IIMs planning to lower GMAT cut-off to woo foreign students

To increase the number of foreign students and woo more international students, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are thinking to lower the graduate management admission test (GMAT)’s cut-off score for its flagship two-year management programme (PGP) and the one-year full-time MBA said the GMAT cut-offs used by IIMs, at above 700, was too high for candidates to even qualify for interview.

Samir Barua, former director, IIM-Ahmedabad, said, "This may require the institute to lower its cut-off in GMAT for admission, particularly for the PGP. Since potential applicants with such high GMAT scores easily get admission to the best schools in the world, practically no candidates apply to the PGP of the institute."

IIM-A uses a cut-off of 760 or so, which Barua said was high. The GMAT score of the selected candidates of the past batches have been 695 to 728. GMAT is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council, a US-based company.

IIMs said lowering the cut-off significantly increase the chances of getting more foreign students and enhance citizenship diversity. Out of a batch of 400-odd students, a good 20-25 foreign students would make such a difference and also increase our chances of getting ranked higher as a international B-School.

IIM-A is the only management school in the country ranked among the top 100 schools globally by The Economist. The institute is also the only management school in the country that has all the three post-graduate programmes ranking high internationally. Its two year post-graduate programme in management is ranked among the seventh and the post graduate programme for executive (PGPX) is ranked among comparable programme globally by the Financial Times.

Devi Singh, director of IIM-Lucknow, too said the GMAT cut-offs at IIMs were too high. He said, "Every IIM is thinking of bringing down the cut-off for GMAT scores. In addition to this, IIMs need to create an eco-system to attract more foreign students at our campuses. More foreign students increase chances of higher ranking among global B-schools."