Last Updated on September 14, 2025
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IIM Lucknow has released the CAT 2023 Answer Key on December 5. You can check your Answer Keys for all the three Slots
The wait is over and the CAT 2023 answer key with candidate response sheet has been released on December 5 for the CAT test takers. You can download it from iimcat.ac.in. This year CAT answer key release was much eagerly awaited due to the high difficulty level of CAT question paper and expected low cut offs announced by experts. Moving fast after the CAT 2023 exam got over on November 26, in 3 slots, IIM Lucknow has released Official CAT 2023 Answer Key in 8 days for highest number of 2.88 lakh CAT test takers.
Once you download your CAT answer key for your slot and check the same, you may calculate your score and expected percentile in CAT exam. This will help you to check your shortlisting chances for admission 2024 in IIMs and other top B-schools accepting CAT score. Please note CAT answer key will remain live only till December 8, 2023. After this, IIMs will inactivate the CAT answer key and Response sheet tab from official CAT website.
CAT Answer Key 2023 Release: Date, Time and Last Date
The Objection Management tab for CAT 2023 is active from 10.00 AM on the CAT answer key release date till 5:00 PM - three days after its release. Candidates can see the Answer Key as well as their Individual Responses to Questions during this duration. CAT Answer Keys 2023 for all the three slots have been released separately:
CAT Exam Answer Key 2023 Timeline | Important Dates |
CAT 2023 Exam Date | November 26, 2023 |
CAT 2023 Answer key Release Date | December 5, 2023 |
Last Date to Check & Download CAT Answer Key | December 8, 2023 |
Answer Key download closing time | 5.00 PM |
Last date & time to challenge and file objection form to CAT Answers | December 8, 2023 till 5.00PM |
From where to Download CAT Answer Key 2023 | IIMCAT.ac.in (CAT official website) |
Check below the key components of CAT Answer key, how to download and calculate your CAT score and percentile, cut off for top Colleges and more:
What You will Find in CAT 2023 Answer Key Pdf?
CAT 2023 answer key Pdf contains following components:
If your objection on official CAT answer key is found correct, IIMs will update the answer key and will drop the particular question giving its benefit to all the candidates. Your objection fee will also be refunded by IIMs.
How to Download & Use CAT 2023 Answer Key?
You can download CAT answer key in following 3 steps: Check detailed instructions below
(1) Log on to CAT official website with your CAT Id and Password
(2) Your Personal CAT Page will appear with Candidate Response Tab.
(3) Click on ‘Candidate Response’
(4) After verifying your answers and calculating your CAT score, use CAT Percentile Predictor to Convert your CAT Score into Percentile.
How to download CAT Answer Key 2023? Step by Step Process
The step by step process how to download CAT answer key 2023 are shared screen by screen below:
Step-2: Your Personal CAT Page will appear. This has a Candidate Response tab. Follow the instructions on this page.
Step 3: Click on ‘Candidate Response’ Tab to download your response for CAT. It is your Response Sheet which contains your own marked answers in the exam as shown in the example below
Step-4: Challenge CAT Answer key, If Not Satisfied
You can challenge and raise objection to the CAT 2023 answer key which is considered as correct by IIMs but wrong by you. There is an objection form tab at the side of Response tab on CAT website. You can ‘Click here to raise objection’. Before going to fill the objection form, read instructions
Step-5: Fill the Objection Form (Only if you are sure)
Your responses with question IDs are displayed on right hand side. You need to select the section and question ID to raise objection and should give the relevant reason for raising the objection in the Objection form as shared below
Step-6: Pay Rs.1500 for Each Objection
You can submit the objection form by paying a fee of Rs. 1500/- for each answer key objection.
How to Calculate Score and Percentile Based on CAT Answer Key?
Your need to follow the CAT 2023 exam pattern and marking scheme to arrive at accurate score. CAT 2023 was conducted in 3 slots in Morning, Afternoon and Evening and had time duration of 2 hours for each slot with 66 questions and maximum score of 198 marks. Following table will guide you about CAT scoring pattern as per the CAT 2023 sectional composition
Section | Total questions | Total MCQs (With negative marking) | Total Non-MCQs (Without negative marking) | Total Maximum Marks |
Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 20 | 4 | 72 |
Section-2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 12 | 8 | 60 |
Section-3: Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 14 | 8 | 66 |
Total | 66 | 46 | 20 | 198 |
Example: CAT score calculation
Calculate Your CAT Percentile at MBAUniverse.com
Now, as you have calculated your total net score that you will get, you need to check your likely percentile as the IIMs consider percentile cut off instead of raw score. So, to arrive at your percentile score in CAT 2023 you need to remember following:
How Important are CAT Answer Keys 2023? 5 Reasons
CAT 2023 Answer Key Release makes the CAT exam further transparent. It is of utmost importance for the candidates who are looking for MBA admission 2023 in IIMs and other B-Schools due to following key reasons:
CAT Answer Key 2023: Check & Download Before Last Date: December 8, 2023
You can check CAT answer key only for your Slot and may calculate your score and expected percentile only for your CAT exam. This will help you to check your shortlisting chances for admission 2024 in IIMs and other top B-schools. Please note that CAT answer key will remain live only till December 8, 2023. After this, IIMs will inactivate the CAT answer key and Response sheet tab from official CAT website.
Last date to Raise CAT Answer Key Objections: Dec 8
The last date to raise CAT answer key objection is December 8, 2023- 3 days after the release of CAT answer key. Four key points to note about raising objection to CAT answer key are:
Eligibility to Check CAT Exam Answer Key
Top MBA Colleges: CAT 2023 Cutoffs for Admission 2024
More than Top 100 MBA colleges in India are accepting CAT 2023 score for MBA admission 2024. Some of these B-schools with expected CAT cut offs are shared below for your benefit:
Top IIMs & Non IIMs | Minimum Required CAT 2023 Cut off percentile |
80 | |
85 | |
85 | |
85 | |
90 | |
90 | |
85 | |
IIM Mumbai | 90 |
94 | |
97 | |
IIT Delhi; IIT Bombay | 90 |
92 | |
IIM Shillong Cutoff | 90 |
MICA Ahmedabad | 85 |
Check complete list of Top B-schools with Cut offs
10 Key Facts About CAT Answer Keys 2023
Unofficial CAT Answer Key 2023
Apart from the release of official response sheet by IIMs, top experts and CAT coaching institutes have also released unofficial CAT Answer Key 2023 immediately after the exam, for the benefit of test takers to enable them to assess their performance. These unofficial CAT answer key 2023 are made available online at the respective CAT coaching institute website. While there may be some variation in these unofficial CAT answer key 2023 by the experts and coaching institutes, it will give a good assessment of your CAT performance and expected score that you can get. Check below the CAT 2023 questions and answer key for slot-1, slot-2, slot-3:
CAT 2023 Slot 1 Answers Key
Exam Section | Answers Key | Link to Download (Unofficial) |
Quantitative Ability | Question Topics | Available | |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | Question Topics | Available | |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Question Topics | Available |
CAT 2023 Slot 2 Answer Key
Exam Section | Answers for CAT 2023 Slot 2 Memory Based Questions | Link to Download Unofficial CAT 2023 Answer Key |
Quantitative Ability | Available | |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | Check Question Topics | |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Check Question Topics |
CAT 2023 Slot 3 Answer Key
Exam Section | Answers for CAT 2023 Slot 3 Memory Based Questions | Link to Download Unofficial CAT 2023 Answer Key |
Quantitative Ability | Coming soon | To be Published Soon |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | Check Question Topics | |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Check Question Topics |
CAT 2023 Answer Key Release Date: Previous Trends
Year of CAT Exam | CAT Exam Dates | Dates of CAT Answer Key Release |
CAT 2023 | November 26, 2023 | Expected on December 1 or 2, 2023 |
CAT 2022 | November 27, 2022 | December 1, 2022 |
CAT 2021 | November 28, 2021 | December 8, 2021 |
CAT 2020 | November 29, 2020 | December 8, 2020 |
CAT 2019 | November 24, 2019 | November 29, 2019 |
CAT 2018 | November 25, 2018 | December 7, 2018 |
Every year, there are grumblings on the ambiguous answer options in CAT exam. The release of CAT 2023 answer keys helps candidates to raise their genuine queries against such answers which are not found correct and the candidates are not satisfied with them. After scrutinizing the objections received from the test takers, CAT Centre at IIM Lucknow will release the CAT 2023 final answer key before release of CAT exam result
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2023