your SOP by 22nd November!

The Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi, has opened its application process, with the final deadline set for 22nd November. A key requirement for the application is a 1000-characters Statement of Purpose (SOP). SOP submissions are not just unique for FMS, most top MBA schools like IIMs, and XLRI require SOPs of specific formats for applying.

To guide you through the process, we’ve compiled tips and examples to help you craft a compelling SOP.

Key Insights for Writing Your SOP:

What is an SOP?
It’s your chance to explain your career aspirations, the reason you’re pursuing an MBA, and how FMS Delhi aligns with your professional goals.

Why is it important?
It is an important opportunity to showcase your goals, and academic achievements. It demonstrates your fit for the program, your genuine interest in an MBA, and provides the admissions team insight into your aspirations, which will help you stand out among a sea of other applicants.

Writing Tips:

Dos -
• Highlight your achievements, skills, and initiatives that make you a great candidate.
• Clearly articulate why FMS Delhi is your choice and how it connects with your post-MBA ambitions.
• Research the program to tailor your SOP effectively.

Don’ts -
• Repetition or vague language
• Spelling or grammatical mistakes
• Overly complex sentences or filler words
• Failing to utilize the 100-word limit fully
• Relying on tools like ChatGPT instead of your own words

For more detailed guidelines watch this video

Here are sample SOPs tailored to various professional backgrounds:

Engineer with 2 years experience:
As a Software Engineer, I interact with Pharmaceutical and Telecom clients. I have had many meetings and presented solutions to my clients, and have developed a holistic perspective of these sectors. I understand that technology is an important part of any company, but the management aspects such as Strategy, Marketing, Finance, Operations, etc. are key to its success. As an engineer, I am getting some practical knowledge but need formal education in these aspects. I wish to learn these so that I can progress further in my career, and FMS is an excellent place to do so. I will bring my analytical and interpersonal skills and my goal-oriented mindset to FMS if I am selected, becoming one of FMS’ best students.

Commerce grad (no work experience):
As a commerce graduate, an MBA degree is the natural next step for career advancement. In my college, I have participated in Marketing events and I have won the Inter-College B-Plan competition in my college out of 40+ participating teams from the country. I want to pursue an MBA from a leading Business School like FMS, which is renowned for its excellent faculty, academic rigour and industry exposure. I want to build my skillset to work at a premier Consumer company, deliver my utmost and help my company be the best in its selector. Ultimately, I aim to become the CEO of my chosen organisation through my continued good performance.

High Achiever:
I have always been competitive and driven, and have won competitions throughout school and college. I won a National-level Hackathon with 100+ participating teams. I play football at a district level and have captained my school and college teams. Playing football has helped me build discipline, resilience and leadership skills. These skills will make me suitable for FMS Delhi. If I am selected, I will push myself to study hard, get good grades and also win accolades for FMS. I am someone with initiative and I want to participate in committees like the organising committee for Fiesta, Consulting Club or others. I also want to start a Sports Club at FMS if I am selected, so that students can participate in their preferred sports and we can win even more awards in Inter-college competitions.

Few achievements:
I am interning at XYZ Corp, where I am inspired by Mr. ABC, who heads the Marketing team and excels at Marketing strategy and is a great team leader. He has an MBA from a Top B-school, and inspired me to pursue an MBA to develop management knowledge and gain practical industry exposure. I am also a keen follower of Mr. PQR, who is a global business leader and is famous for his/her ________. If I am selected by FMS, I will study hard and get good grades. I would also participate in committees such as the organising committee for Fiesta or the placement committee. Once I graduate, I want to work at a leading Consumer company in the Marketing team and use the concepts learnt at FMS Delhi to contribute as much as I can and get to a leadership position. I also want to give back to FMS Delhi for shaping my career path.

Get started, make your SOPs as impactful as possible and submit it before the deadline.

Best of luck!

Sources:

FMS Admissions

Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat🟢 Application OpenCAT08 Aug 2024NMAT 2024 Notification & RegistrationNMAT (Narsee Monjee Aptitude Test) 2024 Notification & Registration Registration and scheduling for NMAT 2024 have been officially announced and is open now. NMAT is an online aptitude exam that can be taken at a test center or at home (proctored)

NMAT Registration is open from 1st August 2024 to 10th October 2024. You can register at https://www.mba.com/exams/nmat

The NMAT exam is going to be held between 5th November 2024 to 20th December 2024 this year. You can choose your own date after registration.

You can take the NMAT exam up to three times. Please note that NMIMS institutes usually only accept the first score, not best of 3.

The NMAT exam will be held for 2 hours split into three sections, as below:
Language Skills - 36 questions in 28 minutes
Logical Reasoning - 36 questions in 40 minutes
Quantitative Skills - 36 questions in 52 minutes
You can choose the order of the sections while beginning the exam.

All questions in NMAT are compulsory and there is no negative marking.
Check out more details at Mockat's Infozone

List of b-schools accepting NMAT - https://www.mba.com/exams/nmat/nmat-schools

The registration fees are Rs 2800 + taxes.
NMAT exam retake fee is Rs 2800 + taxes
Reschedule fee is INR 1200 + applicable taxes

Links:
Mockat Blog

NMAT is an adaptive exam and needs a different strategy, explained by Vignesh at Strategy Video

NMAT Official site link

Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat🟢 Application OpenSNAP 202408 Aug 2024SNAP 2024 Registrations are openRegistrations for SNAP 2024 are now open! Candidates can now register for the exam between August 1, 2024 to November 22, 2024. The Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP), conducted by Symbiosis International University (SIU), is an entrance test for admission to MBA/PGDM programmes. It is an online test comprising questions from General English, Quantitative-Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency, and Analytical & Logical Reasoning.

A candidate can appear for up to three tests for SNAP 2024. If a candidate appears for more than one test, the higher score will be considered for the final percentile calculation, and there will be no normalization.

Key Dates:

• Registration Period: August 1, 2024 - November 22, 2024
• Test Dates:
◦ December 08, 2024
◦ December 15, 2024
◦ December 21, 2024
• Result Announcement: January 08, 2025

To register, please visit this link

Steps to follow to register for the exam:

1. Register for the exam via the registration link provided.
2. Pay the registration fee and submit.
3. Register for your choice of programme(s) offered by various Institutes of SIU.
4. Pay the registration fee separately for each programme.

The registration fees is Rs. 2250/- per test or per attempt.

The Exam Pattern for SNAP 2024 is as follows:

There have been no changes made to the exam structure this year.

• General English: Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability - 15 questions
• Analytical & Logical Reasoning: 25 questions
• Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency: 20 questions
• Test Duration: 60 minutes

For more details like details about programme eligibility in different institutes, please visit: Eligibility Details

Stay tuned for a more detailed explanation of how to fill the application form. Good luck!

For more detailed information, including how to register, get results, and download the admit card, please visit the official SNAP website

Sources:

Official SNAP website

Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat🟢 Application OpenCAT 202408 Aug 2024CAT 2024 Registration Notification is Out! The official notification for CAT 2024 has been released on LinkedIn and Times of India. The Common Admission Test (CAT) opens doors to top MBA colleges in India like the IIMs, SP Jain, IMT Ghaziabad, FMS Delhi, IITs, and many more. This year, the exam has been scheduled to be conducted on 24 November, 2024 in around 170 cities across India.

As per the notification, registration opens on August 1 and closes on September 13. To register, please visit: www.iimcat.ac.in

Important Dates:

Registration Period: August 1, 2024 - September 13, 2024
Admit Card Availability: November 5, 2024 - November 24, 2024
Exam Date: November 24, 2024
Result Declaration: Second week of January 2025

Application Fees:

Open Category: Rs. 2500/-
Reserved Category: Rs. 1250/-

Candidates can apply to all IIMs while filling out the CAT application form and choose up to 6 cities for the exam center.

Exam Details:

• There is no change in the exam pattern.
• The exam will be conducted in 3 slots: morning, afternoon, and evening.
• Each slot will last for 2 hours, with 40 minutes each for Verbal, DILR, and Quant sections.

For more details, you can go through this official pdf
https://iimcat.ac.in/per/g06/pub/32842/ASM/WebPortal/1/PDF/CAT_2024_Advertisement.pdf

released by IIM Calcutta.

There will be a more detailed explanation of how to fill out the application form released in the following days, so stay tuned and good luck!

For more detailed information about the CAT exam, including the syllabus, eligibility criteria, and a list of participating institutes, please visit:
https://mockat.com/blogs

Also checkout this YouTube video for a more detailed explanation of the notification:
https://youtu.be/EFnA2VRDwkw

Sources:

Official CAT website - IIM CAT

Official News Article - Indian Express

Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat🟢 Application OpenXAT 202516 Jul 2024XAT 2025 Registrations Are Now Open!The registrations for XAT 2025 are now open! The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), conducted by XLRI (Xavier School of Management), will be held on January 5, 2025 from 2:00pm to 5:30pm. The registration window will be open from 15 July, 2024 to November 30, 2024.

To fill the application form and register for the exam, please visit: xatoline.in

Detailed information about the registration process and necessary steps can be found here: Registration

Once registered, admit card for the exam can be downloaded on December 20, 2024.

Key changes in XAT 2025:

The XAT administration has made a few key changes for XAT 2025’s exam format.

The exam will be divided into two parts, with Part One lasting 170 minutes and Part Two, which will be the General Knowledge section, running for 10 minutes, and in total, the exam will last for 180 minutes – 3 hours.

Additionally, the Analytical Essay Writing (AEW) component has been restructured and will now be conducted during the Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) stages, rather than being part of the main XAT 2025 exam.

There has also been a revision in the General Knowledge section. It will now consist of 20 questions, reduced from the previous 25, with 12 questions focused on current affairs and 8 on static general knowledge.

For more detailed information, please click here

for the official notification.

Registration Fees:

XAT Registration Fee – Rs. 2200/-
Candidates interested in XLRI programmes need to pay an additional fee of Rs. 200/- each

For more information about the XAT exam, including the syllabus, eligibility criteria, and the list of institutes that accept XAT scores, please visit: Mockat Blog

You can also check out this youtube video for additional info about the registration process - Video

Sources:

XAT Official Website

Exam pattern overview

XAT 2025 Changes

Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat🔵 Shortlist OutIIM Visakhapatnam20 May 2024IIM Visakhapatnam - PGP 2024-26 - Shortlist OutIIM Visakhapatnam Announces Post-graduate Programme 2024-26 Final Shortlist Results

Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam has revealed the final shortlist results for the Post-graduate Programme 2024-26, signalling the conclusion of a thorough selection process. Candidates who have been selected should have received a notification via email.

Wait-list Movement for IIM Visakhapatnam Final Results:

For candidates who were not directly admitted, there is still an opportunity! IIM Visakhapatnam maintains a wait-list, and seats may become available if admitted candidates decide to decline their offers.

IIM Visakhapatnam Final Results Key dates:

IIM Indore Final Results Key dates:

	Date
IIM Visakhapatnam Final Shortlist for PGP - 2024-26	May 17, 2024
First Wait-list movement	May last week (Tentative)

Sources:

IIM Visakhapatnam

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Read full announcement Compiled by Mockat