The Common Admission Test-2009 is indeed a significant departure from previous years. Besides its new digital computer-based avatar, this high profile examination -- which is used as a yardstick for admission to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management -- has brought in some unexpected news in terms of applicant numbers.
. Last week, the final registration figures that were released revealed a startling trend. While most post graduate courses, as reported over the past two years since the economic recession set it, saw a significant increase in numbers; the demand for the IIMs which grows by about 20 to 25 per cent every year has stagnated. About 2.4 lakh candidates registered, compared to 2.76 lakh in 2008 (although only 2.4 candidates appeared for it).
Now, experts who are surprised by this trend have attributed this to several factors. On the more speculative side, the fear of stepping out of the jobs during recession has many a working candidate shy away from the IIMs, and perhaps the management profile has lost a bit of its sheen. But given the longstanding reputation of the IIMs this is unlikely. Other experts have linked this to the fear of giving an online test, or anxiety on the part of students who feel that this is going to be a complicated affair.
