MICA, Ahmedabad's selection criteria for the PGDM-C batch of 2019-2021 have been released.

"Candidates who demonstrate aptitude for expressing, assessing, and /or conceiving ideas that move people to action and achieve business results tend to stand a better chance of being shortlisted." - MICA Ahmedabad

Highlights of the selection criteria -

• Although MICA accepts both CAT and XAT scores, the weightage for these is set at the lowest, with only 20% of the weightage being awarded to CAT/XAT scores in the final composite score.
•  MICA's internal test, MICAT, has weightage of 30%; the component with the highest weightage, along with the Personal Interview.

MICA Selection Criteria 2018

Important Dates -

MICAT – I Registration opens	August 23, 2018  (Thursday)
MICAT – I Registration closes	November 20, 2018 at 11:50 pm (Tuesday)
Issue of MICAT- I Call Letters/Admit Card	November 26, 2018 (Monday)
MICAT – I	December 01, 2018 (Saturday)
MICAT -I Score	December 18,2018 (Tuesday)
MICAT – II Registration opens	January 3, 2019 (Thursday)
MICAT – II Registration closes	January 30, 2019. at 11:50pm (Wednesday)
Issue of MICAT- II Call Letters/Admit Card	February 04, 2019 (Monday)
MICAT – II	February 09, 2019 (Saturday)
MICAT – II Score	February 19, 2019 (Tuesday)
GE & PI Shortlist	February 19, 2019 (Tuesday)
GE & PI at Delhi and Kolkata	March 7, 8 & 9, 2019 (Thursday to Saturday)
GE & PI at MICA, Ahmedabad	March 12 & 13, 2019 (Tuesday & Wednesday)
GE & PI at Bangalore & Mumbai	March 16, 17 & 18, 2019 (Saturday to Monday)
Final results	March 25, 2019 (Monday)

The MICA selection process for the PGDM-C programme is split into 3 phases -

Phase 1

A candidate will have to appear for CAT/XAT/GMAT in order to be eligible for the later stages of the selection process. Candidates can update their CAT/XAT scores by 30th January 2019.

Phase 2

Now, the candidate will have to appear for MICA's internal test - MICAT. The MICAT exam is conducted twice, once in December and once in February. MICAT consists of 3 sections - Section A - Psychometric Test.

Section B - This section consists of 4 sub-sections
a) Verbal Ability
b) Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
c) General Awareness
d) Divergent & Convergent Thinking

Section C - Descriptive Test After this, the candidates will be shortlisted for the Group Exercise & Personal Interview round. The following is the shortlisting process for the GE-PI round -

1. Those who meet the cut-offs for Section A (Psychometric Test) of MICAT will be selected.
2. The CAT/XAT scores of the selected candidates will then be considered. Candidates who meet the minimum cut-off set by MICA will then move on to the next step of the shortlisting process.
3. Section B performance of the selected candidates will be evaluated. Candidates will be filtered further, and will then be assessed on the basis of their performance in Section C of MICAT.
4. Candidates who meet all the cut-offs will then be shortlisted for the GE-PI round at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata & Mumbai.
   The final composite score for the GE-PI round is calculated by considering 50% of the CAT/XAT score and 50% of the MICAT scores.

Points to be observed -

• MICAT is a Computer Based Test (CBT) used for selection of PGDM-C 2019-2021 batch. It is conducted twice a year in over 48 cities across the country. Better of the two MICAT Scores are considered. A student may choose to write both MICAT I & II. Section A, B, and C of MICAT may not appear in the same order.
• If a candidate has appeared for more than one exam (CAT, XAT and GMAT) the better of the two/ best of the three exams performance will be considered.

(Source)

Phase 3

The shortlisted candidates appear for the GE-PI round at the aforementioned cities. The Final Merit List will be calculated with the following weights for 4 components -

• CAT/XAT Score - 20%
• MICAT - 30%
• GE - 20%
• PI - 30%

Points to be observed -

• The exact cut-offs mentioned above are based on previous years’ MICAT data and this may vary year to year. In view of this fact the Admissions Committee of MICA reserves the right of changing the same if deemed desirable in the light of the data.

(Source)

The Verdict 

"Approximately 1/10th of the total number of candidates who appear in the two MICATs will be shortlisted for GE & PI based on CAT/XAT score and the total MICAT Score."- MICA Ahmedabad

Only 10% of the candidates are selected for just the GE-PI round. Paired with the elaborate selection criteria, MICA Ahmedabad, the Mecca for Marketing, is one of the most difficult business schools to get admission into. With the highest weight for the MICAT test, CAT is only the beginning for those who want to become MICAns. The Personal Interview round will be key to getting an admission offers from MICA. MICA Selection Process - Official Website Have questions about MICA, CAT, or anything related to an MBA? Then ask your questions on the InsideIIM Q&A Section!