Facts checked 29 September 2026 for the CAT 2026 cycle
WAT Topic: "MGNREGA has been replaced by VB-G RAM G: does a bigger promise of work help rural India?" - economic category, medium difficulty. Consider 2 perspectives for a balanced essay.
Open with the repeal of MGNREGA on 1 July 2026 and its replacement by VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission, Gramin). State that funding and wage payment will decide the outcome.
Para 1: What changed: 125 days instead of 100, and a higher state share of costs
Para 2: Risks: state finances, uneven allocation, delays
Para 3: What to watch: timely wages, demand-driven work, transparent data
A larger promise helps only if funding and payment systems keep up.
MGNREGA was repealed on 1 July 2026 and replaced by VB-G RAM G (Times of India, August 2026)
Union Budget 2026-27: Rs 95,692 crore for VB-G RAM G and Rs 30,000 crore for the outgoing MGNREGA (Mint)
VB-G RAM G promises 125 days of employment against 100 days under MGNREGA, and states bear higher costs (Mint)
Using old MGNREGA figures as if the scheme still exists
Taking a political side instead of analysing design
Ignoring the state finance angle
Use the new scheme name and the 2026-27 Budget figure. Do not quote MGNREGA numbers from before July 2026 as current.
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. Use the new scheme name and the 2026-27 Budget figure. Do not quote MGNREGA numbers from before July 2026 as current.
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.
Open with the repeal of MGNREGA on 1 July 2026 and its replacement by VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission, Gramin). State that funding and wage payment will decide the outcome. Your body should cover: Para 1: What changed: 125 days instead of 100, and a higher state share of costs; Para 2: Risks: state finances, uneven allocation, delays; Para 3: What to watch: timely wages, demand-driven work, transparent data.
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