CAT 2023: Exam Date, Registration, Syllabus, Pattern, Notification, Exam Fees, Admit Card Download
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer-based test for admission to a graduate management program. The test consists of three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) started this exam and use the test for selecting students for their business administration programs (MBA or PGDM). The test is conducted every year by one of the IIMs based on a policy of rotation.
- The Candidate should have completed Undergraduate with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for reserved categories) to fill the CAT 2023 Exam Form.
- Candidates who successfully register for the exam will be able to download the admit card in October 2023.It will include the CAT 2023 exam date, venue and time for the exam.
- The Candidates can prepare for the exam with mock papers, study material and CAT Previous Year Papers.
1. What is CAT Exam
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer-based test for admission to a graduate management program. The test consists of three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) started this exam and use the test for selecting students for their business administration programs (MBA or PGDM). The test is conducted every year by one of the IIMs based on a policy of rotation.
The Indian Institutes of Management will conduct a computer-based Common Admission Test 2023 (CAT 2023) in three sessions. CAT 2022 will be conducted by IIMs as a prerequisite for admission to various management programmes of IIMs.
2. Eligibility Criteria Appearing in CAT
- The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree, with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA [45% in the case of candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disability (PwD) categories], awarded by any University or educational institution as incorporated by an Act of Parliament or State legislature in India or declared to be deemed as an University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.
- Candidates appearing for the final year of Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification examination and those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results can also apply. However, it may be noted that such candidates, if selected, will be allowed to join the programme provisionally, only if they submit a certificate from the Principal/Registrar of their University/Institution (issued on or before the date as stipulated by the respective IIM) stating that they have completed all the requirements for obtaining the Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification on the date of issue of the certificate.
- Candidates applying for CAT 2023 should fulfill any one of the following conditions:
- Completed Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage of marks*.
- Completed professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)) with required percentage*.
- Should be in the final year of Bachelor’s degree with required percentage*.
*SC/ST/PwD candidates should have a minimum 45%. For General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates, the minimum is 50%.
- The percentage of marks obtained by the candidate would be calculated based on the practice as followed by the respective University/Institution. In case of grades/CGPA, the conversion to percentage of marks would be based on the procedure as certified by the respective University/Institution. If any University/Institution confirms that there is no scheme for converting CGPA into equivalent marks, the equivalence would be established by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA, and multiplying the result with 100.
- IIMs may verify eligibility at various stages of the selection process, the details of which are provided at the website www.iimcat.ac.in. Applicants should note that the mere fulfilment of the minimum eligibility criteria will not ensure consideration for shortlisting by IIMs. Candidates must declare and maintain a valid and unique email account and a mobile phone number throughout the selection process.
Note: Applicants should note that the mere fulfilment of the minimum eligibility criteria will not ensure consideration for shortlisting by IIMs.
3. CAT 2023 Information
The CAT Exam is basically a timed exam where applicants have 190 minutes to complete 66 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and Non McQ Question. To receive an overview of the exam highlights for the CAT 2023 Exam, take note of the table below.
| Components | Details |
|---|---|
| CAT Full form | Common Admission Test |
| CAT 2023 Conducting Body | Yet to be announced |
| Mode of CAT Exam | Online |
| Application Fee 2023 | ₹1150 for SC, ST and PwD candidates. ₹2300 for all other candidates. |
| Number of Questions | 66 |
| Courses Offered | MBA/PGDM/Executive Diploma |
| CAT official Website | http://www.iimcat.ac.in/ |
| Number of attempts | No Restriction |
| Time duration | 2 hours (160 Minutes for PWD candidates) |
| CAT Exam Question Type | MCQ and Non-MCQ questions (TITA) |
| CAT 2023 Exam Date | To be declared by July 2023 by IIMs |
4. Syllabus and Marking Scheme for CAT
CAT Pattern has been shifting slightly over the years. This makes preparing for the CAT Exam slightly tricky however the sections have remained the same due to which the CAT Syllabus can be looked at in brief.
| CAT Exam Syllabus | Topics |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Quantitative Aptitude – Number System, Geometry Time and Work, Algebra, Mensuration and Arithmetic |
| Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation | Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Coding and Decoding Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Verbal Ability, Odd Sentence Out |
A) Quantitative Aptitude
The portion on quantitative aptitude is perhaps the most significant in any competitive exam. The quantitative problems have their own area of the CAT exam, too. The CAT exam is administered by the IIMs on a rotating basis, and Quant questions are used to assess all of the candidates' competencies and skills for the MBA programme.
| Total Questions in CAT Quantitative Aptitude Section | 24 - 26 |
|---|---|
| Total Marks in Quantitative Aptitude For CAT Section | 72 - 78 |
| Type of Questions in Quantitative Section | MCQs and TITA (non-MCQ) |
| Total MCQs in Quant for CAT Section | 17-18 |
| Total Non-MCQs (TITA) in QA Section | 6 - 7 |
| Marking Scheme in QA Section For CAT | +3 (For Correct Answer) -1 (For Incorrect Answer) 0 (For Unmarked Answer) |
B) Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation
There is no particular preparation or syllabus for this section as it is based on the clarity of thought of the candidate. The set of questions also ensures that the answers that the candidate gives do not contradict each other.
| Total Questions in CAT LRDI Section | 20 |
|---|---|
| Total Marks in Quantitative Aptitude For CAT Section | 60 |
| Type of Questions in LRDI Section | MCQs and TITA (non-MCQ) |
| Total MCQs in LRDI for CAT Section | 14-15 |
| Total Non-MCQs (TITA) in QA Section | 5 |
| Marking Scheme in LRDI Section For CAT | +3 (For Correct Answer) -1 (For Incorrect Answer) 0 (For Unmarked Answer) |
| Time Allotted for DILR Section | 40 minutes |
C) Verbal and Reading Comprehension
The
Verbal and Logical Ability section of CAT 2023 will comprise 26 objective-type questions.
| Total Questions in CAT VARC Section | 24 |
|---|---|
| Total Marks in VARC For CAT Section | 72 |
| Type of Questions in VARC Section | MCQs and TITA (non-MCQ) |
| Total MCQs in VARC for CAT Section | 19 |
| Total Non-MCQs (TITA) in VARC Section | 5 |
| Marking Scheme in VARC Section For CAT | +3 (For Correct Answer) -1 (For Incorrect Answer) 0 (For Unmarked Answer) |
5. Documents Required for CAT
The applicants must provide a passport-size photo as well as a signature image to the application form. The specifications for the photos are described on the CAT official website, and a brief is given below:
Passport Size Photograph and Signature: Upload the scanned image of your passport size photo within the dimensions of
1200 pixels x 1200 pixels. Also, upload the scanned image of your signature within the dimensions of
80mm X 35mm.
The documents file format should be a .jpg or .jpeg and the file size should not be more than
80KB each. The image should be clear with a minimum resolution of
150px/inch. The photo should not be more than 6 months old and should have a white background. You will need the photograph uploaded here to be affixed on the admit card on the day of the test . So, please ensure that you have sufficient copies of this photo.
6. Fees & Payment of CAT 2023 application Form
- Candidate who belong to SC, ST and PwD category have to pay ₹1150 for CAT Application.
- Candidates who don't belong to SC, ST and PwD category have to pay ₹2300 for CAT Exam Application.
- A candidate needs to pay the registration fee only once, irrespective of the number of institutes he/she is applying for.
- SC, ST and PwD candidates must upload a copy of their SC/ST/PwD certificates at the time of registration for CAT Exam.
- Fees once paid cannot be refunded under any circumstances.
7. Instructions to keep in mind while filling the CAT Exam Form
Kindly follow the instructions given below before you start registering for CAT 2022:
- Check your eligibility for CAT 2023 by referring to the Eligibility Section above on the website.
- Ensure that you have a valid and unique email address and mobile number. Please ensure that you retain this email address and mobile number until the CAT Admission process is completed as all official communications will be done using this email address and mobile number only.
- “*” (asterisk) indicates a mandatory field. The fields marked with this symbol must be filled in or you will not be allowed to submit your application for CAT 2023.
- Gather all the information you need for filling the form before registering. Candidates are encouraged to skim through all six sections (i.e. Personal Details, Academics, Work Experience, Programmes, Test City, and Payment) to figure out the requirements during the application process.
- Scanned images of your passport size photo and signature are required for uploading. The photo should not be more than six months old and should have a white background.
- Please carefully verify the accuracy and authenticity of the information submitted as part of CAT 2023 application form. For all subsequent admission processes, the information provided in this Application form will be taken as final and no request for change will be entertained at any future stage.
Before applying online a candidate will be required to have a scanned (digital) image of his / her photograph and signature as per the Guideline given below:
- Passport Size Photograph and Signature: Upload the scanned image of your passport size photo within the dimensions of 1200 pixels x 1200 pixels. Also, upload the scanned image of your signature within the dimensions of 80mm X 35mm. The documents file format should be a .jpg or .jpeg and the file size should not be more than 80KB each. The image should be clear with a minimum resolution of 150px/inch. The photo should not be more than 6 months old and should have a white background. You will need the photograph uploaded here to be affixed on the admit card on the day of the test (November 27, 2022). So, please ensure that you have sufficient copies of this photo.
8. CAT Exam 2023: Results
CAT 2023 result will be declared on the official website of CAT. Here is a stepwise approach for downloading your CAT 2023 scorecard:
- Step 1: Visit the CAT official website, that is, iimcat.ac.in
- Step 2: Click on the CAT result 2023 link titled- ‘CAT Result 2023 Tab’ and enter your CAT user ID and password to log in
- Step 3: Next, click on the ‘IIM CAT Score Card’ tab.
- Step 4: CAT result 2022 will appear on the screen.
- Step 5: Download the CAT exam result 2023 and keep it for future reference
Note: In addition to this, candidates will also be intimated about the result of CAT 2023 via SMS on the registered phone number and an email wherein, the CAT percentile of a candidate will be mentioned.
9. Programmes offered by IIMs
Apart from the flagship PGP - Post Graduate Programmes programme (now renamed as MBA), the IIMs offer various full-time post graduate diploma programmes in various specializations for fresh graduates and working professionals. Take a look at the table below to know more about these programmes:
| Institutes | Programmes |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGD-ABA (ePost Graduate Diploma in Advanced Business Analytics) |
| IIM Amritsar | MBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM, EMBA |
| IIM Bangalore | PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | PGP |
| IIM Calcutta | MBA |
| IIM Indore | PGP, PGP-HRM, MSDSM (Master of Science in Data Science and Management) |
| IIM Jammu | MBA |
| IIM Jammu | MBA (Hospital Administration & Healthcare Management) |
| IIM Jammu | Executive MBA (Blended Mode) |
| IIM Kashipur | MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA, EMBAA (Executive Master of Business Administration Analytics) |
| IIM Kozhikode | PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi |
| IIM Lucknow | PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM, PGPWE |
| IIM Nagpur | MBA, MBA (Executive) |
| IIM Raipur | PGP |
| IIM Ranchi | PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics) |
| IIM Rohtak | PGP, EPGDSM |
| IIM Sambalpur | MBA, Executive MBA |
| IIM Shillong | PGP, PGPEX, MBA (WE) |
| IIM Sirmaur | MBA, MBA (T&HM), ExMBA (Digital Transformation & Analytics) |
| IIM Tiruchirappalli | PGPM & PGPM-HR |
| IIM Udaipur | MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBAWE |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | PGP, PGPEx, PGPDGM |
Conclusion
One of the most challenging MBA entry examinations is CAT, according to experts. In addition, it is a test for which few candidates apply. This may be because of a variety of factors, including the test's difficulty or the small number of universities that accept it. However, depending on the syllabus and paper format, applicants who are preparing for the CAT exam may also want to take the CAT. Candidates should always try to give a variety of entrances because many MBA entrance exams share the same pattern.
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