More registrations from women for CAT 2016

If the additional 14,000 applications in 2016 are anything to go by, the Common Admission Test (CAT) for entry into the Indian Institutes of Managements (IIMs) and other leading B-schools is finding more women takers.

Almost half of the additional applications came from women candidates. The overall share of women applications has gone up marginally.

Registrations for CAT 2016 have also hit a 7-year high at 232,434 applications till the deadline of September 27, 2016 - up by 6 per cent over last year's 218,664. While male candidates still form a majority at 67 per cent, the percentage of women candidates has marginally increased by one per cent compared to last year.

"From CAT 2010 to CAT 2016, this is the highest number of applicants," said Rajendra K Bandi, Convenor, CAT 2016. "If we look at the total increase in the applications compared to last year, which is close to 14,000, almost half of these additional applications have come from women candidates. This is a positive sign. That means, the increase of women candidates is more than the increase of male candidates."

Further, applications from persons with disability (PWD) have increased from 901 to 938. "In the PWD category, the percentage of male candidates is very high at over 80 per cent, which is something to think about. Our social systems need to encourage women PWD students. However, on the positive side, the percentage of women PWD candidates has increased from 14.76 per cent to 17.48 per cent. Small positive steps, but miles to go on this," Bandi added.