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CAT Exam Full Form: Common Admission Test
Avantika Bhardwaj
Updated on 19th September, 2024 , 11 min read
CAT Exam Full Form: What is the Full Form of CAT?
The most commonly asked question amongst the MBA Aspirants is “What is CAT Full Form?”. The full form of CAT is the Common Admission Test. It is one of the highly competitive MBA Entrance Exams conducted for admission to MBA programs offered by the most prestigious management institutions in India.
Also Read: Preparation Strategy Of CAT Toppers
CAT Full Form is Common Admission Test. CAT is a computer based standardized examination conducted for admission to management programs offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top business schools across the country. The exam is conducted every year by one of the IIMs to select candidates for their flagship postgraduate MBA program. Is CAT Exam Tough?
The CAT Exam consists of three sections and these three sections are mentioned below.
- VARC – VARC stands for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. The section evaluated a candidate’s ability to read and comprehend long passages given in the question paper. It also analyses their ability to answer questions based on the comprehension passage given.
- DILR – The full form of DILR is Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The Data Interpretation topic evaluates candidate’s ability to interpret data presented in the question paper in the form of graphical or tabular form and answer the questions based on the data presented.
- QA - QA stands for Quantitative Aptitude. This section analyses candidate's ability to tackle mathematical questions.
The Common Admission Test, commonly referred to as CAT Exam, is widely regarded as the most challenging entrance exams in the world. The exam has a success rate of less than 5%. In order to stand a chance of getting admission to one of the IIMs, candidates must secure highest marks on all the three sections of the exam.
CAT Syllabus - Quick Links | |
CAT Exam Highlights
Some key highlights of the CAT exam including the CAT full form, the mode of examination, exam frequency, skills assessed, and more such important information are presented in the table below. Candidates should utilize the table to understand about the CAT exam in detail.
Particulars | Highlights |
Acronym | CAT |
Type | Computer-based standardized test |
Administrator | Indian Institutes of Management |
Skills Assessed |
|
Purpose | Admission to post-graduate management programs |
Duration | 2 hours |
Score range | varies annually |
Score Validity | 1 year |
Exam Frequency | Once a year (usually on the last Sunday of November). |
Restrictions on attempts | No restriction |
Regions | 165+ cities and towns all over India |
Languages | English |
Annual number of test takers | Increased by 2.88 Lakhs (CAT 2024) |
Prerequisites | Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least 50 % marks or equivalent GPA (45 % in case of SC, ST, PWD candidates). Final year undergraduate students also eligible |
CAT Exam Fee | ₹2,500 (US$29) for all other candidates. |
Exam Purpose | Admission to IIMs & various other business schools in India |
Website |
CAT Exam Full Form: Brief History of CAT Test
Previously, Joint Management Entrance Test (JMET), used to be conducted for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc Bangalore). It was then scraped in August 2011 and IITs and IISc declared to use CAT Score instead of JMET to shortlist candidates beginning with the 2012-15 batch for their management programs.
- Till the year 2009, CAT Exam was a paper-based examination.
- The CAT Exam Pattern, Number of Questions, and duration of the exam have significantly changed over the past few years.
- On 1st May 2009, it was announced that CAT would be converted into a computer-based test.
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CAT Exam Documents Required for Application Form
In the CAT application form 2024, candidates are required to include both personal and academic information. Therefore, in order to provide accurate personal and academic information on the CAT form, candidates must have the following documents available before beginning to fill it out.
- Marksheet for Class 10
- Marksheet for class twelve
- Graduation certificates and mark sheets
- Certificate of Date of Birth
- Provide Address
- Certificate of Candidate Identification
- Status of COVID-19 vaccine
- Final year certificate from the director, HoD, or principal, if relevant
- Certificate of caste, if applicable
- Certificate of PwD category (if relevant)
- Scribe certification, if relevant
- Credentials for net banking or credit/debit cards
- Document containing work experience
Why is CAT Exam Organized?
The main goal of the CAT is to evaluate a candidate's aptitude, verbal ability, logical reasoning, problem-solving abilities, and data interpretation capabilities. It is a standardized test used to assess applicants' preparedness for the rigorous coursework and cutthroat atmosphere of business schools. The ultimate purpose of the CAT exam is to get admission to the most prestigious institutes which are the IIMs, and studying at an IIM opens various doors to opportunities with the big MNC names, and also opens doors to pursue career opportunities in foreign countries.
Eligibility Criteria for CAT Exam
Below mentioned are the eligibility criteria for CAT Exam that students must fulfil in order to take CAT Exam and for further admission procedure: Are You Eligible for CAT 2024?
- Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree in any field securing at least 50% marks in aggregate from a recognized university.
- Candidates belonging to reserved categories (SC/ST/PwD) must secure at least 45% marks in aggregate from a recognized university.
- The degree should have been awarded by any of the institutions constituted by an act of the central or state legislative body of the country (India) or by any other educational organizations which have been established by an act of the Parliament.
- It should also be approved to be regarded as a university under section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, with an equivalent qualification recognized by the Human Resource and Development (HRD) Ministry, Government of India.
- Candidates in their final year of degree or waiting for their result of final exams are also eligible for the examination. They can apply for CAT Exam by filling CAT Application Form.
Also Read - CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024
CAT Exam Duration and Pattern
The structure or the pattern of CAT Exam remains almost the same every year. There are slight changes in the number of questions in the CAT Question Paper. Detailed CAT Exam Pattern
- In the year 2018, CAT Mock Test was provided on the official website of CAT – iimcat.ac.in by the then conducting body of the exam.
- CAT is a computer-based exam that consists of three sections, VARC (Verbal and Reading Comprehension), DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning), and QA (Quantitative Aptitude).
- The division of questions in each section is decided by the conducting body of examination. QA and VARC were initially composed of 34 questions each while the section DILR consisted of 32 questions.
- Since CAT 2015, the distribution of questions remained same until CAT 2021, the total number of questions in the exam was reduced to 76 from 100 and then in CAT 2022, the number was further reduced to 66.
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Check CAT Topic Wise Weightage
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What is the admission process of IIMs?
CAT Exam Full Form: How to Apply for Common Admission Test?
CAT Exam is conducted every year for students seeking admission to MBA Programs. The CAT Full Form is Common Admission Test. CAT Exam is a computer-based test that evaluates a candidate's quantitative, verbal ability, data interpretation, reading comprehension, and logical reasoning skills. The duration of the exam is 2 hours i.e. 120 minutes and there are 66 questions to be completed. Detailed CAT Registration Process
- In order to apply for the CAT Exam, candidates must first register themselves on CAT official website – iimcat.ac.in 2024. After the registration is done, candidates will be required to enter details such as personal, academic, and contact information.
- Once all the details have been entered correctly, candidates will be able to select their preferred CAT Test City.
- After the selection of test city, candidates will have to make the payment of CAT Registration Fee.
- Only after the successful payment of CAT Exam Fees, candidates will be able to download their admit cards from the website.
- CAT Exam is held in two slots during morning and evening hour. Candidates must report to their allotted test centre on the date of examination along with their admit card and a valid photo ID proof. List of CAT Exam Centres
- There is negative marking for wrong answers as per CAT Exam Pattern
Check Out: CAT Application Form Correction Procedure
CAT Admission Process
A set of guidelines and a predetermined procedure must be adhered to in order to pass the Common Admission Test (CAT) or the CAT Full Form. The stages of the CAT admission process have been explained in detail below in different stages for candidates' reference.
Stage 1: Taking The CAT Exam
- Students take and finish the CAT entrance exams. The IIM then releases the overall cutoff as well as the cutoffs for each sector.
- The contender is chosen for advancement to subsequent rounds based on their performance.
- The Common Admission Test (CAT) cutoffs are announced separately by each IIM.
Stage 2: GD (discussion in groups) and/or WAT
The second stage in the CAT exam is the Group Discussion (GD) and the Written Ability Test (WAT). It is important to note that in order to be eligible for this GD and WAT round, the candidates must clear the CAT cutoff. To clear the CAT overall cutoff, candidates must ensure to clear the CAT sectional CAT cutoff, which means the candidates must pass all the three sections of the CAT exam.
In the GD round, the candidates are given a few topics and they have to present their opinions on the same by indulging in a debate/discussion kind of a situation. Post that the candidates are tested on their writing or written ability skills where they need to write about a particular topic as given by the institute.
Read More: How To Prepare for GD-WAT-PI?
Group Discussion - Information At A Glance
- Most of the institutes conduct the WAT instead of GD
- In Group Discussion, the candidates are divided into groups of 8-10 and they are asked to present their views on a given topic.
- The motive of this round is to check how the candidate communicates his ideas clearly.
- This round determines the candidates' ability in understanding group dynamics and managing a team.
Important Topics That Can Be Covered
The topics mentioned below are purely for information purpose and based on the assumptions analyzing the past trends. The GD topics are not pre-defined by any institute and the candidates have no idea about what can come their way. Candidates are therefore advised to prepare a few impactful pointers based on the current year affairs and the latest news at the time of their GD and WAT tests. Some popular discussions in 2024 may include:
- India's Performance in Paris Olympics 2024
- Women Empowerment & Safety Reforms
- 2024 Elections
Written Ability Test (WAT) - Info At A Glance
- Most of the Indian Institutes of Management conducts WAT to check the candidates' critical thinking ability and how they formulate or communicate their thoughts.
- During WAT, the candidate is required to write an essay on the topic provided by the institute.
- The time duration of WAT varies from 15 minutes to 30 minutes for different IIMs.
- The structure of the essay is considered but the major task is to complete the essay in the given time.
Important Topics That May Be Covered
- Media Influence
- Democracy in India
- Abolition of Triple Talaq
- Women Empowerment Reforms
- Women Safety in India
Stage 3: Personal Interview (PI)
The third stage in the CAT Selection Procedure involves a Personal Interview (PI) where the candidates are assessed based on their speaking abilities. The interview round has no set criteria, and the candidates can be assessed based on any skill including technical, or even interpersonal. However, it should be noted that only those candidates who clear the second stage of GD and WAT will be shortlisted for the interview process. PI carries the weightage of 30 to 40 percent and the interview is taken by the panel of 2-4 interviewers.
Common Questions asked in the PI Round
- Tell us about yourself
- Why you opted or want to opt for MBA?
- Why should we select you?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?
Weightage of components considered while preparing the final merit list
CAT Score: 38
Bachelors' Marks: 3
Class XII Marks: 2
Relevant Work Experience: 2
Gender: 2
Academic Discipline: 3
Stage 4: Final Selection and Merit List
The final stage in this selection process is the preparation of merit list and the final selection of candidates for the IIM and other Top b-schools. The final selection and merit list is not based on the GD and WAT-PI round but the overall background of a candidate including their academics and character. Below are the key factors which are taken into account for the preparation of the CAT final Merit List.
- CAT Exam Results
- Total Grades for the WAT, GD, and PI rounds
- Grades 10 and 12
- Factor of Gender Diversity
- Experience at Work Reservation
CAT Counselling Procedure
The CAT counselling procedure is the ultimate stage to the final admission at the top institutes. The CAT counselling process includes three stages - Call Letter, Reporting & Document Verification, and finally Choice locking. These stages have been discussed briefly below as a step-by-step process.
Step 1: Call Letter
- The candidate will receive the call letter from the authorities on their registered email ID.
- The call letter will include details such as Registration Link, Last Date of Registration, Date-Venue-Slot of WAT and PI.
Step 2: Reporting and Document Verification
- The candidate is required to report the allocated venue.
- The candidate must carry original and photocopies of the required documents.
List of Documents required during Reporting
- Class X Mark Sheet and Certificate
- Class XII Mark Sheet and Certificate
- Bachelors' Degree Certificate
- Reservation Certificate, if required
- Interview Letter
- CAT Rank Card
Step 3: Choice Locking
Once the document verification is done, visit the official website of the college, candidates need to fill the counselling registration form. Select and lock your preferences or choice before submitting the registration form. An intimation will be received on the registered email ID or registered mobile number. Confirm the seat and visit the allocated institute to submit the allotment order.
CAT Year-Wise Trends
The number of registrations has been extremely high, according to the CAT registration patterns over the last ten years. Examine the patterns of CAT registrations throughout the previous thirteen years.
Year | Total Number of Applications |
2024 | 3.5 lakh (Expected) |
2024 | 3.3 lakh |
2022 | 2,55,501 |
2021 | 2,29,969 |
2020 | 2,27,835 |
2019 | 2,44,169 |
2018 | 2,41,000 |
2017 | 2,31,000 |
2016 | 2,32,292 |
2015 | 2,18,664 |
2014 | 2,18,664 |
2013 | 1,94,516 |
2012 | 214,000 |
2011 | 2,05,000 |
2010 | 2,04,000 |
2009 | 2,41,000 |
2008 | 2,90,000 |
CAT Exam Full Form: Preparation Tips for CAT
- Recognize the curriculum: Become acquainted with the CAT curriculum and format. Put your attention on developing your vocabulary, logical thinking, reading comprehension, and numeric aptitude key ideas.
- Time management: Create a study plan and make sure you give each part enough time. Take timed practice exams to increase accuracy and speed.
- Solve Previous Years' Papers: To comprehend the exam format and acquire insight into the kinds of questions asked, solve previous years' CAT question papers.
- Take simulated Tests: To assess your development and pinpoint areas for growth, take comprehensive simulated tests on a regular basis. Examine your performance and address your areas of weakness. Check CAT Mock Tests Here.
- Seek Guidance: Take into account enrolling in online courses or coaching sessions that offer professional advice, study guides, and practice exams. Participate in conversations in groups and socialize with other fellow aspirants to exchange knowledge and strategies.
CAT Preparation - Quick Links | |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CAT Full Form?
The CAT Full Form is Common Admission Test. The exam is conducted for admission to MBA programs offered by Indian Institutes of Management and other famous Business schools across the country.
What is the eligibility of CAT Exam?
The main eligibility to apply for CAT Exam is to hold a bachelor's degree in any field securing at least 50% marks in aggregate from a recognized university. Candidates belonging to the reserved categories must secure at least 45% marks in aggregate. Also, there is no age limit to apply for the exam.
How many times can I take CAT Exam?
Since the exam is conducted only once a year, you can apply for the exam only once in a year. If you stand eligible, you can apply for it as many times as you want.
What is the CAT Exam Pattern?
As per the CAT Exam Pattern, the CAT Question Paper is divided in three sections namely - VARC, DILR, and QA. There are total 66 questions distributed amongst these three sections. The paper needs to be completed in 2 hours of duration.
How much is the CAT Exam Fee?
The CAT Exam Fees is INR 2400 for General and OBC category candidates, and for candidates belonging to the reserved categories such as SC/ST/PwD, the CAT Registration Fee is INR 1200.