Will slow down in economy due to COVID-19 increase the competition for NMAT 2020?

Will NMAT 2020 see more competition? The COVID-19 situation has triggered an economic slowdown that will affect almost every sector. The MBA and education sectors are no different. 

By Anisha Mukhija

Coronavirus, which started in Wuhan, China in December 2019 spread to other countries in Europe, America and Asia in February and March 2020. To contain the spread of the virus, countries shut down commercial, public and educational institutions.

This interruption caused by COVID-19 has struck anxiety and nervousness in almost every one. MBA sessions in our country usually start in June or July. However, the admission processes at many B-schools aren’t over yet. Apart from that, the coronavirus pandemic is going to trigger an economic tsunami for our country. The incoming economic slowdown has already started impacting the job market, threatening the youth with mass unemployment. Before-mentioned factors are bound to affect MBA entrance exams in 2020.

NMAT 2020 is one of the most coveted MBA exams that unlocks the gates to NMIMS and some other top MBA Institutes in India. The NMAT is a computer-based exam and gives questions randomly from an assortment. Candidates have the option of deciding the order or sequence of test sections. The number of questions, sectional time limits, and difficulty levels are already predetermined and are administered.

Also Read:

• NMAT syllabus
• NMAT pattern
• NMAT preparation
• NMAT mock test

In response to the current circumstances caused by the COVID-19 situation, GMAC, the exam conducting body, recently announced to push the timeline on launching an online solution for conducting NMAT 2020. GMAC was able to develop a suitable online solution for students and schools. The biggest challenge currently is the uncertainty amongst students, schools and in general about how the world is going to move.

GMAC stated that, the health and safety of candidates and staff will be of the utmost importance, and they are actively working with NMAT test centres to respond to this very difficult situation. 

Effects of Economic slowdown on NMAT 2020

• Students who are planning to apply to a foreign management university for Fall 2020 will be facing huge uncertainty. Due to the contagious nature of the COVID-19, many countries like the US and some parts of Europe have imposed travel and immigration bans. No one knows how long these bans will last and this may lead them to apply to Indian MBA colleges.
• Many students who graduated recently may not have been hired due to the slowdown in the economy, and thus they may opt for higher studies, which again will add to the competition.
• During the lockdown, many students have shown interest in studying and gaining knowledge by reading books and taking short online courses. That inclination might just continue and more people may think like pursuing a MBA degree post lockdown.
• STEM specialised MBA, Executive MBA and Online MBAmay take precedence since they are more specialised, cheaper and easily accessible during the lockdown.

NMAT Exam Strategy 2020

• Picking a date, time, and area of your accommodation: A long testing window of NMAT enables you to pick an advantageous test date. The 75-day test shutter opens the main seven-day extent of October and stretches out through the third seven-day extent of December.
• Self-booking: You can pick your test arrangement date, time, and area continuously in light of the accessibility of seats at each test focus.
• Testing areas: You can look over any of 48 strategically placed test centres to take the exam
• Sending scores to up to five MBA colleges: You can choose the review of schools/programmes you wish to send your NMAT scores to. Up to five schools/programs are included in the NMAT enrollment charges. Be that as it may, you can send your scores to more than over five college for an additional charge.
• NMAT Retakes: You can see your outcomes and after that choose to apply to an MBA college or retake the test.

The COVID-19 situation has triggered an economic slowdown that will affect almost every sector. The MBA and education sectors are no different. Due to lockdown, preliminary rounds (WAT/GD/GE & PI) in B-schools have been moved to online platforms. This might enhance the future of the B-School selection method. It is already predicted that there will be more applicants who will be competing with each other in the MBA entrance exams in 2020. Which will result in increased cut offs and increased difficulty levels of their WAT/GD/GE & PI processes. While the application number may not be in our hands, but our preparation definitely will be. This year let's study extra hard, give our 100 per cent, stay focused, and ace the MBA.

Also Read:

• Will the adaptive test pattern for NMAT backfire?
• How will the new NMAT pattern affect NMAT 2020 cut-offs?

About the Author:

Anisha Mukhija is a Strategic Mentor at a reputed Mumbai-based institute for MBA entrance exams preparation. She pursued MBA at NMIMS (MBA Core 2013-15) and PMNO at Harvard Business School. She has also been a key speaker at IIM Indore and has been awarded with Global Champions at NUS, Singapore and was o25 winner-Pepsico Digital Strategist-India Challenge.