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CAT 2024: Exam Date - Nov 24, Admit Card - Nov 5, Registration Closed, Check Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation, Toppers Interview, Free Mock Test

Last Updated on October 8, 2024 by Prof. SK Agarwal

CAT 2024 Exam will be held on November 24, 2024 in three shifts in over 170 cities in India. CAT Admit Card will be released on November 5 on CAT Official Website iimcat.ac.in. Admit Card has key information like Test City, Exam Centre, Time Slot and is mandatory document for entering CAT exam hall. Top MBA colleges accepting CAT scores include 21 IIMs, 7 IITs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai. CAT experts recommend taking CAT Mock Tests to improve score. This article has latest information on CAT Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation and more.

Table of Content

  • 1. What is CAT Exam?

  • 2. CAT 2024 Highlights

  • 3. CAT 2024: Important Dates

  • 4. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024

  • 5. CAT Exam Pattern 2024: Key Changes & Revised Structure

  • 6. Previous CAT Exam Analysis: Pattern, Difficulty Level

  • 7. CAT 2024 Exam Syllabus: Overall and Section wise syllabus

  • 8. CAT 2024 Preparation: How to Prepare?

  • 9. Role of Mock Tests in CAT Preparation

  • 10. CAT 2024 Registration & Application Process

  • 11. CAT 2024 Admit Card Release: How to Download?

  • 12. CAT Exam Centers in India

  • 13. CAT 2024 Answer Key

  • 14. CAT 2024 Cut offs for IIMs

  • 15. CAT 2024 Cut off for Non-IIMs: Top MBA Colleges accepting CAT other than IIMs

  • 16. CAT 2024 Result & IIMs’ Final Selection Process

  • 17. FAQs on CAT: Answers by Experts

1. What is CAT Exam?

Conducted by one of the top IIMs every year by rotation, Common Admission Test is the largest MBA entrance exam for MBA admission in 21 IIMs and other top B-schools. So, it is the mandatory entrance exam for MBA admission 2025 in all the 21 IIMs, FMS Delhi, IIFT Delhi & Kolkata, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, and hundreds of other top B-schools in India. More than two lakh candidates appear in CAT every year to explore admission opportunity in MBA programmes offered by IIMs and other top MBA colleges in India. Salient Points about the Exam are:

  • A computer based test conducted at more than 155 test cities and 400+ test venues
  • Since 2020, the exam duration is reduced to two hours from earlier three hours
  • The exam is divided into three sections of Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning; Quantitative Ability
  • Each Section in the exam has to be attempted in a fixed individual time limit.
  • Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will offer admission 2025 based on Common Admission Test only and will not accept any other test score
A: CAT is conducted only by one of the six Old IIMs namely IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode and IIM Lucknow.
A: IIM Calcutta is conducting CAT 2024 for MBA admission 2025 in all the 21 IIMs and other top CAT accepting B-schools.
A: Last date for CAT Registration 2024 is extended to September 20, 2024 from earlier September 13?
Guide to CAT Exam – 2024 Edition Free

2. CAT 2024 Highlights

It is not only the largest MBA entrance exam in India, it is the gateway to top 1000+ MBA colleges. Following are the key highlights like of CAT Exam: 

CAT Exam ParticularsKey Details
CAT Exam 2024 Full FormCommon Admission Test 2024
Who Conducts CAT Exam?One of 6 old IIMs conducts CAT every year
CAT 2024 Conducting InstituteIIM Calcutta
CAT 2024 Exam DateSunday, November 24, 2024
Total Questions in the Exam66
No. of sections & QuestionsVerbal Ability & Reading Comprehension: 24 Qs Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning: 20 Qs Quantitative Ability: 22 Qs
Number of Answer Options for MCQs4
Number of Answer Options for Non-MCQsNo Answer Option; Type In the Answer on Computer screen
Scoring Pattern in CAT exam+3 Marks for Each Correct Answer -1 Mark for Each Wrong Answer (Only for MCQs) 0 Mark for Each Wrong Answer or Unattempted Question for Non-MCQs
Exam SlotsTo be Conducted in 3 sessions – Morning, Afternoon & Evening on same day
Exam duration2 hours for each slot
CAT Sectional Time Limit40 Minutes for Each of the 3 sections
Facility to Choose Order of SectionsNo, Must answer the sections in pre defined order from section 1 to 3
Testing ModeComputer based exam at test centres but not an online exam
CAT 2024 Notification ReleaseJuly 28, 2024
Details to Check in NotificationCAT Exam details, Application fee, Registration dates, MBA courses by IIMs through CAT 2024
Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT 2024 for MBA admission 202521 IIMs, FMS, IIFT, MDI, SPJIMR, IITs, IMI, IMT & 1000 other MBA colleges in India
How to Apply for CAT 2024?Application process is online only
CAT 2024 Registration FeeRs.2500
CAT Official Website for Form Fillinghttps://iimcat.ac.in
Number of CAT 2024 Applicants3.30 lakhs (CAT Registration Data 2023)
Number of Test Takers in Previous CAT Exam2.88 lakhs (CAT 2023 test takers)
A: It is conducted once in a year. For the last many years, the exam is conducted on the last Sunday of November every year.
A: It is a computer based test and is conducted at exam centres in more than 155 cities in India
Guide to CAT Exam – 2024 Edition Free

3. CAT 2024: Important Dates

Important dates and timelines for the IIM Common Admission Test 2024 are as below: 

CAT 2024 Important Dates & TimelineImportant dates
CAT Notification Date 2024July 28, 2024
Registration Start Date 2024August 1, 2024
Registration Last DateSeptember 20, 2024 (Extended from Sept 13)
Registration FeesRs. 2500
Admit Card ReleaseNovember 5, 2024
Exam DatesNovember 24, 2024
CAT answer key release dateNovember 28, 2024
Answer key challenge process last dateDecember 2, 2024
Result DateJanuary 4-5, 2025
IMS CAT Coaching & MOCK TEST | Get Upto 40% Discount! |  Register NowTake Free CAT MOCK TEST by ARUN SHARMA (CAT Guru) | Register Now 

 

4. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024

Below are the important points that determine eligibility criteria 2024

  • A candidate with minimum 50% marks in graduation is eligible
  • A final year student in graduation is also eligible
  • There is no age limit to apply and appear in the exam

Also Read: CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024   

A: Although broadly both are same but some IIMs may require few additional criteria on admission eligibility like minimum years of graduation, Age limit among others.
A: No, you cannot, you need minimum 50% marks in graduation to appear in CAT 2024 if you are a general category candidate.
Eligibility Criteria 2024 PDF

5. CAT Exam Pattern 2024: Key Changes & Revised Structure

The exam since 2015 has remained on similar pattern. However, from 2020 due to Covid pandemic, the time duration and number of questions have been reduced without change in pattern and structure of the exam. The same pattern is likely to be followed for 2024 also, as under:

CAT 2023

CAT 2022

CAT 2021

CAT Pattern 2024: Sectional Composition of Question Paper

The table below shares the sectional order, number and type of questions in each section, questions with and without negative marking for each section for the exam 

Source: Based on CAT 2023 Pattern 

Read all about Revised Exam Pattern 

CAT Exam ComponentsNo of Questions (Divided in MCQs & Non MCQs)Sectional Time Limit (In Minutes)Scoring Pattern (Negative Marking is only for MCQs)
Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)2440+3 for Correct; -1 for Incorrect; 0 for Not Attempted
Section-2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)2040+3 for Correct; -1 for Incorrect; 0 for Not Attempted
Section-3: Quantitative Ability (QA)2240+3 for Correct; -1 for Incorrect; 0 for Not Attempted
Total66120198
SectionNo. of Questions (MCQs/Non MCQs)TopicsNo. of Questions
VARC24 (19 MCQs, 5 Non MCQs)Verbal Ability 4 RC Passages8 16
DILR20 (15 MCQs, 5 Non MCQs)Data Interpretation (3 Sets) Logical Reasoning (1 Set)15 5
QA22 (14 MCQs, 8 Non MCQs)Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Modern Math10 8 3 1
SectionNo. of Questions (MCQs/Non MCQs)TopicsNo. of Questions
VARC24 (20 MCQs, 4 Non MCQs)Verbal Ability: 4 RC Passages with 4 Qs Each:8 16
DILR20 (15 MCQs, 5 Non MCQs)Data Interpretation (3 Sets of 5 Qs) Logical Reasoning (1 Set of 5 Qs)15 5
QA22 (14 MCQs, 8 Non MCQs)Arithmetic Algebra Geometry12 7 3
SectionNo. of Questions (MCQs/Non MCQs)TopicsNo. of Questions
VARC24 (19 MCQs, 5 Non MCQs)Verbal Ability 4 RC Passages8 Qs 16 Qs
DILR20 (14 MCQs, 6 Non MCQs)Data Interpretation (2 Sets with 4 Qs) Logical Reasoning (2 Sets with 6 Qs)8 Qs 12 Qs
QA22 (14 MCQs, 8 Non MCQs)Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Modern Math10 Qs 5 Qs 3 Qs 4 Qs
A: No, while the overall time limit to attempt the exam is 2 hours, its each section has individual time limit of 40 minutes.
A: CAT 2024 question paper is divided in three sections – Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC); Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR); Quantitative Ability (QA)
A: CAT Exam 2024 is expected to have total 66 questions. The sectional division of questions is expected 24 in VARC; 20 in DILR and 22 in Quant section.
CAT 2024 Exam Pattern – Based on 10 Year’s Analysis

7. CAT 2024 Exam Syllabus: Overall and Section wise syllabus

Although the exam Syllabus is not pre-defined by IIMs, it overall tests the candidate on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Quantitative Aptitude; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. During the last 5 years, CAT exam syllabus has substantially changed. Major changes in the Syllabus 2024 are:

  • The Syllabus is changed and contains different type of questions with a combination of MCQs & Non-MCQs.
  • 25-30% Questions are no penalty questions now
  • Most of the changes in syllabus have taken place in the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Section as the share of Reading Comprehension based questions has increased as compared to Verbal Ability questions
  • A few changes in syllabus have been introduced in Quantitative Ability section with more focus on Arithmetic questions 

7.1 CAT Syllabus Section-Wise 

Sectional DivisionSyllabus
Verbal Ability & Reading ComprehensionPara Summary; Jumbled paragraphs; Out of Context Sentence; Error Correction in Sentences; Sequence of sentences; Fill in the blanks; Completion of Last Sentence of Paragraph; Analogies; Critical Reasoning; Sentence Completion RC Passages on Literature, Current Affairs, Social, Economic, Business issues followed by questions based on Inferences, Statements, Arguments, Main idea in the RC Passage; Author’s assumption; Synonyms-antonyms; Meaning of the phrase; Vocabulary usage
Data Interpretation& Logical Reasoning (DILR)Bar charts - Simple, Stacked, Composite Bar charts; Pie charts; Caselets; Data Analysis; Data comparison from Table; Graphs; Line Graphs; Data Sufficiency. Comparison of Data of various years, ages, classes, Groups; Decoding and finding out the data of missing period, taking clues, interpreting the missing links; Analysis of data and coming to conclusion, making future projections, Direction sense, Team formation, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Clocks, Calendars, Binary logic, Logical Sequence, Assumption, Premise, Conclusion, Linear and matrix arrangement, Input-Output, Series, Syllogism, Cubes, Rows, Set Theory, Venn Diagrams. Seating arrangement, Ranks, different type of team formation, puzzles on words, letters, statements, arguments
Quantitative Ability (QA)Arithmetic: Averages; Ratio & Proportion; Speed, Time and Distance; Time and Work; LCM and HCF; Percentages, Profit and Loss; Interest (Simple and Compound); Number System. Algebra: Linear & Quadratic Equations; Inequalities; Functions; Progressions; Algebraic Expressions to Polynomials; Complex numbers; Sequences and series; Permutations and combinations Geometry/Mensuration: Triangles, Lines and Angles (Supplementary, Complementary, Obtuse, Acute, and Right), Quadrilaterals, Circles; Theorems (Pythagoras, Midpoint, Apollonius, Basic Proportionality, Internal and External Angular Bisector), Co-ordinate Geometry, Quadrant System, Areas of Hexagonal Polygon, Triangle, and Rectangle. Square, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Volume, Total Surface Area, and Lateral Surface Area of Different Solids like Cubes, Cuboids, Cylinders, Pyramids, Cones, Spheres, Hemispheres, and Frustum. Trigonometry: Trigonometric ratios, identities, and heights and distances, Sine, Cosine. Modern Math: Sequence and Series, Binomial Theorem, Set Theory, Probability, Permutation & Combination
A: The most recent changes in the syllabus were in 2021 with reduced number of questions to 66 from 76 in 2020. In 2022 and 2023 same syllabus was followed. It is expected that the syllabus in 2024 will remain the same with fewer questions on fewer topics.
A: No, the syllabus is neither fixed nor published by IIMs. It is based on earlier topics that appeared in the exam.
A: It depends on your aptitude. If you have Mathematics back ground, you may find Quant and DILR easier and VARC difficult, but if you have Arts/Humanities back ground, you may find VARC easier than QA and DILR
A: If you are devoting time and studying 3-4 hours a day, 6 to 8 months are considered sufficient to cover the syllabus.
CAT 2024 Syllabus for QA, DILR & VARC

8. CAT 2024 Preparation: How to Prepare?

You can prepare with self preparation through Books, Mocks or through coaching as per your convenience. Shared below are the details of best preparation books section wise, how to prepare with Coaching, how to prepare with self preparation, Preparation with Mocks, toppers’ tips and more:

8.1 CAT Preparation Books for VARC, DILR, Quant
The Best Books for Preparation should keep pace with the changing exam pattern. Most of the preparation books in the market are based on the previous exam pattern but the best books shared here are the updated books which have incorporated changes with the anticipated question type in the exam. Every year different types of questions appear in the exam. During the last few years, the exam pattern has been modified completely. So, while choosing the best books for CAT preparation, it should be kept in mind that the books are conversant with the changed exam pattern and difficulty level. Few things to check in the books are:

  • Should Provide conceptual clarity on the relevant topic
  • Rich on the exercises, practice questions and Mocks given after each topic
  • Caters your need to focus more on the weak areas with variety of practice questions  
  • Latest edition of CAT preparation Book offers the updated exam pattern and syllabus also

8.1.1 Section-Wise 10 Best books for CAT Preparation
If you are self-preparing for the exam or are preparing with the support of coaching institute, in both the cases, the latest edition of the books for preparation as shared below section wise will help you in getting more conceptual clarity, practice questions and attempting the sample papers

8.1.2. CAT Preparation Books for VARC

  • How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT- by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
  • Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
  • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh
  • Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

8.1.3 CAT Preparation Books for DILR

  • How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
  • How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
  • Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha
  • CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri, Publisher Career Launcher

8.1.4 CAT Preparation Books for QA

  • How to prepare for Quantitative for the CAT by Arun Sharma, published by MGH Education
  • Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
  • Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh K Verma

Check & Read about the key features, price for Best CAT Preparation Books   

8.2. CAT Preparation with Top CAT Coaching Institutes
A few months of devoted preparation can enable you to crack the exam as it requires ‘Smart Preparation.’ You can join a coaching as it offers expert guidance. 

8.2.1 Benefits of CAT 2024 Preparation with Coaching

  • Coaching institutes help you to prepare systematically without deviating from your preparation path.
  • While offering smart and intensive preparation for the exam, the top coaching institutes help you to minimize the wastage of time with optimum utilization.
  • There are 6 months, 3 months and 1 month preparation time modules offered by the good coaching institutes that help you crack the exam with high score
  • If you need to clear the concepts and build your basics before practicing sessions, coaching centers suggest to start the preparation with a 6 month time margin.

8.2.2 Top CAT Coaching Centers in India
The choice of coaching mode depends upon your interest, time, money and preparation level while preparing for the exam. Shared below are the top coaching institutes with their key centres and available options for coaching: 

8.4 How did CAT Toppers Prepare for Each Section? Check Strategy
Sectional preparation strategy as followed by these toppers is shared below: 

Topper Name & College

VARC

DILR

Quant

Shubham Bajaj; IIMC

1.Attempt 80% with 80% accuracy, much better than 100% attempt with 50% accuracy

2.VARC is not a lot about having a very good vocabulary knowledge or extremely great grammatical skills. It is more about comprehending what you are reading

 

1. Learn better methods for solving a particular LRDI set

2. Use Elimination Option, you can easily eliminate 2 options out of four and for the remaining 2 options, you need a little bit careful attention

 

1. Found Rodha YouTube playlist on Quants quite helpful for most of the basic understanding.

2. Referred to Prepzone daily events organized on the Facebook Page

3.Attended free workshops on topic wise discussion organized by CrackU on YouTube

Nancy Jain; IIMC

1.Read from various online platforms. The Hindu, The Indian Express, Medium, Knappily, Guardian were some of the major online platforms I followed

2. Made it a habit to read at least 6-7 articles/day

3. Solved questions from question banks of the test series

4.Also followed “Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Nishit K.Sinha

 

1.Started with getting familiarized with a variety of sets

2.Began with solving 4-5 sets/day

3.It is important to choose the right sets in the exam

4.Daily practice and proper analysing of the sets are very crucial for DILR preparation

 

 

1. Build up QA concepts

2.Followed “Quantitative Ability by Nishit K. Sinha” and made detailed notes

3.Used to revise my notes regularly from page-1 till the last

4. Motive was to achieve good accuracy while attempting questions

5. My mock strategy for QA was mainly to solve the questions in three phases:

1) I would first attempt the questions that could be solved within 1-2 mins

2) Next to the question which I could solve within 3-4 mins

3) Questions that are time-consuming but could be solved

In the end, if time permits, I’d solve the remaining questions.

Ekansh Gupta; IIMC

1.Started with 10 books, a mix of fiction and nonfiction books

2.Switched to CR practice over free resources like the GMAT club

3.Started practicing 4.VARC from previous year mocks, past CAT papers

5.Some telegram groups provide free VARC practice resources like RC a day or google form-based tests

6.Also enrolled for GEJO's VARC 1000 that helped me know the techniques or strategies I was missing. It was also a great practice resource too.

1.Previous mocks in a time-based environment was my strategy to tackle this section

2.Two YouTube resources that I followed were the LRDI master and Anastasis Shankar

1. Master individual topics and practice them as extensively as you can

2. I relied on the Cracku study room, used to practice there a lot

3. Was also active in some FB groups such as Elites Grid, Quantifiiers where I used to do freely available mixed practice sets

Nandan Goel; IIMC

1.VARC is one section which requires existing acumen and little of current preparation

2. I solely focused on mocks and sectional tests

3.I made a point of attempting every question in this section, unless I can’t understand the meaning of a problem.

1.Refined my basics using the material I had by attempting some questions from some chapters

2.Major preparation was through sectional tests and mock exams

3.There was no test in my student portal which was not attempted by me

1. Completed the material (TIME books) and had for 3 times, attempted each and every question.

2. Took sectional tests on a regular basis

 

Read 100+ CAT Toppers’ Preparation Strategy  

8.3.1.2 Preparation for DILR
DILR is the 2nd section in the exam. It plays very important role to clear the cut off percentile. The section has equal number of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Questions. You need to practice more to score high in this section. Experts advise following tips to prepare for DILR:

  • Data Interpretation questions for CAT test your analytical skills of interpreting the Data given to you in the form of Table, Chart, Graph or in other form
  • Logical Reasoning constitutes 50% share in the newly created Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation Comprehension (DILR) Section
  • The goal of scoring high in the exam can be achieved with small but consistent efforts and time devoted to the DILR section.
  • DILR preparation requires you to first get as many as DILR practice questions
  • To move in direct DILR preparation direction, it will be better to refer to sample and previous year DILR questions with solutions

Exam Wise Section wise Topics & Types of Questions Table

Section: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Read Expert Guidance How to prepare for DILR 

8.3.1.3 Preparation for Quantitative Ability Section
Quantitative Ability (QA) is the last section in CAT exam. It can improve or reduce your CAT score substantially. To score high in this section, experts advise following tips:

  • A three dimensional approach is recommended on CAT Preparation for Quant section
  • Strengthen your basics and formulae in Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math and allied topics
  • Practise on variety of questions of different difficulty level
  • Finally solve previous CAT papers and Mocks for each topic. The more you do it, the more expertise in Quant section for CAT, you will get.
  • QA Sectional Composition

Check Top CAT Coaching Centers in India 

8.3 Self & Coaching Mixed CAT Preparation
Exam preparation can be self, with the support of online or offline coaching or a mix of both. To begin and advance with your preparation, experts suggest:

  • You should have strong basics with clarity on concepts
  • Improve your weak areas and strengthen your strong areas
  • Consistent revision is required with Mocks, practice tests, Quizzes
  • Prepare a list of topics as per the syllabus and improve on each of them
  • Form a peer group on social media for preparation
  • Focus more on RC in VARC section; focus equally on DI & LR and practice more Arithmetic questions to clear the section wise cut offs
  • Time Management with Accuracy & Speed is required. Consistently improve on them
  • Consult best preparation books and attempt their practice questions
  • Read Interviews and tips from Toppers studying at IIMs, FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, on their CAT preparation strategy published on MBAUniverse.com and other channels 

8.3.1 Preparation for VARC, DILR, Quant
The section wise preparation strategy is very important. Key tips to prepare for each section is as below:

8.3.1.1 Preparation for VARC

  • Go through the Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Syllabus 
  • Choose the Best books
  • Read the strategy for Verbal Ability Preparation of past toppers
  • Questions on RC passages in the exam constitute 70% share and Verbal questions are 30%. So focus and practice more RC based questions

Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC): Composition

MBAUniverse.com Analysis based on CAT 2023 slot-1

Check in Detail How to prepare for VARC

TopicSyllabusType of Questions Appeared in CAT 2023No of Questions Appeared in CAT 2023
Data Interpretation (DI)Bar charts - Simple, Stacked, Composite Bar charts; Pie charts; Caselets; Data Analysis; Data comparison from Table; Graphs; Line Graphs; Data Sufficiency. Comparison of Data of various years, ages, classes, Groups; Decoding and finding out the data of missing period, taking clues, interpreting the missing links; Analysis of data and coming to conclusion, making future projections3 sets of 5 questions on each problem set. Questions based on 5 firms raised funds in consecutive years; Drawing Competition; Nine Boxes puzzle of sudoku type;15
Logical Reasoning (LR)Direction sense, Team formation, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Clocks, Calendars, Binary logic, Logical Sequence, Assumption, Premise, Conclusion, Linear and matrix arrangement, Input-Output, Series, Syllogism, Cubes, Rows, Set Theory, Venn Diagrams. Seating arrangement, Ranks, different type of team formation, puzzles on words, letters, statements, arguments5 Questions on one problem set based on 3 friends visited a park, took many rides.5
TopicSyllabusType of Questions Appeared in CAT 2023No of Questions Appeared in CAT 2023
Verbal AbilityPara Summary; Jumbled paragraphs; Out of Context Sentence; Error Correction in Sentences; Sequence of sentences; Fill in the blanks; Completion of Last Sentence of Paragraph; Analogies; Critical Reasoning; Sentence CompletionPara Jumbles (2 Qs); Para Summary (2 Qs); Out of Context Sentence from jumbled Paragraph (2 Qs); Completion of Last Sentence of Paragraph (2 Qs)8
Reading ComprehensionRC Passages on Literature, Current Affairs, Social, Economic, Business issues followed by questions based on Inferences, Statements, Arguments, Main idea in the RC Passage; Author’s assumption; Synonyms-antonyms; Meaning of the phrase; Vocabulary usage4 RC Passages followed by 4 Questions on True False Statement, Argument, Inference, Main Idea, Interpretation of Phrase as used in RC; Author’s Thought Process; Passage Title. Passages based on Second-hand Shopping and Fast Fashion; Translated Streaming on Netflix in Europe; Why Liberalism Failed (Book Review); What is Historical Fact.16
TopicSyllabusType of Questions AppearedNo of Questions Appeared
ArithmeticAverages; Ratio & Proportion; Speed, Time and Distance; Time and Work; LCM and HCF; Percentages, Profit and Loss; Interest (Simple and Compound); Number System;Time Speed Distance (2 Qs), Time & Work (1Q); Ratio (1Q); Simple Interest/ Compound Interest (3); Profit & Loss (1Q); Mixture (1Q); Clock (1Q)10
AlgebraLinear & Quadratic Equations; Inequalities; Functions; Progressions; Algebraic Expressions to Polynomials; Complex numbers; Sequences and series; Permutations and combinationsLog (1Q); Equations (3 Qs); Surds (1Q); Sequence & Series (2Qs); Algebraic Expression (1Q)8
Geometry/MensurationTriangles, Lines and Angles (Supplementary, Complementary, Obtuse, Acute, and Right), Quadrilaterals, Circles; Theorems (Pythagoras, Midpoint, Apollonius, Basic Proportionality, Internal and External Angular Bisector), Co-ordinate Geometry, Quadrant System, Areas of Hexagonal Polygon, Triangle, and Rectangle. Square, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Volume, Total Surface Area, and Lateral Surface Area of Different Solids like Cubes, Cuboids, Cylinders, Pyramids, Cones, Spheres, Hemispheres, and FrustumTriangle (1 Q); Quadrilateral (1Q); Circle (1Q)3
TrigonometryTrigonometric ratios, identities, and heights and distances, Sine, CosineNo questions appeared in CAT 2023.0
Modern MathSequence and Series, Binomial Theorem, Set Theory, Probability, Permutation & CombinationPermutation & Combination (1 Q)1
Top CAT 2024 Coaching InstitutesType of Courses Online/Offline/BothCity wise CAT Preparation Center Location
TIMEBothDelhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among total 100+ centres
Career LauncherBothDelhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among 80+ centres
IMSBothDelhi, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow among 50+ centres
A: Although there is no thumb rule on it, the aspirants should remain steady and regular in their preparation and always think that the exam is round the corner.
A: First know the exam pattern & syllabus and gather the best preparation books, study material and start your preparation by section without leaving anything to chance.
A: Yes, it is good time to start your preparation. Since the exam is scheduled in November, there is still good preparation time which if fruitfully used, can turn the table in your favour.
Best CAT Preparation Books – Latest Editions by Arun Sharma

9. Role of Mock Tests in CAT Preparation

Toppers are of the view that taking Mocks is of utmost importance as it is a very important preparation tool. If you are seriously preparing for the exam and wish to score high percentile, it is necessary to attempt more and more Mock Tests to get ready for the exam day. 

Take free CAT Mock tests based on previous years CAT papers on MBAUniverse.com.  

A: You should take a minimum number of 40 Mock tests before the exam of different difficulty level. To prepare for the exam, it is not only sufficient to take Mocks but more important is to analyse your mistakes in them and improve for future.
A: Although CAT is a computer based test, taking offline Mock can also help you in improving your score. Whenever, you are writing an Offline Mock, you should adhere to sectional time limit and overall time limit of two hours. This will give you actual exam feeling with time management and improving your score.
A: You can take Online computer based free Mocks at MBAUniverse.com as well as other websites including the websites of coaching institutes
A: The first step after writing Mock test, you should analyse it for your errors. Ensure that the errors are not repeated. Make sure to bring clarity on concepts and practice more mocks of similar pattern.

10. CAT 2024 Registration & Application Process

CAT Registration process is done online. You can register & apply online only on the official website iimcat.ac.in. The registration fee is Rs. 2500 /- for General/EWS/OBC candidates and Rs.1250/ for SC/ST/PWD candidates. CAT 2024 Registration process was closed on September 20, 2024. 

CAT Registration: 3 Step Process

10.1 Key Points to Note during CAT Exam Registration & Application Process

10.2 IIMs’ Common Admission Test (CAT): Application Trends Over the Years

3.30 lakh candidates had applied for CAT 2023 registering an increase of 30% over last year which witnessed 2.55 lakh candidates. The rising number of registrations signify that candidates have to compete with more candidates in the exam and need to score high to get shortlisted by top three IIMs and other top MBA colleges.

Although the trends in registrations since 2010 show a downward journey initially, but from 2013 it has been showing a rising registration count reflecting the regaining trust of aspirants and anticipation of better career opportunities after completing MBA/PGP from an IIM or other top B-school

Source: MBAUniverse.com Research & Analysis

CAT YearCandidate Registrations% Increase/Decrease
20233.3030%
20222.5511%
20212.30.9%
20202.28-6.6%
20192.441.2%
20182.414.3%
20172.31-0.4%
20162.325.9%
20152.1911.2%
20141.971.0%
20131.95-8.9%
20122.144.4%
20112.05--
CAT Registration StepsDescription
Step-1: LoginLogin to CAT website iimcat.ac.in and Create Profile
Step-2: Fill In Registration FormFill in the Registration Form and check for message of successful Registration to get User Id and Password
Step-3: Fill Application FormLogin to CAT Application form with CAT User Id & Password Fill in Personal Details, Academic details, Work Experience, Select IIMs & Programs, Choose 5 preferred exam cities, Make Payment online of CAT Registration fees and submit
A: CAT Registration 2024 starts by 10 AM from August 1, 2024 at iimcat.ac.in
A: CAT 2024 Registration Fees is Rs.2500 for General/EWS/OBC and Rs.1250 for SC/ST/PwD/NCOBC candidates
A: After submitting the online application it is not possible to rectify the errors. You will have to re-register.
Download Step by Step Process for Registration

11. CAT 2024 Admit Card Release: How to Download?

The Admit Card download will start from November 5, 2024. IIMs will upload the Admit card on official CAT exam website 2024 iimcat.ac.in. The admit card release date may be extended by a few days. The last date to download the Admit Card is exam date. 

3 Steps to Download CAT 2024 Admit Card

  1. Logon to CAT official Website iimcat.ac.in
  2. Enter Login ID & Password & Click on ‘Admit Card’
  3. Click on Download & Take Print of Admit card
A: You should check your mail from IIMs that your application form has successfully been submitted. If yes and still you don’t receive the Admit Card you should immediately contact the help desk.
A: After a few minutes from the Admit card release, thousands of the candidates try to get access to website simultaneously due to which some technical glitches may come up. The best strategy at that time is to access the website after some time when the rush gets subsided.
A: You should view the Admit Card only using the recommended browsers and not from your mobile phone. You should use one of the three correct versions of the recommended Internet browsers-Internet Explorer – version 11 and above; Mozilla Firefox – 50 to 61; Google Chrome 50 to 69.
A: If the Admit Card is blank, you need not worry. If the candidate registers multiple times, CAT Centre 2024 will consider only the most recent (last) registration as the official application. The Admit Card generated for you is for the most recent (last) registration. Thus, if you login by using User ID of earlier registration attempts, you may find your Admit Card as blank.
A: CAT 2024 Admit card will be released on November 5, 2024 at official CAT website iimcat.ac.in. You need to download the CAT admit card with your CAT login ID & Password

12. CAT Exam Centers in India

The exam will be held in 170 test cities having around 400 cat exam centres across the country. List of State Wise Test Cities is given below in the Tabular Form. More test cities are proposed for CAT 2024

StateTest Cities
Andaman & Nicobar IslandsPort Blair
Andhra PradeshGuntur; Kakinada; Kurnool; Nellore; Rajahmundry; Tirupathi; Vijayawada; Visakhapatnam
Arunachal PradeshItanagar
AssamDibrugarh; Guwahati; Silchar
BiharAurangabad; Muzaffarpur; Patna; Purnea
ChandigarhChandigarh
ChhattisgarhBhilai; Raipur
DelhiDelhi; New Delhi
GoaMadgaon; Panaji
GujaratLucknow; Anand; Gandhinagar; Rajkot; Surat; Vadodara
HaryanaAmbala; Bahadurgarh; Faridabad; Gurgaon; Hisar; Palwal; Panipath; Rohtak; Sonipat
Himachal PradeshSimla; Waknaghat
Jammu & KashmirJammu; Samba
JharkhandBokaro; Dhanbad; Jamshedpur; Ranchi
KarnatakaBanglore; Belagavi (Belgaum); Dharwad; Gulbarga; Hubli; Mangalore; Mysore; Udupi
KeralaErnakulam; Kasaragod; Kollam; Kozhikode; Malappuram; Thrissur; Trivandrum
Madhya PradeshBhopal; Gwalior; Indore; Jabalpur; Sagar
MaharashtraAhmednagar; Amravati; Aurangabad; Jalgaon; Kolhapur; Mumbai, Navi Mumbai; Nagpur; Nanded; Nashik; Pune; Raigad; Satara; Solapur; Thane; Ulhasnagar
MeghalayaShillong
OdishaBalasore; Berhampur; Bhubaneswar; Cuttack; Dhenkanal; Sambalpur; Rourkela
PuducherryPuducherry
PunjabBhatinda; Chandigarh; Fatehgarh Sahib; Jalandhar; Ludhiana; Mohali; Pathankot; Patiala; Ropar; Sangrur
RajasthanAjmer; Alwar; Jaipur; Jodhpur; Kota; Sikar; Udaipur
TamilnaduChennai; Coimbatore; Madurai; Namakkal; Thanjavur; Tiruchirappalli; Tirunelvelli
TelanganaHyderabad; Karim Nagar; Warangal
Uttar PradeshAgra; Allahabad; Barabanki; Bareilly; Ghaziabad; Gorakhpur; Greater Noida; Kanpur; Lucknow; Mathura; Meerut; Muzaffarnagar; Noida; Varanasi
UttarakhandDehradun; Roorkee
West BengalAsansol; Bankura; Burdwan; Durgapur; Hooghly; Howrah; Kalyani; Kolkata; Siliguri
A: You can choose a maximum number 5 exam cities
A: Yes, CAT Exam Center will open Application error correction window after close of last date of application submission for 2-3 days. During this period you can change your test city preference

13. CAT 2024 Answer Key

IIMs release CAT answer key to maintain transparency in exam and to help candidates to check their responses with the correct answers. The Answer key 2024 will be released 3-4 days after the exam date on official website. You can download your answer key from official website by login with your login ID and password.  The Slot wise response sheet will be released separately to enable the exam takers to raise & file objection to the answers which appear wrong to the test takers. 

You should look for answer key 2024 release announcement on the home page of official website. Immediately after the announcement, IIMs release the answer keys along with the question paper with all the important instructions

A: You should look for CAT answer key 2024 release announcement on the home page of official website iimcat.ac.in 2-3 days after the exam date

14. CAT 2024 Cut offs for IIMs

All the 21 IIMs including the top IIMs namely, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore in which average salary in placement is more than Rs.25 lakhs per annum, offer MBA admission through high exam score. The required CAT cut off percentile in all these IIMs for admission 2025 is shared below.

Top IIMsMinimum CAT Cut off percentile Required
IIM Ahmedabad80
IIM Bangalore85
IIM Calcutta85
IIM Lucknow85
IIM Indore90
IIM Kozhikode90
IIM Mumbai94
IIM Shillong90
IIM Udaipur94
IIM Rohtak95
IIM Kashipur94
IIM Ranchi94
IIM Raipur94
IIM Bodhgaya94
IIM Jammu90
IIM Sambalpur94
IIM Sirmaur90
IIM Amritsar85
IIM Nagpur90
IIM Visakhapatnam90

15. CAT 2024 Cut off for Non-IIMs: Top MBA Colleges accepting CAT other than IIMs

More than Top 500 MBA colleges in India will accept CAT 2024 score for MBA admission 2025. Apart from 20 IIMs, other top MBA colleges with CAT cut offs in non-IIM category, include FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, SJMSoM IIT Mumbai, DoMS IIT Delhi among others. Some of the top colleges with their expected cut offs are as below:

Check and Read all about the CAT Accepting Colleges

Top MBA Colleges (Non-IIMs)Expected CAT 2024 Cut Off Percentile for Admission 2025
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) New Delhi97
Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon94
SPJIMR Mumbai85
DMS-IIT Delhi90
SJMSoM-IIT Bombay90
International Management Institute (IMI) New Delhi90
Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad90
K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai85
T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal85
FORE School of Management (FSM) New Delhi85+
Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM) New Delhi85
Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) Chennai80
A: IIMs announce cut offs as the first criterion to consider a candidate for shortlisting. For example, if an IIM announces cutoff at 85 percentile, it is not necessary that it will shortlist you at that score, but you will at least be considered for shortlisting at that overall and sectional cutoff by the respective IIM.
A: No, all the 21 IIMs release cutoff for MBA admission much before result date
A: IIMs round off all percentile scores greater than or equal to 99.995 to 100. Similarly, all percentile scores greater than or equal to 99.985 but strictly less than 99.995 are rounded off to 99.99 and so on
A: You can match MBA Colleges Cut off with your CAT Scores and Percentile for admission after the cutoff is announced and result is out
MBA Colleges Accepting CAT 2024 Scores

16. CAT 2024 Result & IIMs’ Final Selection Process

CAT 2024 exam official result declaration date is 2nd week of January 2025. However, IIMs release the  result in the third week of December or first week of January. Immediately after the result declaration, IIMs will start announcing their shortlist on the basis of CAT scores and other parameters in their shortlisting criteria for final selection round. The final admission offer will be made to the candidates in the months of April/May 2025 by IIMs

IIMs release their individual admission process after CAT notification. The admission process in IIMs depends upon your performance in three major areas – Your exam score; your academic record and performance in Personal Interview round. There are three stages through which IIM Admission Process is completed, they are:

  • Stage-1: Performance in CAT Exam
  • Stage-2: Shortlisting by IIMs for PI round
  • Stage-3: IIMs Final Selection Process 2025 comprising WAT & PI Round

Your final admission offer depends upon your performance in all the above three stages of IIMs selection process. While the older IIMs conduct their individual selection process, 9 new and baby IIMs conduct common admission process (CAP) for admission. Remaining IIMs conduct their individual selection process.

17.1 Top IIMs Conduct Individual Admission Process
IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore, Mumbai, Shillong individually shortlist the candidates and conduct their own admission process that award high weightage to academics, diversity, work experience apart from exam score

17.2 Common Admission Process (CAP) for 10 IIMs
The final selection process at 10 new IIMs is conducted as a common process. One of the six new IIMs co-ordinates this selection process which is referred to as Common Admission Process (CAP). The CAP 2025 will consist of common WAT and PI round for 10 new IIMs namely IIM Kashipur, Raipur, Ranchi, Trichy, Udaipur, Nagpur, Bodhgaya, Sambalpur, Sirmaur and Jammu.

17.3 IIM Rohtak, IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Amritsar, to conduct individual admission process
IIM Amritsar, IIM Rohtak and IIM Visakhapatnam do not participate in CAP round and conduct their own final selection process to make admission offer to the students. The final admission offers will be generated as per the merit lists prepared on the basis of CAT scores, Academic profile, Work experience and gender diversity in accordance with the weightage awarded to each of these factors.  

A: Each IIM shorts the candidates based on CAT exam score, academic profile and award high weightage to exam score. In final selection round, IIMs conduct PI and WAT and release final merit list based on PI-WAT score, Academic & Gender diversity, work exp among other components
A: While in shortlisting, IIMs award high weightage of 50 to 70 percent, in the final selection of candidates, IIMs award a weightage of 25 to 30 percent to exam score.

17. FAQs on CAT: Answers by Experts

Q: When CAT is Conducted?
A:
 The exam is conducted annually preferably on the last Sunday of November every year

Q: What is Mode of CAT?
A: It is a computer based entrance test of two hours duration

Q: How difficult is CAT?
A: Despite being a highly competitive and most important MBA entrance exam in India, the difficulty level of the exam is considered moderate to high.

Q: What is the Scoring Pattern in CAT
A: Each correct answer in the exam is awarded with 3 marks. The raw score obtained in the exam is converted to scaled score and then converted to percentile score after allowing for equating and normalizing the scores for all the 3 exam slots. IIMs and other top MBA colleges consider percentile awarded in the exam to shortlist the candidates for final selection round.

Q: Is CAT syllabus pre defined by IIMs?
A:
 No the syllabus is not predefined by IIMs. In fact, the syllabus goes on changing with the change in exam structure.

Q: What are important and latest changes in CAT syllabus?
A:
 The syllabus has increased the number of RC based questions and has dropped some Verbal Ability based questions like correction of errors in sentences, fill in the blanks among others

Q: Should I prepare as per the latest pattern of CAT syllabus?
A: 
Yes, the key topics in the syllabus are same, so you should prepare as per the latest syllabus which is likely to remain same as last year.

Q. How many Questions are expected in CAT 2024?
A: 
The exam is expected to consist of 66 questions

Q. How difficult is the CAT exam
While some of the questions are of moderate difficulty level, some are more difficult

Q. Do IIMs provide any document and guide how to attempt CAT Exam?
A.
 IIMs release practice test with complete navigation guide on the official website iimcat.ac.in. You can familiarize yourself with the functionality and navigation of the actual exam. You can also attempt Mock Tests and Previous years question papers with answers at MBAUniverse.com

Q. What is the Scoring Pattern in CAT? Do the wrong answers carry any penalty of negative marking?
A. 
The question paper is divided into MCQs and Non-MCQs. Each correct answer in the exam is awarded +3 marks for all the questions but the MCQs carry a penalty of -1 mark for each wrong answer. For the Non-MCQs (Known as TITA Questions), there is no penalty of negative marking. Besides there is no penalty for any unattempted questions whether MCQ or Non-MCQ.

Q. How a Non-MCQ is different from MCQ type question?
A.
 For a non-MCQ type question, you must type the answer in the given space while for the MCQ you only need to click on the most appropriate answer option

Q. What is the number of Non-MCQs overall and section wise in the CAT question paper?
A. 
Out of the total overall questions in the exam, there are about 25% Non-MCQs. The same principle applies to each section. Exact number of Non-MCQs in the exam depends upon the total questions in the Exam. 

Q. Can I choose the order of sections while attempting the CAT question paper?
A. No, you should answer the sections in a pre-specified order. This order is same for all the candidates. Besides, each section has an individual time limit of 40 minutes, so after the individual section time is over, you will be taken to next section automatically.

Q. What have been the important changes in CAT exam over the years?
A.
 The exam has seen substantial changes over the years. Key changes in time duration, pattern are as below

CAT Exam YearName of SectionsTotal QuestionsTime Duration
2023VARC, DILR, QA66120 Minutes
2022VARC, DILR, QA66120 Minutes
2021VARC, DILR, QA66120 Minutes
2020VARC, DILR, QA76120 Minutes
2019VARC, DILR, QA100180 Minutes
2018VARC, DILR, QA100180 Minutes
2017VARC, DILR, QA100180 Minutes
2016VARC, DILR, QA100180 Minutes
2015VARC, DILR, QA100180 Minutes
2014QA & DI; VARC & LR100170 Minutes
2013QA & DI; VARC & LR60140 Minutes
2012QA & DI; VARC & LR60140 Minutes

Exam 2024 Notifications



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