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CAT

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive entrance exam in India conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)

What is CAT ?

The Common Admission Test (CAT), organized annually by one of the leading IIMs on a rotational basis, is the premier entrance exam for MBA admissions into 21 IIMs and several top B-schools across India. For MBA admissions in 2025, this test is essential for entry into all 21 IIMs as well as institutions like FMS Delhi, IIFT Delhi and Kolkata, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, and many other top business schools. With over two lakh candidates appearing each year, CAT is the gateway to MBA programs at these prestigious institutions.

Here’s what you need to know about the exam:

  • It’s a computer-based test conducted in over 155 cities and more than 400 test centers.
  • Since 2020, the duration has been shortened from three hours to two hours.
  • The exam comprises three sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability.
  • Each section has a strict time limit.
  • For 2025 admissions, IIMs will only consider CAT scores and will not accept scores from other tests.

Eligibility for CAT

Here are the key points for the eligibility criteria for 2024:

– Candidates must have at least 50% marks in their graduation to be eligible.
– Final-year students in their graduation program can also apply.
– There is no age limit for applying or appearing for the exam.

What CAT wants from you ?

The CAT exam evaluates general aptitude in areas such as English, Mathematics, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning—skills that are crucial in various competitive exams, including Bank PO, SSB, and campus placements. What sets CAT apart is the high caliber of opportunities it provides and the intense competition it attracts, earning it the reputation as the premier management entrance exam. The preparation for CAT is valuable not just for the exam itself but also for a range of other competitive tests.

To truly understand the CAT, nothing beats working with actual CAT papers. Graduates from all academic backgrounds are eligible to take the CAT, and no particular stream holds an advantage. The CAT assesses high-level logical reasoning skills, making early preparation essential. The exam comprises three sections designed to evaluate the key skills required for success in business management.

Questions are in two formats: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Type-in-the-Answer (TITA). For MCQs, each correct answer earns +3 points and each incorrect answer results in a -1 penalty. For TITA questions, each correct answer scores +3 points with no penalty for incorrect responses. Although the exam pattern can vary yearly, here’s a look at the pattern followed in CAT 2023.

 
Section Time (mins) No. of questions
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
40
24
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
40
20
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
40
22

CAT 2024 highlights

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is not only the largest MBA entrance exam in India but also the gateway to over 1000 top MBA colleges. Here are the key highlights for CAT 2024:

  • Full Form: Common Admission Test 2024
  • Conducting Institute: IIM Calcutta
  • Exam Date: Sunday, November 24, 2024
  • Total Questions: 66
  • Answer Options:
    • MCQs: 4 options
    • Non-MCQs: No options; type the answer on the computer screen
  • Scoring Pattern:
    • MCQs: +3 marks for correct answers, -1 mark for incorrect answers
    • Non-MCQs: +3 marks for correct answers, no penalty for wrong answers or unattempted questions
  • Exam Slots: Likely to be conducted in three sessions—Morning, Afternoon, and Evening on the same day
  • Exam Duration: 2 hours per slot
  • Sectional Time Limit: 40 minutes for each of the 3 sections
  • Order of Sections: Fixed order from Section 1 to Section 3; no option to choose the order
  • Testing Mode: Computer-based exam at test centers
  • Notification Release: Last week of July 2024
  • Notification Details: Exam details, application fee, registration dates, MBA courses offered through CAT 2024
  • Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT 2024: 21 IIMs, FMS, IIFT, MDI, SPJIMR, IITs, IMI, IMT, and 1000 other MBA colleges in India
  • How to Apply: Online application only
  • Registration Fee: Rs. 2500
  • Official Website: iimcat.ac.in
  • Number of Applicants (2023): 3.30 lakhs
  • Number of Test Takers (CAT 2023): 2.88 lakhs
 

CAT Exam Syllabus: Overall and Section wise syllabus

The CAT exam features a diverse array of question types that test various language and analytical skills. Para Summary questions require distilling a paragraph’s main idea. Jumbled Paragraphs involve rearranging sentences into a logical order. Out of Context Sentence questions ask candidates to identify sentences that disrupt the paragraph’s coherence. Error Correction in Sentences focuses on fixing grammatical mistakes, while Sequence of Sentences evaluates the ability to organize thoughts logically.

Fill in the Blanks tasks involve completing sentences with appropriate words. Completion of Last Sentence of Paragraph requires selecting or writing a sentence that best concludes a paragraph. Analogies test understanding of relationships between words. Critical Reasoning involves analyzing and evaluating arguments. Sentence Completion questions require filling in missing words to complete sentences meaningfully.

Reading Comprehension (RC) Passages include questions on diverse topics, assessing the ability to infer, understand, and analyze information. Synonyms and Antonyms test vocabulary knowledge, and Meaning of the Phrase questions focus on interpreting specific phrases. Lastly, Vocabulary Usage assesses correct word application in context.

Overall, CAT evaluates proficiency across grammar, vocabulary, logical reasoning, and critical thinking. Effective preparation involves practicing these question types to build the necessary skills for success.

The CAT exam features a diverse range of questions designed to test data interpretation and logical reasoning skills. In Data Interpretation, candidates deal with various types of charts and graphs, including Simple, Stacked, and Composite Bar Charts, Pie Charts, and Line Graphs. They must analyze and compare data presented in these formats, as well as interpret Caselets, which are brief passages containing data-related questions. Data Analysis tasks involve interpreting data from tables and graphs, comparing data across different years or groups, and making projections based on trends. Additionally, Data Sufficiency questions test whether the provided information is adequate to answer specific queries.

Logical Reasoning questions cover a wide array of topics. Direction Sense problems require interpreting directions based on clues, while Team Formation and Seating Arrangement involve organizing individuals according to given constraints. Blood Relations questions focus on solving familial relationship problems, and Clocks and Calendars assess understanding of time and dates. Binary Logic involves solving problems using binary principles, and Logical Sequence questions test the ability to identify patterns. Candidates must also evaluate arguments using Assumption, Premise, and Conclusion techniques, arrange items in Linear and Matrix Arrangements, and solve problems based on Input-Output relationships. Additional areas include identifying Series and Patterns, solving Syllogism problems, and reasoning with Cubes and Rows. Set Theory and Venn Diagrams require analyzing relationships between different sets.

Overall, the CAT exam assesses a candidate’s ability to handle complex data and solve intricate logical puzzles efficiently, making proficiency in these areas essential for success.

In the CAT exam, candidates face a wide range of quantitative topics that test their mathematical proficiency.

Arithmetic in the CAT exam includes concepts like Averages, Ratio and Proportion, Speed, Time, and Distance, Time and Work, and LCM and HCF. Proficiency in Percentages, Profit and Loss, and both Simple and Compound Interest is crucial, along with a solid understanding of the Number System.

Algebra questions in the CAT exam cover Linear and Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Functions, and Progressions. Candidates must also be adept in Algebraic Expressions to Polynomials, Complex Numbers, Sequences and Series, and Permutations and Combinations.

Geometry and Mensuration topics in the CAT exam include Triangles, Lines and Angles (Supplementary, Complementary, Obtuse, Acute, and Right), Quadrilaterals, and Circles. Key Theorems such as Pythagoras, Midpoint, Apollonius, and Basic Proportionality are essential. Coordinate Geometry and the Quadrant System are crucial for solving problems related to the Areas of various shapes like Hexagonal Polygons, Triangles, Rectangles, Squares, Rhombuses, and Trapezoids. Candidates should also calculate Volume, Total Surface Area, and Lateral Surface Area for solids such as Cubes, Cuboids, Cylinders, Pyramids, Cones, Spheres, Hemispheres, and Frustums.

Trigonometry in the CAT exam involves working with Trigonometric Ratios and Identities, and applying these concepts to Heights and Distances using Sine and Cosine functions.

In Modern Math, the CAT exam includes topics such as Sequences and Series, the Binomial Theorem, Set Theory, Probability, and advanced Permutation and Combination concepts. Mastery of these areas is essential for tackling the diverse and complex questions presented in the exam.

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