CAT is Common Admission Test or CAT Exam is a computer-based aptitude test. It is an aptitude exam designed to take admission to management courses offered by some top management institutes in India. It is one of the most renowned and toughest entrance exams in India. The CAT Exam is considered one of the significant events of management studies in India. Every year this exam is scheduled on the last Sunday of November and this year the exam of CAT will be conducted on Nov. 26, 2023. In total, more than 2,00,000 candidates appear every year in the exam and only the top 5000 get the chance of studying in IIMs. Not only IIMs but over 1300 Business Schools in India consider the result of this exam for admission. Other exams cater to specific institutions and may have varying levels of difficulty. Your choice of exam should align with your target schools and your strengths in different test areas.
Eligibility Criteria
The candidate must satisfy the following conditions for CAT exam Eligibility:
- The candidate should have a graduation degree of a minimum three-year duration, having not less than 50% marks, 45% in case of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disability (PWD) /Differently Abled (DA).
- The graduation degree should have been granted by any of the universities formed by an act of the parliament or assembly (central or state statutory body in India) or other educational establishments constructed by an act of Parliament or announced to be deliberated as a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or retain an equal qualification documented by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India.
- Candidates appearing for the final year of graduation degree/equivalent qualification examination and the individuals who have finished degree requisites and are expecting results can also apply for the CAT exam. On selection, such students will be permitted to join the program provisionally, and they need to present a certificate by June 30, from the principal/registrar of their college/institute mentioning that the student has finished all the requirements for acquiring a four-year or three-year degree.
Registration Fee
Category | Fees |
General category | Rs 2400 |
Reserved category | Rs 1200 |
Minimum marks required for further rounds
The admission process through CAT exam scores into IIMs and other management institutes is online. Immediately after the CAT result announcement, the IIMs begin the shortlisting process of candidates for WAT-PI. In this process, candidates must upload their CAT scores on the official website of their desired IIM. The institutes, then assess each candidate\’s CAT score against the final cut-off and academic profile to create a list of students who can participate in WAT-PI. IIM admission process of all 20 institutes lasts for three to four months and the classes commence from June-July. The admission procedure for non-IIMs also gets over around the same time.
IIM admission is based on three parameters including, CAT exam score, WAT/GD-PI, and academic record. The IIM admission procedure includes three stages:
First phase | Shortlisting of candidates |
Second phase | WAT/GD-PI round |
Third phase | Final selection |
Top MBA colleges that accept CAT exam
IIM | Programme Courses |
IIM Ahmedabad | PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGD-ABA (ePost Graduate Diploma in Advanced Business Analytics) |
IIM Bangalore | PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA |
IIM Amritsar | MBA-HRM, EMBA, MBA, MBA-Business Analytics, |
IIM Calcutta | MBA |
IIM Indore | PGP, PGP-HRM, MSDSM (Master of Science in Data Science and Management) |
IIM Bodhgaya | PGP |
IIM Jammu | MBA, MBA (Hospital Administration & Healthcare Management (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu), Executive MBA (Blended Mode) |
IIM Lucknow | PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM, PGPWE |
IIM Kashipur | MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA, EMBAA (Executive Master of Business Administration Analytics) |
IIM Kozhikode | PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi |
IIM Nagpur | MBA, MBA (Executive) |
IIM Ranchi | PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics) |
IIM Rohtak | PGP, EPGDSM |
IIM Raipur | PGP |
IIM Sambalpur | MBA, Executive MBA |
IIM Shillong | PGP, PGPEX, MBA (WE) |
IIM Sirmaur | MBA, MBA (T&HM), ExMBA (Digital Transformation & Analytics) |
IIM Tiruchirappalli | PGPM & PGPM-HR |
IIM Visakhapatnam | PGP, PGPEx, PGPDGM |
FAQs
Who conducts the CAT exam?
The CAT exam is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis. One of the IIMs is assigned the responsibility each year.
What are the eligibility criteria for CAT exam?
Candidates should have a bachelor\’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) or an equivalent qualification. Final-year students are also eligible.
How can I register for the CAT exam?
Registration for CAT is done online. You need to visit the official CAT website, create an account, fill in the application form, upload the required documents, and pay the application fee.
What is the CAT exam pattern?
CAT typically consists of three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The exam is conducted in a time-bound manner.
Is there a negative marking in CAT exam ?
Yes, CAT has a penalty for wrong answers. For each incorrect answer, there is a deduction of one-third of the marks allocated to that question.