FMS Delhi has announced the commencement of registrations for its MBA Full-time programme 2021-23. Several CAT aspirants have been waiting for the registrations to open, and finally the day is here! What are the selection criteria? What are the important deadlines? Where to apply? We will look to answer all these and more.
Firstly, what makes FMS Delhi special?
FMS Delhi has been known to be a premier B-school in the country, on par with the IIMs. The definitive upside is the affordability – the fee per semester is INR 48,000. The downside, if I may, could come down to two aspects: (i) The absence of an IIM tag that many B-school aspirants crave for, (ii) the cut-throat competition for just 251 seats.
Application deadlines
The applications for registration to the full-time MBA programme for 2021-23 has commenced today, and will remain open until 31 December, 2020. There is going to be 20-day window within which those who aspire to give FMS Delhi a shot have to apply.
If you are looking for a single place where you can find all the deadlines of the most important B-schools, click here and bookmark the article for future reference.
Eligibility criteria
Those who wish to apply for a coveted seat at FMS Delhi should have at least completed a Bachelors’ Degree. The caveat is that the candidates who are currently pursuing their final year in the undergraduation would also be eligible to apply.
In addition, they must have scored a minimum of 50% in their undergraduation. There are relaxations, which have been outlined in the table given below.
| Category | Minimum percentage of marks* scored in Bachelors’ degree |
| General | 50% |
| NC-OBC | 45% |
| EWS | 45% |
| PwD | 45% |
| CW | 45% |
| SC | Passing marks |
| ST | Passing marks |
* -> as per the respective University rules
Candidates must note that a CGPA of 5 does not necessarily translate to 50%. Different colleges/universities will have different conversion mechanisms, and candidates are advised to check with their respect colleges in case of any confusion.
Criteria for shortlisting of candidates for the interview process
The shortlisting of candidates for the subsequent rounds of the selection process will be based on CAT 2020 score ONLY. The weightage given to the scores in each of the three sections of CAT is given below.
| Section | Weightage |
| VARC | 40% |
| DILR | 30% |
| QA | 30% |
An additional score of 5 marks will be added to the weighted score for women candidates.
Criteria for deciding the final shortlist
From among the candidates who satisfy the basic eligibility criteria, and after ranking the weighted scores based on the table mentioned above, the candidates would be called for the Personal Interview process.
The final shortlist for the MBA programme at FMS Delhi will be decided after factoring in the following parameters.
| Parameter | Weightage |
| Weighted CAT 2020 score | 50% |
| Marks obtained in 10th grade* | 10% |
| Marks obtained in 12th grade* | 10% |
| Discussion on Statement of Purpose (SoP) | 10% |
| Extempore | 5% |
| Personal Interview | 15% |
* -> if a candidate has scored above 60% but below 75%, they will given a weighted score of 5%. For those who have scored above 75%, the weighted score would be 10%. This applies for both 10th grade and 12th grade.
Just like the previous round, an additional 5 marks will be awarded to women candidates.
Most importantly…
FMS Delhi considers only CAT score (in this case, CAT 2020 score). Those who have applied for any other examination will not be eligible for admissions at FMS Delhi. In other words, those who have not taken CAT 2020 will not be eligible.
There are exceptions, though
Foreign nationals will be eligible to apply to FMS Delhi using their GMAT score, provided they have scored 650+ in their GMAT. As per the official bulletin of FMS Delhi, they may restrict admissions to two foreign national candidates per continent.
How to apply?
- Visit the FMS website.
- Under “Admissions” tab, you will find an option, “Online Admissions Portal”. Then, select “Admissions Portal”. Alternatively, under the “Latest at FMS” tab, click on “Admissions MBA FT 2021-23 Now Open” option. Or, click here.
- Select “Click here to apply online”.
Word of caution
Do not wait for the last date to arrive. Start applying at the earliest to avoid any last-minute hassles.
Stay safe and best wishes!
Written by Giridharan Raghuraman
Those who have not given the CAT can also take the admission..?
Hi Shivani, I am afraid not. You have to be a foreign national if you are applying with your GMAT score. Other than that, CAT is mandatory.