CAT full form (Common Admission Test) is a computer-based entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to postgraduate management programs in top business schools in India. CAT, short for Common Admission Test, is renowned for its popularity and competitiveness, with over two lakh candidates appearing for the exam annually. Typically held in November or December, CAT assesses candidates’ aptitude in areas like Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions and is conducted online at test centers across India.
CAT Overview
CAT scores are an essential criterion for selection in most business schools in India. However, many business schools also consider candidates’ performance in group discussions, personal interviews, and written ability tests before making a final selection.
CAT Exam 2023 Important Dates
Exam Event |
Tentative Date |
|---|---|
| Release of CAT notification | July/August |
| CAT registration starts | August |
| CAT registration ends | September |
| CAT Admit Card release | October |
| CAT Exam date | November/December |
| CAT Result declaration | January |
CAT APPLICATION FORM
- Registration: To fill the CAT application form, candidates must first register on the official CAT website by providing their name, email address, and mobile number.
- Personal Details: After registration, candidates must fill in their personal details such as name, date of birth, gender, and nationality.
- Academic Qualifications: Candidates must also provide details of their academic qualifications, including their graduation percentage, college name, and degree details.
- Work Experience: Candidates who have work experience can also provide details of their work experience, including the name of the organization, the duration of employment, and the role held.
- Supporting Documents: Candidates must also upload scanned copies of their photograph, signature, and other supporting documents, such as caste certificates (if applicable) and PwD certificates (if applicable), as per the specifications mentioned on the CAT website.
- Application Fee: After filling in the application form, candidates must pay the application fee online using a debit card, credit card, or net banking.
- Confirmation: After successful submission of the application form and payment of the application fee, candidates will receive a confirmation message on their registered email and mobile number.
CAT APPLICATION FEE
Category |
Application Fee (in INR) |
|---|---|
| General and NC-OBC | 2200 |
| SC/ST/PwD | 1100 |
How to Apply for CAT 2023
- Registration: Visit the official CAT website and register as a new user by providing your name, email address, and mobile number.
- Fill in the Application Form: After successful registration, login to the CAT website using your credentials and fill in the application form by providing your personal details, academic qualifications, work experience (if any), and other relevant information.
- Upload Documents: Upload scanned copies of your photograph, signature, and other supporting documents as per the specifications mentioned on the CAT website.
- Pay the Application Fee: Pay the application fee online using a debit card, credit card, or net banking.
- Submit the Application Form: After filling out the application form, paying the application fee, and uploading the required documents, submit the application form.
- Download Admit Card: Once the CAT application process is complete, download the admit card from the official CAT website using your login credentials.
CAT - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
CAT is a computer-based entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to postgraduate management programs in India’s top business schools, including the IIMs.
The CAT exam consists of three sections, namely, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. The duration of the exam is 2 hours, and the total number of questions is 100.
The validity of CAT score is one year, i.e., the CAT score is valid for admission to management programs in the academic year following the year of the CAT exam.
There is no restriction on the number of attempts for CAT. Candidates can appear for CAT as many times as they want.
CAT Eligibility Criteria
When it comes to the cat eligibility criteria (Common Admission Test), there are several key points to keep in mind. First and foremost, candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized university. Additionally, a minimum of 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories) is required for icat eligibility. There is no age limit for the CAT exam, and relaxation in percentage and age criteria is applicable for reserved categories as per the reservation policy.
While work experience is not mandatory, candidates with prior work experience are also eligible to apply. Furthermore, Indian citizens, NRIs, OCIs, and foreign national candidates are all eligible to appear for the exam. There is no restriction on the number of attempts that candidates can make for the CAT eligibility. It is important to thoroughly review and fulfill the cat eligibility criteria in order to ensure a smooth application process for the CAT exam.
CAT Eligibility Criteria | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC/ST/PWD candidates) |
| Age Limit | No age limit |
| Nationality | Indian, or Non-Indian with a valid passport |
| Attempts Limit | No limit on the number of attempts |
| Work Experience | Not mandatory, but can be considered during the selection process |
CAT Cut Off
The CAT (Common Admission Test) cut-off is determined annually and varies based on multiple factors. These include the exam’s difficulty level, the number of candidates appearing, and available seats. The cut-off is the minimum score required for admission to management programs offered by the IIMs and other participating institutes. Here are the approximate CAT cut-off scores for IIM admission based on the previous year’s data:
IIMs |
Expected Cut off |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 99+ percentile |
| IIM Bangalore | 99+ percentile |
| IIM Calcutta | 99+ percentile |
| IIM Lucknow | 98+ percentile |
| IIM Indore | 97+ percentile |
| IIM Kozhikode | 97+ percentile |
| IIM Shillong | 90+ percentile |
| IIM Rohtak | 97+ percentile |
| IIM Trichy | 95+ percentile |
| IIM Udaipur | 95+ percentile |
| IIM Kashipur | 95+ percentile |
| IIM Ranchi | 95+ percentile |
| IIM Raipur | 95+ percentile |
| IIM Nagpur | 95+ percentile |
| IIM Amritsar | 90+ percentile |
CAT Selection Process
- CAT Exam: The first stage of the selection process is the CAT exam, which is conducted in November/December every year. Candidates need to register and appear for the exam and obtain the minimum cut off score to be considered for the further selection process.
- Shortlisting: After the CAT exam, the participating institutes release a list of shortlisted candidates based on their CAT scores. Shortlisting criteria may vary for different institutes, but typically, it includes the candidate’s CAT score, past academic performance, and work experience (if any).
- Written Ability Test (WAT)/Group Discussion (GD)/Personal Interview (PI): Shortlisted candidates are then called for the next stage of the selection process, which may involve a Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and/or Personal Interview (PI). The purpose of these stages is to evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, analytical ability, leadership qualities, and personality traits.
- Final Selection: Based on the candidate’s performance in the CAT exam, WAT/GD/PI, past academic performance, and work experience (if any), the participating institutes prepare a final merit list and offer admission to the selected candidates.
