Common Admission Test (CAT)

CAT: The Indian Institutes of Management conducts a computer-based Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to various management programmes of IIMs. Candidates can seek admission into Post Graduate Programmes in Management (PGP) and Fellow Programmes in Management (FPM) after clearing CAT. Eligible candidates can submit their applications from August onwards.

CAT Eligibility Criteria

Read the prescribed eligibility criteria for appearing in CAT:

Age Criteria: IIM has not prescribed any age limit for taking CAT.

Minimum Qualification:

• Candidates should hold a recognized Bachelor’s Degree with minimum 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% in case of the candidates from SC/ST/PwD categories).
• Those who possess an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India are also eligible.
• Candidates appearing for final year of Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent are also eligible to apply.

CAT Online Registration

Eligible candidates need to register first for CAT in order to generate their unique user ID and password. Log in with the same user ID and password and fill rest part of the application form and pay application fee.

Please ensure following before you apply:

• Confirm your eligibility;
• Ensure that you have a genuine email ID and mobile number.
• Fields marked with “*” (asterisk) are mandatory fields in the application form.

Process of Registration

Step I: Complete the registration using your name, date of birth, email Id and mobile number and generate your unique login credentials.

Step 2: Log in at CAT official website using the same user ID and password.

Step 3: Fill all required details in the application form including personal details, academic qualification, work experience, programmes, test city.

Step 4: Upload necessary documents like your photograph signature, EWS/NC-OBC/SC/ST Certificate and PwD Certificate. The size of photograph and signature should not exceed 80 KB each.

Step 5: Make payment of application fee and you’ll receive a confirmation email.

CAT Exam Pattern

Here is the prescribed exam pattern for CAT exam:

• CAT will be a computer-based test.
• The exam will include both objective and subjective questions.
• The exam will be conducted over duration of 3 hours.
• Three marks will be added for every correct answer.
• One mark will be deducted for every incorrect response. There will be no negative marking in subjective section.
• The exam is likely to be held across 156 cities. You can check your exam centre on admit card.

Detailed Exam Structure

CAT Syllabus

IIMs have not prescribed any fixed syllabus for CAT and hence it is generalized in nature. Questions are to be asked from Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus: Reading Comprehension, Facts-Inferences-Judgments, Summary Questions, Meaning-Usage Match, Jumbled Paragraph, Cloze Passage, Sentence Correction, Fill in the blanks, Synonyms/ Antonyms, English Usage or Grammar

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Syllabus: Blood Relations, Logical Connectives, Syllogism, Logical Sequence, Logical Matching, Binary Logic, Seating Arrangement, Cubes, Venn Diagrams, Clocks, Number and Letter Series, Calendars, Other Basic Reasoning Questions,  Pie Chart, Venn Diagrams, Column Graphs, Line Charts, Bar Graphs, Caselets, Tables

Quantitative Ability Syllabus: Mensuration, Coordinate Geometry, Mixtures and Allegations, Trigonometry, Permutation and Combination, Surds and Indices, Inequalities, Probability, Sequences and Series, Logarithm, Simple and Compound Interest, Complex Numbers, Quadratic Equations & Linear Equations, Averages, Ratio and Proportion, Time and Work, Percentages, Speed, Time and Distance, LCM and HCF, Profit, Loss and Discount, Number Systems

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: When registration starts for CAT?

Answer: CAT online registration process is likely to begin from August.

Questions: What will be the mode of registration?

Answer: Candidates need to register and fill application form online. No other modes are allowed for registration and submitting application.

Question: Will the exam be online or offline?

Answer: CAT is a Computer-based test.

Question: I have just passed class 12^th, can I apply for CAT?

Answer: No, you are not eligible. The minimum qualification is Graduation.

Question: How many questions are asked in exam?

Answer: Both objective and subjective questions are asked in CAT exam. There are total 75 objective type and 25 subjective questions asked in the exam.

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