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Know All About the CAT Entrance Exam

The CAT Exam is the most popular among all MBA entrance exams held every year. Pursuing an MBA degree from a reputed institution is a dream for many aspirants. Candidates seeking admission to MBA programs must appear for the CAT Exam. To predict the Interview/Admission calls from all IIMs and other top MBA colleges on the basis of students CAT score please refer BYJU’S CAT College Predictor tool.

The CAT exam is the minimum eligibility criteria for admissions into the IIMs and other top B – Schools. Candidates aspiring to take the CAT 2023 exam must learn about CAT exam, CAT Eligibility criteria, CAT Syllabus as well as the time needed to complete the entire syllabus to get through the CAT exam and get admission into the top IIMs.

Table of Contents:

What is the CAT Exam?CAT Exam HighlightsCAT Exam Related VideosAbout CAT Exam Timeline and RegistrationEvolution of CAT Exam over the YearsCAT Exam ResourcesCAT Exam Tips & Tricks Related ResourcesVarious Programs Offered by IIMsTime Required to Complete the CAT Exam SyllabusCAT Exam States and CitiesFrequently Asked Questions on CAT Exam

What is CAT Exam?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India’s most prestigious national-level entrance examination, which permits aspirants to get into top management institutes. There is no doubt that it is the biggest MBA entrance test in the country. The IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) conduct this Common Admission Test annually on a rotational basis. IIM Bangalore was the conducting body for CAT 2022. For CAT 2023 IIM Lucknow will be the conducting body . The CAT exam is divided into three sections, namely Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). Each section is timed for 40 minutes, making for a total exam duration of 2 hours.

CAT Exam 2023 will be held on 26th November 2023. It is a computer-based test that is held across various cities in India. If you are a B-school aspirant planning to take up CAT 2023, gear up with your CAT preparation right away, with BYJU’S CAT learning programme.

CAT Exam Highlights:

As per previous year trends, the CAT Exam 2023 will be held in three sessions on 26th November 2023. Candidates aiming for the CAT 2023 exam can check the highlights given below:

CAT Exam 2023 Highlights

Name of the Exam

Common Admission Test (CAT)

CAT Official Website

https://iimcat.ac.in/

Conducting Body

IIM Lucknow

Exam Duration

2 hours

CAT Exam Fees (2023)

INR 1200 (Reserved categories)

INR 2400 (Other categories)

CAT 2023 Exam Date

26th November 2023

Medium of Exam

English

Mode of Exam

Computer Based Test (CBT)

CAT Exam Question Type

MCQ and Non-MCQ questions

Syllabus

Quantitative Ability

Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

Eligibility

Bachelor’s Degree with 50% aggregate

(45% aggregate or equivalent for reserved categories)

CAT Exam Related Videos:

Here, you can find answers to all your burning questions about CAT from BYJU’S team of CAT experts.

About CAT Exam Timeline and Registration:

Every year, the total number of registered eligible candidates is approximately 2.30 lakh. CAT Exam 2023 will be held on November 26, 2023. CAT Exam 2023 official notification has been released 30th July 2023.Following is a table showing the tentative calendar of events for the CAT exam.

CAT Exam Events

Dates

Release of Online Notification

30th July 2023

Commencement of Online Application

2nd August 2023

Admit Card Download

25th October 2023 Onwards

Date of CAT Exam

26th November 2023

CAT Exam Result Declaration

2nd week of January 2024

Evolution of CAT Exam Over The Years:

The CAT Exam has undergone numerous changes since the time the test switched from paper pen mode to computer-based testing:

Year

Time

-Duration

Section

Total Number of Questions in each Section

Total Number of Questions

2023 (Expected)

120

Verbal Ability and Reading comprehension

Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning

Quantitative Ability

24

20

22

72

60

66

2022

120

Verbal Ability and Reading comprehension

Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning

Quantitative Ability

24

20

22

72

60

66

2021

120

Verbal ability and Reading comprehension

Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning

Quantitative Ability

24

20

22

72

60

66

2020

120

VARC

DILR

QA

26

24

26

76

2019

180

VARC

DILR

QA

34

32

34

100

2018

180

VARC

DILR

QA

34

32

34

100

2017

180

VARC

DILR

QA

34

32

34

100

2016

180

VARC

DILR

QA

34

32

34

100

2015

180

VARC

DILR

QA

34

32

34

100

2014

170

QA & DI

VA & LR

50

50

100

2013

140

Verbal Ability & Logical reasoning

Quantitative Ability , Data interpretation

30

30

60

2012

140

QA

DI

VARC

21

9

30

60

2011

140

VALR

&

QADI

30

30

60

Visit Change in CAT Pattern over the past 5 years to know more in detail.

CAT Exam Resources:

Candidates aiming for the CAT Exam, need to have the right resources to prepare for the exam. Here, we have provided the CAT Exam resources, which the applicants can directly access by clicking on the links given below.

CAT Exam Tips & Tricks Related Resources:

The candidates can check the links given below to know the tips and tricks to ace the CAT exam:

How To Prepare For CAT Exam?

CAT Preparation Tips for Final Year Graduate Students

How To Prepare For CAT In Two Months

CAT Preparation Tips for Non-Engineers

How to Crack CAT 2022 in 3 months?

Should I Re-Attempt CAT Exam?

How to Prepare for CAT Exam in 6 Months?

Data Interpretation Tips For CAT Preparation

How Important is CAT Exam for Your Career ?

Logical Reasoning Tips for CAT Exam

How to Guess an Answer in CAT?

Online CAT Preparation Tips For Working Professionals

How to Improve Reading Speed for CAT Exam 2022?

How To Crack Non-MCQ Questions In CAT?

How to Solve Your Vocabulary Woes ?

CAT Exam Syllabus:

A thorough understanding of the CAT exam syllabus is important for determining your direction all through this CAT journey. It will be much easier to determine how much time you should spend on each segment, when you have a reasonable understanding of the CAT syllabus.

CAT Exam Syllabus

Topics

Quantitative Aptitude

Quantitative Aptitude – Arithmetic, Algebra, Number System, Modern Math, Geometry & Mensuration

Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation

Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Coding and Decoding Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Para Completion, Odd One Out

CAT Exam Marking Scheme:

  • For each correct answer, candidates will receive 3 marks.
  • Candidates will receive a negative marking of 1 mark for every incorrect answer for the objective questions.
  • For non-MCQ-type questions, there is no negative marking.

The table below will give you an outline of the MCQ and Non-MCQ questions in the CAT exam based on 2022 :

Section

Number of MCQ and Non-MCQs

In each Section

Verbal Ability

&

Reading Comprehension (VARC)

MCQ -21

Non-MCQ – 3

Data Interpretation

&

Logical Reasoning

MCQ – 14

Non-MCQ – 6

Quantitative Ability

MCQ – 14

Non-MCQ – 8

Total no of Questions

66

Visit, CAT Exam Pattern to know more in detail.

Various Programs Offered by IIMs:

IIMs

Programmes Offered

IIM Ahmedabad

PGP, PGP-FABM

IIM Amritsar

MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM

IIM Bangalore

PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA

IIM Bodh Gaya

PGP

IIM Calcutta

MBA

IIM Indore

PGP, PGP-HRM

IIM Jammu

MBA

IIM Jammu

Executive MBA (Blended Mode)

IM Jammu

PGP in Health Care Management (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu)

IIM Jammu

PGP in Hospital Administration (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu)

IIM Kashipur

MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA

IIM Kozhikode

PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi

IIM Lucknow

PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM

IIM Nagpur

PGP

IIM Raipur

PGP

IIM Ranchi

PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics)

IIM Rohtak

PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM

IIM Sambalpur

MBA, Executive MBA

IIM Shillong

PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE

IIM Sirmaur

MBA, MBA (T&HM)

IIM Tiruchirappalli

PGPM, PGPM-HR, PGPBM

IIM Udaipur

MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBA

IIM Visakhapatnam

PGP, PGPEX, PGPDGM

Time Required to Complete the CAT Exam Syllabus:

Every year more than 2 lakh CAT aspirants register for the CAT Exam. To ace the examination, an intensive preparation period of 7-9 months prior to taking the exam is highly recommended. However, candidates who are behind schedule, and those who are fully committed to passing the test, can do well with a 3-4 month dedicated preparation period.

CAT Exam States and Cities:

Sl No:

Name of the State

CAT Exam Cities

1

Andaman and Nicobar

Port Blair

2

Andhra Pradesh

Guntur

3

Kakinada

4

Kurnool

5

Nellore

6

Rajahmundry

7

Tirupathi

8

Vijayawada

9

Visakhapatnam

10

Vizianagaram

11

Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar-Naharlagun

12

Assam

Dibrugarh

13

Guwahati

14

Jorhat

15

Silchar

16

Tezpur

17

Bihar

Gaya

18

Aurangabad-Bihar

19

Arrah

20

Bhagalpur

21

Darbhanga

22

Muzaffarpur

23

Patna

24

Chandigarh

Chandigarh

25

Chhattisgarh

Bhilai Nagar

26

Bilaspur

27

Raipur

28

Dadar and Nagar Haveli

Silvaasa

29

Goa

Panaji

30

Madgaon

31

Gujarat

Ahmedabad

32

Anand

33

Gandhinagar

34

Mehsana

35

Rajkot

36

Surat

37

Vadodara

38

Haryana

Ambala

39

Faridabad

40

Gurugram

41

Himachal Pradesh

Bilaspur

42

Shimla

43

Hamirpur

44

Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu

45

Srinagar

46

Jharkhand

Dhanbad

47

Hazaribagh

48

Jamshedpur

49

Ranchi

50

Karnataka

Belagavi (Belgaum)

51

Bengaluru

52

Hubli-Dharwad

53

Kalaburagi (Gulbarga)

54

Mangaluru (Mangalore)

55

Mysuru (Mysore)

56

Shivamogga (Shimoga)

57

Udupi

58

Kerala

Kannur

59

Ernakulam

60

Kollam

61

Kottayam

62

Kozhikode

63

Thrissur

64

Trivandrum

65

Ladakh

Leh

66

Lakshadweep

Kavaratti

67

Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal

68

Gwalior

69

Indore

70

Jabalpur

71

Sagar

72

Satna

73

Ujjain

74

Maharashtra

Amravati

75

Ahmednagar

76

Aurangabad-MH

77

Bhiwandi

78

Boisar

79

Jalgaon

80

Kolhapur

81

Mumbai

82

Nagpur

83

Nanded

84

Nashik

85

Pune

86

Raigad

87

Satara

88

Solapur

89

Thane

90

Vasai

91

Manipur

Ukhrul

92

Meghalaya

Shillong

93

Mizoram

Aizawl

94

Nagaland

Kohima

95

New Delhi

New Delhi

96

Odisha

Balasore

97

Berhampur

98

Bhubaneswar

99

Cuttack

100

Dhenkanal

101

Rourkela

102

Sambalpur

103

Punjab

Bhatinda

104

Jalandhar

105

Ludhiana

106

Mohali

107

Patiala

108

Amritsar

109

Puducherry

Puducherry

110

Rajasthan

Ajmer

111

Bikaner

112

Jaipur

113

Jodhpur

114

Kota

115

Sikar

116

Udaipur

117

Tamil Nadu

Chennai

118

Coimbatore

119

Madurai

120

Salem

121

Tirunelveli

122

Tiruchirappalli

123

Vellore

124

Telangana

Hyderabad

125

Karimnagar

126

Warangal

127

Uttar Pradesh

Agra

128

Aligarh

129

Bareilly

130

Ghaziabad

131

Gorakhpur

132

Greater Noida

133

Kanpur

134

Jhansi

135

Lucknow

136

Meerut

137

Moradabad

138

Muzaffarnagar

139

Prayagraj

140

Varanasi

141

Uttarakhand

Dehradun

142

Haldwani

143

Roorkee

146

West Bengal

Asansol

147

Bankura

148

Burdwan

149

Durgapur

150

Hooghly

151

Kalyani

152

Kolkata

153

Siliguri

Other MBA Entrance Exams:

Aspirants enrolled in CAT Coaching must be familiar with all of the MBA entrance exams in India. Other Management entrance exams include XAT, MAT, CMAT, etc.,

Frequently Asked Questions on the CAT Exam:

Q1

What is CAT?

IIMs conduct the Common Admission Test on a rotational basis for admission into management and business courses. CAT is conducted in three sessions every year, on the last Sunday of November.
The CAT Exam consists of 3 sections:

  • Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
  • Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DII-LR)
  • Quantitative Ability (QA)
Q2

What is the CAT eligibility criteria?

In order to qualify for CAT, a candidate must have finished or be appearing for his or her Bachelor’s Degree, final year examination, with at least a 50% aggregate score. The degree should be granted by any university, incorporated or declared to be deemed under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956, or an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.

Q3

When should I start preparing for CAT?

The right time to start preparing for an exam is 12 months in advance. It is recommended that CAT aspirants start their preparation at least 11-12 months before the exam, considering the increased competition and peer pressure. If you have plenty of time on your hands, you can go over the basics again in the last 1-2 months.

Q4

How do I get a good percentile in Quants?

Practice is the key to attaining quantitative ability. More practice will help a student score well on the quant section. A detailed understanding of the CAT paper pattern, understanding the weightage of each topic is essential for CAT candidates. Getting a score of 99% on the CAT QA section requires an in-depth understanding of Arithmetic and Algebra.

Q5

How do I get a good percentile in DILR?

As for the CAT DILR section, 99%iles are achieved by selecting the correct sets to answer. This takes daily practice, so CAT aspirants must become habitual to solving at least 3-5 sets everyday. This will help aspirants become proficient in choosing the right type of sets, and solving them within the time-frame, without any hassle.

Q6

Why CAT Coaching?

The CAT (Common Admission Test) is a national-level computer-based management entrance examination conducted every year by the IIMs. CAT is the premier IIM entrance exam that allows candidates into several Postgraduate Business Management courses. CAT is considered one of the most challenging entrance examinations in India, and you need to obtain a good score to apply to any of the top business schools. CAT 2023 will be conducted by IIM Lucknow on November 26, 2023. Since CAT scores set the benchmark for IIM acceptances, candidates need to equip themselves with the best tips and tricks to crack the CAT Exam in the shortest possible time.

CAT Related Links

CAT Exam Syllabus

List of IIM Colleges

BYJU’S CAT Learning Program

CAT Question Papers

CAT Study Material

CAT Mock Tests

Preparation Strategy for CAT exam

CAT Preparation Books

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