CAT: Taking on the GD and more

 Sudarshan : Could you please tell me what are the actual cut-offs for the IIM's this year?

A R K S Srinivas : Hi Sudarshan, we expect the score cards to come out on January 6. We will be able to pin point the cut-offs on that day. So just wait for the next few days!

Sudarshan : What is the general time limit given for a GD?

A R K S Srinivas : About 10 to 20 minutes is the norm.

Sudarshan : Also, how are the different groups formed? Do they contain a mix of students from different academic backgrounds?

Rahul Reddy : GD groups are not specifcally formed to get a mix of students. They may be alphabetical, percentile based or random...

himani : What are the Business schools in Calcutta that are still giving out forms?

Rahul Reddy : The only decent ones left are Globsyn and ISBM (bus and media, salt lake)

kaushik : sir, i m kaushik i m preparing for CAT 2006 how should i plan & how should i stress more on basic fundamentals.

A R K S Srinivas : Yes Kaushik, I suppose the best thing to do is ensure you have enough fundamentals in place to crack any kind of exam.

po :  Sir could you please tell me how much is the percentile is given he weightage for the final selections in IIMs.

Rahul Reddy : While exact figures are not disclosed by the IIMs, from our research into conversion rates, etc. we feel that CAT has a 60-65 per cent weightage.

SRIDH : HELLO ARKSS ....DO U STAY AT TEMPLE ALWAL.

A R K S Srinivas : Yes, but now I am in Mumbai!

abhi_ibm : Sir how should we go about preparing for GD PI except from all that is done at the institutes?

A R K S Srinivas : Dear Abhi, at the coaching institutes, you will only get direction and practice. What is required right now (along with that) is a lot of reading and writing (of your answers to the questions that can come in the interviews). You have to read books like the Manorama, CSR, CM and any of the business magazines from now onwards. A business daily and a normal daily is also recommended.

rudh : sir wat should be the preap. 4 NMIMS because they will have der GD/PI prior to that of IIMs?

A R K S Srinivas : Dear Rudh, the preparation will be pretty much similar, whether for IIMs or NMIMS.

debtosh : dear sir:do institutes like spjain,nitie have sectional cut offs?how much r they expected this year? i am expecting to score va:16,di-7 & qa-16.whar r my chances

A R K S Srinivas : VERY GOOD CHANCE as NITIE may take only QA cutoffs.

mayuresh : sir where do we get our results

A R K S Srinivas : Go to www.time4education.com and click the links of the various IIMs from there.

suman : You had predicted the cut offs for a single iim call to be around 44+. Is that correct in view of the results now available?

A R K S Srinivas : Hi Suman, we are now all the more sure that if you have cleared your cutoffs in each of the sections, with 44, you would have been in with a good chance. There are people who were expecting that kind of score, who have got calls.

aditya : hi i have got calls from all iims except bangalore. have 1.5 yr work ex. what is the probability of coverting these calls.

Rahul Reddy : Hi, if you are talking about converting any one, chances are very high. If you prepare well and practise for the GDs, i would say you have over a 90 per cent chance of conversion.  

mitr : sir , what do you suggest about Alliance business academy and M S ramahia

Rahul Reddy : Both ABA and MS Ramiah are decent institutes under MAT. If you do not have anything better, they are worth joining.

tarun : Sir, I have calls from all IIMs, except A. I am planning to focus on IIM-B,C for GDs and PIs, as I want to get into only either of A,B or C. By not focussing on L,I,K, am I making a wrong decision as I hv heard that these IIMs are not good. Please suggestALso, in case I dont get thru B,C, shall I consider L,I,K or shall I wait for next year?

Rahul Reddy : Hi Tarun, preparation for all IIM GD and Interview is very similiar. So there is nothing like preparing only for one IIM. Please attend all the Gd and Int and do your best. Whether to join L, I , K or not is the decision that can be made later when the final results come.

DEBASHIS : 42 no call can i expect spjain and mdi

Rahul Reddy : If cut-offs are Ok, a good chance for MDI. For SP Jain, it is also based on your profile.

majnarayana27 : Hai I am major Narayana retd army officer. I had chatted to you after cat exam. I got a call from I & K. My expected scores are QA – 14, DI – 10, VA – 9. I am visually handicapped with work ex of 12 years. How do I go about preparing for GD and PI. What are the topics asked for GD. What are the typical questions for PI. How many experts are assessing for GD and PI Separately.Actually I want 2 know what they r looking for in GD and PI. Is it similar to the Service Selection Board interviews conducted by defence.

A R K S Srinivas : Dear Major, it would be better if you could contact us seperately on this. There are no typical questions or answers, hence it will depend on the profile.

Vipin : Hi I have got BLACK, My first Interview is of A on 27th Feb. What you propose me to do to start with ?

A R K S Srinivas : Congratulations! You need to prepare for the GD and Interview simultaneously. For GD, a lot of reading is required. For the Interview, questions could range from your Academics/Subject to Personality-based questions to general knowledge areas. In addition, they can ask you on work ex (if you have any). You need to clearly make a list of these types of questions, write the answers down and ensure that you are ready for the interviews.

Robi : HI, Sir after having scored 9.66 in Q and overall 54-59(depending on various keys) haven't recieved any calls from the iim's,i think Quant played spoil sport for me, so what are my chances for MDI will 9.66 make MDI cutoff??I am a fresher.

Rahul Reddy : Hi, let's wait for a few days more for score cards to come out before we analyse further.

angel : sir times of india has said that 6000+ students have been shortlisted is this accurate or is it 6000+ calls because having got 5 calls myself i think i've been counted 5 times

Rahul Reddy : You are right. It would be 6000 calls and not 6000 people. The number of students called would be around 2000.

anubhav : Sir, i got calls from A,C,L,I,K.. can u tell me probably on what criteria did B did its selections??

Rahul Reddy : Hi Anubhav, I know you would very much like to know, but the IIMs will never disclose reasons. So stop worrying and celebrate.

PARAS : Sir when u predicted low cutoffs , the other instiutes gave higer than yours. But i think u have proved again that u r best in analysis.

Rahul Reddy : Thank you, Paras. It's the combined expertise and effort of a number of people at T.I.M.E.

rudh : sir can you suggest any good training institute 4 GD/PI training or personality development?

Rahul Reddy : Hi, T.I.M.E. has over 14 years of expertise and very good conversion factors for GD Int calls.Tell me which city you are from.

Robi : Mr Reddy and ARKS Srinivas still there?

A R K S Srinivas : Yes Robi. What's your question

hemant : Hi sir, i have got a call only from iim ahmedabad. So what are my chances of getting through it.

A R K S Srinivas : Hi Hemant, every year there are people who get calls from only one IIM and get selected. That way, your concentration is clearly on one instiute. This time it is on A, the best institute in the country. So give it whatever you have. All the best.

ITGuy : Hi, This is Rahul, I have got a call only from IIM-B. I have 2+yrs of work exp. Why is there a discrepancy in the calls, as in if IIM-B gives a call why is it that the other lower ranked IIMs did not call me? Also will it play to my disadvantage at the GD-PI that I got only 1 call?

A R K S Srinivas : The ranking of IIMs is the game of the magazines. None of the IIMs consider themselves inferior to any other. Also, B seems to have used some criteria that seems to be different from that of the other IIMs. The same was the case last year. You have decent chance of making it to B if you do not make mistakes and perform to the best of your potential.

Jimie : I got BLACK but not the I, while a guy with similar work-ex, same college, same grades, and lesser marks gets it. Any possible reason ?

Rahul Reddy : Hi, different IIMs have slightly different weightages for each section. Also, some IIMs consider other factors like profile and work ex at the time of issuing calls itself. Anyway, go celebrate, why worry about it?

abhi_ibm : Sir how does MDI stand infront of Indore and Kozhikode

Rahul Reddy : Both have advantages and disadvantages. In the long term, i think the IIM brand name would be more beneficial. At this stage, just concentrate on converting the calls. You can choose colleges later.

harry : is it posible to get a Call from any IIM with 75-80 percentile.. if u have a good academic background & u are CA/ICWA?

Rahul Reddy : Under the open category, impossible.

nanditha : Sir,according to my score check with the Career forum ans keys,i have a score of 51,but i still havent got any call from th IIM's ...could you please tell me what has gone wrong?

Rahul Reddy : I am sorry to hear that. Pls check your score with T.I.M.E. keys. Also, check whether cut offs are ok.

Shantanu : hello sir, my scores are quant-15,va-12,di-15. what are my chances of getting a call from SPJain,MDI & NITIE?? plz ans

A R K S Srinivas : Hi Shantanu, you have still a fighting chance with such scores.

aks : Sir, I have got calls from 3 IIMS (L, I, K) even though I had done worse than my friend who hasn't received any calls from any IIMs. Is it possible that he scores more than me in CAT yet doesn't get any calls?

A R K S Srinivas : I think we need to wait for the score cards. Then, more analysis is possible.

prabhu : Sir,I have a BE,MTech Degree and couple of years as experience.Now, I want to pursue a degree in management that would help me diversify. Does my Master degree improve or worsen my chances of getting an admission in one of the IIMs. Please advise me on this.

A R K S Srinivas : It would not affect it too much.

PARAS : sir i cleared ibsat and called for interview at hyderabad. But they have not mentioned for which instotute . ICFAI Hyderabd or mumbai or gurgaon. Pls guide me .

A R K S Srinivas : For all the centres. You can give your preferences.

jhon : sir, i'm gettin 32-34 what chance do i have in LBA/somiaya/wellinkar/kirlosker

A R K S Srinivas : For Welingkar and Kirloskar, a very good chance.

aks : Could you post a link to TIME ans keys to the CAT exams?

A R K S Srinivas : Please go to any T.I.M.E. centre, they will provide one.

mambo : Sir have u heard of any case in which a person has all 6 calls but has failed to convert even one of A,B and C?

A R K S Srinivas : Yes mambo, there are always such cases.

ricky : do institutes like spjain,nitie have sectional cut offs?how much r they expected this year? i am expecting to score va:16,di-7 & qa-14.what r my chances of getting calls?

Rahul Reddy : They would have cutoffs, perhaps a little less than the IIMs. NITIE, of course, has a slightly higher QA cutoff. Anyway, you have a fighting chance.