Facts checked 29 September 2026 for the CAT 2026 cycle
WAT Topic: "Growth vs Environment: Can developing nations afford climate commitments?" - environment category, hard difficulty. Consider 2 perspectives for a balanced essay.
Reference India's 2035 climate plan (NDC) submitted in April 2026 alongside its 2070 net-zero pledge. State: false dichotomy, green growth is possible.
Para 1: Why developing nations argue for growth priority
Para 2: Why climate action can't wait
Para 3: How to reconcile: green growth, climate finance, technology transfer
Demand climate justice (finance, tech transfer) while pursuing sustainable development.
India's 2035 NDC (submitted 24 April 2026): cut emissions intensity of GDP by 47% from 2005 levels and reach 60% non-fossil share of installed power capacity by 2035
Non-fossil sources were 52.57% of installed power capacity in February 2026, so the 2030 target of 50% was met five years early (PIB)
India added a record 55.3 GW of non-fossil capacity in FY 2025-26 (PIB, April 2026)
At COP30 in Belem (November 2025) countries signalled a tripling of adaptation finance by 2035, without a roadmap to move away from fossil fuels (I4CE)
Not knowing India's climate commitments
Ignoring climate justice/equity argument
Being too one-sided (either development or environment)
Know India's NDCs, including the 2035 update, and the climate finance debate. Use per capita emissions data, not total emissions.
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 NDCs, including the 2035 update, and the climate finance debate. Use per capita emissions data, not total emissions.
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 India's 2035 climate plan (NDC) submitted in April 2026 alongside its 2070 net-zero pledge. State: false dichotomy, green growth is possible. Your body should cover: Para 1: Why developing nations argue for growth priority; Para 2: Why climate action can't wait; Para 3: How to reconcile: green growth, climate finance, technology transfer.
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