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<p>Well, I think this actually cuts both ways. India has a large population (1.1 billion), but you have to keep in mind that the majority of them are in abject poverty with extremely limited education, especially the dalits (the “untouchables”). I think that only about 65% of the adult population in India is literate in any language including their native language, and you can forget about literacy in English, which is the language of business. Even of those that are literate, the vast majority clearly do not have the means to get into a place like IIM. Not everybody in India is well-off. In fact, the vast majority are not. Hence, I think the educated populations of the US and India are quite comparable.</p>
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<p>Well, I don’t know about this. I think it’s highly debatable. I agree that some people in India will prepare long and hard, just like some people in the US prepare long and hard for the SAT. But I have a feeling that plenty of other Indians just take the test just to see what will happen. They might get lucky. If not, oh well. </p>
<p>Consider this analogy. What if Harvard based its admissions on just one test (just like IIT does now)? In other words, what if Harvard no longer cared about high school grades, extracurriculars, rec’s, all that stuff. Your admission would now be based on one test. I think we would have to agree that a lot of people would try to take the test just to see if they can get in. Right now, plenty of people who want to go to Harvard don’t even apply because they know they won’t get in, so they won’t waste their time. Let’s face it. If you have bad high school grades and no EC’s, you’re not going to waste your time in applying to Harvard. But if admissions were now based on one test, a lot more people would try it figuring that they might get lucky. </p>
<p>Now, of course, IIM is slightly different because admissions are not based solely on the test. But the idea is still the same. Nothing really stops any Indian from just trying to take the CAT, even if they haven’t prepared, just figuring that they might get lucky. </p>
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<p>Fair enough, but that doesn’t invalidate the basic point that every person who takes the CAT is considered an “applicant” of IIM. It’s like if Harvard Business School considered every person who takes the GMAT to be an “applicant”. I think that something like a million people (maybe more) worldwide take the GMAT every year. However, less than 10,000 people apply to HBS every year. If we were to count all of the test-takers as “applicants”, then clearly the “admit rate” of HBS would drop off a cliff. Let’s be honest. </p>
<p>I think most people worldwide who take the GMAT would at least have some interest in attending HBS. Very few of them are sure that they would never want to go to HBS. But that doesn’t mean that they all apply. Most people don’t even apply because they know they won’t get in.</p>