Waiting period for admission to FMS Delhi may continue for another one month and before that all those who have converted their calls in old or new IIMs will have to deposit the requisite fee. Candidates with CAT percentile of 99+ have been raising the queries like “Should I wait for FMS Delhi GDPI or deposit the fee in the IIM where I have been selected”; “Will it be worthwhile to wait for admission in FMS Delhi”
The anxiety is but natural. The MBA aspirants who had a dream to pursue MBA from FMS Delhi toiled hard, took CAT 2013, scored 99+ percentile, got through the GDPI in IIMs where final merit lists have been declared but FMS Delhi continued delaying the process and has not yet been able to announce the list of shortlisted candidates for final admission round.
FMS Delhi used to announce the shortlists for earlier sessions in the month of January and the GDPI was conducted during the month of March. It’s the admission batch 2014-16 which has been deprived of any admission updates till date.
No point to continue waiting
FMS Delhi has an intake capacity of 200 only for its flagship programme and there are thousands of students who would like to go to this B school. All the CAT 98-99 percentilers who have already converted their calls in IIMs, if wait for FMS shortlists and GDPI, can’t be admitted beyond the permitted 200 seats in flagship programme and for other part time programmes it is for sure they won’t prefer.
MBA from FMS Delhi is preferred due its low fee structure and high ROI. While IIMs charge a fee in the range of Rs.9 lacs to Rs.17 lacs, total fee at FMS is only Rs.21 thousand in all. The learning experience at this coveted B school is as good as in the top rated IIM. But inordinate delay may result in losing both ends.
The best course of action that is left, is to deposit the required fee in IIM and expect to be admitted in FMS. Even if such candidates are admitted in FMS Delhi, they may refer to fee refund rules of IIMs and feel happy that they are able to get admission in low fee structure top rated B school. It may not be a prudent decision not to deposit fee in IIM and opt to wait for GDPI in FMS, proposed to be conducted in the last week of June 2014.
Inordinate delay: FMS may lose right stuff
When the admission process in IIMs is over, what percentilers, FMS would be getting in admission session 2014-15 could be anybody’s guess. The delay might have adverse impact on FMS in getting the right quality candidates in the admission process since maximum top percentilers would have taken admission in IIMs, SPJIMR, MDI, IMT, by the time the final admission round at FMS begins.
FMS Delhi Placements 2014: Average salary increased to Rs. 16. 18 lakhs at FMS Delhi
Creditibility at stake
The delay is not only causing agony among the MBA aspirants but the credibility of FMS Delhi is also at stake. How surprising it is to note that it has been more than 4 months since the declaration of CAT 2013 results on January 14, 2014 but FMS is yet to go for the final admission round. IIMs are going to begin their session in the last week of June 2014 or 1st week of July 2014 and there is no indication when FMS would declare the short list, would conduct GDPI and would announce final merit lists.
The inkling among the candidates convey that the delay in MBA admission 2014 at FMS Delhi and its silence over the impelling reasons of delay will further delay the session. There is always a rush for admission in all the Delhi University programmes as they are time lined, disciplined and MBA at FMS Delhi has been the most sought after one. MBA aspirants have linked the delay with the General Election 2014 and some of them are of the view that Delhi University is now more a fort of politics than a place of education.
FMS: Why not to conduct its own entrance test
FMS a few years back used to conduct its own entrance test. Now it has started accepting CAT scores. The decision might be based on good research and analysis at the institute but due to other exigencies and delays in admission process it calls for rethinking and reanalysis.
Top rated B schools like XLRI and IIFT conduct their own entrance tests and have kept themselves away from CAT since beginning and stuck to this policy without compromising with it. This strength has made both the B schools exemplary in their fields. In the opinion of test takers they find XAT and IIFT entrance tests more analytical, brainstorming with higher level of difficulty. Typically while CAT is an online computer based test, entrance tests for XLRI and IIFT are still in paper pencil pattern and there is no proposal to change the mode of tests.
It would be a better option if FMS Delhi decides on conducting its own test and schedule it according to its own requirements, designing the components and organizing the same on the appropriate dates. IIMs are criticized on wasting more than 6-7 months of an MBA aspirant from the date of conducting the CAT till the date of offering admission. FMS has gone even beyond that putting the fate of at least 200 candidates in abeyance.
Delhi the only expected venue for GDPI
Delhi is the only expected venue for GDPI round of FMS Delhi. But the dates for the same are still not known. If you are coming from Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata in the last week of June, would Indian Railways be kind enough to reserve you a berth in the summer season in any good train or you plan to come by flight since the message could be conveyed at the eleventh hour? Moreover you will need to have good stay arrangement in Delhi during the period. Why can’t it be arranged at other centres, is beyond imagination.
Need advice; what to do
MBAUniverse would like to share with its readers not to wait for the call from FMS Delhi and grab the admission opportunity in the other top B school first. In case you get admission in FMS, you may switch over although some of your money will be forfeited by the other B school before making a refund. This can be understood and may not be a big issue.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on admission process at FMS Delhi
