What is the CAT Exam?
The CAT Examination (Common Admission Test) is one of the most highly competitive entrance exams in India. It is conducted every year by the Indian Institutes of Management to offer admission into the most prestigious B-Schools in the country. The CAT exam evaluates candidates’ analytical and aptitude skills in areas such as Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning. The exam is conducted annually, typically in the last week of November.
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Why CAT Exam?
There are several management entrance exams, such as MBA-CET, NMAT, SNAP, XAT, and many others. However, the CAT examination provides numerous opportunities as it is accepted by all the IIMs and most of the top B-Schools. It is among the most reputed management entrance exams in India which is accepted by almost all the universities in India for admission into MBA and PGDM courses.
Highlights & Exam Pattern of the CAT
| Name of the Exam | Common Admission Test (CAT) 2023 |
| Conducting Body | Indian Institutes of Management, CAT 2023 by IIML |
| Exam Level | Postgraduate |
| Level Of Difficulty | Moderate to Hard |
| Exam Frequency | Once Every Year (Last Week Of November) |
| Mode of Exam | Computer Based Test |
| Sections | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Quantitative Ability |
| Number of Questions | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension- 24 Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning- 20 Quantitative Ability- 22 (As per CAT 2022) |
| Marking Scheme | 3 marks for each correct answer -1 mark for each wrong answer |
| Exam Duration | 120 Minutes, 40 Minutes for each section |
| Total Questions | 66 |
| Total Marks | 198 |
| Medium of Exam | English |
| Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
Eligibility Criteria
The detailed eligibility criteria for taking the CAT examination are as follows:
- Must possess a graduation degree with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC, ST & PwD categories) from a recognised university.
- Candidates appearing for their final year exams can apply but will need an official document from their college stating that they have successfully completed their graduation for admission.
- Candidates with professional degrees such as CA/CS/ICWA are also eligible for the exam.
CAT Exam 2023:Timeline
| Event | Tentative Dates |
| Registration Process Start Date | August 02, 2023 |
| Registration Process Ending Date | September 13, 2023 |
| Admit Card Release Date | October 25, 2023 |
| Exam Date | November 26, 2023 |
| Announcement of the Result | Second Week of January, 2024 |
Registration Process & Fee
To register for the CAT exam, follow the following steps.
- Visit the official website of CAT and click on the “Register” button.
- Then, fill in the required details and register yourself at the portal.
- After registration, you will have to reverify the details and undertake a declaration.
- Log in using your user ID and password, fill out the detailed application form. This form consists of six sections: personal details, academic details, work experience, programmes, test city, and payment.
- Upload your photograph, signature, and category certificate in the prescribed format.
- After this, make the application fee payment.
Application Fee
CAT exam application respective of the category is as follows:
| Category | Registration Fee |
| General/ EWS/ NC-OBC | INR 2,400 |
| SC/ST/PwD | INR 1,200 |
A candidate can make the payment for the registration fee using SBIePay or BillDesk.
CAT 2023 Exam Syllabus
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Data Interpretations & Logical Reasoning | Quantitative Ability (QA) |
| Reading Comprehensions | Data Interpretation-Based Reasoning | Geometry |
| Para-jumbles | Seating Arrangements | Number System |
| Para-Summary | Bar and Line Graphs | Modern Math |
| Out Of Context/ Odd One Out | Grid-Based Data Interpretation | Arithmetic |
| Tables | Mensuration | |
| Data Caselets | Algebra | |
|
Important Topics |
||
| Reading Comprehensions, Arrangements, Graphs, Caselets, Arithmetic, Geometry and Algebra. | ||
CAT 2023: Section-Wise Distribution of Question Paper
| Section | Total Questions | Total Marks |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | 24 | 72 |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | 20 | 60 |
| Quantitative Ability | 22 | 66 |
| Total | 66 | 198 |
Colleges that Accept CAT Exam Score
| IIMs | Top Non-IIMs |
| Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad | FMS (Faculty of Management Studies), Delhi |
| Indian Institute of Management Calcutta | S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai |
| Indian Institute of Management Bangalore | X.L.R.I. (Xavier School of Management), Jamshedpur |
| Indian Institute of Management Lucknow | JBIMS (Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies), Mumbai |
| Indian Institute of Management Indore | IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade), New Delhi |
| Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode | Symbiosis Institute of Management, Pune |
| Indian Institute of Management Shillong | TISS (Tata Institute of Social Science), Mumbai |
| Indian Institute of Management Rohtak | NMIMS (Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies), Mumbai |
| Indian Institute of Management Udaipur | MICA Ahmedabad |
| Indian Institute of Management Ranchi | MDI (Management of Development Studies), Gurgaon |
| Indian Institute of Management Raipur | SJMSOM ( Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management), IIT Mumbai |
| Indian Institute of Management Kashipur | IMT (Institute of Management Technology), Ghaziabad |
| Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli | VGSoM (Vinod Gupta School of Management), IIT Kharagpur |
| Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam | |
| Indian Institute of Management Amritsar | |
| Indian Institute of Management Nagpur | |
| Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya | |
| Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur | |
| Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur | |
| Indian Institute of Management Jammu |
CAT 2023: Expected Exam Cut-off
| Name of the IIMs | CAT Cut Off For Eligibility 2022 | CAT Cut Off For Admission 2022 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 85 | 99-100 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 | 99-100 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | 99 |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 | 97-98 |
| IIM Indore | 90 | 97-98 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 | 97-98 |
| IIM Amritsar | 90 | 95-96 |
| IIM Nagpur | 85 | 95-96 |
| IIM Sambalpur | 93 | 95-96 |
| IIM Trichy | 93 | 94-95 |
| IIM Raipur | 93 | 94-95 |
| IIM Ranchi | 90 | 94-95 |
The cut-off of the CAT exam for IIMs affected by various factors such as:
- Previous years’ cut-off
- Difficulty level of the exam
- Number of students appearing for the exam
- Total number of seats
- Past academic record
- Work experience
- Graduation course and many more
Each IIM’s admission process has a different cut-off based on its ranking. Generally, the cut-off for eligibility in the general category is around 85 to 95 percentile. To secure admission, the cut-off will be around 94 to 100 percentile depending on the institute.
Depending on the institute, reserved categories may receive a cut-off relaxation of around 5-7 percentile.
CAT Important Exam Guidelines
Following are some of the instructions and things to keep in mind while appearing for the CAT exam.
- Affix your photo to the admit card and bring it, along with a photo ID, to the exam hall.
- Use a mouse to select answers because it’s a computer-based exam.
- A pen and scribble pad for rough work will be provided at the examination centre.
- Leave your admit card, pen, and scribble pad at the examination centre after the exam.
- Electronic devices are strictly prohibited in the examination centre.
- Candidates will not be allowed to leave the examination hall before the exam ends.
- Do not use the keyboard; it can lead to locking the computer system.
- No printed material is allowed.
- Do not wear jewellery, footwear with thick soles, or clothes with large buttons.
CAT Preparation Tips
- If you have decided to prepare for the CAT examination, then first go through the previous year’s question papers to get familiar with the exam pattern.
- Going through the entire syllabus is one of the starting points of your preparation.
- Build your personalised study plan based on your goals, set targets, and drive your preparation towards achieving them. If you are doing self-study or preparing with coaching, alter your study plan according to that.
- Once you are familiar with the syllabus and exam pattern, build your concepts and start solving the previous year’s paper to build momentum.
- After finishing your whole syllabus, start giving mocks to test your concepts, and analysing those mocks is equally important to excel in your CAT examination.
- After giving a good amount of mocks, identify which mock-taking strategy works for you to boost your score, which will help you overcome your fear of the actual CAT exam and build your confidence.
- Don’t forget to revise topics regularly to polish your preparation.
Changes to the CAT exam pattern over the years
| Features | CAT 2022 | CAT 2021 | CAT 2020 | CAT 2019 |
| Number of CAT exam slots | Three | Three | Three | Two |
| Duration | 120 minutes | 120 minutes | 120 minutes | 180 minutes |
| Sectional time limit | 40 minutes | 40 minutes | 40 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Total number of questions | 66 | 66 | 76 | 100 |
| Total marks | 198 | 198 | 228 | 300 |
| Total questions in VARC section | 24 | 24 | 26 | 34 |
| Total questions in DILR section | 20 | 20 | 24 | 32 |
| Total questions in QA section | 22 | 22 | 26 | 34 |
CAT 2023 Exam Centres
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Port Blair
- Andhra Pradesh: Guntur, Kakinada, Kurnool, Nellore, Rajahmundry, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram
- Arunachal Pradesh: Itanagar/ Naharlagun
- Assam: Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Tezpur
- Bihar: Arrah, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Patna
- Chandigarh: Chandigarh
- Chattisgarh: Bhilai Nagar, Bilaspur, Raipur
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu: Silvassa
- Goa: Madgaon, Panaji
- Gujarat: Ahmedabad, Anand, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara
- Haryana: Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram
- Himachal Pradesh: Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Shimla
- Jammu & Kashmir Jammu: Srinagar
- Jharkhand: Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Ranchi
- Karnataka: Belagavi (Belgaum), Bengaluru, Hubli-Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Udupi
- Kerala: Ernakulam, Kannur, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Trivandrum
- Ladakh: Leh
- Lakshadweep: Kavaratti
- Madhya Pradesh: Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain
- Maharashtra: Ahmednagar, Amravati, Aurangabad, Bhiwandi, Boisar, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Pune, Raigad, Satara, Solapur, Thane, Vasai
- Manipur: Imphal, Ukhrul
- Meghalaya: Shillong
- Mizoram: Aizawl
- Nagaland: Kohima
- Delhi: New Delhi
- Odisha: Berhampur, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur
- Punjab: Amritsar, Jalandhar, Bhatinda, Ludhiana, Mohali, Patiala
- Puducherry: Puducherry
- Rajasthan: Ajmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sikar, Udaipur
- Tamil Nadu: Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Vellore
- Telangana: Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Warangal
- Tripura: Agartala
- Uttar Pradesh: Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Greater Noida – Noida, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Prayagraj, Varanasi
- Uttarakhand: Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkee
- West Bengal: Asansol, Bankura, Burdwan, Durgapur, Hooghly, Kalyani, Kolkata, Siliguri
Exams Complimenting CAT
In many management entrance exams, a significant portion of the syllabus is common. Preparing for these exams can increase your chances of getting into a top B-school.
Following are some of the exams that you can prepare for while going for CAT:
- XAT
- SNAP
- CET
- NMAT
- IIFT
FAQs
Q1. What is the CAT exam for?
The CAT exam is conducted to provide admission into various top management institutes in India.
Q2. Who conducts the CAT exam
The CAT exam is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management.
Q3. Is the CAT exam necessary for an MBA?
While most top B-Schools require a valid CAT score for admission into various courses, candidates can also seek admission through other national, state or university entrance tests.
Q4. How many CAT attempts are allowed?
A candidate can appear in the CAT exam a maximum of 8 times in a lifetime and once every year.
Q5. How many seats are there in CAT?
Every year, more than 2 lakh students appear for the CAT exam with over 5,000 seats being offered by the 20 IIMs.
Q6. Does the CAT exam have a negative marking?
Yes, one mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.
Q7. How many CAT exams happen in a year?
CAT occurs once every year.
Q8. Is the CAT exam online or offline?
CAT is an online computer-based test.
Q9. Is a calculator allowed in the CAT exam?
No, calculators are not allowed in the CAT exam. However, an on-screen calculator is provided to students by the conducting authority for intensive calculations.
Q10. Is the CAT exam only for the MBA?
CAT is the most popular MBA entrance exam. The exam is also used for offering admission into other management courses such as PGDM, PGDBA, etc.
Q11. Is the CAT exam MCQ-based?
Most of the questions in the CAT exam are MCQ-based.
Feature image source: https://www.indiatimes.com/technology/news/soon-you-ll-be-able-to-take-iit-jee-cat-and-other-competitive-exams-sitting-just-in-your-home-357041.html
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