CAT Exam 2024 (Common Admission Test Exam)

The Common Admission Test is conducted to get admission to a top business school for an MBA and the PhD in India. The CAT exam is administered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) rotationally every year. There are nearly 170 test cities for the CAT examination.

There are 21 IIMs: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Bodh Gaya, Calcutta, Indore, Jammu, Kashipur, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Raipur, Ranchi, Rohtak, Sambalpur, Shillong, Sirmaur, Tiruchirappalli, Udaipur, Mumbai, Nagpur and Visakhapatnam. The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta is conducting CAT 2024.

Every year, numerous applicants apply for the exam. This year, nearly 3.29 lakh admit cards are generated for eligible candidates as per the official notice.

Note: The result for the exam is only valid for a year.

List of various management programs IIM candidates have after successfully completing the CAT examination. Candidate can choose the IIM as per their requirement and availability.

• The IIM Ahmedabad offers courses in PGP, PGP-FABM, and ePGD-ABA (ePost Graduate Diploma in Advanced Business Analytics).
• IIM Amritsar has management programs such as MBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM, EMBA, and M.Sc. in Data Science (MSDSM), which is offered together with IIT Ropar.
• IIM Bangalore offers three courses: PGP, PGPEM, and PGPBA.
• IIM Bodh Gaya offers MBAs in Digital Business Management and Hospital and Healthcare Management.
• The IIM Calcutta offers MBA programs.
• IIM Indore provides degrees in disciples PGP, PGP-HRM, and MSDSM (Master of Science in Data Science and Management).
• MBA, MBA (Hospital Administration & Healthcare Management), and Executive MBA are the courses offered in IIM Jammu.
• IIM Kashipur has MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA, and EMBAA (Executive Master of Business Administration Analytics) courses.
• IIM Kozhikode offers degree courses in PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP-IL, and EPGP Kochi.
• lIM Lucknow has MBA, MBA-ABM, MBA-SM, and PGPWE degree courses.
• At IIM Mumbai, candidates can pursue an MBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management or an MBA in Sustainability Management.
• IIM Nagpur offers MBA and E-MBA degree courses.
• IIM Raipur has an MBA degree course.
• The IIM Ranchi MBA, MBA-HRM, MBA (Business Analytics)
• IIM Rohtak PGP, EPGDSM, PGPx
• IIM Sambalpur offers degree programs in MBA, Executive MBA, and MBA for Working Professionals
• IIM Shillong has PGP, PGPEX, and PGP (WE) for the candidates who successfully scored the CAT Exam.
• IIM Sirmaur provides a course line in MBA, MBA (Tourism Management), MBA (Travel, Tourism and Hospitality), ExMBA, ExMBA (Digital Transformation & Analytics), MBA (Family Business)
• IIM Tiruchirappalli has courses in management programs: PGPM (MBA), PGPM-HR (MBA-HR), and PGPBM (MBA for Working Executives in Chennai)
• The IIM Udaipur has degree programs in MBA, MBA-DEM (Digital Enterprise Management), MBAGSCM (Global Supply Chain Management), and Executive MBA (Online)
• Candidate can have access to PGP, EMBA, and PGPMCI degree programs in IIM Visakhapatnam.

Upcoming Event

• November 24, 2024, Sunday: The Indian Institutes of Management will conduct a Common Admission Test 2024 (CAT 2024).
• Result declaration: second week of January

Note: The CAT 2024 score card will be valid only till December 31, 2025

Eligibility criteria

The CAT eligibility criteria for the exam have different sections and are mentioned below.

Age Limit: There is no upper age limit criteria for the CAT exam.

Education Qualification

• Candidates who attained a bachelor’s degree from any discipline with a minimum score of 50% are required for the general and NC-OBC categories. SC, ST, and PWD applicants must obtain a 45% score.
• Candidates in the final year of their bachelor’s degree program are also eligible to take the exam. However, applicants must graduate with the requisite scores. If the prerequisites are not satisfied, the entrance will be suspended.
• If a candidate holds a professional degree such as CA, CS, ICWA, or FIAI is eligible for the CAT exam.

Exam pattern

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) conduct the exam CAT in three sections. The test is an objective-type (multiple-choice questions) and will be of 120 minutes. The CAT syllabus contains three major segments.

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

Application Fee

The CAT Application Fee for General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates is Rs. 2500, whereas for the SC, ST, and PwD candidates it is Rs. 1250.

Document Requirements

• Candidate should have a valid ID proof ( I.e Aadhar card, Pan Card, passport Number, Voter ID card and more)
• Scanned recent passport-size photograph.
• A scanned and clear signature should be uploaded.
• Certificate for NC-OBC, SC or ST category
• PwD certificate (if applicable)

How to Apply?

To apply for the CAT 2025 exam, check the steps mentioned below.

• Visit the official website of the CAT exam.
• On the main page, click on the ‘New Candidate Registration’ tab.
• Fill out the basic details. (Candidate’s name as per the 10th standard mark sheet, DoB, email ID, country name and mobile number).
• Click on declaration and generate the OTP to verify the registration.
• The candidate will now receive login details as an SMS on the registered mobile number
• Again, reach to the main page of the official website and click on the ‘Registered Candidate Login’ section and login with the provided details.
• A new page will open. Now, you can begin entering the required details in the application form (such as Personal Details, Academics, Work Experience, Programs, Test City, declaration and more)
• Upload the required documents.
• Mention the education qualifications details (SSC or 10th or Equivalent Details, HSC or 12th or Equivalent, Diploma Course, Bachelor’s Degree Details, Master’s Degree, and Other Professional Degree).
• Candidate need to select the programs of choice along with the interview city.
• Applicants can choose up to any five different test cities for the CAT 2025 exam from the preferred cities as per the conducting body.
• Choose the payment options and Pay the application fees (the candidate needs to pay the processing fee and GST charges as applicable, dependent on the respective payment gateway).

Applicants will receive the application confirmation email after finally submitting the application form.

How to prepare for the exam?

To prepare for the exam and score a good rank, follow a proper schedule and stick to the syllabus. Here are some of the tips to prepare for the CAT exam.

• Prepare a study strategy: examine the daily study hour and schedule the paper preparation accordingly.
• Stick to the syllabus, monitor the progress and enhance the areas of the syllabus that require extra efforts.
• Manage the time to solve the query within the time frame of the exam.
• Don’t skip the practice: regular revision and practice will develop stability, increase the confidence and lower the chances of mistakes.
• Focus on the preparation mode and change the strategy if required.
• Solve previous year questions and practice the mock exam papers. It will help to identify the growth and mistakes while in preparation.

Disclaimer: Candidates need to check the official site for the updated and latest details. As all the above details are subject to change depending on the guidelines of the conducting body.

FAQS

What is a CAT exam given for?

The Common Admission Test exam is a national-level entrance exam conducted for the admission purpose of postgraduate management or PhD programs offered by IIMs and various other esteemed business schools and management universities and institutes in India.

What is CAT full form?

The full form of CAT is the Common Admission Test. It is a computer-based objective-type examination conducted by IIM to select the applicants for the postgraduate program.

Which subject in the CAT exam?

The CAT test includes three subject sections, including verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC), data interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR), and quantitative ability.

Is a CAT exam tough? The Common Admission Test is considered one of the toughest exams in India because of its difficulty level, and over the years, the IIM redesigns the difficulty level of the exam.