The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level management entrance examination conducted in India. It is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams for admission to various postgraduate management programs offered by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top business schools across the country. In this response, I will provide you with a detailed overview of the CAT exam, covering its history, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, syllabus, preparation tips, and more.
The CAT exam was first conducted in 1950 as an initiative by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to select candidates for their business administration programs. Over the years, CAT has gained prominence and is now accepted by more than 1,200 B-Schools across India. It is administered on a rotational basis by one of the IIMs.
To be eligible for the CAT exam, candidates must fulfill the following criteria:
The CAT exam follows a computer-based format and consists of three sections:
The CAT exam has a total duration of 180 minutes (3 hours), with 60 minutes dedicated to each section. The exam has a total of 100 questions, with each section containing 34 to 36 questions. The marking scheme includes both multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and non-MCQs. MCQs carry three marks for each correct answer, while non-MCQs are worth three marks with no negative marking for incorrect responses.
To appear for the CAT exam, candidates need to complete the registration and application process. The typical timeline for registration is between August and September, and the exam is usually conducted in November or December. The process includes:
Once the registration process is complete, candidates can download the CAT admit card from the official website. The admit card contains important details such as the candidate's name, photograph, examination center, and exam day instructions. It is mandatory to carry the admit card to the exam center along with a valid photo ID proof.
CAT exam centers are spread across various cities in India. Candidates can choose their preferred exam center during the registration process based on availability. The list of exam centers is usually published on the official CAT website.
After the completion of the CAT exam, the conducting IIM announces the results. The CAT scorecard includes the candidate's overall percentile, section-wise percentile, and scaled scores. Individual IIMs and other participating institutes release their respective cutoffs, and candidates meeting the cutoff criteria are shortlisted for the selection process, which typically involves a Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI).
Preparing for the CAT exam requires consistent effort and a systematic approach. Here are some tips to help you in your preparation:
The CAT score is widely accepted by various management institutes across India for admission to their postgraduate programs, including the flagship MBA courses offered by the IIMs. However, each institute may have its own selection criteria and weightage assigned to CAT scores, along with other parameters like academic performance, work experience, and performance in the selection rounds.
After the CAT exam, several coaching institutes and educational websites release detailed exam analysis and trends. These analyses provide insights into the difficulty level of the paper, topic-wise distribution of questions, and expected cutoffs. Candidates can refer to these analyses to understand their performance and strategize their selection of B-Schools accordingly.
Name of the Exam | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
---|---|
Purpose | For admission to MBA courses offered by 20 IIMs and 100+ Business schools |
Conducting Authority | Indian Institutes of Management (on a rotational basis) |
Official Website of Exam Conducting Authority | https://www.iiml.ac.in |
CAT Website | https://iimcat.ac.in |
Exam Level/Occurrence | National Level/Once a year |
Score Validity | 1 year |
Paper Language | English |
No. of Questions | 66 |
Exam Pattern | MCQs and Non-MCQs |
Exam Duration | 2:00 Hours |
Mode of Exam | Computer-based (Online) |
Marking Scheme |
|
CAT 2022 Exam Date | 27th November 2022 |
CAT 2022 Events | Important Dates (Tentative) |
---|---|
CAT 2022 Official Notification Released | 31st July 2022 |
Online Registration starts | 3rd August 2022 |
Online Registration closure | 21st September 2022 |
Issuance of Admit Card | 27th October 2022 |
CAT 2022 Exam Date | 27th November 2022 |
Availability of Answer Key | December 2022 |
Result Announcement | January 2023 |
The CAT syllabus is vast and covers various topics across the three sections. Some of the key topics include:
The Common Admission Test 2022 syllabi comprise the following three sections -
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | Quantitative Ability |
---|---|---|
Synonyms Antonyms (Vocabulary Based) | Caselets and Tables | Number Systems
|
Grammar or English Usage | Bar Graphs and Column Graphs | LCM & HCF |
Correction in Sentence | Venn Diagrams | Profit, Loss & Discount |
Fill in the blanks | Line Charts & Pie Chart | Percentages |
Jumbled Paragraph and Close Passage | Combination of two or more types linked to each other | Speed, Time & Distance |
Analogies and Reverse Analogies | Number and Letter Series | Time & Work |
Meaning/Usage Match | Calendars, Cubes and Clocks | Simple & Compound Interest |
Verbal Reasoning | Binary Logic | Ratio & Proportion |
Summary Questions | Seating Arrangement | Averages |
Reading Comprehension | Syllogism | Quadratic & Linear Equations |
Facts Inferences Judgments | Logical | Complex Numbers |
Matching | Logarithm | |
Logical Sequence | Binomial Theorem | |
Logical | Sequences & Series | |
Connectives | Surds & Indices | |
Blood Relations | Inequalities | |
Probability, Permutation and Combination | ||
Set Theory | ||
Functions & Geometry | ||
Mixtures & Allegations | ||
Trigonometry | ||
Coordinate Geometry & Mensuration |
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