CAT

CAT (Common Admission Test) MBA Exam

The CAT (Common Admission Test) is a competitive entrance exam conducted in India for admission to various MBA (Master of Business Administration) programs offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top business schools in the country.

CAT Overview

The CAT (Common Admission Test) is a competitive entrance exam for MBA programs in India. It is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top B-schools. The exam assesses a candidate’s aptitude in various areas to determine their suitability for the MBA program.

Eligibility Criteria For CAT EXAM

1. Bachelor’s Degree: Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree awarded by a recognized university or educational institution in India. The degree should be incorporated by an Act of Parliament or State legislature or declared as deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.

 

• Minimum Percentage: The minimum percentage required for the Bachelor’s degree is 50% for General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates. However, for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disability (PwD) categories, a minimum of 45% is required.

 

• Final Year Candidates: Candidates appearing for the final year of their Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification examination can also apply. However, if selected, they will be given provisional admission only if they provide a certificate from the Principal/Registrar of their University/Institution stating that they have completed all the requirements for obtaining the Bachelor’s degree by a specified date.

 

• Professional Degree: Candidates with professional degrees such as CA (Chartered Accountant), CS (Company Secretary), ICWA (Institute of Cost Accountants of India), or FIAI (Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India) are also eligible to apply. The required percentage criteria apply to these professional degrees as well.

 

• Calculation of Percentage: The percentage of marks obtained by the candidate will be calculated based on the practice followed by the respective University/Institution. If the grading system is used, the conversion to a percentage will be done as per the procedure certified by the University/Institution. In cases where there is no specified scheme for conversion, the equivalence will be established by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying the result by 100.

For more detailed information and updates, candidates should refer to the official website of CAT, which is www.iimcat.ac.in.

CAT Exam Structure

CAT is a computer-based test (CBT) with a duration of around three hours. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and non-MCQs. The sections in the CAT exam are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).

CAT Exam Pattern

The CAT exam pattern may change from year to year. The number of questions, marking scheme, and time duration can vary. Each section usually has a specific number of questions and a time limit.

CAT Scoring and Marking

Correct answers are awarded marks, while wrong answers carry negative markings. The penalty for wrong answers is typically one-third or one-fourth of the marks allotted to the question. Non-MCQs may have no negative markings.

CAT Exam Syllabus

The CAT syllabus covers topics such as English language skills, reading comprehension, logical reasoning, data interpretation, mathematics, and quantitative aptitude. While the syllabus is not strictly defined, it evaluates problem-solving, analytical, and communication abilities.

Exam Date and Application Process For CAT

The CAT exam is generally conducted once a year, often in November or December. The conducting authority, usually one of the IIMs, releases the official notification and application process. Candidates need to register online, fill out the application form, pay the fee, and select their preferred exam center.

CAT Score Acceptance

The CAT score is accepted by various business schools across India, including the 20 IIMs and other renowned institutions. However, individual institutes may have additional criteria like group discussions, personal interviews, and written ability tests as part of their admission process.

Reservation For CAT Exam

• As per the legal requirements, 15% of the seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. 27% of the seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes candidates belonging to the “non-creamy” layer (NC-OBC). Up to 10% of the seats are reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) candidates.

 

• As per the provisions of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act 2016), 5% of seats are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD). “Person with Benchmark Disability” means a person with not less than forty percent (40%) of a specified disability where a specified disability has not been defined in measurable terms and includes a person with a disability where the specified disability has been defined in measurable terms, as certified by the certifying authority. “Specified disability” means the disabilities as specified in the Schedule of the RPwD Act.

 

• The categories of disability are: a) Blindness and low vision b) Deaf and hard of hearing c) Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy. d) Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness e) Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) f) Other ‘specified disabilities’ mentioned in ‘The Schedule’ of the RPwD Act 2016.

 

• The candidates belonging to the reserved categories need to note the eligibility requirements carefully before applying. It should be noted that while it is the endeavor of IIMs that the candidates belonging to SC/ST/NC-OBC/EWS/PwD categories join the Programme in proportions mandated by the law, they have to meet the minimum eligibility criteria and a certain minimum level of performance to be considered for the admission.

Important Dates : CAT 2023 Exam Dates

Event	Tentative Timeline
CAT 2023 Official Notification	July 2023
Start Date for Registration	August 2023
Last Date for Registration	September 2023
Opening of Form Correction Window	September 2023
Admit Card Release Date	October 2023
CAT 2023 Exam Date	November 2023
CAT 2023 Results Announcement	December 2023