IIMK Criteria Change | Impact on my CAT Prep

IIMK has announced Criteria Change for admissions into its MBA program for 2020 – 2022 batch. CAT 2019 is conducted by IIM Kozhikode. You also have the IIMK Criteria Change pdf attached in downloadable format at the end of this blog.

What is the Exact IIMK Criteria Change?

CAT 2018

First we will look at the Criteria for CAT 2018 and then compare it with CAT 2019 Criteria set by IIM Kozhikode. In CAT 2018, CAT Score had 75% weightage, followed by XIIth standard scores that carried a 20% weightage and Academic Diversity Factor constituted 5%.

CAT 2019

In CAT 2019 admission season, IIMK has announced a change in contribution by different factors for stage 2 shortlisting. CAT Score stands reduced at 45% of the total, followed by Class Xth scores at 30% (from 0 last year). Class XII is given 15% weightage and also a 10% weightage for Gender / Academic Diversity Score in the final mix.

IIMK Criteria Change and Impact on CAT Prep

There are many factors that can impact your admission into a great b-school, like IIM Kozhikode. We can broadly categorise them as External and Internal Factors, where there is a further classification of Controllable and Uncontrollable factors.

External Vs Internal Factors

External Factors are environmental. For eg, traffic/rain on the day of your exam can be termed as external factors. Same goes for factors like the exam hall air conditioning being too cold for you to be comfortable during the d-day.

Internal factors are based on who you are as an individual.

Controllable Vs Uncontrollable Factors

Among the internal factors that form a part of your admission – your Xth and XIIth scores are factors that you have absolutely no control over. However, your CAT Score is something that you have most control over, amongst all the available factors.

Should I be worried?

If you have a not so great Xth score, has IIMK shut it’s doors for you? I definitely do not think so. There is a minimum cutoff (60% in Xth – General, further details are available in the downloadable pdf) for Xth, and as long as you cross the same it should be alright. Your composite score for round 2 shortlist is going to be penalised more than someone else who has a fabulous Xth score.

Should I feel victimised and whine about how life is unfair?

You get all the rights to complain about how another IIM has shut it’s door on you, why it is really unfair to judge someone based on what they had done in the past and why not judge people based on work-ex and other relevant accomplishments, only if you cross ~99.4%ile in CAT 2019.

Unless you cross 99.4+, you are only worrying and creating barriers between you and a great CAT score because of some hypothetical situation which did not play out as you had planned in your head. If you are someone who has managed to obtain that coveted score, I can tell you, a great b-school or not, you’ll go places in your life.

Give it a full blooded go.

Don’t Die wondering.

Don’t get stuck in hypotheticals and lose out on tangible things like a fantastic CAT Score.