CAT Registration: 2nd August 2023 (From 10 AM) To 21st September 2023 (Till 11 AM)
CAT 2023 Exam Date: 26th November 2023
CAT 2023 Results: 1st week January 2024 (Expected)
Common Admission Test (CAT) is an all-India examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) as an entrance exam to select candidates for admission to various management programmes.
Apart from the IIMs, many other top MBA colleges in India accept the CAT Score. B-schools such as the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) Delhi, SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Management Development Institute (MDI), Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), IIT-MBAs, IMT Ghaziabad, etc., use CAT score in their admission process. You can also check out the complete list of top MBA colleges in India (with detailed fees and placements) here.
There are many other MBA entrance exams available, but there is a unique preference for the candidates who ace the CAT exam during the admission process of the respective colleges. But why? The reason is that CAT tests a student's aptitude, logical reasoning, reading comprehension skills, time management skills, etc. - the basic skills necessary for aspiring managers/business leaders before starting their MBA journey.
How much CAT percentile is required for an IIM call? (based on your profile)
CAT is the first stage in the selection process. The institutes prepare a shortlist of candidates based on the CAT score and several other criteria like 10th class, 12th class, Graduation percentage and Work experience. The selection criteria and weightage assigned to each criterion, including the CAT score, might vary from institute to institute.
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The CAT exam is an annual management entrance test, so it will be conducted only once a year, in November. Each year, the CAT exam is conducted by any one of the top six IIMs in India. The CAT 2023 exam is conducted by IIM Lucknow. Check out the important dates of CAT 2023, including the examination date.
Event | Important Date |
CAT 2023 Notification | July 30th, 2023 |
CAT 2023 Registration starts | 2nd Aug 2023 (10 AM) |
CAT 2023 Application last date | 21st September 2023 (Till 11 AM) |
(Release of Admit Card | 25th Oct 2023 |
CAT 2023 Exam date | 26th November 2023 |
Answer key release | 1st week of December 2023 |
Results | 1st Week, January 2024 |
The CAT is an exam conducted by the IIMs and is held nationwide, so the candidates must fulfil certain eligibility criteria. The requirements to satisfy the CAT exam eligibility criteria are as follows:
CAT 2023 Exam pattern
The expected exam pattern for CAT 2023 is as follows : Earlier CAT exam used to be 3 hours, but since 2020, the exam has moved to a 2-hour format.
There will be three sections:
Each correct answer is awarded three marks, and each wrong answer carries a penalty of -1 mark. Some questions are Type-in-the-answer (TITA) questions. The marking scheme for TITA questions is +3 marks for the correct answer and NO negative marks for the wrong answer. Also, there is no negative marking for Unattempted questions. Checkout more details on Negative marking in CAT exam.
Each section has a sectional time limit of 40 minutes, and candidates are not allowed to switch between the sections. Candidates are expected to perform well in all the sections, and most institutes accepting CAT scores for admission have sectional and overall cut-offs.
The below table shows the exam pattern expected for CAT 2023 (the following pattern is based on the previous year's exam pattern):
SECTION | DURATION | NUMBER OF QUESTIONS |
---|---|---|
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | 40 minutes | 24 |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | 40 minutes | 20 |
Quantitative Ability | 40 minutes | 22 |
Total | 120 minutes | 66 |
CAT does not have a defined syllabus. Two sections (VARC & LRDI) out of the three do not require you to memorise even basic formulae. VARC and LRDI are the sections entirely based on the candidate's logical reasoning ability, reading comprehension skills, language skills etc.
Coming to the third section (Quantitative Ability): This section deals with mathematics based on the concepts learned in high school. The weightage for each section is represented in the below pie chart. (You can also download the PDF of the detailed CAT syllabus, which is given under this pie chart)
The topics involved in each section are as follows.
Topics in each section of CAT
Each section constitutes specific sub-topics. The below table shows the broad sub-topics in each section.
Section | Topics |
Quant |
|
LRDI |
|
VARC |
|
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The CAT 2023 exam registration starts from 2nd August 2023. Check out the steps given below to register for the CAT 2023 exam.
College | Details |
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad | |
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta | |
Indian Institute Of Management(IIM), Lucknow | |
Indian Institute Of Management (IIM), Kozhikode | |
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore | |
Faculty of management studies (FMS), New Delhi | |
S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai | |
Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon | |
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of management studies (JBIMS), Mumbai (for outside Maharashtra candidates) | |
Institute Of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad | |
National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai | |
Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong | |
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Trichy | |
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kashipur | |
Department of management studies (IIT Delhi), New Delhi | |
Shailesh J Mehta School of Management (IIT Bombay), Mumbai | |
Vinod Gupta school of management (VGSOM), IIT Kharagpur | |
Xavier Institute of Management (XIM), Bhubaneswar | |
International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi |
Knowing the level of questions that arrive in the CAT examination is essential. The CAT previous year's question papers are one of the best resources to have an idea regarding the level of questions and the pattern of the examination. One can download the PDFs of the past year's question papers with all slots, with detailed video solutions, for FREE. These PDFs with video solutions of CAT previous papers will help you understand each question well. You can practice these questions or can also take these as an actual test.
Download CAT previous question papers PDFs with video solutions
Also check out the CAT Topic-Wise Previous Questions
Last updated: Aug 24th, 2023 11:05 IST
Published: Aug 24th,2023 09:03 IST
Over the past two years (due to covid pandemic), the CAT 2022, 2021 exam pattern has been changed. Earlier CAT was conducted in a 3-hour pattern with 1 hour for each section.
But, since 2020, the exam moved to a 2-hour format. Check out the CAT exam pattern changes mentioned below in CAT 2022, CAT 2021, CAT 2020, and CAT 2019.
Also, check out the score required for CAT 100%iler, CAT 99%ile & Above.
CAT Exam Year | CAT 2022
Exam Pattern | CAT 2021
Exam Pattern | CAT 2020
Exam Pattern | CAT 2019
Exam Pattern |
No. of Questions | 66 | 66 | 76 | 100 |
Marks Per Question | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Total Score | 198 | 198 | 228 | 300 |
Exam Duration | 120 Minutes | 120 Minutes | 120 Minutes | 180 Minutes |
Score to get 100 Percentile |
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Score to get 99 Percentile | 98 | 98 | 101 | 156 |
VARC [No. of Questions] | 24 | 24 | 26 | 34 |
LRDI
[No. of Questions] | 20 | 20 | 24 | 32 |
QA [No. of Questions] | 22 | 22 | 26 | 34 |
CAT Exam Year | Conducted By |
CAT 2023 | IIM Lucknow |
CAT 2022 | IIM Bangalore |
CAT 2021 | IIM Ahmedabad |
CAT 2020 | IIM Indore |
CAT 2019 | IIM Kozhikode |
CAT 2018 | IIM Calcutta |
CAT 2017 | IIM Lucknow |
CAT 2016 | IIM Bangalore |
CAT 2015 | IIM Ahmedabad |
CAT 2014 | IIM Indore |
CAT 2013 | IIM Indore |
CAT 2012 | IIM Kozhikode |
CAT 2011 | IIM Calcutta |
CAT 2010 | IIM Lucknow |
CAT 2009 | IIM Ahmedabad |
CAT 2008 | IIM Ahmedabad |
CAT 2007 | IIM Bangalore |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): The CAT syllabus for VARC section focuses on the candidate's English language skills. It includes reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, sentence correction, para-jumbles, and para-completion.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR): The DILR section of CAT syllabus evaluates the candidate's ability to analyze and interpret complex data and make logical deductions. This section covers data interpretation & sufficiency, logical and analytical reasoning.
Quantitative Ability (QA): The CAT QA section tests the candidate's mathematical and problem-solving skills. It covers arithmetic, algebra, geometry, number systems, percentages, ratios, probability, permutations, and combinations.
As each of these sections significantly influences the final score and percentile after the CAT exam, it is crucial for CAT applicants to fully comprehend and prepare for each section. Your chances of getting a good outcome will increase if you set aside enough time to study and practice.
Preparing for CAT 2023 as per the CAT syllabus requires a structured and strategic approach. Here are some steps you can follow:
1. Understand the CAT syllabus thoroughly before creating a study plan.
2. Gather comprehensive study material and resources aligned with the CAT syllabus.
3. Develop a structured study plan for CAT preparation, allocating time for each section and topic.
4. Focus on building a strong conceptual understanding of each topic.
5. Practice regularly with a variety of question types and difficulty levels.
6. Take CAT mock tests to simulate the exam environment and assess your performance.
7. Manage your time effectively and practice solving questions under time constraints.
8. Analyze your performance, identify weaknesses, and improve them.
9. Regularly revise the topics to reinforce understanding and retention.
10. Stay updated with the latest CAT trends, stay motivated, and believe in your abilities.