CAT Exam 2024 Handbook: Exam Date, Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Registration, Eligibility and More PDF Download

What is CAT Exam?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's most esteemed national-level exam which acts as a gateway for students looking to enter the top B-schools and IIMs. 
There is no doubt that the CAT Exam is the biggest MBA entrance exam in the country. 

• The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) take turns organizing the Common Admission Test (CAT) each year. 
• More than 2 Lakh aspirants take the CAT Exam per annum, but only a small number of them get into their preferred top B-schools. 
• Apart from IIMs, other prestigious B-schools that recognize CAT scores include MDI (Gurgaon), IITs, SP Jain (Mumbai), FMS (Delhi), Great Lakes Institute of Management (Chennai), KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies (Mumbai), IMT(Ghaziabad), Xavier Institute of Management (Bhubaneshwar) and more.

If you’re a B-school/IIM aspirant planning to get admission in top IIMs, you can prepare with EduRev Infinity for CAT to boost your preparation.

Why should You give CAT Exam?

1. Higher Packages: MBA graduates receive higher emoluments and this is the motivating factor for individuals to pursue MBA after a graduate degree in any discipline or after a work experience of 2 to 7 years. 

2. Better Career Opportunities & Flexibility: The sheer variety of positions, the level of accountability and ownership you receive from your MBA at work make it worthwhile. 

You have a variety of specializations to pick from, including marketing, advertising, finance, strategy, consulting, etc.

3. Advancement in Career: You require a second degree to advance in your career beyond a certain point. One of the best possibilities for further education in India is choosing an MBA career.

4. Perks for future Entrepreneurs:  If you've earned an MBA from one of the top business schools in the nation, your chances of finding seed funding to launch a new company as an entrepreneur increase significantly. 

Some of the established startups from IIM Alumni include MakeMyTrip, No Broker, Nykaa, Policy Bazaar, Urban Company & others. Imagine having access to such an established network of alumni by getting into one of the top B-schools in the country. Cracking the CAT Exam would open the gateway to funding opportunities & access to a great talent pool.

5. Real-Life Experiences: You have the top minds of the country as your batchmates, with whom you can interact anytime and learn from their real-life experiences in different fields. 

You can brainstorm your thoughts & ideas and gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of your batchmates. 

You can also read this EduRev article to know more: Why Should I Opt For CAT Exam?

CAT Exam Highlights

CAT Exam has undergone major changes in the past few years which can be owed to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read below the key highlights of the CAT Exam 2024.

CAT Exam 2024: Important Dates 

CAT 2024 will be an online computer-based test for admission to the MBA/ PGDM programs offered by IIMs.

The notification for CAT Exam 2024 registration will be released in August 2024.
Here are some of the tentative CAT Exam dates for 2024:

CAT Exam Notifications and Updates

The CAT (Common Admission Test) is an annual exam held in November. 

The notification includes important details such as the application fee, important CAT Exam dates, MBA/PGP programs, and other essential information. 

You can stay updated with the official notification for the exam by following the official website and EduRev also helps you stay updated about every important notification which you can check from here.

What is CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria?

The complex criteria for appearing in CAT have become less rigorous than before due to the recent changes caused by the pandemic. The aspirants must go through CAT Eligibility Criteria article prepared by EduRev to avoid any last-minute hustle.  

Here is a glimpse of the CAT Eligibility criteria for CAT 2024:

1. Qualification

• In order to be eligible for CAT Exam, an aspirant must be a graduate degree holder in any stream. 
• Candidates appearing in the final year/semester of their degree program can also apply for CAT 2024.
• SC/ST/PwD candidates should have a minimum 45%. For General, EWS and NC-OBC

  candidates, the minimum is 50%.

2. Age Limit

• As for CAT Age Limit, there is no minimum/ maximum limit defined. 
• There is also no restriction on the number of attempts.

3. Work Experience

• There are no specifications about work experience in the CAT eligibility criteria.
• There are no limitations in the case of experience. 
• Therefore both the freshers and experienced candidates can take the exam.
• However, some of the B-schools do consider work experience during admission. Like SP Jain gives preference to the candidates with work experience. If you’re a working professional, you should have the list of MBA colleges, which gives additional weightage to the candidates with work experience because that would definitely help at the time of admissions.

4. Reservation

• There is some %age allocated for certain categories of students in MBA colleges. (These are general numbers but can vary for different colleges)
• For ST, SC, NC-OBC, and DA candidates, if shortlisted, are required to show their original caste/class and/or disability certificate and submit a copy of the certificate at the time of the interview.

CAT 2024 Registration Date, Application Form & Process

The registration for the CAT 2024 Exam, administered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM), is tentatively scheduled to begin in the first week of August 2024 on the official IIM CAT website. 

• In 2022, registration for the exam began on August 3rd and ended on September 21st. To participate in the exam, candidates will need to submit an application form on the official website before the deadline. 
• It is expected that the cost to take the exam will remain the same as the previous year.

The stepwise process for  CAT Registration is mentioned briefly in these articles:
CAT 2024 Registration in 3 Easy Steps
CAT 2024 Registration: Common mistakes to avoid while filling CAT form

CAT Entrance Exam Fees

2024

The CAT 2022 Registration fee was Rs. 2300/- (for the general category) and Rs. 1150 (for SC, ST and PWD candidates), including the CAT Registration Fees and the IIM application fees. After this payment, you need not have to pay any additional amount for applying to the other 20 IIMs.

A similar CAT Exam Registration fee is expected for CAT 2024 Exam Registration.

CAT Admit Card

2024

For the past few years, the CAT Admit Card has been released in the fourth week of October. 

• CAT Admit Card is available on the official website and can be downloaded from there. 
• Information regarding your exam centre’s address, reporting time, exam timing, google map link to locate the centre, and other requisite exam day instructions are mentioned in your CAT Admit Card. 
• A print of the admit card is needed to be presented at the exam centre. 
• The  CAT Admit Card is a mandatory document to be carried to the examination centres. 
• Candidates must carry two colour printouts of their admit card with a passport-size photo affixed on both copies. 
• A digital copy of the CAT Admit Card will not be accepted by the examination centre staff as a valid document for candidate identification.

You can check out this EduRev document to understand the CAT Exam 2024: Admit Card

Also Read: Mistakes to Avoid on the CAT 2023 Exam Day

CAT 2024 Exam Pattern

CAT Exam is divided into 3 sections:

• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (LRDI)
• Quantitative Ability (QA)

The below table shows the CAT Exam pattern for 2024:

Each section has a sectional time limit of 40 minutes, and candidates are not allowed to switch between the sections. 

EduRev also provides with strategies and techniques to help prepare for the Common Admission Test (CAT). Experts have provided with step by step guide which will help you to prepare for different sections of the exam.

Sectional-Division of CAT Exam

You can check out the courses offered by EduRev for CAT Preparation to help you get into top IIMs.

Marking Scheme of CAT Exam

• Each correct answer is awarded 3 marks, and each wrong answer carries a penalty of -1 mark. 
• Some questions are Type-in-the-answer (TITA) questions. 
• The marking scheme for TITA questions is +3 marks for the correct answer and NO negative marks for the wrong answer. 
• Also, there is no negative marking for Unattempted questions.

CAT Exam Syllabus

The CAT Exam does not have a set syllabus, but these are the topics from which the questions have been asked in the past years:

• The Quantitative section focuses on basic math concepts such as arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, with a particular emphasis on arithmetic. 
• The VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension) section mostly consists of reading comprehension passages, followed by questions on paragraph jumbles and summaries. It may also include verbal reasoning, sentence completion, and fill-in-the-blank questions. 
• The DI-LR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning) section includes caselets, tables, charts, graphs, and questions on topics such as arrangements, syllogism, and blood relations. 

EduRev provides you with a comprehensive list of the topics covered in the CAT Exam Syllabus based on the types of questions asked in the past 15 years.

EduRev also provides with the strategies and techniques to help prepare for the Common Admission Test (CAT). Experts have provided with step by step guide which will help you to prepare for different sections of the exam.
How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT? 
How to Prepare for VARC?
How to Prepare DILR for CAT?

Important Changes in CAT Exam over the Years

• In the past six years, the marking scheme for the CAT Exam has remained unchanged, with three marks awarded for each correct answer and one mark deducted for each incorrect answer. There is no penalty for incorrect or unattempted TITA (Type in the Answer) questions. 
• The total number of marks for the CAT 2020 exam was 228. In the year 2021, a new pattern of exam was introduced in which the total marks were 198 and no new changes were introduced in the exam pattern of CAT 2022. 
• EduRev experts have compiled a list of changes that have occurred in the CAT Exam over the years.
• Quick Link: Latest Changes in CAT Exam article that provides an overview of the changes that have been made in respect of the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam.

Note: In case of changes in the CAT Exam Pattern, IIMs notify the candidates on their official website (https://iimcat.ac.in/). Students should visit the site for mock tests/ tutorials and the latest exam pattern. These mock tutorials will be uploaded in the month of October.

CAT Exam Preparation and Study Material

To prepare for CAT (Common Admission Test), you should focus on mastering the core concepts of all three sections Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. 

You should also spend significant time on topic-wise tests, section-wise mock tests  & complete mock tests as CAT Exam is all about attempting the questions smartly to excel in the exam. 

Here’s a CAT Preparation table, which provides links to all the important courses & guidance documents to help you prepare for the CAT Exam in an effective way, which would save your time and effort.

EduRev offers a comprehensive package of EduRev Infinity for CAT which includes everything that an aspirant would need for CAT Preparation. All the courses in the EduRev Infinity for CAT have been curated by the mentors of toppers like Anshul Goyal (IIM L), Arijit Goswami (IIM K), Abhinav Gupta (IIM K) & others.

How to prepare for CAT with EduRev Infinity?

EduRev Infinity Package for CAT includes:

1. Subject-wise Courses: Courses for all the 3 subjects: Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal Aptitude & Reading Comprehension (VARC) and Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation (LRDI). Each course offers topic-wise video lectures, detailed notes & online tests for each topic. 

2. Mock Test Series for CAT Preparation: Mock Test Series for CAT Preparation course on EduRev offers section-wise & complete mock tests. 

3. Level-wise Tests for CAT Preparation: This course offers level-wise tests for each topic to help you prepare exhaustively for the CAT Exam. 

4. Previous Year Question Papers & Archives: EduRev also offer previous year question papers & topic-wise questions for each topic, which have appeared in different CAT Exams in the last 5-10 years. 

5. 100 RCs for CAT Preparation: This course offers 100+ RCs to help you prepare & master in RCs, which will give you an edge in the CAT Exam and move a step closer to your IIM dream. 

6. Shortcut Techniques, Formulas, CAT Crash & Others: Along with the above courses, you also get shortcut techniques, formulas & others in various courses of EduRev.

7. Mock Test Series for Other MBA Exams: You also get Mock Test Series for other MBA Exams like SNAP, NMAT, XAT, IIFT, TISSNET & others. 

For more resources, practice papers, coaching etc, explore EduRev's CAT study material. EduRev Experts will help you with the best guidance. Be consistent and practice as much as you can.

Best Books For CAT Preparation

 

2024 ?

There are several sources available for CAT preparation. As per our experts, the best books for CAT are as follows:

Books for VARC

1. How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT'- by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
2. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Nishit K Sinha
3. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh
4. Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
5. CAT 100 RCs for Practice
6. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Course by EduRev

Books for DILR

1. 'How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT' - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
2. Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit K Sinha.
3. 'How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT' - by Arun Sharma
4. Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency - Ananta Ashisha
5. Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation Course by EduRev

Books for QA

1. 'How to prepare for Quantitative for the CAT' - by Arun Sharma, published by MGH Education
2. Quant study modules by Arun Sharma
3. How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT - Sharma and Upadhyay
4. PSC for VA for CAT - Nishit Sinha
5. Quantitative Aptitude (Quant) Course by EduRev

CAT Preparation Tips from Toppers

EduRev team has interacted with 100s of toppers, who have got admission in IIMs to provide you with the right guidance on how to prepare for the exam and also the best quality of study material & tests to help you in getting admission in IIMs.

Here’s a video with Arijit Goswami (IIM K) on how you should prepare for the CAT Exam.

You can gain insights into how they achieved such a high percentile in the exam and what their strategies were for cracking the CAT. 

Apart from the above video, here are some tips to help you prepare for the exam:

1. Time Management is crucial in the CAT Exam, as you have a time limit of 40 minutes per section. Practice keeping track of the time you spend on each question and work on improving your speed and accuracy as you progress through your preparation.
2. Shortcut Techniques can be very helpful in saving time on the exam. Make sure to pay attention to the tricks and strategies your mentors teach you and review them regularly.
3. Practicing Previous Year Question Papers and taking mock tests will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and give you a sense of what to expect on the exam.
4. Carefully consider which Questions to attempt, as the choice of questions is a key factor in doing well on the CAT.
   Make sure you understand a question before attempting to solve it, and only proceed if you feel confident in your ability to do so.
5. To Improve your Vocabulary and Reading Skills, make an effort to read books, editorials, newspapers, and journals on a regular basis. This will also help you stay current on current events and industry happenings.

CAT Previous Year Papers Analysis

The CAT Exam has undergone several changes since its inception. These changes have been seen in its exam pattern, type of questions, number of questions, and time limits. Nevertheless, the difficulty level of the exam has always remained on the higher side. 

Exam analysis is often recommended by toppers to ensure that you understand the pattern of the exam and prepare accordingly, rather than preparing randomly for the exam.
Explore CAT Exam Highlights by Year:

• CAT 2022 Analysis
• CAT 2021 Analysis
• CAT 2020 Analysis
• CAT 2019 Analysis
• CAT 2018 Analysis

CAT Exam Previous Year Question Papers

The actual CAT papers prove highly useful in understanding the exam pattern and difficulty level. It will also help you know about the important topics of different sections. 

It is recommended to attempt the previous year questions as tests, which would help you understand on how you would have performed in that particular exam. Also, you get a clear picture of how the exam is going to look like, helping you prepare mentally for the same.

You can find Previous Year Questions for the last 10-year here on EduRev

Along with that, you also get Topic-wise Past Year Questions for all the 3 subjects (Quant, LRDI & VARC), which you can refer while studying a particular topic as well.

CAT Exam Preparation with Mock Tests

The secret to achieving brilliance in any field is to practise CAT mock tests. Students profit much from doing mock tests.

• CAT mock tests enable students to become familiar with the various question formats that will be present on the exam.
• Aspirants have the opportunity to effectively review each important subject through mock tests. You will fare better on the CAT Exam in every category the more tests you take.
• Without a thoughtful evaluation of your performance, practice is ineffective. Analysis of CAT mock test papers can provide you with a true picture of your development and help you to reduce your errors. You are able to pinpoint your areas of strength and weakness and plan your preparation appropriately.
• Access the CAT Mock Test Series prepared by EduRev from the table below.

Refer to the Exam Day Related Articles

1. CAT 2023: Exam Day Do’s & Dont’s
2. CAT 2023: Dress Code To Follow On The Exam Day
3. Mistakes to Avoid on the CAT 2023 Exam Day

CAT Exam Cut Off for IIMs and Top MBA Colleges

The CAT Cutoffs at IIMs are the basic percentile requirement that the college decides for MBA admissions. 

• The CAT Cut Off varies from institute to institute, and it is the minimum score required to get the call from the B School. 
• CAT 2022 Cut Off includes both the overall and sectional CAT Cut Off. 
• Additionally, some B-Schools like IIMs have sectional cutoffs also, which the candidate needs to clear to get a call for the PI round.

Top B-Schools accepting CAT Score

A total of 115+ reputed B-schools in India accept CAT scores, and a few foreign institutes also consider CAT. Apart from 20 IIMs, CAT participating Institutes include other public and private institutes. Some of the top B-schools accepting CAT scores are:

1. Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad
2. Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore
3. Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta
4. Indian Institute Of Management(IIM), Lucknow
5. S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai
6. Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon
7. Indian Institute Of Management (IIM), Kozhikode
8. Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore
9. Faculty of management studies (FMS), New Delhi
10. National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai
11. Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Trichy
12. Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (IIM),Shillong

To  know more about colleges accepting CAT Score and their cut offs, check out the following articles given by EduRev:

Top B Schools accepting CAT Score and their cutoffs

CAT cut offs at IIMs

What are the Other MBA Entrance Exams?

The top MBA entrance exams in India, such as the CAT, XAT, NMAT, XAT, IIFT, SNAP & others are highly competitive and are key to securing admission to the country's top business schools. 

However, with over 3 lakh students taking the CAT each year, and a limited number of seats available at top institutions, it is important for students to prepare for multiple exams in order to increase their chances of being accepted into a B-school. Additionally, some of these exams, like the XAT, are ranked higher than certain IIMs and may offer better placement prospects. Therefore, to ensure admission to at least one B-school, students should aim to take 5-6 entrance exams.

 Among these, the top MBA entrance exams in India are particularly competitive and offer the best chance for admission to top-ranked B-schools with high placement rates. The following is a list of the top MBA entrance exams in India:

Access the Non-CAT Mock Test Series prepared by EduRev from the table below:

What After CAT Result

2022

?

• Candidates should carefully review their CAT Result 2022 and make any necessary corrections if they discover any mistakes or anomalies. 
• Keep an eye on all of your possibilities rather than waiting for the IIMs' cutoff dates in all rounds. 
• So, if you are unable to attend any IIM, you might think about the school that is most appropriate for you. 
• Those who pass the cutoff for the CAT 2022 should prepare for the subsequent phases of the admission procedure. 
• Written Ability Test, Group Discussion, and Personal Interview phases will all be part of the IIMs' CAT 2022 admission selection process. 
• Other than IIMs, all B-Schools now hold WAT and GD-PI rounds to select applicants for admission.

There are additional obstacles they must overcome after passing the exams. Check out the detailed What after CAT Result 2022 article prepared by EduRev experts to help you overcome those obstacles.

CAT Exam GD-PI (Group Discussion & Personal Interview)

GDPI's full form is Group discussion and Personal Interview. CAT GD PI is the most crucial round for admission to top-most B-schools, like IIMs. After the declaration of results, IIMs shortlist the candidates and conduct GDPI for final selection.

Group Discussion: 

During the group discussion, candidates are usually given a topic and are expected to participate in a discussion with a group of other candidates. The assessors are looking for a candidate's ability to express their ideas clearly, listen to others, and contribute to the discussion in a meaningful way. 

Here’s a document on complete details for Group Discussion (GD): How is Group Discussion Evaluated?

Personal Interview: 

In the personal interview, the assessors will ask the candidate a variety of questions to evaluate their motivation for pursuing an MBA, their work experience, and their career goals. The interview is also an opportunity for the candidate to ask questions and learn more about the program they are applying to. Both the group discussion and personal interview are important parts of the CAT selection process and candidates should prepare well for them.

Here’s a document with the complete details on Interview Preparation for CAT: How is Personal Interview Evaluated?

What is WAT for IIMs?

Written Ability Test (WAT) is an important part of final selection to MBA programme in IIMs and other top MBA colleges. WAT is a paper-pen based writing test of 15 to 30 minutes duration conducted by IIMs and other top B-schools to test your writing skills after you are shortlisted for final admission round. 

This test is conducted just before your personal Interview session. In fact most of the IIMs have replaced Group Discussion (GD) round by WAT in the final selection round. 

In WAT round a candidate can freely put down his views and thoughts on paper coherently without fear of getting disrupted.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on CAT Exam

Who is eligible for CAT Exam?

Candidates with bachelor's degree/equivalent from a recognised institute can appear for CAT. Also, they need to have attained at least 50% marks/equivalent CGPA in their bachelor's degree. Even the candidates in the final year of their graduation can take CAT, but they must be able to fulfil the remaining conditions before admissions.

Check out the detailed CAT Eligibility Criteria given by the IIM conducting authority for CAT 2024.

What is CAT Exam used for?

CAT is the entrance test for admissions to MBA/PGDM/equivalent programmes offered by B-schools and management institutes.

Is CAT Exam only for MBA?

Yes, it is a compulsory test for people seeking admission to MBA programmes for most of the B-schools in India. However, several B-schools accept other similar entrance test scores also.

Is the CAT Exam tough?

Yes, CAT is not just a competitive exam but also complex in terms of questions. However, if you stay focused and follow a disciplined preparation strategy, you will be able to crack it well.

EduRev provides you with the strategies and techniques to help prepare for the Common Admission Test (CAT). Experts have provided with step by step guide which will help you to prepare for different sections of the exam.

How long does it take to cover CAT syllabus?

The time it takes to cover the CAT (Common Admission Test) syllabus varies depending on the individual's preparation level and the resources they are using to study. Generally, it is recommended to begin preparing for the CAT at least 6-8 months in advance to give oneself enough time to cover the entire syllabus and practice enough mock tests.

It also depends on how much time you can devote on a daily basis.

Can I do MBA without CAT?

There are a few top B-schools too which offer Direct MBA admissions without CAT. Many private institutes also provide direct admissions in the MBA courses based on their different university entrance exams and Personal Interviews or on the basis of the candidate's score in the previous qualifying exam.

How long are the CAT scores valid?

The CAT score card is valid for a period of one year only. After which candidates will have to take the following years' CAT Exam for admissions in respective institutes. Most of the Institutions/Universities in India accept the CAT score for admissions

Are there any age restrictions for appearing in CAT?

There is no age bar to appear for CAT.

How many times can I take the CAT Exam?

There is no limit on the number of attempts for CAT.

Can I appear for more than one slot for CAT?

No, you are not allowed to appear for more than one slot for a CAT session.

Can I opt for the exam shift of my choice?

CAT is held in 2-3 shifts on a single day. However, the slot/shift is assigned by the authorities only.

What is a good score/percentile in CAT?

Initially, most of the IIMs shortlisted candidates with 95-99 percentile. But in the last few years, the top ones like IIM-A have started profile-based shortlisting and have set their CAT cut-offs at 80 percentile. Yet, it is still better to target a percentile of 95 and above, if you want to stay open for a more number of B-schools.

How many questions should I attempt to get 99+ percentile in CAT?

CAT is more a test of tactical skills than time management. Experts recommend that you will need to attempt atleast 75% questions with high accuracy so as to get 99+ percentile.

Is there any sectional qualifying score in CAT?

Most B-schools differ in their overall CAT cut off as well as sectional cut offs. However, the top institutes like IIMs usually set their sectional cut off criteria somewhere between 70 to 90 percentile.

Does CAT have negative marking?

Each correct answer is awarded 3 marks, and each wrong answer carries a penalty of -1 mark. 

Some questions are Type-in-the-answer (TITA) questions. 

The marking scheme for TITA questions is +3 marks for the correct answer and NO negative marks for the wrong answer.
Also, there is no negative marking for Unattempted questions.