IIM Lucknow inaugurated its 34th batch of MBA and 15th batch of MBA-ABM students on June 24, 2018 with the batch strength of 447 students. The newly inducted PGP 2018-20 batch at IIM Lucknow has high gender and academic diversity with 30% women students and 18% students from Economics and commerce back ground.
The new batch constitutes 70% male students and also 70% of the total students from Engineering back ground. The gender diversity of 30% at IIM Lucknow is one of the highest in top four IIMs while the sharp improvement of academic diversity in the new batch to 18% with Commerce and Economics back ground reflects the increasing interest of students from diversified academic back ground to join MBA programmes in IIMs. The batch has students from 23 states and Union Territories giving a wide geographic diversity., in addition to gender, age, and diversity in work experience that the batch has.
Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Arvind Subramanian delivered the inaugural address and advised the students to prepare themselves well in these two years with skill sets and knowledge for a changing global economic landscape.
Dr. Shravan Subramanyam, M.D Roche Diagnostics India and Neighboring Markets was the Guest of honor and stressed in his speech that “Change” and “Choice” would be two key words that will determine the students’ career path.
Dr. Ajit Prasad Director in his Inaugural speech advised the students to work hard but stressed that happiness is the key to achieve a more fulfilling life.
The gender diversity in the new batch at IIM Lucknow is nearly at par with last year which was 30.4%. However, as compared to the 2016-18 batch which had 27% females, the 2018-20 batch has recorded improved ratio of 30% females.
Changes in CAT 2018 Exam to Improve Diversity in IIMs
With a focus on improving the ratio of Non-Engineers, women students and the students with work experience in diverse areas, IIMs modified the entire CAT exam three years back. More students with non-engineering background and more women candidates were shortlisted by IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta and IIM Lucknow for the PGP 2018-20 batch. 28% No-negative-marking questions have been inducted in CAT exam to attract candidates from diverse back grounds.
Admission Policy at IIMs: Changes Introduced to Attract Diversity
Another key parameter that has helped to increase the ratio of non-engineers in IIM class rooms is the change in admission policy by almost all the IIMs. Following changes in new admission policy of IIMs have encouraged and offered the opportunity to more non-engineers, females to get into IIMs in 2018:
- IIMs have lowered the sectional and overall CAT percentile score requirement for the 1st stage shortlisting;
- Less weightage to CAT exam scores have been awarded by IIMs in shortlisting and arriving at the final score;
- Academic diversity weightage is awarded to the candidates coming from Non-Engineering background
- Women candidates are awarded additional weightage for gender diversity
As a result, despite scoring below 90 percentile in CAT 2017 exam, top IIMs namely IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow have been able to shortlist and offer admission to the candidates with non-engineering back ground and are from diversified academic back grounds to improve diversity in IIM class rooms.
IIM Lucknow: Record of High Female Ratio
Percentage of women in IIM Lucknow is 30% in the recently admitted 2018-20 batch. It is 2nd highest among top IIMs and is at par with IIM Calcutta who has 31% ratio of women candidates. IIM Ahmedabad has a female ratio of around 28%. Ratio of women students at IIM Bangalore is also around 28%. Last two years Gender diversity at top four IIMs is shared below:
|
Ratio of women
|
IIM Ahmedabad
|
IIM Bangalore
|
IIM Calcutta
|
IIM Lucknow
|
|
2017-19 batch
|
28%
|
28.15%
|
31%
|
30.4% (30% for 2018-20 batch)
|
|
2016-18 batch
|
22%
|
28.26%
|
16.4%
|
27%
|
IIM Lucknow was established in 1984 and is the 4th IIM in the family of IIMs as it came into being after IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta and Bangalore. IIM Lucknow is one of top rated B schools in the country. In the Ministry of HRD, Government of India ranking 2018 IIM Lucknow holds 4th position.
In 2005 IIM Lucknow expanded its area of influence in management education by setting up a satellite campus for Executive Education at NOIDA in Delhi NCR making IIM Lucknow as the first IIM to set up such a campus in the country.
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