No separate CAT exams for OBC candidates in IIMs this year

Bangalore, Nov 9 (UNI) Despite government clearing the 27 per cent reservations for Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in Institutes of high learning, the Indian Institutes of Management will not be conducting a separate examination for such students, nor will there be a hike in the intake for the year 2007.

Confirming that there would be no separate test for OBCs IIM-B Chairperson (Admission) Shubhabrata Das has said ''this year 21,750 of those who have applied for CAT belong to OBCs. No separate applications had been issued for such students. We would seek their certificates once they are selected''.

A record 1.91 lakh candidates, up by 21,000 from last year, would write the CAT on November 19 for admission to six IIMs.

For IIM-B alone there were 19,000 CAT applicants. However, the highest number of 30,000 had sought admission in IIM-Delhi. The number of applicants have gone up this year despite the IIMs stepping up the eligibility criteria for CAT to 50 per cent in the degree exams.

IIM-B had sought an additional fund of Rs 130 crore and expressed difficulties in hiring suitable faculty to match the 54 per cent intake when the OBC reservations was implemented.

Ruling out the implementation in the coming academic year, Institute director Prakash G Apte had recently said after the Board meeting that it would not be possible to increase the intake in the next academic year due to shortage of faculty and classroom space.

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