Applicants for CAT increased

The CAT is out of the bag and has stunned business schools. For the first time in 10 years, the number of applicants for the Common Admission Test (CAT) has taken a plunge. In spite of an extension of 10 days for online registration, a little over 2.41 lakh applicants registered for the exam this year, against 2.7 lakh last year. The CAT exam is the gateway to MBA in Indian Institutes of Management and other top-rung business schools.

The lower number of applicants also caught the CAT Committee unawares. The committee that's holding this year's examination had made a provision for 3 lakh applicants and had kept a buffer ready in case more applied. Now it's searching for answers. "This year, candidates probably noticed the effect on salaries and employment due to economic slowdown," says Satish Deodhar, CAT 2009 Convener and faculty at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). CAT numbers have consistently registered impressive year-on-year growth of 15-20 per cent in recent years.

Devi Singh, Director, IIM Lucknow, blames unexpected numbers on poor placements. "Since last year's placement scenario wasn't so good, it seems only serious students are going in for MBAs. Earlier, everyone whether a serious candidate or not would write the CAT exam.

While CAT organisers are slightly startled, some industry watchers expected this decline. Says Gautam Puri, Vice Chairman and Co-founder, Career Launcher: "I am surprised the number of applicants managed to touch 2.41 lakh. We were expecting the numbers to be between 2 lakh and 2.25 lakh. Career Launcher, an education services company, offers test preparation to potential MBAs."

Puri attributes his pessimism to poor placement record at B-schools last year. "The feeling among students was that there was no point taking the CAT if it did not guarantee impressive placements, he says.

Another major factor for numbers taking a free fall seems to be CAT turning computer-based. "The moment it became computer-based, students from hinterland backed out, claims Puri. Career Launcher registered higher enrolments for its MBA preparation modules in metros while fewer enrolments were recorded in smaller cities such as Lucknow, Kanpur and Jaipur.

In view of fewer applicants for the CAT, lower-rung institutes that had a harrowing admission and placement season last year have started gathering their act together. One of the steps being considered is reduction in admission fee, according to Puri.

What's in store for the CAT next year? "The numbers will in all probability come back. Or even when they stay at these levels, that's good enough for IIMs. We have only a little more than 2,000 seats on offer," says Devi Singh.

Job market finds its groove

They are hiring again - and at all levels. After almost three consecutive quarters that saw a hiring freeze trend with selective hiring at best, recruiters across key sectors such as healthcare, consumer electronics, automobile and information technology (IT) are actively looking to increase their headcounts. Industry executives say mid-level hiring to hire managers with a few years of experience is the strongest sign yet of a recruitment rebound. Entry-level hires are also up. "Demand for both mid and entry-level recruitments has risen compared to six months ago, indicating companies across various sectors are looking for expansion," said Pramod Thilakan, executive director at the Executive Recruiters' Association. Domestic demand is aiding consumer electronics and automobile companies. Samsung India is recruiting middle and senior marketing professionals, though company officials did not give numbers. Rival LG plans to hire 250 to 300 people in the next six to seven months. "Our focus is on strategic products and we plan to hire experienced professionals for sales and marketing functions," said Yasho V. Verma, HR director at LG Electronics India. Some 30 per cent of Maruti Suzuki's 700 planned hires will be senior and middle recruits and the remainder will be fresh engineers. "Salaries offered are higher than last year's," said S.Y. Siddiqui, managing executive officer, administration. Hyundai has also advertised overseas for recruiting experienced executives.

IT recruitment, hit by a recession in the key US market, is picking up. "Hiring is still not at the peak level of mid-last year but it is building up," Shantanu Banerjee, director, HR, at European IT firm Steria's Indian unit.

Hindustan టైమ్స్

Cyclone Phyan brings rain to Mumbai

Cyclone Phyan might not hit Mumbai directly, though the metropolis will feel its impact due to extremely heavy rainfall, Mumbai meteorological department officials said on Wednesday.

'The cyclone may not directly hit Mumbai, but the impact of the severe weather has already started in the city. In the afternoon perhaps, it will be more severe. Disturbed weather is expected with heavy rains, storms and the sea will become very rough," said a met department official.

Cyclone Phyan was currently 350 kms away from Mumbai, said IMD officials.

Cyclone Phyan skips MUMBAI

80 fishing boats, 800 men missing in cyclone-hit Arabian Sea

Ahmedabad/Panaji, Nov 11 (IANS) About 80 fishing trawlers, with an average of 10 men in each, are missing in cyclone-hit Arabian Sea, organisations of fishermen along India's west coast said Wednesday.

As Cyclone Phyan intensified and tore northwards, slated to make landfall along the north Maharashtra-south Gujarat coast late Wednesday night, there were reports of boats missing at sea, despite repeated warnings from the authorities over the last few days that no fisherman should venture out.

Gopal Tandel, president of the Daman Machimar Sangh (fishermen's association), told IANS: 'Fifty fishing boats with a total estimated complement of about 500 fishermen are still out at sea and are on the path of the cyclone headed this way.' Daman is a small coastal enclave on the Gujarat coast.

'There were about 80 boats out fishing but about 30 of them have either returned or are on their way back,' Tandel added.

Administrator of the union territory of Daman, Satya Gopal, said the Coast Guard authorities had sent out a Dornier aircraft to warn fishing boats to return. He said that over the last three days, special warnings were being put out by the administration advising fishermen against venturing out to sea.

While there was no information from Maharashtra till Wednesday afternoon on any fishing boats missing at sea, fishermen's organisations in Goa told IANS that an estimated 30 trawlers were missing.

The Coast Guard started a search for them. 'Our patrol vessels are already on the lookout for the trawlers. We have also pressed a lookout aircraft into the operation, which will scan the sea off Goa in search of the missing trawlers,' Goa Coast Guard Commandant N. Saxena said.

Rain delays the match

The start of the seventh One-day International (ODI) cricket match between India and Australia at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday has been delayed due to inclement weather.

The possibility of the match being played at all looks remote with heavy rain pouring down during the past 24 hours. A cyclone alert has also been issued by the India Meteorological Department.

Play was scheduled to begin at 02:30 pm. Umpires will now inspect the ground at 5:00 pm and take a decision.

The seventh and final ODI is inconsequential as Australia have already won the series 4-2.

Meanwhile, the first day's play between Board President XI and the touring Sri Lankan side at the Bandra Kurla complex has already been called off.