MICA Admission Cut Offs | CAT 2008 | GMAT

For years it has been a suspense as to what the cut off for Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA) is - whether it's 80 percentile or 85 or 95? God knows how many times I have been queried about the sectional cut-off requirement for MICA. "Does MICA only check your Verbal Score?", somebody would ask. Yet others wondered if MICA had any sectional cut-off in the CAT for quant or DI or not. The suspsense is now over, and officially so.

MICA CAT Cut Off for Admission to the 2009 - 2011 PGDCM batch

MICA will shortlist candidates for the MICAT, Group Exercise (MICA holds GE instead of a GD) and the Personal Interview on the basis of their performance in the Common Admission Test ( CAT 2008 ) - Overall CAT 2008 Percentile cut off will be 90 and they will need a minimum sectional cut offs of 50 percentiles in both Quant and DI sections in the CAT. In the Verbal (VA) section that comprises Grammar, Language and Reading Comprehension, MICA aspirants will need to clear a minimum cut-off level of 60 percentile.

MICA GMAT Cut Off for Admission to the 2009 - 2011 PGDCM batch

A minimum GMAT score of 600 obtained on or after 1st January 2007

MICA aspirants can hence write either the CAT 2008 or the GMAT to get a call for the second round of the admission procedure. Unlike last year, MICA has removed XAT from its list of written test options.

Another Change in MICA Admission Process:

Unlike the previous years when all shortlisted candidates were called for the MICAT, Group Exercise/GD and Personal Interview, the 2009 - 11 admission process will be 3-stepped. Candidates shortlisted from CAT 2008 and GMAT will first write the MICAT, and only the candidates further shortlisted will be called for the Group Exercise and Personal Interview.

Reproductions from my columns in the Education Times - 5

Question:
Post the CAT, one is not left with too much time for preparations for the GD & Interviews. Should I start right away then?

Answer:
You are right about the lack of time for preparations for GD & Interview after the CAT. Plus you will in all likelihood also preparing for some of the other entrance tests. What you could do now for the second stage of the selection process is:
1. Regulary read at least one English newspaper and one Business daily. It is however preferable to read two general dailies as this will help you get different points of views on the same topic. Often the GDs & Interviews are not so much a direct test of your knowledge like a quiz, but a place to voice your opinions on matters of national & global matters, specially from the world of business. Whatever views you may hold forth, if you could back it up with substantial reasoning, is highly appreciated. In the GDs you might face counter-questions on points you raised. Even though you may not agree with the opinions of one of the newspapers, but one of the other participants may do. In such a scenario, tackling his/her arguments will be easier if you have a good idea about the other opinion(s).
Must read:
- Page 1
- Editorials
- Edit Page columns
- Business Pages
- Sports Page/s
- News n articles from areas which you may have mentioned as your areas of interest

2. Swap some of the sit-coms that you are watching with News channels. TV can be a good source of passive information acquisition. If you are not very comfortable reading your Economic Times, you may start off with one of the business channels. Choose any one that you may fancy.

3. Do a quick run through lots of political and business magazines. Spend time on areas which you may think are likely gd/interview topics. Formulating a list of such topics is not very difficult. Take help from friends and classmates.