Facts checked 29 September 2026 for the CAT 2026 cycle
WAT Topic: "Should governments regulate AI development? How?" - technology category, medium difficulty. Consider 2 perspectives for a balanced essay.
Reference the EU AI Act, whose high-risk rules were pushed to December 2027 in June 2026, and India's AI Governance Guidelines released at the India AI Impact Summit in February 2026. State: risk-based regulation, not blanket rules.
Para 1: Why some regulation is necessary (safety, bias)
Para 2: Why excessive regulation harms innovation
Para 3: Risk-based approach (high-risk applications vs general use)
Support tiered regulation based on risk level, with international coordination.
EU AI Act: high-risk obligations for stand-alone systems (Annex III) now apply from 2 December 2027, moved from 2 August 2026 by the Digital Omnibus approved on 29 June 2026
EU AI Act transparency rules (Article 50) apply from 2 August 2026
India AI Impact Summit, 16-21 February 2026: the declaration was endorsed by 92 countries and organisations (PIB)
India AI Governance Guidelines, released February 2026, take a principle-based approach that builds on existing laws (PIB)
Not knowing the EU AI Act and its timeline
Extreme pro or anti-regulation position
Ignoring India's own AI Governance Guidelines
Know India's AI Governance Guidelines and the EU AI Act timeline change. This is a hot topic in 2026.
Rhetoric (4th Century BC)
Insight: Persuasion requires ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic) working together.
How to apply: Structure your WAT with logical arguments (logos), establish credibility through data/examples (ethos), and connect to human impact (pathos). IIM evaluators look for all three.
Made to Stick (2007)
Insight: Ideas that stick are Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, and tell Stories (SUCCESs).
How to apply: Open with an unexpected fact or angle. Use concrete examples, not abstractions. Ground arguments in credible data. Make it memorable.
The Sense of Style (2014)
Insight: Good writing is about showing the reader something in the world, not performing your knowledge.
How to apply: Don't write to impress—write to illuminate. Avoid jargon and pompous language. Show you understand the issue, don't just list points.
Politics and the English Language (1946)
Insight: Clear thinking leads to clear writing. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
How to apply: Prefer active voice. Cut unnecessary words. If you can cut a word, cut it. Clarity beats complexity in 200-word essays.
Values original thinking and nuanced positions over conventional wisdom.
Tip: IIMA loves contrarian but well-reasoned takes. Don't be afraid to challenge the premise of the topic itself.
Practical, business-oriented evaluation. Values structured thinking.
Tip: IIMB appreciates when you connect topics to business/management implications. Always include "so what" for managers.
Rigorous analytical approach. Values data and economic reasoning.
Tip: IIMC loves numbers. Include at least one relevant statistic. Show you understand economic trade-offs.
Balanced evaluation of content and expression.
Tip: IIML values clear structure. Use explicit transitions and signposting.
Ethics-focused, values human-centric perspectives.
Tip: XLRI's Jesuit heritage means they value ethical dimensions. Always consider the human/social impact angle.
There's no "right" stance. What matters is taking a clear position and defending it well. Know India's AI Governance Guidelines and the EU AI Act timeline change. This is a hot topic in 2026.
Nobody outside the institute can say. IIMs set the essay topic on the day. This topic is tied to an issue that was current in September 2026, and the statistics on this page carry their source and date, so use it for practice.
Reference the EU AI Act, whose high-risk rules were pushed to December 2027 in June 2026, and India's AI Governance Guidelines released at the India AI Impact Summit in February 2026. State: risk-based regulation, not blanket rules. Your body should cover: Para 1: Why some regulation is necessary (safety, bias); Para 2: Why excessive regulation harms innovation; Para 3: Risk-based approach (high-risk applications vs general use).
Our AI simulates the follow-up questions panels ask after reading your essay — testing if you truly understand what you wrote.
Experience a Mock Interview