The CAT 2017 notification has been released by IIM Lucknow, the conducting body of CAT 2017. The registration process will start on August 9, 2017 and the conduction of CAT exam is scheduled to be on 26 November 2017. The CAT exam is a prerequisite for admissions in the IIMs and many other prestigious B-schools in the country.
Incidentally, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade has already released their notification for IIFT MBA IB 2018 exam which is scheduled to be held on the same day as the CAT exam i.e. on November 26, 2017. The registration for the IIFT exam has already started and the registered candidates now cannot appear for the CAT exam simultaneously. The candidates who planned to give both the exam this year can only look forward to IIFT to change its exam date as the IIMs announced the CAT exam dates later and are unlikely to change the same.
On another instance, it is also interesting to note that the IBPS PO Mains exam is also scheduled for the same date as of the CAT and IIFT MBA IB exam. So, the candidates who cleared their IBPS Prelims exam will have to choose wisely between the exams considering their respective priorities.
Here is a comparison of exam notification between the three exams:
| Events | IBPS PO | IIFT Exam | CAT Exam |
| Registration | 6 August-26 August | July 25- September | 9 August-20 September |
| Application Fees | Rs. 600/- (General)
Rs. 100/-Â (SC/ST/PWD |
Rs. 1550/- (General)
Rs. 775/- (SC/ST/PWD) |
Rs. 1800/- (General)
Rs. 900/- (SC/ST/PWD) |
| Exam Dates | Prelims- October (7, 8, 14,15)
Mains- November 26 |
November 26 | November 26 |
| Exam Description | To become a Probationary Officer in the participating financial institutes/ banks. | To pursue a postgraduate degree in International Business (MBA in IB) | To pursue various senior management degrees in the IIMs and other B-Schools |
The CAT 2017 exam will be conducted in two sessions and the test will be a computer based test (CBT). The exam will comprise of three sections namely Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The distribution of marks in the respective sections is not announced and the exam is expected to include NON-MCQ type questions just like the previous year.
With the clashing of exam dates, the candidates can only choose a single exam between the three. If one has been aspiring for the CAT exam, one should choose this exam over the other two to pursue their dream of entering into a reputed B-school. So, it is suggested to think properly about the personal career choices and opportunities and apply accordingly. The dates might get altered in the coming days; but as of now, there is no such notification from either of the institutes.
