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What is CAT Exam - Everything You Need to Know
Avantika Bhardwaj
Updated on 18th September, 2024 , 7 min read
What is CAT Exam?
The CAT Exam is the most prestigious MBA Exam conducted for admission to IIMs. Pursuing MBA from a business school of national importance is a dream of many MBA aspirants. Candidates seeking admission to MBA in any such institute must take and qualify CAT Exam since it is the only way to get admission into the IIMs and India’s top business schools. This article aims to provide detailed information about "What is CAT Exam". It covers topics such as CAT Eligibility Criteria, CAT Age Limit, CAT Syllabus, CAT Exam Pattern, CAT Marking Scheme etc. as well as the time required to complete the entire syllabus to qualify the exam and various other programs offered by the IIMs.
CAT 2024 Exam – Candidates who wish to pursue their career in the field of management from Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) must start preparing for IIM CAT Exam at the earliest. CAT Exam is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted annually by one of the IIMs. CAT Exam Date for CAT Exam 2024 is 24 November 2024. CAT Exam is conducted by one of the IIMs on the last Sunday of every November month. The Common Admission Test is conducted in three slots i.e. morning, afternoon, and evening.
IIM Calcutta will conduct the CAT 2024 Exam on November 24, 2024.
Also Read: Preparation Strategy Of CAT Toppers
What is the Full Form of CAT?
"What is the full form of CAT?" is one of the most asked questions by MBA aspirants. CAT stands for Common Admission Test. The CAT exam is the most prestigious national-level MBA entrance examination in India for admission to top management institutes. For obvious reasons, it is the biggest MBA Exam in the country. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) conduct the Common Admission Test on a rotational basis and enrol students based on the marks secured by them in the examination.
Related Articles:
IIM CAT Exam Highlights
the table given below, presents the key highlights of the most prestigious MBA exams - CAT. Candidates can refer to the table to understand about the CAT exam and get an idea about the same.
Particulars | Details |
CAT full form | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
CAT exam official website | |
Conducting body | IIM Calcutta |
CAT exam duration |
|
CAT registration fees |
|
CAT total questions | 66 questions |
CAT exam date | 24 November 2024 |
Medium of exam | English |
CAT Paper Language | Online, computer-based test (CBT) |
Type of questions | MCQs and Non MCQs |
CAT exam sections |
|
CAT Eligibility/CAT Age Limit |
|
CAT 2024 Exam Date and Registration
The total number of students who apply for the exam reaches 2.30 lakh approximately every year. The CAT Entrance Exam will be held on November 24, 2024. CAT 2024 official notification will be released on the official website of CAT – iimcat.ac.in 2024.
Below mentioned are the CAT Exam Dates 2024 that students can refer to for strategic preparation:
Event | Date |
CAT Exam 2024 Registration Date | 1st August 2024 |
CAT Exam 2024 Application Form Last Date | 20th September 2024 (Extended) |
CAT Exam Date 2024 | 24th November 2024 |
CAT Exam Result Date 2024 | December 2024 |
CAT Registration 2024
IIM Calcutta began the CAT 2024 Registration on 1st August 2024. The officials of IIM CAT 2024 Exam will activate the direct link to apply for CAT 2024 Exam on the official website and invite applicants to apply for the examination. CAT Application Form is to be filled only through online mode. Below mentioned is the brief of the CAT 2024 Registration that candidates must follow in order to register themselves for the exam:
- Visit the CAT Official website – iimcat.ac.in 2024.
- Register yourself by entering the required details in CAT Registration Form.
- Fill out the registration form and enter all the details correctly.
- After the successful registration, procced to fill CAT Form by logging into the website with your created login credentials.
- Upload all the required and essential documents.
- Process the payment of CAT Exam Fees.
- Complete the final submission process of CAT Application Form.
- Download the duly submitted application form of CAT and take a printout of the same for future reference.
Also Read: CAT Application Form Correction
Read More - CAT Exam 2024 Registration
CAT Registration Fees
Candidates applying for the exam must also make the payment of CAT Exam Fee before submitting the CAT Application Form. The registration process will not be considered complete without the payment of CAT Application Fee. The registration fee for CAT Exam varies for candidates belonging to various categories.
Below mentioned is the CAT Form Fees that candidates must pay while filling the CAT Registration Form
Category | CAT Exam Fees |
General and OBC | INR 2500 |
SC, ST, and PwD | INR 1250 |
IIM CAT Exam – Changes Over the Years
The IIM CAT Exam has undergone several changes since the time the exam was switched to Computer based mode. It was previously conducted in Paper pen mode. The table below presents some important changes made in the CAT exam. These changes include the time limit changes, number of questions, and more.
Year | Duration | Section | Total No. of Questions | CAT Total Questions |
CAT 2023 | 120 minutes | VARC | 24 | 66 |
DILR | 20 | |||
QA | 22 | |||
CAT 2022 | 120 minutes | VARC | 24 | 66 |
DILR | 20 | |||
QA | 22 | |||
CAT 2021 | 120 minutes | VARC | 26 | 76 |
DILR | 24 | |||
QA | 26 | |||
CAT 2020 | 120 minutes | VARC | 34 | 100 |
DILR | 32 | |||
QA | 34 | |||
CAT 2019 | 120 minutes | VARC | 34 | 100 |
DILR | 32 | |||
QA | 34 | |||
CAT 2018 | 180 minutes | VARC | 34 | 100 |
DILR | 32 | |||
QA | 34 | |||
CAT 2017 | 180 minutes | VARC | 34 | 100 |
DILR | 32 | |||
QA | 34 | |||
CAT 2016 | 180 minutes | VARC | 34 | 100 |
DILR | 32 | |||
QA | 34 | |||
CAT 2015 | 180 minutes | VARC | 34 | 100 |
DILR | 32 | |||
QA | 34 | |||
CAT 2014 | 170 minutes | QA and DI | 50 | 100 |
VA and LR | 50 | |||
CAT 2013 | 140 minutes | QA and DI | 30 | 60 |
VA and LR | 30 | |||
CAT 2012 | 140 minutes | QA | 21 | 60 |
DI | 9 | |||
VARC | 30 | |||
CAT 2011 | 140 minutes | VA and LR | 30 | 60 |
QA and DI | 30 |
CAT Exam Resources
Below mentioned are some of the CAT Exam resources that candidates can check by clicking on them. These links will help students understand CAT Exam and various aspects in a better manner so that they can start preparing for the upcoming exam in a more modified way.
CAT Preparation & Other Useful Resources | |
Strategies for CAT Preparation to Get Good Percentile in CAT Exam | |
CAT Exam Syllabus
CAT Syllabus is another equally important aspect of CAT Exam that all the aspirants must be thoroughly aware of. Understanding of CAT Entrance Exam Syllabus is the best way to determine your direction. It will become easier to determine how much time students must spend on each topic.
Below mentioned is the brief of CAT 2024 Syllabus that the students must make sure to study before appearing for the examination.
IIM CAT Syllabus | Topics |
Number System, Geometry Time and Work, Algebra, Mensuration and Arithmetic | |
Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Coding and Decoding Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets | |
Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Verbal Ability, Odd Sentence Out |
Read in Detail - CAT 2024 Syllabus
CAT Exam Pattern
The total number of questions in CAT IIM is 66 (as per the previous year question paper) and these questions are to be completed in 120 minutes. CAT Total Marks is 198 marks. Below mentioned is the CAT IIM Marking Scheme.
CAT Marking Scheme
- For each correct answer, candidates will be rewarded with 3 marks.
- For every incorrect answer, there will be a deduction of 1 mark.
- There is no negative marking for Non MCQ type of questions.
CAT Exam - Division Of Questions
Below mentioned is the outline of the MCQ and Non MCQ questions for CAT Exam.
CAT Exam Section | Question Type & Nos. |
MCQ – 21 | |
Non MCQ – 3 | |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | MCQ – 14 |
Non MCQ – 6 | |
Quantitative Aptitude | MCQ – 14 |
Non MCQ – 8 | |
Total No. of Questions | 66 |
Also Read - CAT Exam Pattern
Various Programs offered by IIMs
IIMs | Programs offered |
PGP, PGP-FABM | |
MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM | |
PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA | |
PGP | |
IIM Calcutta | MBA |
PGP, PGP-HRM | |
MBA | |
IIM Jammu | Executive MBA (Blended Mode) |
IIM Jammu | PGP in Health Care Management (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu) |
IIM Jammu | PGP in Hospital Administration (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu) |
MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA | |
PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi | |
PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM | |
PGP | |
IIM Raipur | PGP |
PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics) | |
PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM | |
MBA, Executive MBA | |
PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE | |
MBA, MBA (T&HM) | |
PGPM, PGPM-HR, PGPBM | |
MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBA | |
PGP, PGPEX, PGPDGM |
How much time is required to complete CAT Syllabus?
More than 2 lakh candidates apply for the CAT Exam every year. In order to ace the examination, there should be an extensive preparation running over a period of at least 10 months before the commencement of the exam. However, candidates who started preparing for the exam a little late and are behind the schedule, must be fully committed to passing the examination. They can still do well if they have devoted at least 4 months to the preparation.
CAT Exam Cities
Below mentioned is the list of CAT Test Cities where the CAT 2024 will be conducted.
Name of the State | CAT Exam Cities |
Andaman and Nicobar | Port Blair |
Andhra Pradesh | Guntur |
Kakinada | |
Kurnool | |
Nellore | |
Rajahmundry | |
Tirupathi | |
Vijayawada | |
Visakhapatnam | |
Vizianagaram | |
Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar-Naharlagun |
Assam | Dibrugarh |
Guwahati | |
Jorhat | |
Silchar | |
Tezpur | |
Bihar | Gaya |
Aurangabad-Bihar | |
Arrah | |
Bhagalpur | |
Darbhanga | |
Muzaffarpur | |
Patna | |
Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
Chhattisgarh | Bhilai Nagar |
Bilaspur | |
Raipur | |
Dadar and Nagar Haveli | Silvaasa |
Goa | Panaji |
Madgaon | |
Gujarat | Ahmedabad |
Anand | |
Gandhinagar | |
Mehsana | |
Rajkot | |
Surat | |
Vadodara | |
Haryana | Ambala |
Faridabad | |
Gurugram | |
Himachal Pradesh | Bilaspur |
Shimla | |
Hamirpur | |
Jammu & Kashmir | Jammu |
Srinagar | |
Jharkhand | Dhanbad |
Hazaribagh | |
Jamshedpur | |
Ranchi | |
Karnataka | Belagavi (Belgaum) |
Bengaluru | |
Hubli-Dharwad | |
Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) | |
Mangaluru (Mangalore) | |
Mysuru (Mysore) | |
Shivamogga (Shimoga) | |
Udupi | |
Kerala | Kannur |
Ernakulam | |
Kollam | |
Kottayam | |
Kozhikode | |
Thrissur | |
Trivandrum | |
Ladakh | Leh |
Lakshadweep | Kavaratti |
Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
Gwalior | |
Indore | |
Jabalpur | |
Sagar | |
Satna | |
Ujjain | |
Maharashtra | Amravati |
Ahmednagar | |
Aurangabad-MH | |
Bhiwandi | |
Boisar | |
Jalgaon | |
Kolhapur | |
Mumbai | |
Nagpur | |
Nanded | |
Nashik | |
Pune | |
Raigad | |
Satara | |
Solapur | |
Thane | |
Vasai | |
Manipur | Ukhrul |
Meghalaya | Shillong |
Mizoram | Aizawl |
Nagaland | Kohima |
New Delhi | New Delhi |
Odisha | Balasore |
Berhampur | |
Bhubaneswar | |
Cuttack | |
Dhenkanal | |
Rourkela | |
Sambalpur | |
Punjab | Bhatinda |
Jalandhar | |
Ludhiana | |
Mohali | |
Patiala | |
Amritsar | |
Puducherry | Puducherry |
Rajasthan | Ajmer |
Bikaner | |
Jaipur | |
Jodhpur | |
Kota | |
Sikar | |
Udaipur | |
Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
Coimbatore | |
Madurai | |
Salem | |
Tirunelveli | |
Tiruchirappalli | |
Vellore | |
Telangana | Hyderabad |
Karimnagar | |
Warangal | |
Uttar Pradesh | Agra |
Aligarh | |
Bareilly | |
Ghaziabad | |
Gorakhpur | |
Greater Noida | |
Kanpur | |
Jhansi | |
Lucknow | |
Meerut | |
Moradabad | |
Muzaffarnagar | |
Prayagraj | |
Varanasi | |
Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
Haldwani | |
Roorkee | |
West Bengal | Asansol |
Bankura | |
Burdwan | |
Durgapur | |
Hooghly | |
Kalyani | |
Kolkata | |
Siliguri |
Other MBA Entrance Exams
Besides CAT Exam, there are other MBA Entrance Exams that CAT Aspirants are usually aware of. The other MBA Exams are mentioned below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CAT?
CAT stands for Common Admission Test. It is a national level MBA Entrance Exam conducted by the IIMs on a rotational basis. It is conducted for admission to management programs offered by the top management institutions across the country.
What is CAT Eligibility Criteria?
As per the CAT Eligibility, candidates with a bachelor's degree securing at least 50% marks in aggregate from a recognized university will be considered eligible for taking CAT Exam. This is the minimum educational qualification required to appear in the exam. There is no age limit in cat exam.
What is CAT Exam used for?
CAT Exam is the only gateway to get into Indian Institutes of Management. Candidates who qualify IIM CAT Exam with a valid score will be considered eligible for admission to the IIMs. Apart from IIMs, there are other reputed management institutions across the country that accept CAT Score for admission. These institutions are SPJIMR Mumbai, FMS Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, MDI Gurgaon, etc.
Is CAT compulsory for MBA?
No. CAT is not compulsory for MBA Admission to all the business schools. There are several other management institutes that accept other MBA entrance exams for admission. Some of the other MBA Exams are SNAP, XAT, CMAT, MAT, NMAT, etc.
Is CAT tougher than IIT JEE?
CAT and IIT JEE Main, both are national level entrance exams conducted for admission to management and engineering programs respectively. If we consider the topics covered in both the exams, we can say that the IIT entrance exams are completely subject specific while on the other hand CAT consists of aptitude questions that can consist of any type. Considering this, we can say that CAT Exam is a little more difficult than JEE Main.
Is it tough to get 100% in CAT Exam?
If the preparation goes strategically, it is not very difficult to secure 100% marks in CAT Exam. Candidates are required to work smartly, strategically, and consistently.
Is 37 a good score in CAT Exam?
For admission to IIMs, nothing less that 98 percentiles is acceptable. But there are other MBA colleges that accept less than that of IIMs Cutoff.
Is there negative marking in CAT Exam?
Yes. There is negative marking in CAT Exam. Each correct answer is rewarded with +3 marks while every incorrect answer comes with a penalty of 1 mark.