Updated on 27th January 2025 | 2:47 pm | #MBAForGirls
Being a woman is a hectic task; one already has a lot on one's plate, balancing personal life, work life, and much more. It's highly important to be at the top in the race for future business leaders, for which people usually find shortcuts. Pursuing an MBA is one such instrument that may undoubtedly be a life-changing experience for women who want to succeed in their career. Without a doubt, it can serve as a stepping stone up the professional ladder.
In recent times, with the increase in awareness of women's empowerment, most of the top B-schools have started giving a certain advantage to all female aspirants in order to encourage them to pursue MBA. From specialized networking opportunities and mentorship programs to initiatives aimed at promoting gender balance in classrooms, many business schools are committed to fostering an inclusive environment.
If they can, so can you!
In recent years, there has been a rising demand for women in leadership, leading to a focus on gender diversity in MBA programs. Many B-schools are actively promoting women in leadership roles and fostering inclusive environments.
This article talks about the various advantages a female candidate may possess in her MBA journey, such as gender diversity in MBA programs, lower effective CAT cutoffs, and more, empowering women to leverage these opportunities to achieve their professional goals.
Let us dive deeper into some of the advantages a candidate possesses for being a female CAT aspirant.
To encourage female participation, many B-schools have included gender diversity points in their admission process.
The table below showcases the gender diversity points, i.e., the weightage that has been given to female candidates during the IIM admission process for receiving a call from each particular B-school, for your reference.
Note: Gender Diversity Points are subject to change based on B-School's discretion and year of admission
Gender Diversity Points At Top B-Schools |
|
Institute Name |
Gender Diversity Points* |
IIM Bangalore |
5% |
IIM Calcutta |
4% |
IIM Lucknow |
5% |
IIM Kozhikode |
10% |
IIM Shillong |
10% |
IIM Indore |
6% |
IIT Delhi |
7% |
IIT Kharagpur |
10% |
IIT Bombay |
10% |
*The gender diversity points are as per the latest (2025-27) batch admission policy
Lowest Percentiles At Which CL's CAT 2023 Female Aspirants Got IIM Admission Calls |
||
Institute Name |
CAT Cutoff (For Females) |
CAT Cutoff (For Males) |
IIM Ahmedabad |
87.63%ile (53 Score) |
96.77%ile (77 Score) |
IIM Bangalore |
86.5%ile (51 Score) |
92.84%ile (63 Score) |
IIM Indore |
88.87%ile (55 Score) |
92.78%ile (63 Score) |
IIM Lucknow |
85.84%ile (50 Score) |
92.77%ile (63 Score) |
IIM Shillong |
85.13%ile (49 Score) |
88.84%ile (54 Score) |
*The above data have been taken from our internal audited data of CL students who appeared for CAT 2023 and submitted their confirmation letters to our database.
The CAT cutoff serves as a criterion for receiving a call from a particular B-school. Due to a lack of female students, most B-schools have lowered their cutoffs, especially for female candidates. This situation makes the process even tougher for male aspirants while inspiring females to grow and build their own futures in a meaningful way.
The data below showcase the differences between CAT scores vs percentiles and the lowest percentiles at which CL's CAT 2023 Female Aspirants received the PI Calls for both male and female candidates across different B-schools.
Note:
The ratio of girls to boys is low not only in MBA programs but also in the CAT. Statistics suggest that the CAT 2024 test was taken by 64% of male aspirants and 36% of female aspirants, along with 14 transgender candidates.
Due to a noticeable gender disparity, top B-schools aim to highlight the role of women in management positions and provide them with the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
Given below is a ratio of the female students in MBA programs of top B-schools.
*The percentage of female candidates has been taken from the data available on the respective B-schools' official websites as on 10th January 2025
Percentage Of Girls In Top B-schools |
|
Institute Name |
% Female Students |
IIM Ahmedabad |
25% |
IIM Bangalore |
40% |
IIM Calcutta |
36% |
IIM Lucknow |
35% |
IIM Kozhikode |
54% |
IIM Shillong |
53% |
IIM Indore |
27% |
IIM Rohtak |
73% |
IIM Visakhapatnam |
41% |
IIM Nagpur |
40% |
IIM Jammu |
61% |
Career Launcher is committed to continually launching new initiatives aimed at improving the educational experience for its students, in alignment with its CSR activities. The major focus being promoting women’s empowerment and educating young people to help develop future female leaders.
Career Launcher has created a one-of-a-kind and empowering curriculum, particularly for female CAT aspirants. It seeks to improve their MBA preparation journey by providing vital insights into how to make the most of this exciting opportunity designed specifically for them, as well as teaching them the art of networking even before their MBA begins.
To all the female CAT aspirants, this is your chance to step into a future brimming with success and confidence!
In addition to the regular live online and offline classes and webinars, female aspirants will gain access to the following, irrespective of their selected program.
Yes, there is no doubt that there are certain advantages that a female candidate may possess in the MBA admission process, but it's important to understand that these can vary based on the specific programs and their diversity and inclusion policies.
A noticeable difference exists in the expected B-school calls for both based on the gender difference. Below are two profiles:
Profile A |
Profile B |
Category: General Gender: Female Education: Graduation - BA - 85% 10th & 12th - 90% Work Experience: 24 months |
Category: General Gender: Male Education: Graduation - Engineer - 85% 10th & 12th - 90% Work Experience: 24 months |
It is important to note that receiving a call from reputed B-schools depends wholly on one’s CAT score and other factors, including GD-PI scores, academic scores, work experience, and more, which actually carry more weight in the final selection process.
Check the possible B-school calls you can get now with Career Launcher's IIM Profilizer
Access Now!The number of girls enrolling in MBA programs at top B-schools has been declining. However, with effective CAT preparation, female candidates can successfully crack the CAT and gain admission to IIMs and other prestigious institutions. Here are some tips to help you get started:
Frame a preparation strategy that best suits your daily schedule. Devote at least 2 hours every day to CAT preparation and analyzing performance. Make it a point to stick with the study plan and be disciplined.
You can choose to prepare by yourself or get assistance from coaching institutes. Based on your confidence, requirements, and goals, decide what plan works best for them.
As there is no official syllabus or exam pattern, the focus should be on attempting to answer questions strategically and identifying and understanding the fundamentals of all major topics that are frequently asked in the paper.
There should be a balance between the speed at which the paper is attempted and the accuracy of the answers. Practice regularly to improve your speed and accuracy through mock and timed attempts of sections.
The resources you use will make all the difference when attempting the CAT exam. To establish fundamentals, utilize the school books while CAT books can be used alongside to understand the paper.
Focus on mock exams once you are confident in your preparation. They will help identify the weak points and areas of improvement while also giving an accurate idea of your speed and accuracy.
Yes, there are gender diversity marks for female candidates, and it could fetch an extra 5-8 marks. These extra marks make a huge difference in the overall composite score and make entry into IIMs relatively easier.
The answer to this question is quite subjective. It seems that it is relatively easier for girls to gain admission to some IIMs, as in recent times, to promote gender diversity within their cohorts, certain IIMs have started awarding additional marks for gender diversity, which can provide an advantage for female aspirants; however, it is not the same for all B-schools.
Girls don't get relaxation in the CAT cut-off as such. While calculating the composite cut-offs to shortlist the eligible candidates for personal interviews, most of the IIMs add bonus marks to female candidates to improve gender diversity in the class. So, you get some benefit at that stage.
Even if your academic scores are low, you will probably receive a call from the top B-Schools, including IIMs, if you obtain a percentile of 95 or higher.