CAT Exam - Notification, Exam Date, Registration Process, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation

The CAT exam official notification is expected to be released in July. The notification will consist of all important information related to the CAT exam date, application forms, registration fees, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, number of test centres, reservation criteria, and syllabus. Candidates can download the PDF files of the notification from the links given below:

The following table displays some of the major highlights of the CAT exam:

Candidates appearing for the CAT exam must be aware of the CAT important dates provided in the table below so that they done;t miss out on any important event.

This year, the CAT exam will most likely be conducted by IIM Calcutta. IIMs are responsible for conducting the CAT exam every year on a rotational basis. The conducting body for the exam is also responsible for all the activities such as the release of the CAT official notification, CAT online registration, conducting the exam, declaration of the result, and screening qualified students for admissions.

Through the CAT exam, one can get admission into 21 IIMs and more than 1,000 management schools across India. IIM Lucknow, IIM Calcutta, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIM Bangalore are regarded as some of the top premier B-Schools in India, providing world-class management education, practical training, and lucrative placement opportunities to students. Take a look at the past years conducting bodies of CAT.

The CAT eligibility criteria are one of the basic requirements that candidates must fulfil when registering for the examination. Only those candidates who meet the eligibility criteria will be allowed to seek MBA/PGDM admission through the CAT exam at some of the most prestigious management institutes and B-schools in the country. The eligibility criteria are put in place by the exam conducting authorities of CAT to make sure that every aspirant who wishes to pursue management education in a CAT-accepting institution meets a certain standard. That being said, the CAT eligibility criteria is as follows:

Educational Qualifications Required

• Candidates must have obtained a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any stream from a recognized university.
• Candidates must have scored at least 50% aggregate marks in their undergraduate course (45% for reserved category students).
• Candidates with professional degrees/qualifications like Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretary, Cost and Management Accountancy, etc. are also eligible for CAT.

Age Requirement

• Candidates are not required to meet any age requirements when applying for the CAT exam. However, since candidates must be bachelor’s degree holders, CAT aspirants are typically older than a particular age bar.

Exceptions to Educational Qualifications

• One of the most common exceptions to the CAT eligibility criteria when it comes to educational qualifications is that candidates who are in the final year of their Bachelor’s degree course are also allowed to appear for the CAT exam. However, such candidates have to meet certain conditions, the most important of which is the submission of requisite documents at the specified time to ensure that their admission to MBA/PGDM programs through the CAT exam is not revoked.

Note:The CAT eligibility criteria for various aspects is explained in further detail in the CAT notification and also the official website for CAT. Candidates must make sure that they check the eligibility criteria before applying for the exam to avoid any problems during the admission process.

The CAT registration process consisted of three stages: (i) registration to generate the CAT User ID and Password; (ii) logging in with the generated User ID and Password to fill out the CAT application form; (iii) submission of the application form after entering the relevant details and making online payment to complete the application process. To complete the registration process, the User ID and Password will be sent to the registered email address or registered mobile number after the OTP has been verified. The application form can be completed in a single session or over multiple sessions.

Only on the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in, can candidates complete the online registration process for CAT. For general candidates, the CAT registration fee has been increased to INR 2500. For the PwD/DA and SC/ST categories, the registration fee stands at INR 1200. The only way to pay the CAT registration fees is through online mode using methods such as net banking, debit, or credit cards. The size of the photograph that the candidates were required to upload must be 1200x1200 pixels.

The CAT syllabus is quite extensive. The conducting IIMs don't have a fixed CAT syllabus, so MBA aspirants can get an idea of the CAT syllabus by going through CAT previous years' question papers, sample papers, and mock tests. CAT syllabus will include topics from sections such as Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR). The questions asked in the exam are mostly based on Middle School Maths and English topics. The table below highlights the important topics from the CAT syllabus: 

The CAT question paper will comprise 66 questions of 198 marks in total. There is a sectional limit of 40 minutes for each of the three sections, including VARC, DILR, and QA. The CAT exam pattern can be found below. 

Section-wise CAT Exam Pattern

The exam pattern for each section under the CAT exam has been provided below.

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Quantitative Ability (QA)

CAT Exam Pattern Over Past Years

Here's the table depicting the CAT exam pattern followed by IIMs over the years.

CAT Marking Scheme

The CAT admit card includes the exam centre location, exam timing, reporting time, a link to a Google Map to help you find the test centre and examination day guidelines. On the CAT exam date, applicants must bring a printout of their admit card and an identity card to the examination centre.

Steps to Download CAT Admit Card

1. Visit the CAT's official site (iimcat.ac.in.)
2. Enter your User ID and password.
3. Click on the 'Download CAT Admit Card' link.
4. The screen will show the admit card.
5. Take a print of the document after downloading it.
6. Keep a photocopy of your hall ticket for future use.

A few fundamental guidelines should always be kept in mind by students who are completely geared up for the CAT, especially as the exam date approaches. You must familiarize yourself with the CAT syllabus first. Establish a solid foundation and make the fundamental concepts apparent as you start your CAT exam preparation. Make sure to create a comprehensive study schedule with designated time slots for every topic and section, taking into account the time available before the CAT exam. Include CAT mock tests along with the CAT previous year question papers in an extensive manner in your preparation plan. At the very beginning of your preparation, take a CAT mock test to determine your level of preparation. Students need to identify their areas of strength and weakness when they are preparing for the CAT exam. Concentrate on increasing your accuracy and speed by answering more questions under time constraints and improving your time management abilities.  

To get adequately prepared for the CAT exam, one should solve and analyze sample question papers, go through a thorough subject-wise exam evaluation, and concentrate on covering at least 70% of the curriculum in 2-3 months. Reading the CAT books by Arun Sharma and Nishit K Sinha, enrolling in online courses and exam preparation offered by coaching organizations like Unacademy, Career Launcher, IMS India, T.I.M.E., and others, as well as attempting both overall exam questions and section-specific questions and regular practice are essential parts of CAT exam preparation.

CAT books are crucial elements of exam preparation. MBA aspirants must refer to them for the CAT syllabus and study them thoroughly to have a conceptual clarity of important CAT topics. They are a great source of knowledge about all the necessary concepts. Candidates preparing for the CAT exam must have a list of the best books for CAT given below:

• Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Examinations- Abhijit Guha
• How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT- Arun Sharma/TATA McGRAW HILL
• Higher Algebra- Hall and Knight
• Course in Mental Ability and Quantitative Aptitude- Edgar Thorpe
• Word Power Made Easy- Norman Lewis
• How to Prepare for the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT- Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhya

MBA aspirants seeking admission into IIMs and other B-Schools in India can consider joining a coaching institute for fool-proof CAT exam preparation. The CAT coaching institutes provide aspirants with the best study material and preparation guides. The experienced staff conducts doubt-clearing sessions regularly. These coaching centres provide a platform for several CAT applicants to exchange their views and ideas on various CAT-related matters. A few coaching centres also give demo sessions to candidates who want to enrol in CAT preparation. Some of the top coaching institutes in India that prepare students for CAT and other MBA entrance exams are listed below:

• IMS
• Career Launcher
• Bulls Eye
• Byju’s Classes
• Endeavour Careers
• Erudite
• PT Education
• TIME
• MBAguru
• Prudence Academy

Checking CAT previous years' question paper analysis is a great way to understand the difficulty level and the number of good attempts in the exam. CAT exam analysis will be updated here after the exam concludes. Take a look at the CAT previous years' question paper analysis done by experts and candidates who took the exam:

The CAT mock test is a dummy exam created just like an exact duplicate of the actual examination. It is conducted online on the official website (iimcat.ac.in) to make candidates familiar with the exam environment and help them understand how to attempt the CAT exam. The CAT official mock test is available for candidates on the CAT website. To attempt the CAT mock tests, you need to sign in on the login screen, go through the instructions and start the test. Here are the direct links to access CAT Mock Test:

Students can refer to the CAT Mock Test Navigation Guide PDF to become familiar with the instructions, features, and procedures of the Computer-Based Test:

Why Solve the CAT Mock Test

• Solving the CAT mock test is a great way to comprehend the online CAT test process.
• Applicants can reacquaint themselves with each stage to proceed accurately during the actual exam because it is a dummy of the actual CAT exam.
• Mock tests for the CAT exam provide a reasonable grasp of the question paper pattern and merit list.
• The CAT online mock test can help you improve your time and efficiency when answering statistical questions or questions that require you to interpret excerpts.
• Practising mock tests aid in the discovery of techniques and workarounds for answering CAT question papers in the shortest amount of time.
• The more practice tests one takes, the better one will become at answering all types of questions – difficult, simple, extensive, or complicated.
• They help you improve your speed and accuracy when solving questions.

Also Read: Importance of CAT Mock Test During Preparation

Like sample papers, CAT previous year question papers help candidates understand the syllabus, pattern, and marking schemes. Solving the old year papers benefits in the preparation and understanding of the types of questions and topics.

For fool-proof CAT exam preparation, MBA aspirants must solve CAT sample papers to get insight into the CAT syllabus, exam pattern, and marking scheme and understand the types of questions they may encounter during the exam. From full-length to short-time or sectional quizzes, there are many CAT sample papers available online. Solving the sample papers can help candidates analyze their preparation level and work on the weaker areas. They are also important for enhancing your final exam performance and boosting your confidence. Download the CAT sample papers from the links given below before the CAT exam date to score high:

The CAT exam date is approaching, and all the MBA aspirants are getting done with their final preparation. However, no amount of preparation will help you crack the exam if you are not aware of the guidelines for the CAT exam. Candidates can refer to the official CAT Test Day Guide PDF given below for a comprehensive list of instructions and guidelines regarding the CAT exam.

Here are some requirements you must know in advance to keep your confidence high and avoid any last-minute hassle.

For all candidates who intend to take the CAT exam, it is critical to be aware of the timetable. The CAT notification includes all the information about the CAT exam slot timings. To accommodate all applicants, the CAT exam is normally offered on a single day in three separate sessions. Candidates have the option of selecting their test city based on convenience as the exam is offered in a number of test cities across the nation. The table below lists the CAT exam slot timings:

On the CAT exam date, candidates are expected to arrive at the exam center at the reporting time mentioned on their admit cards for a smooth experience. Arriving late or not carrying important documents can lead you into trouble. Thus, ensure you reach on time and carry everything important to the exam center. Here’s the CAT exam day flow that every candidate needs to follow:

• Arrive at the exam center
• Locate the lab from the notice board
• Get the CAT admit card checked
• Submit bags, mobile phones, etc.
• Undergo frisking
• Get all the approved documents verified
• Reach the lab/block
• Complete biometric capture
• Locate console
• Login to the test screen
• Verify and confirm profile details
• Read instructions and agree to the declaration
• Start the CAT exam
• Finish the test and submit feedback
• Return the notepad and pen to the exam invigilator
• Exit the test tab
• Exit the exam center

IIM Calcutta will release the details of CAT exam centres in the official notification. While filling out the application form, candidates can select any 6 exam centres for the CAT exam as per their preference. Here's a list of the test cities in which CAT exam was conducted last year:

The CAT answer key along with the CAT response sheet will be released after the conclusion of the exam. CAT final answer key will be released along with the result in early December. To access the CAT answer key, candidates will need to log into the CAT official website and enter their CAT Login ID and password:

• The answer key will only be available for candidates who took the CAT exam. 
• The CAT exam answer key PDF is released along with an objection form. The aspirants who find discrepancies with the CAT answer key get the option to challenge the answer key by submitting an objection to the CAT centre. They also need to pay 1200 for every question they challenge.
• If the objection found by the candidate is valid, the measures taken by IIMs will apply to all the candidates.
• If there is no change even after the candidate has objected, it will not be considered.
• The CAT final answer key is prepared after considering and reviewing all objections submitted.
• CAT answer key helps the candidates verify their answers and figure out their expected score for the CAT exam for MBA admission to IIMs and other top B-schools.

The CAT scorecard will likely be out in the second week of January. CAT result will be available for download on the official website (iimcat.ac.in) once it is released by the exam conducting authority.

CAT Exam Result Highlights

• The CAT result date and time will be released on the official website.

• IIMs send the CAT exam score via SMS to all the candidates who took the exam.

• Once the CAT result is out, IIMs inform that the CAT scorecard is live.

• The CAT scorecard can be downloaded when the result is declared.

• The CAT scorecard consists of the scaled score and percentile score of a candidate.

• The raw scores of candidates are not mentioned on the CAT scorecard.

• CAT exam score will only be valid till December 31.

• Using our CAT percentile calculator will be helpful in result calculation.

After the CAT exam date, one must have a clear understanding of the CAT selection process. Notably, IIMs have their individual selection process, and the admission process of IIMs usually includes the score obtained in the CAT exam, academic record, and performance in PI & WAT rounds. There are three general stages through which the IIM admission process is conducted through CAT. 

• Stage 1: CAT Exam Performance
• Stage 2: Shortlisting by IIMs for Personal Interview Round
• Stage 3: IIMs Final Selection Process comprising WAT & PI Round

The final selection depends on the collective performance in all the stages. Students must note that old IIMs conduct separate admission processes while the baby or new IIMs conduct a Common Admission Process for MBA admission after the CAT exam.

Popular IIMs Conducting Admission Process

Top IIMs in India, including IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Bangalore, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Shillong, IIM Nagpur, IIM Rohtak, and IIM Visakhapatnam, shortlist students and conduct the admission process to finalize candidates for PGDM/MBA admission. They provide high weightage to diversity, academics, work experience, and CAT exam scores.

Around 9-11 IIMs, conduct a Common Admission Process (CAP) to finalize and select students. One of the 6 baby/new IIMs coordinates this admission process. Candidates will have to participate in common WAT and PI rounds for 9 to 11 new IIMs, such as IIM Kashipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Raipur, IIM Udaipur, IIM Trichy, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Sirmaur, and IIM Jammu.

Several MBA colleges in India accept CAT scores for admission. These include 21 IIMs and several other MBA colleges in the non-IIM category, such as FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, SJMSoM IIT Mumbai, DoMS IIT Delhi, etc. Check the list of CAT participating colleges provided below.

Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) Category

Non-IIM MBA Colleges Category

Each IIM has its selection procedure for admission to top PGP/MBA/PGDM programs. Applicants must clear both the sectional and overall CAT cutoff to be eligible for admission. Here is the CAT expected cutoff percentile for IIMs and Non-IIM institutes as predicted by the experts:

Expected IIM CAT Cutoff Percentile

Expected Non-IIM CAT Cutoff Percentile

CAT Section-Wise Cutoff Percentile

The table below provides important links for the CAT exam that every candidate must check:

CAT test takers will have to agree to a Non-Disclosure Agreement, which means that the test takers are barred from disclosing any sort of content about the CAT exam. Candidates who violate the rules will have to face a punishment of up to three years in jail and should also pay a fine of up to INR 2,00,000. 

During the admission or selection process, if it is found that a candidate has furnished any incorrect information or has violated any process, he/she will be barred from participating in the selection process. Also, the candidate will not be allowed to appear for the CAT exam in the future.

Candidates applying for the CAT exam must note that they are free to contact the concerned authorities if they have any issues or queries related to the exam. 

Contact Details for Queries Related to Registration, Payment, and Document Uploading

Contact Details for Academic Queries such as Eligibility, Category, and PwD Certificate