Admission Process for the PGP (Business Analytics) 2024-2026 Batch

This document details the process that will be adopted for selecting candidates for admission to the Post
Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGPBA) at the Indian Institute of Management
Bangalore for the batch of 2024-26.

IIMB has internally developed an admission process that seeks to identify the most promising
candidates for the PGPBA. This process has been progressively refined over the years, based on
cumulative data on the Common Admission Test (CAT) applicants and the academic performance of
the candidates that were admitted to IIMB. The process arrived at is based on the relationship between
the academic performance of students of the PGPBA in IIMB and their past academic performance,
their CAT score, performance in the admission interview and prior work experience. The selection
criteria and weights given to various parameters are based on data from previous cycles as well as on
inputs from the IIMB faculty body and other relevant stakeholders. The selection criteria are usually
reviewed every year and revised as necessary. The admission committee fixes these criteria and weights
at the beginning of each admission cycle before looking at information pertaining to candidates applying
in that cycle so as to avoid any bias.

IIMB uses multiple parameters, namely academic performance in 10th & 12th grades, graduation
programmes as well as the candidate's section wise scores in CAT to judge the suitability of a candidate
for the PGPBA. Relevant work experience, if any, is also given weight in the selection. The CAT score,
over and above being a selection criterion, is also used to establish the minimum level of proficiency
that is expected from the candidate in respective faculties as indicated by section wise minimum scores in
the CAT. The various criteria mentioned above are used to arrive at a composite score for every
candidate, which in turn is used to select candidates for the subsequent stages. The remaining part of the
document explains this process in detail.

IIMB adopts a two-phase selection. The first phase of the process is applied to all eligible candidates
who appear for CAT 2023 to determine candidates to be called for a personal interview (PI). Candidates
selected for the PI process will additionally be required to take a Writing Ability Test (WAT) on a topic
to be provided by IIMB. During the interview, the panel will evaluate each candidate's academic
background, quality of work experience and other personal traits. The WAT submission will be
evaluated separately. The scores of the WAT, interview and pre-PI scores (with appropriate
weightages) will be used cumulatively in the second and final phase to select the candidates for the
programme.

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The selection process, parameters and weights used are uniform for all applicants within a category.
Sufficient candidates are shortlisted at each stage from each social category to meet the reservation
requirement for each group, as applicable at that time.

Phase 1

1. A first shortlist is prepared comprising candidates who have secured a pre-determined minimum
score on all sections of CAT 2023. Candidates obtaining a positive (greater than zero) raw score, at
the minimum, in all sections of CAT-2023 will only be considered. The percentile cut-off scores
for admission, applied to CAT 2022, are shown in Table 1. All the subsequent processing,
standardization and selection are limited to candidates selected to the first short list alone. Therefore,
the CAT score alone is used as the basis for arriving at the first short list.

Table 1: For the batch of 2023-25 based on CAT 2022

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist*
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3
CATEGORY Aggregate
(VARC) (DILR) (QA)
General 80 75 80 85
NC-OBC 70 65 70 75
EWS 70 65 70 75
SC 65 60 60 70
ST 55 55 55 65
PWD 50 50 50 60

2. a) For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in Table(1), a candidates’ percentage scores in the
10th and 12th board exams are initially adjusted by dividing each such score by the 90th percentile
score obtained in that board. The database of 10th and 12th scores of all CAT applicants of the past
two years is used for identifying the 90th percentile score for each 10th and 12th board for this
purpose.

b) For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in Table (1), an adjusted score is calculated for
each of the candidates based on the final scores obtained by the candidate in his/her bachelors’ degree
and/or professional degrees, as the case may be. Incomplete or intermediate graduate scores are
considered only if the candidate's final score is pending. Thus, for final year bachelor’s degree
candidates, their incomplete graduation score would be taken in lieu of final graduation score.

c) In case of candidates who have completed their Class 12/ Bachelors during the pandemic and do
not have any score on their transcripts, no weightage shall be given to these components (Class 12
and/or Bachelors as applicable) and the total pre-PI score of the candidate will be scaled to 100.
Please note that submission of relevant transcripts is mandatory.

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 Note: The form for application to IIMB’s PGPBA provides clear guidance on how to present grade
related information at the 10th, 12th and graduation level. For example a 10 CGPA in the 10th
grade may not be entered as 100%. Similarly candidates are required to present information
relating to their branch of study in their graduation. Candidates are advised to follow these
guidelines carefully while presenting this information. Presenting information incorrectly is liable
to be construed as a misrepresentation, resulting in the candidate’s application not being taken to
the next level in the selection process. Further, once a decision not to proceed with processing an
application is made for reasons of incorrect or inaccurate information, no further discussion will be
entertained with regard to the processing of such application. IIMB’s decision in this regard will be
final.
3. For all candidates in the first shortlist as stated in (1), the score / weight for work experience is
calculated as: Pre PI score for Work Experience

= 10 (x/36) if 0 < x < 36

= 10 if x >= 36
Where x is the months of work experience up to July 2022, as captured in CAT application form
(and substantiated in the application to IIMB). This implies that the score will peak at 36 months
work experience and will remain at that level for candidates with work experience exceeding 36
months. The work experience score (maximum 10 in the pre-PI stage) will be scaled down to 5 and
multiplied by the quality of work experience score on a 5 point scale (0.25 - 0.5 – 1 - 1.5 - 2) as
given by interviewers in the PI process in Phase 2 to then arrive at a weighted work experience score.

IIMB duly recognizes the value of professional experience in enhancing the learning experience
for the student in the classroom. Accordingly it assigns credit for a candidate’s work experience
in the selection process.

Note: IIMB is keen to ensure that the work experience claimed by the candidate is authentic and
professionally significant enough to deserve credit. For example, no consideration is given to
any time spent as an intern, either during or after the course of study in a programme, or any
periods of apprenticeship such as articleship required as part of certain professional courses, or
any unpaid work undertaken in any organization or institution

4. Candidates will be required to produce the following as evidence of work experience for each
instance of employment claimed by the candidate:

a. Letter from each of the employers that the candidate claims to have worked with. The letter
should state the following details (i) The starting date of the employment, ending date of that
respective employment, positions occupied during employment with that particular employer.
In case the candidate claims to have moved through different positions / titles during the period,
the application should provide the starting date of each of those positions, pay with break up
during each of the positions held and a brief description of the responsibilities during each of
those positions held by the candidate. The letter should be furnished on a letter head of the
employer organisation, should carry a seal of the employer and be duly affirmed by the
authorized signatory.

b. In addition the candidate should provide a brief write up of the responsibilities held by the
candidate in each of the positions in each of the organisations in which the candidate claims to
have worked. In case the employer had opened a provident fund (PF) account during the period
of employment the candidate should provide the PF registration number.

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c. The name and designation of official to whom the candidate reported and the contact coordinates
of the official to whom IIMB may write in case it wishes to verify the employment related claim
that is being made.

Note : Presentation of employment claims that are not in conformity with the requirements above are
liable to be considered incomplete and disregarded by IIMB at its sole discretion. Further, IIMB is at
liberty to verify any or all of the employment related claims made by the candidate. Upon such
verification if it is found that some are all of the claims made are factually untrue such candidate’s
application will not be processed further at IIMB. Such candidates may be further disqualified from
being considered for admission to any programme at IIMB in future. After a candidate joins the
PGPBA at IIMB If it comes to IIMB’s notice reliably that the candidate had made claims that cannot
be substantiated as factual and true the candidate is liable to be expelled from the programme
forthwith. In the event of such expulsion the candidate will forfeit any fees paid until such expulsion.

5. For all candidates in the first shortlist, the weights for the parameters are fixed as follows :
CAT = 55, 10th board =10, 12th board = 10, Bachelor’s = 10, Gender Diversity = 5 and
workexperience = 10.

The 55 points for CAT are distributed across performance in each of the three sections as follows: Verbal
& Reading Comprehension (VARC) - 13 points, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) -
20 points, and Quantitative Aptitude (QA) - 22 points.

For all candidates in the first shortlist, the weighted total of the six components namely (a) CAT, (b) 10th
board, (c) 12th board, (d) Bachelor’s (e) Gender diversity and (f) Work Experience, as stated above is
calculated for shortlisting candidates for the PI. This score is referred to as the Pre-Personal Interview
(Pre PI) score. Prior to calling candidates for the PI, IIMB will write to those candidates who are in the
first short list. These candidates will be required to reconfirm their interest in applying to PGP BA 2024-
26. From those who reconfirm their interest a shortlist of students will be called to appear for a PI,
based on their pre-PIscore calculated by applying the weights above.

The gender diversity component above is applicable only for the arriving at the Pre-PI score for
interview calls and will not be applicable for phase 2 of the admissions process which leads to the final
offers of admission.

6. From all the candidates in the first shortlist, the top 10 candidates in terms of each of the following
parameters, namely, total score in CAT, CAT Score in DILR, CAT Score in QA will automatically
qualify for PI. These candidates are given a chance to appear for PI due to their exceptional
performance in these categories. However, at the end of Phase 2, all such candidates must merit
selection based on the composite aggregate score, like any other candidate.

For all candidates in the first shortlist, normalization or standardization in any component stated
above is carried out as per the following formula. All standardization is done with reference to
the qualifying first shortlist or its subdivisions; Standardized score, truncated between 0 and weight
(wt) is computed from the raw score (val) as:
Max [0, min {wt, wt/2 + ((val-mean) / sd) * wt / 6}]

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 Phase 2

7. The topics chosen will typically draw on issues and developments that relate to current socio-
political, economic and business affairs, though other topics that require more creative thinking may
also be included. The time provided for the WAT will typically be about 30 minutes. The
performance of each candidate on the Written Ability Test (WAT) will be scored in terms of the
content and style of the note. Each interviewer will use the Personal Interview to comprehensively
evaluate the candidate's motivation and ability to fit in to and benefit from the PGP. The average of
the scores given by the interviewers in the personal interview will be used in calculating the multi-
factor score based on which offers of admission will be finally made, while for the WAT, the scores
given by an independent evaluator will be considered.. Please note that candidates who have applied
to both programmes – PGP2023 & PGP-BA 2023 and have been shortlisted for PI process of
both programmes will berequired to attend a single common interview.

All candidates will be required to provide two confidential reference letters from their employers or
from teachers in the academic insitutions where they had been students previously. These reference
letters will also be used in the personal interview evaluation.

8. The work experience weight (10) assigned while computing Pre-PI score is scaled down to 5
during the post interview process to arrive at the composite score. This work experience score will
be multiplied by the quality of experience score, as evaluated by the interviewing panel as an
assessment of the relevance of the work experience to the programme. The quality of work experience
score will be evaluated on a 5 point scale (0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2) by each member of the panel during the
interviews. The average quality of work experience score will be multiplied by the pre-PI work
experience score and accordingly the work / professional experience component score used in Phase 1
will be revised to arrive at a weighted work experience score.

9. The scores in all past academics will also be updated, if required, on the basis of actual mark sheets /
grade cards submitted. Unless otherwise mentioned, percentages would be calculated by
considering all subjects that the candidate has appeared for in the respective examination.

In case of candidates who have completed their Class 12/ Bachelors during the pandemic and
doesnot have any score on their transcripts, no weightage shall be given to these components (Class
12 and/or Bachelors as applicable) but the total pre-pi score of the candidate will be scaled to 100.
Please note that submission of relevant transcripts is mandatory.

10. For all candidates called for interviews, the weights for the parameters at the post-PI stage are as
follows : Personal interview = 40, WAT = 10, CAT = 25 , 10th board marks in Mathematics = 5, 12th
board = 5, Bachelors = 5, Work Experience = 10

11. The final offers of admission to candidates selected from each category will be strictly on the basis of
the final aggregate score as mentioned in (10) above.

Since IIMB follows a comprehensive multi-criteria process at the pre-PI stage, it is able to identify many
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candidates for the PI who have an excellent academic record and work experience but who, while
doing well enough in the CAT to be in the first shortlist, may have narrowly missed the high score that
would have been required if CAT alone was the basis for the PI shortlist. Such candidates effectively
replace candidates who have only a high CAT score but have scored poorly in terms of their past
academic record and work experience. IIMB emphasizes consistent and high performance in past
academics and all other parameters.

September 29, 2023

All information in this document is pertinent to the admissions cycle (2024) alone and therefore no inference can be made from this
document about the admissions process that will be used for future admission cycles at IIMB. IIMB reserves the right to change,
modify or adopt any new admissions process that it deems necessary, at any point.

Any dispute concerning Admissions for the PGPBA Batch 2024-26 would be subject to jurisdiction of the competent courts within the
territorial jurisdiction of city of Bangalore only