CAT Entrance Exam 2024
CAT 2024 Exam Information
What is Common Aptitude Test (CAT)?
The CAT (Common Admission Test) is a widely recognized entrance exam for MBA aspirants, which is conducted at the national level for admission to Top IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) and numerous other renowned management colleges. The CAT scores are accepted by approximately 1000 management colleges for admission into MBA programs.
- The Common Admission Test (CAT) assesses the aptitude skills of MBA candidates in various sections, including quantitative ability, data interpretation, logical reasoning, verbal ability, and reading comprehension. It is conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode and is divided into two sessions: morning and afternoon on the same day. The test comprises 100 questions of two types: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Type in the Answer (TITA) questions, with a total duration of 180 minutes.
- A valid CAT score or percentile is a prerequisite for candidates seeking admission to MBA colleges. The selection of candidates for the next rounds of admission to the graduate management program is based on their performance in each section and overall score.
- Once candidates obtain a decent percentile in the CAT examination, they will be shortlisted for the second stage of the MBA admission process. The second stage may include Group discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT), and Personal Interview (PI).
- To be eligible for the second stage of the exam, candidates must secure good marks in the CAT exam. The CAT scores carry a minimum weightage of 20% in the final merit, making them an integral part of the CAT index score.
CAT 2024 Highlights
The registration for CAT 2024 examination will commence on August 2024, and a candidate can apply for the exam till September 2024. CAT 2024 is expected to be conducted by either IIM Lucknow or IIM Calcutta.
- The examination will be held on November 26, 2024, in two sessions in the morning and the afternoon across 156 cities.
- A total of 3 hours is given to a candidate to complete the exam.
- The CBT mode of examination includes 100 questions divided into three sections: Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension.
- An hour is allocated for each section in the CBT mode of the CAT exam. The VARC section has some trickier questions in comparison with the Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning sections.
CAT EXAM |
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Conducted by IIM Ahmedabad |
Frequency of CAT exam Once a year |
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Age limit None |
Medium of exam English |
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CAT 2024 Important Dates | CAT 2024 Exam Notification
The following table contains details about CAT 2024 Registration, exam date, & other exam details:
CAT 2024 (MBA Entrance Exam) |
Important Dates (Tentative) |
Date of Release of Notification for CAT 2024 |
28th July 2024 |
Beginning of CAT Application Form Process for 2024 |
4th August 2024 |
Application Form Fill-up Last Date for CAT 2024 |
15th September 2024 |
Application Fee Submission Last Date |
15th September 2024 |
Release of CAT Admit Card 2024 |
7th November 2024 |
Date of Exams for CAT 2024 |
24th November 2024 |
Release of CAT Answer Key |
5th December 2024 |
Results Out of CAT 2024 |
21st December 2024 |
Eligibility Criteria for CAT 2024
As per the official notification issued for CAT 2024, candidates must meet the below-mentioned criteria to be eligible for appearing in CAT 2024.
- A Bachelor’s Degree from any recognized Institute or university with a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA is required to apply for the test.
- The candidates belonging to the categories of SC / ST or PwD must have a Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized institution or university with a minimum of 45% marks or equivalent CGPA. Also, the students studying in the last year of their Bachelor’s Degree program are eligible to apply for the same.
- Professional degree holders like CA / CS / ICWA are also eligible to apply for the Common Aptitude Test.
Age Limit for CAT 2024 Exam
The choice to give the CAT examination solely depends on meeting the eligibility criteria. Candidates should not have to worry about the maximum or minimum age limit until they meet all the eligibility criteria. Also, the candidates can give as many attempts as he/she would like to give.
Registration: CAT 2024
Application process
The application form commences on August 2024, and ends on September 2024. Candidates have to register for the exam from the official website of CAT.
- Step 1: Candidates have to register themselves at the respective website using a valid email id and mobile number.
- Step 2:After registration, the candidates will receive a CAT Registration id and corresponding password to that account which will be used to log in to the website.
- Step 3: Candidates have to use the registration id and password to fill out the application form.
- Step 4: After filling out the form, candidates have to pay the non-refundable application fees.
Application fees
The application fees for the CAT examination vary for candidates belonging to the various categories. However, candidates have to pay the fees using the different modes of payment best suited to them.
Open category students |
Rs 2000 |
SC / ST / PwD |
Rs 950 |
Modes of payment
The fees of the application form for the CAT examination are to be paid online using the various modes of payment best suited to the candidates. The candidates can use modes of payment like Online Net Banking/Credit Card/ Debit Card/ UPI id etc.
Candidates also have to choose 4 examination centers during the registration process.
Exam pattern: CAT 2024
The CAT exam is conducted in CBT mode (computer Based Test) all over the country.
The CBT exam consists of 100 questions to be solved in 180 minutes.
- It is divided into three sections consisting of both MCQs as well as TITA questions.
- TITA questions stand for Type in the Answer questions. Examinees have to type the answer in the respective box using the virtual keyboard.
- However, the official notification did not notify about the exact division into these three sections.
- There is a time limit of 60 minutes for each section. Candidates could move to the next section provided they attempted the previous section.
- For every right answer, 3 marks are awarded. However, 1 mark is deducted for every wrong answer.
Section |
Number of total questions |
Number of TITA questions |
Maximum marks |
Duration |
VARC |
34 |
7 |
102 |
60 minutes |
QA |
34 |
8 |
102 |
60 minutes |
DILR |
32 |
11 |
96 |
60 minutes |
Total |
100 |
26 |
300 |
180 minutes |
Tips for CAT preparation
Scoring more than 95 percentile requires sheer determination and continuous hard work. A systematic approach along with the preparation tips may prove to be fruitful for beginners as well as intermediates.
How to start CAT preparation?
- An analysis of the previous year’s papers proves to be a great source to determine the trend of exam patterns. Since the CAT examination does not have any prescribed syllabus, the candidates thus count upon the previous year’s papers for the difficulty level, paper pattern, time limit, etc.
- Once the candidates solve a decent number of previous papers, they are advised to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
How to make the timetable?
- Preparation for the CAT examination requires discipline. Making a timetable to strengthen the strengths as well as weaknesses would help the candidates.
- All sections need equal practice and attention for scoring very good marks. Thus aspirants should not ignore the strong section.
- Practicing questions should be done regularly.
- The candidates must turn their weaknesses into their strengths.
How many mocks should be taken?
- Practicing questions regularly is a must. However, aspirants should also take the mock tests for understanding their level of preparation. They are also advised to attempt sectional mock tests.
- The number of mock tests solely depends upon the level of preparation. On average five to six mock tests are taken by the aspirants. Some also take more than 20 mock tests.
Joining coaching institute for CAT
- Joining a coaching institute surely helps for proper preparation for CAT. Nevertheless, they can attempt a mock test for understanding their preparation and decide afterward.
- Aspirants can also opt for online methods for CAT preparation.
Books for CAT Preparation
Choosing the best books helps the aspirants to prepare for their overall development. Candidates can also find out a guide in some of the following best books for preparing for the CAT exam. A list of the best books is given below.
Sections |
Book name |
VARC |
How to prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma and Minakshi Upadhyay |
QA |
How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma |
DILR |
How to prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma |
Mock Test
Is there any official mock test for CAT?
Candidates registering for the CAT exam are provided with mock tests on the official website of CAT. One can simply log in to the website and attempt the mock test on the respective dates announced for mock. The mock test gives applicants an idea of the pattern of the exam, marking scheme, and other aspects. It also makes an aspirant used to giving the CBT model of CAT examination. Mock tests are just like the main examination whose duration is 3 hours.
Best mock test series for CAT
There are three most popular mock test series taken by the candidates. One can opt from the IMS SimCATs, Career launcher test series, and AIMCAT test series from TIME.
Free mock tests for CAT
several coaching institutes offer free mock tests. One can also take the help of the online free test series for the CAT examination. The previous year’s papers could also be given as mock tests. Given below are the free mock tests available to the candidates preparing for CAT.
- Career launcher ● IMS India
Syllabus for CAT 2024
There is not a proper specification of the syllabus for the CAT exam in the official notification issued. Thus a variety of questions are made from the three sections. Experts have suggested the syllabus of the examination after seeing the paper pattern of the previous few years.
The Common Aptitude Test is taken to check the basic aptitude of the candidates from the three areas. The prescribed syllabus for the three sections are given below.
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Fill in the blanks
- Analogies
- Para jumble
- Reverse analogies
- Sentence correction
- Summary questions
- Reading Comprehension
- Verbal reasoning
- Facts and interferences
Quantitative Ability (QA)
- Profit and loss
- Number system
- Speed distance and time
- Geometry
- Mensuration
- Time and work
- Ratio and proportion
- Surds and Indices
- Trigonometry
- Alligation and Surds
- Logarithm
- Mixtures and Alligations
- Averages
- Equations
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Tables
- Graphs
- Venn diagram
- Series
- Binary
- Logic
- Blood relations
- Caselets
- Seating arrangement
Admit card for CAT 2024
CAT 2024 Admit Card
The candidates after successful registration of the examination can download the admit card from the official website from October 2024. Candidates are required to download and get a printout of the admit card on A4 size paper. Taking the admit card is compulsory to enter the exam centre to prevent any discrepancies.
Details given in admit card
- Name ● Registration ID ● Exam Shift ● Date of Examination ● Name of exam centre ● DOB ● Name and address
Documents Required for entrance in the exam
- Admit card for CAT 2024.
- A photograph is to be pasted on the admit card
- Original Identification card (, PAN, Passport, Voter Id
- Candidates belonging to PwD categories will have to show appropriate PwD certification. Also, a scribe affidavit is compulsory if a scribe is needed.
Exam centre for CAT exam
Various examination centres is allocated in 156 cities across India. The applicants are advised to report at 7.30 AM for the morning shift and 1.00 PM for the afternoon shifts. The examination cities are given below.
State |
Cities |
Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
Port Blair |
Andhra Pradesh |
Chirala Chittoor Guntur Kakinada Kurnool Nellore Rajahmundry Tirupati Vizianagaram Vijayawada Visakhapatnam
|
Arunachal Pradesh |
Itanagar |
Assam |
Dibrugarh Guwahati Jorhat Silchar Tezpur
|
Bihar |
Darbhanga Gaya Muzaffarpur Patna Purnea
|
Chandigarh |
Chandigarh |
Chattisgarh |
Raipur Bhilai Bilaspur |
Delhi NCR |
Delhi NCR |
Goa |
MadgaonPanji |
Gujarat |
Ahmedabad Anand Gandhinagar Mehsana Rajkot Surat Vadodara |
Haryana |
Ambala Bahadurgarh Faridabad Gurgaon Hisar Palwal Panipat Rohtak Sonipat |
Himachal Pradesh |
Hamirpur Shimla |
Jammu and Kashmir |
Jammu Simba |
Jharkhand |
Bokaro Dhanbad Hazaribagh Jamshedpur Ranchi |
Karnataka |
Banglore Belagavi (Belgaum) Dharwad Gulbarga Hubli Mangalore Mysore Udupi |
Kerala |
Ernakulam Kannur Kollam Kottayam Kozhikode Thrissur Trivandrum |
Madhya pradesh |
Bhopal Gwalior Indore Jabalpur Sagar |
Maharashtra |
Ahmednagar Amravati Aurangabad Mumbai Nagpur Jalgaon Kolhapur Nanded Nashik Pune Raigad Satara Solapur Ulhasnagar |
Meghalaya |
Shillong |
Mizoram |
Aizawl |
Nagaland |
Kohima |
Odisha |
Balasore Berhampur Bhubaneswar Cuttack Dhenkanal Rourkela Sambalpur |
Puducherry |
Puducherry |
Punjab |
Amritsar Bhatinda Jalandhar Ludhiana Mohali Pathankot Patiala Sangrur |
Rajasthan |
Ajmer Alwar Bikaner Jaipur Jodhpur Kota Sikar Udaipur |
Tamil Nadu |
Chennai
Coimbatore
Madurai
Salem
Tirunelveli
Trichy
|
Telangana |
Hyderabad Karim Nagar Warangal |
Uttrakhand |
Dehradun Haldwani |
Uttar Pradesh |
Aligarh Allahabad Agra Bareilly Gorakhpur Jhansi Kanpur Lucknow Meerut Moradabad Muzaffarnagar Varanasi |
West Bengal |
Asansol Bankura Burdwan Durgapur Hooghly Kalyani Kolkata Siliguri |
Result for CAT 2024
How to download scorecards?
Step 1: Visit the official website – iimcat.ac.in
Step 2: Click on login button
Step 3: Enter credentials
Step 4: Click on submit to access the score card
Step 5: Download and save the score card for future reference
Visit the official website of IIM CAT at iimcat.ac.in. Key in your log in credintials.
CAT 2024 Cutoff Score
Candidates can check the expected CAT cutoff 2024 score and percentile in the table below.
Percentile |
Score VARC |
Score DILR |
Score QA |
Overall Score |
99.5 |
42 |
30 |
30 |
86 |
99 |
36 |
25 |
25 |
74 |
95 |
30 |
20 |
22 |
52 |
90 |
24 |
14 |
13 |
42 |
80 |
20 |
11 |
9 |
35 |
70 |
18 |
9 |
7 |
30 |
CAT Cut off 2024 for IIMs
IIMs release the minimum CAT 2024 cut-off category-wise and section-wise in their individual IIM admission criteria or policy. These are the qualifying CAT cutoffs which act as a minimum eligibility cutoff for candidates to get shortlisted for GD, PI, and WAT.
List of IIMs |
CAT Cutoff 2024 (Expected) |
General %ile |
OBC %ile |
SC %ile |
ST %ile |
EWS %ile |
Score VARC |
Score DILR |
Score QA |
Overall Score |
99-100 |
99.68 |
97.71 |
78.95 |
72.79 |
97.71 |
42 |
30 |
30 |
86 |
|
99-100 |
99.89 |
96.08 |
83.38 |
78.93 |
95.48 |
36 |
25 |
25 |
74 |
|
99 |
99.71 |
97.87 |
91.44 |
77.90 |
99.03 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
97+ |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
97+ |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
97-98 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
95+ |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
95+ |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
95+ |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
94 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
94 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
94 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
94 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
92 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
92 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
92 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
90 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
95 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
95 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
97 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Explore some crucial insights into CAT exam cut off 2024 below:
- The official release of the actual IIM CAT cutoff, which determines PI shortlisting, is still pending.
- A projected conversion suggests that an overall CAT score of 52 and 42 could translate to 90 and 95 CAT percentiles.
- For top colleges’ PI shortlisting in IIM and MBA admissions, the CAT cutoff typically falls within the range of 95-99+ percentile.
- Baby IIMs usually set CAT exam cutoffs between 80-95+ percentile.
- CAT colleges, excluding IIMs, are expected to release CAT 2024 cutoffs following the announcement of CAT 2024 results
Colleges Accepting CAT Score 2024 – List of Non-IIMs in India
Presented below are some of India’s leading non-IIM business schools along with the minimum scores they require:
Sl. No. |
Institute Name |
Entrance Exams |
Cutoff |
1 |
XAT, GMAT |
XAT: 90+ |
|
GMAT: 650+ |
|||
2 |
Department of Management Studies (DMS), IIT Delhi |
CAT |
CAT: 96+ |
3 |
Department of Management Studies (DMS), IIT Madras |
CAT |
CAT: 96+ |
4 |
CAT |
CAT: 95+ |
|
5 |
GMAT |
GMAT: 650+ |
|
6 |
CAT |
CAT: 95+ |
|
7 |
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai |
CAT, GMAT, MAH – CET |
CAT: 95+ |
MAH – CET: 95+ |
|||
8 |
S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai |
CAT, XAT, GMAT |
CAT/XAT: 90+ |
GMAT: 650+ |
|||
9 |
CAT, XAT, GMAT, MAT |
CAT/XAT: 85+ |
|
GMAT: 650+ |
|||
10 |
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai |
NMAT by GMAC |
NMAT: 205+ |
11 |
IIFT, GMAT |
IIFT: 40+ |
|
12 |
CAT |
CAT: 97.5+ |
|
13 |
SNAP |
SNAP: 97+ |
|
14 |
CAT, XAT, GMAT |
CAT/XAT: 90+ |
Documents needed for verification
Shortlisted applicants must bring some of the documents required on the Interview Day for verification.
- Marksheets for Matriculation, Intermediate, and Bachelor’s Degree.
- Professional certification (if any)
- Documents to prove work experience (Joining letter, payslips, etc.)
- Caste certification ( if applied for reservations)
- Valid Identification cards like Aadhar, Voter ID, Pan card, etc.
- Scorecard for CAT
- Other documents are required by the colleges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is CAT?
Ans. CAT stands for Common Admission Test. It is conducted at the national level to shortlist the candidates for admission into the top management colleges of India. Candidates get a chance to study in the most prestigious Indian Institutes of Management after cracking the CAT exam.
Q. Who is eligible for the CAT exam?
Ans. All the candidates having a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 50% of marks or equivalent CGPA are eligible to apply for the CAT exam. However, those belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or Differently Abled categories require a minimum of 45% marks in the Bachelor’s Degree.
Q. Is the CAT score valid for 2 years?
Ans. The CAT score is valid for a period of one year after the date of result of the examination.
Q. Why is the CAT exam important?
Ans. The CAT examination is a CBT mode of examination conducted by one of the top six IIMs every year. It is done to give admission to the MBA aspirants in the top management colleges. A decent CAT score is also considered by various other B-schools. Thus, CAT proves to have a lot of relevance for MBA aspirants.
Q. How many times does the CAT exam take place in a particular year?
Ans. CAT exams are conducted once a year by a particular Indian Institute of Management. The CBT exam is conducted in two sessions on a specific day at more than 400 testing venues across the subcontinent.
Q. What are the registration fees for different categories?
Ans. The registration fees for the applicants of the open category amount to Rs 2000 whereas for the reserved category the registration fee is Rs 950.
Q. How many marks does it take to get admission to an Indian Institute of Management?
Ans. The aspirants wishing to get admission specifically in any IIM have to secure more than 70% – 90%. However, for the open category the cutoff to get admission in any IIM is more than 90 percentile.
Q. What is considered as a good score in CAT?
Ans. A good score is what gets an aspirant admission to the IIM colleges. Though it depends on the various Business schools cut off. Usually getting a 90 percentile is considered as a good score in CAT examination.