CAT 2024 - Common Admission Test, 2024

About CAT 2024

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive national-level management aptitude examination held in India. The CAT is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and difficult management entrance exams.

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) administer the CAT exam on a rotational basis each year. It acts as a gateway for candidates interested in pursuing postgraduate management programs, including the flagship two-year Master of Business Administration (MBA) program offered by the IIMs and other well-known Institutes.

CAT is a computer-based test (CBT), typically held during the month of November each year. The duration of the exam is around 120 minutes (160 minutes for the PwD candidates), divided into three sections, and conducted in three sessions (morning, afternoon, and evening).

CAT 2024 Important Dates

The CAT Examination is often administered in November. The entire process, from the release of the official notification to the declaration of results, spans up to several months. Every year, the entire CAT exam schedule for the current year is published on the official website.

CAT 2024 Application Procedure

Applications for CAT 2024 can only be submitted online via the official website. Candidates are required to follow the given guidelines while filling up and submitting the application form:

Step 1: Online Registration for User ID and Password

• Visit the official website - https://iimcat.ac.in/

• Click on the ‘Register’ button under the “New Candidate Registration” header 

• The Registration form window to create the candidate’s user profile appears

• Fill in the required details - name, birth details, email id, country, and mobile number

• Click on - “Generate OTP” to generate the OTP

• Candidates are redirected to CAPTCHA to fill and submit the OTP received on the mobile for verification

• Select the “I Agree” checkbox in the Declaration section, confirming that the details provided in the registration form are accurate 

• Submit the registration form

• After successful registration, the login details are sent to the registered email id as well as an SMS to the registered mobile number

Step 2: Filling out the CAT Application form

• Click on - “Go to Application form”

• The Application form appears

• The form is categorized into six sections - Personal details, Academics, Work Experience, Programs, Test City, and Payments

• Read the instructions carefully before filling out each section. (Candidates can log out and exit the form innumerable times to edit and complete later or ‘Save & Continue' each section till they submit the application

• Payment of the application fee for which you will have to select the payment mode

• Submit the Application form after previewing it 

Step 3: Receiving the Confirmation Mail

• Within a few minutes of submission, the candidates receive an email confirming the successful submission of their CAT Application. The email might additionally contain information on the Admit Card download window

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria

The IIMs determine the Common Admission Test (CAT) eligibility requirements. These requirements include factors like educational requirements, minimum marks, and reservations. The basic eligibility is obtaining a bachelor’s degree/professional degree with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD). There is no maximum age limit for the CAT applicants.

Colleges Accepting CAT 2024 Scores

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance examination administered for admission to various postgraduate management courses. The CAT scores are accepted by India's 20 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and several other prestigious universities and institutes.

CAT 2024 Syllabus

The CAT examination has no set syllabus for preparation. Candidates can, however, take the mock test to learn about the examination pattern and sorts of questions. The syllabus is divided into three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability, as well as topics linked to each of these sections.

CAT 2023 Examination Pattern

The main aim of the CAT exam is to evaluate candidates' analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as their command of the English language. The CAT Exam Pattern underwent several revisions in the past years.

 The basic CAT exam format includes three sections consisting of MCQ and Non-MCQ questions in computer-based test mode, with a duration of 2 hours (2:40 hours for PwD candidates). Three points are awarded for each correct answer. Only in the MCQs, for each incorrect answer, one point will be deducted. No marks will be awarded or deducted for questions that are not attempted.

CAT 2024 Results  

The CAT result is generally provided in the form of a scorecard which includes information about the candidate, their sectional scores, and their overall percentile. The CAT score is a percentile rank that indicates how well a candidate performed in comparison to all other candidates who attempted the exam. Candidates earn a scaled score for each section in addition to their CAT score. The scaled scores are normalized to account for any variations in difficulty across different exam sessions.

The CAT scorecard gives an in-depth analysis of the candidate's exam performance. To determine scores and percentiles, the CAT exam employs a complicated scoring and normalization technique.

Result/Scorecard of CAT can be downloaded by following the mentioned steps:

1. Visit the official website of CAT (https://iimcat.ac.in/)

2. Click on - “Download CAT Score Card”

3. Enter the login credentials

4. The result will be displayed on the screen

5. Download the result/scorecard for further admission procedure

After the CAT result is released, the IIMs shortlist the candidates for final admission based on the Personal Interviews and Written Ability Tests/Group Discussions. Each IIM is autonomous, with its own qualifying requirements (including academic cut-offs and relative weights) and selection processes. The performance in the CAT  examination is a significant factor in the selection process. IIMs may additionally consider candidates' previous academic performance, relevant work experience, and other similar factors when shortlisting individuals at various phases of the selection process. 

Following the announcement of the results, the participating management institutes also release their cutoff percentiles, which vary by institute.

CAT 2024 Outcomes

In addition to the IIMs, achieving high scores in the CAT exam increases the candidate's chances of being admitted to various management programs in prestigious management institutes in India. Various management institutes in India use the CAT score as one of the criteria for shortlisting candidates for their selection process. Each institute sets its own cutoff percentile, and the candidates who meet or exceed the cutoff are considered for further rounds. The final admission is typically based on the candidate's CAT score, performance in the subsequent selection rounds, academic background, work experience, and other relevant factors. 

Successful CAT candidates have access to a variety of corporate career prospects in addition to admission to prominent institutes. Therefore, the CAT exam is extremely important in determining the future of aspiring management professionals in India.