CAT Exam 2025 - Registration, Eligibility, Admit Card, Exam Pattern, Syllabus

CAT Exam Dates

IIM Calcutta conducted the CAT 2024 on November 24, 2024 . The important dates of the exam along with the other dates such as cat registration date 2024, the final date to fill cat application form, and the schedule of the exam have been mentioned below in the table.Read in Detail - CAT Exam Dates 2024 - Complete Schedule

CAT Registration Process

IIM Calcutta released the CAT Application Form for the exam on August 2, 2024 at the official website i.e. iimcat.ac.in 2024. The last date to apply for CAT 2024 Exam is 13th September 2024. The candidates will easily have more than 1 month to complete the registration process and then fill the application form of cat. CAT Registration Process 2024 - Step-by-Step Guide

Also, they must fill the form before the deadline of the same arrives. The application form link will expire and no longer exist after the deadline is reached.

How to Fill CAT Application Form 2024?

Below mentioned are the steps to fill CAT Form 2024:

• Visit the official website of CAT 2024 - iimcat.ac.in 2024.
• Navigate to and Click on ‘New Registration'.
• Enter your name, date of birth, nationality, mobile number, and email address to register.
• Once the registration is done, candidates will receive a login ID and password on their registered email id.
• Proceed to fill the cat 2024 application form.
• Enter your personal as well as educational details.
• Upload scanned passport sized photograph and signature.
• Select the preferred courses and respective IIMs.
• Select the cat center from the drop down given there.
• Proceed to make the payment of CAT application fee via credit/debit card or net banking.
• Review the duly filled cat application form and click on ‘Submit'.

Things to keep in mind while filling CAT 2024 Application Form:

• Candidates must make sure that all the details filled by them are correct as any incorrect detail may lead to cancellation of their candidature.
• The cat application correction window will be made available only to make corrections in the images uploaded or the chosen exam centers.

CAT Exam Fees

The CAT registration fees varies according to the category of candidates. CAT Fees for general/obc candidates will be INR 2500 while the cat registration fee for SC/ST candidates will be INR 1250.

• The payment of application fee must be made through any online mode of application such as Debit card, Credit card, or Net Banking.
• The payment can also be made through Demand draft but in such case, they are required to provide the details in the duly filled application form.
• The CAT Fees for general category candidates is INR 2500 and SC/ST/PwD candidates it is INR 1250. CAT Fees for OBC Candidates is INR 2500.

CAT Registration Dates 2024

Below mentioned are the registration dates of CAT exam 2024:

CAT Eligibility Criteria

The CAT 2024 eligibility criteria has not undergone any changes in the last few years. Even for CAT 2024, the eligibility criteria remain the same. The minimum educational qualification to be eligible to take CAT Exam 2024 is possessing a bachelor's degree in any field from a recognized university.

Below mentioned are the cat eligibility criteria that candidates must fulfill in order to be eligible for the same:

• Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree securing at least 50% marks in aggregate from a recognized university (45% for SC, ST, and PwD/DA category candidates).
• Candidates with a professional degree such as CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI securing the minimum marks can also appear for the exam.
• Candidates in their final year of graduation or awaiting the results are also considered eligible for the exam.
• They must make sure that the aggregate marks of their 1st and 2nd year should meet the minimum marks required for the exam.
• The graduation of MBA aspirants can be regular or distance learning but it should be a 3-year program degree.

Read more about CAT Exam Eligibility 2024

CAT Admit Card

CAT Admit Card is one of the most important documents that candidates must carry to the cat exam center to appear in the cat examination. They must note that they will not be allowed to enter the examination hall without the admit card. Below mentioned are some of the important points that candidates must keep in mind about the How to Download CAT Admit Card 2024:

• Candidates who have registered themselves for the exam successfully and made the payment of cat registration fees, can download the CAT 2024 Admit Card.
• They must log in to the official website of IIMCAT i.e. iimcat.ac.in using their cat login credentials i.e. login id and password in order to download the hall ticket of cat exam.
• The details mentioned in the CAT admit card such as cat test centres, exam date, etc. must be correct.
• Candidates must verify all the details mentioned on the admit card. In case any information is incorrect, please get that rectified by contacting the authorities concerned.

How to Download CAT Admit Card?

Candidates must possess their login credentials for cat 2024 admit card download as it can only be downloaded through online mode. Below mentioned are the steps to download cat admit card:

• Visit the official website of cat mba exam - iimcat.ac.in 2024.
• Navigate to and click on ‘Login' button.
• Enter your CAT Login Credentials - cat application number and password.
• Enter the security number or captcha code and click on ‘Submit'.
• The screen will display the cat admit card.
• Candidates must download and take a printout of the same for future reference.

CAT Syllabus

CAT Syllabus 2024 is divided into three sections namely VARC, DIRL, and QA. The full form of VARC is Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, DILR full form is Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and QA stands for Quantitative Aptitude. There are several other topics under each section of the cat syllabus for mba.

Mentioned below are some of the important topics from each section of the mba cat syllabus: Read in Detail - Complete CAT Syllabus 2024: All Sections

• How to Prepare for CAT Verbal Ability 2024
• Quantitative Aptitude Preparation for CAT 2024
• How to Crack CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

CAT Exam Pattern

There are three sections in which the CAT Exam Question Paper is divided. All the questions in the cat question paper are multiple choice questions (MCQs) and TITA (type in the answer) i.e. Non MCQ type. The total duration of CAT Exam is 2 hours (120 minutes). In these 2 hours, candidates need to solve 66 questions from all three sections VARC, DILR, and QA. There is also a sectional limit of 40 minutes each section.

Below are the main highlights of CAT exam pattern:

• CAT Exam will be held in three shifts.
• The total cat exam duration is 2 hours i.e. 120 minutes.
• CAT question paper is divided in three sections - VARC, DILR, and QA.
• There will be +3 marks for each correct answer and for every incorrect answer there will be a deduction of 1 mark.
• There is no negative marking for non-MCQs.
• There will be no deduction of marks for skipping the questions.
• CAT Total marks i.e. the maximum achievable score in the CAT 2024 Exam is 198 marks.
• It is not mandatory to attempt all the questions in cat question paper.

Read in Detail -CAT Exam Pattern 2024: Section-Wise Breakdown

Please refer to the table mentioned below for CAT Test Structure 2024:

The table mentioned below is for exam timings for CAT 2024. Candidates applying for the exam must see the table below:

CAT Previous Year Question Paper

Candidates preparing for the exam can go through the CAT Syllabus and get a fair understanding of what topics are asked in the CAT Question Paper. The previous year question papers of CAT Exam can help students peek into the sectional weightage, difficulty level of questions asked, and the types of questions in the cat question paper. Solving CAT Exam previous year question papers is one foolproof way to understand the difficulty level of the exam and secure good marks in the exam.Read in Detail - Download Previous Year CAT Question Papers

Here are the previous years' CAT papers PDFs links. Students can download these CAT Question Paper PDFs and start preparing for the exam.

CAT Exam Preparation Tips

For CAT 2024 Preparation, candidates must start at least 6 months before the examination is commenced. Six months of duration is a must to secure 99+ percentiles in CAT 2024. The three elements candidates must consider before starting the preparation of CAT exam are Conceptual Clarity, Practice, and Revision. Candidates taking the CAT Exam for MBA for the first time should start in the month of March as it gives you 7-8 months before the exam is conducted in November.

Also Read - How to Score 99 Percentile in CAT Exam 2024?

• Candidates appearing in the Common Admission Test must first get familiar with CAT Syllabus 2024 and CAT Exam Pattern and then make a preparation plan to study.

Below are some of the tips on How to Start CAT 2024 Exam Preparation:

• Check CAT Syllabus of previous year as it is likely to remain the same.
• Make a list of topics as per your strengths and weaknesses.
• Join online study groups on various social media platforms such Youtube and Telegram.
• Collect study material relevant to you CAT Syllabus and CAT Preparation Books.
• Make daily plans and allot topics as per your capacity each from VARC, DILR, and QA.
• Revise and practice questions from the topics you prepared from each section.
• Practice CAT Previous Year Question Papers in order to increase your speed of solving questions.

• Aspirants may visit the official website to get the detailed description of syllabus one must prepare in order to qualify the entrance examination.
• To ensure that is up to the mark, consistency and practice are the keys. Solve questions pertaining to various sections to ensure perfection. Do not focus only on one section. Preparation needs to be well-rounded.
• During the initial phase of study, try to make your accuracy more perfect than your speed. Solve questions pertaining to various sections to ensure perfection.

Also Read - Best CAT Preparation Tips 2024

CAT Mock Test

IIM Calcutta will release the official CAT Mock Test in the month of October, right before one month of the exam commencement. Solving the CAT Mock Test will help students assess their preparation level. These mock tests are similar to the previous year question papers of CAT Exam and have the same kind of questions asked in the CAT question paper.

Below mentioned are the sample mock tests that students can solve before appearing in the examination.

Also Check -Take Free CAT Mock Tests 2024

CAT Toppers Tips and Strategy

As per the survey, most of the CAT Toppers started their CAT Exam Preparation from March or April and onwards. Previous toppers studying at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow, IIM Udaipur, FMS, SPJIMR, MDI have shared their preparation strategy. These preparation strategies include how they overcame their weaknesses and secured high marks in CAT Exam. The last-minute preparation tips from these toppers turn out to be very helpful when you wish to secure a good score in the examination.

Also read more about CAT Toppers and their Strategies to Ace CAT

List of CAT Toppers:

CAT Exam is scheduled to be conducted on November 24, 2024 and it will only be conducted at the allotted exam centres. Candidates appearing in the exam must follow a certain set of guidelines which is also mentioned in the CAT Admit Card. Below mentioned are the important CAT Exam Day Guidelines along with the list of documents to carry and prohibited items at the exam centre:

Documents to Carry

Candidates appearing for CAT Exam must carry the below mentioned documents to the exam centre as without these documents, they will not be allowed to enter the examination hall:

• CAT Admit Card – Printout of CAT Admit Card with a passport sized photo affixed on the given space.
• Photos Identity Proof – Photo ID proof such as College ID (must be supported with a valid debit/credit card), employer ID, driving license, passport, PAN card, Voter ID or Aadhaar card
• Name change document – In case a candidate has made changes in his/her name, he/she will be required to carry a name change certificate or any relevant document.
• PwD/Scribe Certificate – Candidates belonging to PwD category will be required to carry a certificate indicating their disability and the scribe certificate attested by the competent authority, in case they are to avail scribe services.

List of Prohibited Items in CAT Exam Hall

• Calculator, watch, phone, iPad or any other electronic item
• Bags and purses
• Eatables and beverages
• Jewellery and accessories that contain metal
• Jackets and clothes with pockets
• Closed footwear

Note: Candidates with a metal implant, pacemaker, etc. in their body will be required to bring medical certificate of the same to the test centre.

CAT Exam Centres

CAT Exam is conducted across several designated CAT Exam Centres in India. As per the official notice at iimcat.ac.in, CAT 2024 Exam will be conducted at over 375 CAT Exam Centres in almost 170 cities. The exam centre is allotted in the city chosen by candidates while filling out the CAT Exam Form. Candidates can choose up to 5 cities in the most to least preferred order. The list of test cities for CAT 2024 is released along with with the release of the application form. The registration process of CAT 2024 Exam began on August 1, 2024 and the last date to register for the exam is September 13, 2024.

CAT 2024 Exam Date is November 24, 2024.

Read more - CAT Exam Centres

CAT Answer Key

CAT 2024 Answer Key will be released after a week the exam is conducted. The CAT provisional answer key will be made available on the official website only for a limited time period. Below are the steps to download CAT Answer Key as well as the response sheet from the official website:

• Visit the official website of CAT 2024 Exam - iimcat.ac.in.
• Navigate to and click on ‘Login' tab.
• Enter your CAT login ID and password.
• Click on ‘CAT Answer Key' will display on the screen.
• Click on the ‘Download' icon to save it as a PDF.

The CAT Answer Key objection window will open once the provisional answer key is released. The window will remain open only for 3 or 4 days. In order to raise an objection, candidates will have to fill an online form, upload supporting documents to prove that the objection is valid. Candidates must also pay the requisite fees for each objection raised by them. The objections raised by candidates will be analyzed by the subject matter experts and in case any objection is found valid, the provisional answer key of CAT 2024 will be revised. The result of cat exam will be calculated based on the revised answer key. No objections can be raised against the Final CAT Answer Key.

CAT Result and Scorecard

The scorecard of CAT Exam will be released in the form of a PDF. Students who take the exam can download the same from the official website - iimcat.ac.in. There will be no hard copies for the same. Candidates can download their respective result by entering their login ID and password. Here is how you can download the CAT Result:

• Visit the official website of CAT 2024 - iimcat.ac.in.
• Click on the ‘Login' tab.
• Enter your CAT Application number and password.
• Navigate to and click on the scorecard section.
• Click on Download to save the scorecard for future reference.

Read in Detail - CAT Result 2024 - How to Check Your Score

The CAT Result or CAT Scorecard will have details such as candidate's raw score, sectional and overall, and percentiles, both sectional and overall. The link to download the CAT Scorecard will remain active for one year.

Courses Offered through IIM CAT

Below mentioned are the various MBA Programs Offered by IIMs in which admission takes place through CAT Score:

IIM Selection Process/IIM Admission Process

CAT Result are expected to be announced during the second week of January 2025. Candidates would be able to check their percentiles and scaled scores once the results are announced. The candidates can download their score card and save it for future reference until the CAT Admission Process gets complete.

• In order to know more about the previous year's result and how and why the result matters, visit CAT Results.

IIM Calcutta will declare a specific date to release CAT result, but as per the notification released by the examination conducting authority, it is usually declared during the 2^nd week of January. However, the result of CAT Exam is generally declared during the first week of January every year, we can expect that the result will be declared on 5^th January 2025 in morning hours. Right after the result is declared, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) begin their admission procedure. The candidates are shortlisted based on their performance in CAT Exam along with Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT) conducted by the institutes.

The final admission offer is made to the candidates in the months of April and May by these institutes.

Also Read - IIM Admission Process for 2024 - Selection Criteria Explained

IIM Admission Process

Each IIM has its own admission criteria in order to shortlist candidates for personal interview round conducted by them. These criteria of IIMs may be independent of one another and there may exist various other parameters besides qualifying the exam. The final admission procedure of every IIM primarily consists of Personal Interviews, Written Ability Test, and Group Discussion.

Other Considerable Parameters for Admission Besides CAT Score:

• Qualifying CAT Exam for MBA is one primary factor for admission to all 20 IIMs. Every IIM has its own eligibility criteria for admission besides CAT Score and candidates must stand eligible as per the below mentioned parameters:
• CAT Score (Mandatory)
• Previous Academic Performance
• Relevant Work Experience
• Gender and Academic Diversity
• Extracurricular Achievements, Social Services, etc.

Also Read - How to get admission to IIM after CAT Exam?

Non IIM Admission Process Through CAT Exam

Institutes that accept CAT Score for MBA Admission other than IIMs also conduct GD/PI rounds for admission to their MBA/PGDM programs. However, there are only a few colleges that do not conduct personality assessment rounds and they admit students based on their performance in CAT Exam only.

CAT Cutoff

After the examination, the conducting body releases the cut off marks based on which the students are selected and given admission to the courses they are willing to pursue their career in.

The Cutoff is the minimum marks a candidate must score to qualify for the next round of selection process. If the difficulty level of the exam is high, the cutoff would be low. The cutoff set would depend on the difficulty level of the exam, the number of institutes and number of seats available.

CAT Cutoff explains a lot about the analysis of previous year's cut off list released by the Indian Institute of Management. The expected cut off marks have been displayed in a tabulated form to provide a brief idea about selection.

Know more about CAT Cutoff 2024 - Expected Cutoff for IIMs

IIM CAT Cutoff Percentiles

CAT Cutoff for IIM Admissions is individually fixed category wise by every institute. While the qualifying CAT Cutoff ranges between 80 and 90 for the general category, the final cutoff is much higher than the qualifying cutoff. Below mentioned table provides you the qualifying Cutoffs for admission to IIMs: Selection Process of IIM PDF

Also Read - Understanding CAT Score vs Percentile - What it Means for You

Top Colleges Accepting CAT Score

CAT Score is accepted by all the 20 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and more than 1200 business schools across the country. Candidates can check the list of IIMs across the country in the table given below:

Non IIM Colleges Accepting CAT Score

Below mentioned is the list of Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score other than IIMs:

CAT Score vs Percentile 2024

The expected CAT Marks vs Percentile will be given here on this page to help students understand the idea of the score required in CAT to get the required percentile: Read More - CAT Score vs Percentile 2024

• For 99+ percentiles, 100+ score is a good score in CAT.
• For 98+ percentiles, CAT Score should be between 95 and 100.
• For 80+ percentiles, 60+ marks are good enough in CAT Exam.

Since CAT Exam will be conducted across three slots, CAT Scores will be normalized in order to ensure that all the candidates are assessed based on an equal level of difficulty of the exam.

Read in Detail - CAT Normalization Process

CAT 2024 Contact Information

Queries regarding CAT Registration, Application and Payment Processing, Document uploading:

• 1-800-210-8720 (Toll Free)
• Monday to Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (excluding National holidays).
• cathelpdesk@iimcat.co.in

Academic queries like eligibility, category and PwD certificate contact CAT Centre office with the following details.

• Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM (excluding holidays)
• +91-080-26993388 / 3017 / 3013
• cat2022@iimb.ac.in

Q. How can I apply for CAT?

A. To apply for CAT Exam 2024, candidates must visit the official website of CAT Exam - iimcat.ac.in 2024 and fill the application form of CAT available online. There are certain steps to fill the form such as registration, academic details, uploading of documents, and payment of registration fee. Once everything is done, candidates will receive a confirmation email on their registered email address and mobile number.