WAT is a very important part of MBA admissions in IIMs as well as many other top MBA colleges. How to prepare for WAT for MBA admissions 2021? Find out here and get detailed information regarding the topics and preparation tips.

- Important Dates for MBA Admission in India 2021
- How to Answer Questions in WAT 2021
- WAT 2021 Tips - 5Ws & 1H To Remember
- WAT 2021 Tip: Modes of Persuasion
- WAT 2021 Preparation Tips
- Current Affairs Topics for WAT 2021
- Expected WAT Topics for MBA Admissions 2021
- WAT 2021 Topic: Why Dollar is Getting Expensive Co..
- WAT 2021 Topic: Issues Over Article 370
- WAT 2021 Topic: Effect of Industry 4.0
- WAT 2021 Topic: Cashless Economy - A Boon or Bane
- WAT 2021 Topic: Critical Analysis of India’s Curre..
- WAT 2021 Topic: Privatisation of Government Sector..
- WAT 2021 Topic: Amazon Forest Fire - Who is to be ..
- WAT 2021 Topic: Banking Sector Slowdown in India
- WAT 2021 Topic: Telecom Sector Distress in India
- WAT 2021 Topic: Cut in Corporate Taxes - Good or B..
Written Ability Test or WAT is a pen-and-paper based test of the writing skills of a candidate in the MBA Admission Process in India. Lasting around 10-15 minutes, the WAT round test how effectively an MBA candidate is able to write on any topic given to them during the IIM Selection Process. WAT is a crucial stage for getting admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) and MBA colleges in India, such as XLRI, IIFT etc. Although it is not conducted by every MBA college in India, it is definitely a part of most of the top B-Schools of India. Almost all of the IIMs and many other B-Schools have replaced the Group Discussion in their selection process with WAT. Some other top MBA colleges in India have also followed suit while some have included both GD and WAT in their admission process.
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Since WAT topic is given to the candidate right before their test is conducted, their round can seem a bit difficult but WAT is easy to clear if you have a good hold of current affairs. The WAT paper can be filled with objective statements in which, the candidates will be asked to describe and put forward their opinions in a suitable manner. In this article, we take a look at some of the most common WAT topics in IIMs and other MBA colleges and some of the best tips to succeed in WAT.
Important Dates for MBA Admission in India 2021
Following are some of the important dates regarding MBA admissions in India.
Event | Dates |
CAT 2020 Exam Day | November 29, 2020 |
CAT 2020 Result Announcement | January 2, 2021 |
Application Deadlines for B-Schools | January - February 2021 |
Selection Rounds including WAT | February - April 2021 |
How to Answer Questions in WAT 2021
The descriptive type of answers for WAT does not have to be written like a piece of news but can be opinionated writing like a column and an article. However, it contains the basic elements of a journalistic report writing, which is commonly known as 5Ws and 1H including the ‘Mode of Persuasion’ which is described below.
WAT 2021 Tips - 5Ws & 1H To Remember
For creative writing, 5Ws and 1H rule are hailed as one of the important elements of non-fiction writing which can be categorized in articles and columns. The 5W and 1H means, Who, When, Where, What, Why and How.
These are the basic ‘W-H’ words that come to one’s mind when they are developing a write-up for anything. If the student is given an article topic, the student, in his writeup, must dive deep into the introduction, description, and aftermath of the incident. To do this, asking these 6 questions comprising 5Ws and 1H initials helps a lot in making a writeup full proof.
Also Read:Common Questions Asked in Personal Interview (PI) for MBA Admissions
WAT 2021 Tip: Modes of Persuasion
Mode of Persuasion is a very important factor for excelling in the Writing Ability Test or WAT for 2021 MBA admissions in the top colleges. The ‘Modes of Persuasion’ has 3 elements in it which are known for making the communication process more effective and appealing. In newspapers, the columns and editorials that are published throughout include the 3 elements of the Modes of Persuasion.
The 3 elements are: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
These three components were first described as useful for effective communication in ancient greek philosopher Aristotle’s Rhetoric where he described the various mode of communication which are still followed in written and verbal communication. The various elements are described below:
Ethos
Ethos is known as the art of telling the reader about the writer’s or the communicator’s good hold on the subjects. It can be done by using terminologies and external references. It builds trust between the reader and the writer as the reader knows that what he is reading is coming from a man of words and it increases the overall credibility of the writing.
Example: A politician in his address uses his own examples as a social worker, as a soldier, teacher or businessman, etc to appeal to the people. Thus, his experiences make his speech credible.
For the same reason, commercial advertisements on healthcare products use such lines which are, “Indian Medical Association says dust particles in your hand can cause diseases, so use our X handwash.” Thus, they build trust between the audience by giving a reference.
Pathos
The element of ‘Pathos’ refers to assessing the emotions of the reader. Pathos uses emotional elements to appeal to the audience emotionally. When the communicator/writer is able to connect with the emotions of his/her readers, the writing becomes very appealing and builds interest.
Example: “Mahatma Gandhi himself was a soldier in war, he has seen the suffering of people due to violence which led him to the path of non-violence to give us a peaceful and secure future.” In the statement, while expressing the greatness of the philosophies of Gandhi, the writer uses how his peaceful ways would make a change in our lives, thus, the reader is influenced by the non-violent ways of Mahatma for ‘Peace’, ‘Security’ etc which gives him/her a psychological relief. The writer uses the word ‘us’ to create a sense of emotional bonding with the reader and writer.
Logos
Like Ethos, Logos is also used to increase credibility but unlike Ethos, Logos use the reference of statistical data for the cause. It includes numerical and statistical figures of varified sources to support a statement.
Example: “Staying with India between 15-29 million Indians died of starvation in British induced famines. The most famous example was, of course, was the Great Bengal Famine during World War II when 4 million people died in Bengal because Winston Churchill deliberately, as a matter of written policy, proceeded to divert essential supplies from civilians in Bengal to sturdy tummies and Europeans as reserve stockpiles.” This excerpt is taken from MP Shashi Tharoor’s Speech in Oxford where he used statistical data to convey the horrors of British Raj in India. The use of numbers easily conveys the scale of the incident which the audience can easily connect with. This speech is a fantastic example of the usage of Logos.
WAT 2021 Preparation Tips
As with any other part of the selection process, preparing for WAT is essential for success. It is a very important round for admission in top MBA colleges and candidates give themselves enough time to become familiar with how to write on WAT topics of IIMs. Some of the best preparation tips for WAT have been given below.
Practice writing on a daily basis and develop a reading habit.
Read newspapers and stay aware of current affairs topics.
Write with a time limit and critique your writing.
Remember who you are writing for and match the tone appropriately.
Use simple and easy to understand the language in short sentences.
It is beneficial to mostly maintain an optimistic attitude in your writing.
Practice writing in paragraphs and stick to one idea per paragraph.
Work on improving your flow. It will make your writing 10 times better automatically.
Also Read:GD, PI, WAT Topics for MBA Admissions 2021
Current Affairs Topics for WAT 2021
The topic of WAT 2021 in various institutes for MBA admissions 2021 will come from the current affairs of 2020. Students need to keep a check of the most important happenings of India and abroad. However, most questions are asked from the current affairs of the country. Below, we discuss some of the important topics which have a high possibility to be asked in the exam:
Expected WAT Topics for MBA Admissions 2021
Given below are some of the WAT topics that are expected to appear in the MBA admission process 2021. Candidates must make sure that they are updated with the latest news in files such as business, economy, politics, etc. to perform well in this test.
- Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)
- Impact of coronavirus on the economy
- Coronavirus in India
- India's fight with Coronavirus
- Impact of coronavirus on the tourism industry
- Is social distancing the new world order?
- COVID-19 vaccine development
- US Elections
- Companies Amendment Bill
- New farm laws
- Data privacy of individuals
- Atmanirbhar Bharat
- Public health
- Modicare
- Indo-China relations
- Cryptocurrency
- Electric vehicles
- Globalisation vs Nationalism
- Indian vs Chinese goods
- Climate change
WAT 2021 Topic: Why Dollar is Getting Expensive Compared to Rupees
Include the following points for a good write-up on the topic mentioned above:
Current account deficit
Global economic slowdown
Movement of capital
Acceptance of rupees outside India
Effect of new Indian economic policy
Government’s steps to tackle the issue
WAT 2021 Topic: Issues Over Article 370
Include the following points for a good write-up on the Issues of Article 370
Demographic importance of Kashmir
History of Article 370
Provisions of Article 370
Current amendments in Article 370
Aftermath - Communication shutdown in Kashmir
Aftermath - Curbing the voice of local leaders and local media
Indian Media vs Foreign Media - Contradictions over the Article 370 Amendment
WAT 2021 Topic: Effect of Industry 4.0
Include the following points for a good write-up on the Effect of Industry 4.0 on the MBA Education
What is Industry 4.0
Using the latest technology to shape industry 4.0 (AI, Big Data, Blockchain)
Using new trends for business stimulation
Differences between industry 4.0, 3.0, 2.0 and 1.0
MBA institutes adopting Industry 4.0 in the curriculum - steps taken
Focus on Sustainable Development
Government Policies
Criticism of the industry 4.0
WAT 2021 Topic: Cashless Economy - A Boon or Bane
Include the points given below for a good write-up on the Cashless Economy
What is Cashless Economy
What are the Cashless transaction methods
Government policies to promote cashless economy
Pros of cashless economy
Challenges of cashless economy in the Indian perspective
The success rate of the cashless economy in various countries
The benefit of the economy of India by cashless means
WAT 2021 Topic: Critical Analysis of India’s Current Union Budget
Include these points for writing about India's current union budget
Overview of the current Union Budget
The focus of the current Union Budget - Whom will it benefit?
The difference from the previous Union Budget
Criticism of the current Union Budget
Government’s take on the Union Budget
Opposition’s take on the Union Budget
WAT 2021 Topic: Privatisation of Government Sectors - A Critical Analysis
Include the following points for a good write-up on the Privatisation of Government Sectors
Reason behind privatizing
Sectors in India being privatized
What are the benefits of privatizing
What are the setbacks of privatizing
Criticism of privatizing public sectors - impact on the normal people
Criticism of the extreme liberal economy
Indian public companies in loss - the reason for the mismanagement behind
WAT 2021 Topic: Amazon Forest Fire - Who is to be Blamed?
Include the points given below for a good write-up on the Amazon Forest Fire
Forest fire in Amazon - reasons
The adverse impact of forest fires in Amazon
Tribals accusing the government of letting oil companies inside the protected area
Legal fight of the tribals against the government
Steps taken to prevent amazon forest fire
Amazon rainforest's contribution in maintaining environmental balance
WAT 2021 Topic: Banking Sector Slowdown in India
Refer to the following points for a good write-up on the Banking Sector Slowdown
What does banking slowdown mean for the economy
Reasons behind banking slowdowns
Government policies to curb slowdown - Merging banks and privatisation
Only 1 Bank (Bandhan Bank) Reported High Profits - Case Study
Impact of Banking Slowdown on Economy
WAT 2021 Topic: Telecom Sector Distress in India
The following points have to be adhered to for a good write-up on the Telecom Centre Distress
A comparison of telecom service consumption over the years
Unequal market competition for telecom companies
Vodafone’s take on the Government of India for telecom distress
BSNL Dying - Natural or Poisoned?
Rise of Jio in the Telecom Market
Rapid changes in the TRAI Policies
Fines imposed on Telecom companies by the Supreme Court
Government steps to manage telecom industry distress
Possible solutions
WAT 2021 Topic: Cut in Corporate Taxes - Good or Bad?
Include the following points for a good write-up on Cutting Corporate Taxes:
The reason behind cutting corporate tax
Short-term impact on the economy - good or bad
Long-term Impact on the economy - good or bad
Government reasons behind the decision
Opposition’s take on Government for the decision
Analysis of the Corporate Tax policies of India
Also Read:GD, PI and WAT Preparation Tips for 2021 MBA Admissions
These are some of the topics which are in discussion currently. Most of the topics have a direct relation to the economy and the business industry of India. The candidates have to prepare numerous more topics mainly pertaining to the Indian and global economy to be able to write efficiently in the WAT in the MBA admissions 2021. The candidates are advised to refer to the newspapers and magazines such as Financial Times, Outlook, Business Standard, etc and also read up on the editorial pieces by stalwarts in their respective fields.
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65 Group Discussion (GD) Topics for MBA Admissions |
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