CAT 2023 Registration Numbers All Time High; Increase by 30%: Go Up at 3.30 lakhs; Confirms CAT Convener Prof Sanjeet Singh

CAT 2023 registration numbers have broken all previous records. CAT 2023 exam applications have gone up by 30% at 3.3 lakhs as compared to last year. Confirming the CAT registration numbers, Dr. Sanjeet Singh, Professor, Decision Sciences Area, IIM Lucknow and CAT 2023 Convener shared with MBAUniverse.com, “Around 3.3 lakhs candidates have registered for CAT 2023.”

This is the highest number of CAT registrations so far. Highlighting the fact, Prof Singh said, "Registrations this year are the highest in the history of CAT, ever since it was started in 1977. In fact, it never touched the 3-lakh mark before. In absolute numbers, an increase of 75,000 applications, year-on-year, is a record in itself."

CAT 2023 Registrations: Key Highlights

• CAT 2023 Registrations go up by 30% as compared to last year – highest increase so far
• Total CAT Registration Numbers 2023 are 3.3 lakhs as against 2.55 lakhs last year
• CAT 2023 has witnessed  highest number of registrations since inception of CAT exam
• 75000 More Candidates applied for CAT 2023 as compared to CAT 2022
• 1.17 Lakh (38%) Female Candidates have registered for CAT 2023 out of 3.3. lakhs
• CAT convener attributes this rise to Social Media Outreach, Increase in Tier-II test cities and more test venues as contributing factors in CAT registration numbers increase

While last year was a landmark as the CAT Registration numbers grew by 11% after almost a decade but this year it has surpassed all expectations. MBAUniverse.com finds following important factors that have contributed in the sharp increase of CAT 2023 registrations Number:

1. IIFT Delhi/Kolkata: 40000 Applications
Highly ranked Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) every year receives 40,000+ applications for admission to its MBA (IB) programme offered at IIFT Delhi and Kolkata campuses. Till now IIFT accepted its own entrance exam score which was conducted by NTA. But, for admission 2024, IIFT has made it mandatory to appear in CAT 2023 and has cancelled its own entrance test. This might have added  to the increase in CAT 2023 registration numbers.

2. IIM Mumbai: 20000+ Candidates Apply
In August 2023, Amendment in IIM Act was made by the Parliament which granted IIM Mumbai status to NITIE and created the 21^st IIM in India. Immediately after getting the IIM Mumbai status, IIM Mumbai announced the launch of three MBA programs and increased the number of seats to 660 from earlier 550. The highly ranked IIM Mumbai receives 20000+ CAT applications which have contributed in the increase of CAT registration number and application number 2023

3. CAT Convener Leveraged Media Outreach
CAT exam convener has been spreading CAT exam news and its deadline to every nook and corner of the country. Sharing the strategy with MBAUniverse.com, Prof Singh said, “We are leveraging media outreach to spread the news to every part of the country about the deadline and exam dates to get maximum response. In addition to this, we have also opted for tools like Google Ads and Social Media outreach to reach all the possible areas of the country.”

4. CAT 2023 Exam Cities: Increase to 160  
The increase in numbers is also attributed to more CAT exam cities this year. Sharing with MBAUniverse.com, CAT convener said, “This year we are planning to conduct CAT in around 160 test cities” and added further, “Adding more test cities, with an increase in exam centres, particularly in tier-II cities have resulted in this highest-ever registration.” Last year CAT was conducted in 154 cities, while CAT 2023 is to be conducted in 160 cities.

5. More Tier-II CAT Exam Cities Added
Responding to MBAUniverse.com about which are the new CAT exam cities added this year, CAT Convener said, “Some of the new test cities this year are Hisar, Kangra, Chittor, Anantpur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Howrah, Sangli, Wardha, etc.” As such this is consecutive second year in a row when CAT Conveners have made CAT reachable to remote and small twons. Last year also, more CAT exam centres were set up in J&K, North East to help CAT aspirants to appear in the exam at nearby towns.

CAT Registrations: Previous 10 Years Trends
IIMs release the data of CAT registrations after the process is closed. Stagnation in number of candidates applying for CAT and other exams for pursuing an MBA in India posed a big challenge to management education in India. While the total number of CAT applicants and actual candidates in CAT appeared for exam go up and down marginally, there was not much deviation in percentage of test takers. Previous 10 years CAT registration trends reveal negligible growth except for CAT 2022 and CAT 2023. Comparative trend of last decade is below:

Source: MBAUniverse.com Analysis

With the increase in CAT 2023 registrations by 30 percent, it provides some relief to B-school leadership, admission chairpersons and all those associated with management education as this growth is now coming after many years.

As is well known, Common Admission Test (CAT) is the largest MBA entrance exam, leading to admission opportunity in top Indian B-schools including 21 IIMs, FMS Delhi, IIFT, SPJIMR, MDI, IITs B-schools among others. In the last decade, almost all the IIMs and other top MBA colleges accepting CAT score have increased seats in their flagship program and have also launched new programs, and the substantial increase in CAT 2023 registration numbers is a good sign for the growth of management education in India.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2023