A recurring discussion among CAT aspirants in recent years is that non-engineers can’t survive in CAT without diversity points. The CAT exam indeed attracts aspirants from different educational backgrounds. But engineering graduates still continue to dominate admissions in most IIMs and leading B-schools. Over 2 lakh aspirants attempt this admission test every year. As per the data from the latest CAT trends:
- Around 70–80% of aspirants appearing for CAT hold an engineering degree.
- More than half of 99+ percentile scorers were engineering graduates in the CAT 2024 results.
- More than 1,000 students secure admission to the top IIMs. Around 65% of them are often engineers. This highlights the limited opportunities for non-engineers.
IIMs have included diversity points in their admission to reduce this gap. It means that extra points will be given to applicants from a non-engineering background. While intended to promote fairness, diversity points have raised many questions among CAT aspirants. Check below to see if non-engineers can’t survive in CAT without diversity points.
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What are Diversity Points in IIM Admissions?
It is essential to understand the role of diversity points in IIM admissions. This approach allows you to view the debate with a fair and balanced perspective. Given below are a few facts about the diversity points:
- Diversity points are extra marks provided during the shortlisting stage by many IIMs to promote inclusion.
- CAT toppers are mostly engineers over the decades. This resulted in imbalanced MBA classroom demographics.
- IIMs launched diversity points to improve representation in classrooms. It is for:
- Non-engineering academic backgrounds (Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Science, etc.)
- Gender diversity (Focused on improving female representation)
For instance:
- IIM Ahmedabad PGP batch of 2025-27 has achieved a 50:50 ratio between engineering and non-engineering students.
- IIM Lucknow gives 5 marks to non-engineering graduates.
- IIM Calcutta awards 4 points for a bachelor’s degree in a non-engineering stream.
Why Non-Engineers Struggle More in CAT?
Diversity points aim to promote a fairer selection process for non-engineering graduates. Some of the reasons why non-engineers can’t survive in CAT without diversity points are as follows:
Quantitative Ability Dominance
The CAT QA section evaluates the candidate’s numerical aptitude, calculation speed, and problem-solving ability. It holds higher weightage, and engineers have a strong academic background in this area. Non-engineers often struggle with the QA section of CAT. The reason is that they have less exposure to quant in their earlier studies.
Competitive Edge of Engineers
More than 70% of CAT aspirants are engineering graduates. This also leads to an increase in the overall cutoffs for everyone. This means that a non-engineer with a 97 percentile may struggle to compete with an engineer achieving 99+ without diversity points.
CAT Score Normalisation
Engineers’ strength in quant areas means that CAT’s normalisation procedure can give them an indirect advantage. Even after performing well, non-engineers can still struggle to compete without the benefit of diversity points.
Case Studies on Non-engineers Can’t survive in CAT without diversity points
Why non-engineers can’t survive in CAT without diversity points? We have shared below the case studies on the role of diversity points in shortlisting CAT aspirants for the next stage.
Case Study: IIM Calcutta
IIMC gives 4 points to non-engineering graduates.
Suppose two candidates have the following profiles:
| Candidate | Background | CAT Percentile | Diversity Points | Composite Score |
| A | Engineer | 99.5 | 0 | 78 |
| B | Commerce | 98 | +4 | 79 |
In this case, Candidate B (non-engineer) can move ahead of Candidate A even with a lower percentile due to diversity marks.
Case Study: IIM Lucknow
- At IIM Lucknow, academic diversity carries 5 marks in the final selection.
- Without diversity points, a 96 percentile non-engineer may lose, and a 98 percentile engineer can get shortlisted.
- With diversity points, that same 96 percentile non-engineer can easily get shortlisted for the next stage of IIM MBA admissions.
Non-engineers can’t survive in CAT without diversity points- What Does Data Say?
Non-engineers can’t survive in CAT without diversity points is a big statement. The answer depends on two parameters, i.e. your CAT percentile and desired IIM for admission.
Your CAT Percentile
If a non-engineer secures a 99+ percentile, they don’t require diversity points for interview calls in most IIMs. But candidates scoring 96-98 percentile often rely on diversity points to make it to the IIM shortlist.
Your Target IIM
The diversity score at IIMs varies across institutes. Below is the most recent diversity score data for various IIMs.
| IIM | Academic Diversity Points |
| IIM Lucknow | 5 |
| IIM Calcutta | 4 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 5 |
| IIM Raipur | 2% |
How Non-Engineers Can Compensate Without Diversity Points?
Some tips that can help non-engineers secure IIM MBA admissions without diversity points are:
- Clear the basics of all the CAT Quant topics. Solve unlimited questions from high-weightage areas. Attempt CAT-level mocks to improve familiarity.
- Non-engineers often score well in VARC due to stronger comprehension skills. They must target the 95+ percentile in VARC to balance any disadvantage in QA.
- Build a strong profile including academic scores, internships, and other achievements. This can add weightage during shortlisting and interviews. It can compensate for both lower percentile or missing diversity points.
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