Kolkata:The number of candidates who registered to take the Common Admission Test (CAT) in 2019 for entry to the prestigious IIMs and other leading B-schools was the highest in over a decade. Experts say this is part of a global trend in a lacklustre economy.As of September 25 — the exam’s deadline — 244,169 can-didates had registered compared with 240,338 last year for the test. This is the highest interest CAT has seen among MBA aspirants since 2008.Experts attribute this uptick in interest to several reasons, including a global trend, wherein when the economy is weak, number of applicants for the business schools shoot up. Others said CAT is synonymous with the IIMs and good placement opportunities, and corporates’ faith in these institutes prompts more candidates to try to get their foot in the door.Narayanan Ramaswamy, partner and head for education and skill development, KPMG-India says, “With the uncertainty with the economy today, job prospects and career progression slow down.Many who are employed in industries that are facing a crunch look at doing an MBA now, so that they’re equipped when the economy revives — which usually happens in one or two years. I suspect that’s what is happening in India .”WONK and member of CII Education Council Rohin Kapoor agrees. He said generally in such situations, the trend has been for professionals to seek opportunities for upskilling through industry-ready programmes and courses.“The establishment of new IIMs across the country has also brought MBA aspirants closer to their ambition of studying in one of them,” says Kapoor. “We see no recession as far as the CAT form sales are concerned. Brand IIM is clearly more aspirational than it was last year,” says Debashis Chatterjee , director, IIM Kozhikode. Shubhasis Dey of IIM Kozhikode is the convenor of CAT 2019, which will be conducted on Sunday, November 24.An Assocham report in 2016 had claimed that 93% of MBA graduates in India are unemployable. Given that context, IIMs — particularly the older, established ones — have a stronger placement track record than others. “As placements, even at the new IIMs, get stronger, for students it’s becoming even more aspirational to get into IIMs,” says Vinayak Kudva, national chief mentor at IMS Learning, which helps in preparation for MBA entrance tests including CAT. The trend is also reflecting in the increasing number of students who are signing up for coaching to crack the CAT, he says.