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What is the CAT cutoff for the PGP-IM in MDI Gurgaon?
MDI Gurgaon CAT cut-off is 94 percentile. It has been reducing over the years starting since 2010. The CAT cutoff is usually released when the GD-PI list is published. But I would like you to reconsider your decision of pursuing PGP-IM instead of PGPM. You can complete PGPM and then go abroad for an exchange program for 3 months. But if you are getting PGP-IM in MDI Gurgaon and PGPM in a mediocre B School, then choosing MDI is a better option.
Some highlights about the PGP-IM course are
- Students of both the PGP-IM and PGPM programs are given equal opportunities and there is no partiality. However, some companies do prefer PGPM students only while some prefer PGP-IM students.
- It’s a very rigorous course but you get to make International friends and access to the alumni network of institutes like ESCP.
Trust me 5-10 years later, your performance will matter more than anything.
I am from Delhi. I am earning 7 LPA from a reputed company in Bangalore. Will it be a good decision to drop the job for an MBA from MDI Gurgaon? Why?
I will highly recommend you to go for MDI Gurgaon as the opportunities that will open up to you are vast. You will get to explore an altogether different world. The main reasons why one should take MDI Gurgaon are
- If you stay at your current job and consider the raise you will get in 2 years, your salary will be 10-12 LPA in 2 years whereas after MBA your salary will start from at least 14 LPA which is a major difference.
- Working at your current company will leave you with the tag of a normal engineer whereas the MBA tag will be a game changer in your career.
- The experience at MDI itself will enable you to learn so many things and lead to overall personality development which will not be possible if you continue with your current job.
So joining MDI for an MBA is definitely a good choice.
Which school is better, MDI Gurgaon or IIM K, if I want to be an equity research analyst?
If you go to the official website and compare the placement reports, MDI Gurgaon fares better than IIM Kozhikode. Let’s have a look at the placement statistics of the 2 B Schools.
|
Particulars |
MDI |
IIM Kozhikode |
|
Number of Recruiters |
87 |
116 |
|
Highest CTC |
INR 1.14 CPA |
INR 61.5 LPA |
|
Average CTC |
INR 26.65 LPA |
INR 29.5 LPA |
|
Top Recruiters |
Microsoft, Google, HCL, Adobe |
Accenture, Amazon, Microsoft |
The best finance companies that offer roles like Equity Research Analyst roles, and Securities analysis visit both the B Schools. But the higher number of companies visiting MDI Gurgaon gives it a slight advantage over IIM Kozhikode. Yet I think both MDI Gurgaon and IIM-K are almost equal in terms of giving you the opportunity of getting an Equity Research Analyst role. If I was in your place I would have chosen MDI Gurgaon because of the following factors
- Location
- Infrastructure
- The industry-academia relationship
- Live Projects
- Guest Lectures
- Corporate Talks
- Peer learning
It's my dream to pursue an M.B.A from MDI. Is there any chance of getting to MDI Gurgaon through the CAT with my academics?
Yes, even with your profile, you can certainly pursue an MBA from MDI and fulfill your dream provided that you score excellently in your CAT. There are 2 major reasons why people prefer MDI Gurgaon even with low past academics
The criteria of the preliminary round does not include any weightage to past academics.
The final round gives very little weightage to past academics
This relaxation makes it possible for those who are geniuses yet because of a certain issue could not achieve great marks in the past. An interview call can be expected around the 98+ percentile and the 99 percentile is required to guarantee your entry into the college.
However, MDI Gurgaon lays great emphasis on interviews so the best way to compensate for your low marks is to perform excellently during your interview and justify your low marks confidently. So 2 things will help you get into MDI,
- A good CAT score
- An excellent interview
Can I get in to MDI Gurgaon for pursuing my MBA with low academics?My 10th score is 70.4% and my 12th score is 66.6%.
One can easily compensate for poor past academics by scoring extraordinarily well in CAT. Anything below 99 is not acceptable if your past academics are already below average. Moreover, MDI does not give much importance to past academics while shortlisting candidates. They give maximum preference to CAT scores. From what I heard, the interviews are very informal and friendly. Not many formal questions are asked so one can be their true self inside and portray their talents.
However, you should be able to justify your low scores in the later stage.
So focus solely on your CAT preparation with MDI as your target.
Should I go for MDI Gurgaon, if I am already earning 7lpa keeping in mind the fees, and are the placements good enough to cover my opportunity cost for the 2 years?
If you are already earning a salary as high as INR 71 LPA, I don’t think an MBA from MDI Gurgaon will do you any good. If you have decided on going for an MBA nevertheless, target the top B Schools like IIM A, IIM B, IIM C, XLRI, FMS, or IIM L. Choosing MDI for MBA is recommended only if you have offers from average B Schools like new IIMs, SPJIMR, NITIE, etc.
So first you need to get maximum calls from the top B Schools only then can you make a wise and informed decision.
Is MDI better than the new IIMs and baby IIMs?
Yes, MDI Gurgaon is definitely better than baby IIMs in almost every aspect. Some major points of comparison between them are
Fees: The fees of the PGDM program at MDI Gurgaon are ?23.47 Lakhs (Total Fees) whereas the MBA fees of new IIMs are around 16-23 Lakhs. So MDI has higher fees.
Ranking: MDI Gurgaon ranks 13th by NIRF whereas the new IIMs come only after that.
Establishment: Almost all the new IIMs were established after 2007, whereas MDI has a great legacy because of being established as early as 1973.
Placements: The placement scenario is much better at MDI than at newer IIMs. I have drawn a comparison between MDI placement statistics and IIM Trichy, one of the best among the new IIMs.
|
Particulars |
MDI |
IIM Trichy |
|
Highest salary |
INR 1.14 CPA |
INR 34 LPA |
|
Average salary |
INR 26.65 LPA |
INR 17.01 LPA |
|
Top recruiters |
Microsoft, Google, HCL, Adobe |
Amazon, Dell, Nomura |
The table clearly proves MDI is a winner in the placement race when it comes to new IIMs. In fact in all aspects MDI wins the battle so should be the preference over new IIMs.
What has been the actual CAT cutoff for MDI in Gurgaon over the years?
Management Development Institute, Gurgaon does not declare the admission cutoff scores admission in MDI Gurgaon is directed through CAT cutoff only. Candidates seeking admission to MDI Gurgaon admission will be shortlisted through the combined process in CAT and the final selection process will be held in March 2023 at one of the centers in Gurgaon, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai.
MDI Gurgaon announces CAT cutoff through a composite score. The overall performance of the candidate in the proceeding rounds defines the final merit list. Going by past trends MDI Gurgaon cut-off 2023 may be between 93 and 95 percentile in CAT 2022 for admission 2023.
MDI Gurgaon CAT Cut off 2023 (Expected)
|
Component |
Cutoff |
|
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension |
85 |
|
Quantitative Aptitude |
75 |
|
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning |
79 |
|
Overall |
94.93 |
Selection Criteria
The selection criteria for admission in MDI Gurgaon consists of two stages. These are:
Stage 1- Shortlisting
The candidates are shortlisted for the WAT–GD–PI round on the basis of CAT percentiles and their overall academic details. The minimum CAT percentile requirement is decided based on the number of candidates to be shortlisted.
Stage 2- WAT–GD–PI
The shortlisted candidates go through the following process:
Written Analysis Test (WAT): Candidates must submit a written test on the topic provided. The evaluation of WAT is on the basis of content and language.
Group Discussion (GD): The candidates are asked to discuss the same topic in a group discussion. The evaluation of GD will be on group behavior, speech deliverance, and content.
Personal Interview (PI): Lastly the candidates must appear for a personal interview. The evaluation will be on communication, analytical ability, general aptitude, and business awareness.
The final merit list is prepared on the basis of the following parameters
|
Parameter |
Weightage |
|
CAT |
60 |
|
Academic profile |
20 |
|
WAT, GD- PI |
20 |
Only NRI candidates can take up GMAT instead of CAT.
What is your review of Management Development Institute, Gurgaon?
My review of the Management Development Institute, Gurgaon is fairly objective and is based on my sister's review of the same. I have written a detailed review with elaborate pros and cons that might clear most of your doubts.
Pros
Campus: The campus is in the vicinity of all the dynamic places in Gurgaon like a cyber hub, sec 29, and golf course road. However, inside the campus, the ambiance is exactly different and serene. The infrastructure and campus are extremely beautiful, lush green, and well-built to give you a fairly dreamy experience.
No reservation: Unlike other B Schools, MDI Gurgaon does not reserve seats for minorities or any other groups. So the entire batch is usually 98 percentilers ensuring you avail the best peer learning experience.
Clubs: MDI Gurgaon has the usual clubs as well as the extraordinary ones like Unnati and Illumina Illumina is a disguised market research event, wherein a Diwali mela is organized on the campus. Marketing companies give out projects for market research to students who then create games to do research. Unnati is a fund operated by the students of MDI. Alums and students invest in it.
Faculty: The faculty keeps changing or retiring but the most permanent faculty is Prof. Sanjay Bakshi, who also runs a company called Value Quest.
Placements: The placements are definitely not at or with IIM ABC but are at level with IIM IKL or FMS.
Exchange program: The exchange program is one of the best in the country as almost one-third of the batch gets to visit Europe and get amazing exposure.
Alumni: MDI has its alumni in top positions in the corporate world as well as the startup world. Some of them include Paperboat, Instamojo, Cashify, etc. Some of the alums are in top positions like Amit Boni, who is the head of Motorola India.
Cons
Weak alumni base: The alumni meets are just official meet-ups not many are interested to attend. Only the recent batches meet and no one is interested in strengthening the network.
There are not many flaws one can point to this great Institute as you can see how the pros overshadow the cons and make it a good choice.
Indian Institute of Management: Which one should I choose between IIFT, Delhi and MDI, Gurgaon?
I know a friend who was in a similar dilemma but she chose IIFT for the following reasons
- Finance: IIFT is among only a few Finance campuses in the country. Almost 50% of the batch are Finance majors. The campus is visited by big names in the sector including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Axis Bank which recruit in large numbers.
- Batch size: The small batch size at IIFT Delhi makes it a more probable choice than MDI Gurgaon. Comparing the placement reports one may infer that the statistics are almost similar except for IIFT having a slight advantage due to its stronger alumni base. This is because for the same role, you will be competing with lesser people in IIFT whereas more people in MDI Gurgaon.
- Degree certification: MDI Gurgaon grants you a PGDM degree whereas IIFT grants you an MBA degree. While the similarity and equivalence is well known within the country, it might be a challenge to establish the same outside India.
- Alumni base: IIFT Delhi has been established for 59 years and consequently boasts of a richer stronger alumni network than MDI Gurgaon.
- Accreditation: IIFT is under the Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India which also audits its placement reports.
- Entrepreneurship: IIFT encourages entrepreneurship through imparting knowledge on trade apart from the regular finance, marketing, and strategy courses like other B schools.
Many people I know chose IIFT over MDI Gurgaon after doing healthy research and a comparison of the two. You can do the same but remember not to focus solely on placement reports as IIFT placement reports are of the Delhi and Kolkata campuses combined and Delhi alone is much better.
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