CAT Full Form
The full form of CAT is Common Admission Test. It is a computer-based examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to shortlist candidates for their postgraduate education.
CAT Exam Syllabus: Overview
| CAT Exam Particulars | CAT Exam 2024 Details |
| CAT Full Form | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
| Conducting Institute | IIMs |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year |
| CAT Exam 2024 Date | Sunday, November 24, 2024 (tentatively) |
| CAT Exam Timings | To be notified |
| CAT Exam Fees | SC/ST/PwD – INR-1200 GEN – INR 2400 |
| Eligibility Criteria | Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students) |
| Number of Applications | 3.28 lakh (in 2023) |
| Exam Purpose | Study at IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1,200 B-Schools in India |
| Courses Offered | MBA/ PGDM |
| CAT syllabus | – Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) – Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) – Quantitative Ability (QA) |
| CAT pattern | Computer Based Test (CBT) with MCQs and non-MCQs |
| No. of test cities | 150 |
| CAT exam website | https://iimcat.ac.in/ |
CAT Exam Pattern 2024
| CAT Section | Questions | MCQs | Non-MCQs | Maximum Marks |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 26 | 18 | 8 | 78 |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 24 | 18 | 6 | 72 |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 26 | 18 | 8 | 78 |
| Total | 76 | 54 | 22 | 228 |
CAT Syllabus 2024
| CAT Session | CAT Exam Syllabus Topics |
| VARC | VA Para Jumbles Para Summary Sentence Completion Odd Sentence Out Antonyms & Synonyms Error Detection Phrase Modifiers Idioms Analogies Cloze Test Word Usage |
| RC Facts-Inference-Judgement Critical Analysis of Passage Themes of the RC passage | |
| DILR | Arithmetic Geometry Algebra Number System Modern Maths |
| QA | Caselets Tabular Data Pie Charts Line Graphs Bar Graphs Column Graphs Combination Graphs/ Charts Syllogisms Puzzles Blood Relations Coding-Decoding Seating Arrangement Ranking Direction sense testLogical Sequence |
CAT VARC Syllabus Topics
- Idioms
- Jumbled paragraphs
- Fill in the blanks
- Antonyms
- Para jumbles
- Sentence completion
- Errors in tenses
- Verbal logic
- Parts of speech
- Analogies
- Preposition
- Articles usage
- Types of clauses
- Different usage of one word
- Phrases modifiers
- Sentence correction
- Subject-verb agreement
- Para completion and inference
- Syllogisms
- Foreign language words used in English
- One word substitution
- Verbal reasoning
CAT VARC Syllabus: Important Topics & Weightage
| VARC Topics for CAT | No. of Questions in CAT Exam | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 16 | Moderate to Difficult |
| VA-Parajumbles | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
| VA-Odd Sentence | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
| VA-Summary | 3 | Easy to Moderate |
| Overall | 24 | Moderate to Difficult |
CAT DILR Syllabus Topics
DI Topics
- Bar Graphs
- Column Graphs
- Venn Diagrams
- Data Caselets
- Pie Charts
- Tables
- Line Charts
- Scatter Plot
- Routes and Network
- Bubble Chart
- Radar Chart
LR Topics
- Order and Ranking
- Binary Logic
- Arrangements
- Games and Tournaments
- Team Formations
Important Topics & Weightage for CAT DILR
| CAT DILR Syllabus | No. of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Data Interpretation | 4 | Easy |
| Data Interpretation | 4 | Moderate |
| Logical Reasoning | 6 | Moderate to difficult |
| Logical Reasoning | 6 | Easy to Moderate |
| Overall | 20 | Moderate to difficult |
CAT QA Syllabus Topics
| CAT QA Syllabus Topics | ||||
| Arithmetic | Geometry | Algebra | Number System | Modern Math |
| Profit & Loss | Angles | Series | Real Numbers | Probability |
| Time & Work | Circles | Quadratic Equations | LCM | Permutation |
| Chain Rule | Lines | Functions | ||
| Percentage | Polygons | Surds & Indices | Irrational Numbers | Combination |
| Time Speed & Distance | Triangles | Inequalities | Unit’s Digit | Set Theory |
| Averages | Area & Volume | Logarithm | HCF | Binomial Theorem |
| Ratio & Proportion | Coordinate Geometry | Remainders | ||
| Simple & Compound Interest | ComplexNumbers | Zeroes | ||
Topic wise weightage in CAT Quantitative Aptitude
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Topics | No. of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 10 | Moderate |
| Algebra | 5 | Moderate |
| Geometry | 3 | Moderate |
| Modern Maths | 4 | Moderate |
| Overall | 22 | Moderate |
CAT Exam Calender 2024
| Event | Tentative Date |
|---|---|
| Official Notification Release | July 28, 2024 |
| Registration Begins | First week of August 2024 |
| Registration Ends | Third or fourth week of September 2024 |
| CAT 2024 Exam | November 24, 2024 |
CAT Notification Date 2024
The official notification for CAT 2024 is scheduled to be released on July 28, 2024
CAT Registration 2024
The registration for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 is expected to begin in the first week of August 2024 and end in the third or fourth week of September 2024.
CAT Admit Card 2024
The CAT 2024 admit card is expected to be issued by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) tentatively in the last week of October 2024. According to some sources suggest admit card will be available for download starting from November 7, 2024.
CAT Exam Date 2024
The CAT (Common Admission Test) 2024 exam is scheduled to be held on November 24, 2024
CAT Result Date 2024
The CAT 2024 results are expected to be announced in the last week of December 2024 or the first week of January 2025.
CAT Exam Fees 2024
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General/NC-OBC (Non-Creamy Layer Other Backward Classes) | INR 2400 |
| SC (Scheduled Caste)/ST (Scheduled Tribe) | INR 1200 |
| PwD (Persons with Disability)/DA (Differently Abled) | INR 1200 |
CAT Exam Eligibility 2024
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Age Limit | No age limit |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories) from a recognized university or educational institution |
| Work Experience | Work experience not mandatory |
| Reservation Policy | As per specified |
| Final Year Students | Students in their final year of graduation can apply for CAT exam, but they must submit all the relevant documents at the time of admission at their respective IIM institute |
| Professional Degree Holders | Candidates with a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) is 50% or above for general category students and a minimum of 45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates |
CAT Exam Center 2024
| Sl No: | Name of the State | CAT Exam Cities |
| 1 | Andaman and Nicobar | Port Blair |
| 2 | Andhra Pradesh | Guntur |
| 3 | Kakinada | |
| 4 | Kurnool | |
| 5 | Nellore | |
| 6 | Rajahmundry | |
| 7 | Tirupathi | |
| 8 | Vijayawada | |
| 9 | Visakhapatnam | |
| 10 | Vizianagaram | |
| 11 | Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar-Naharlagun |
| 12 | Assam | Dibrugarh |
| 13 | Guwahati | |
| 14 | Jorhat | |
| 15 | Silchar | |
| 16 | Tezpur | |
| 17 | Bihar | Gaya |
| 18 | Aurangabad-Bihar | |
| 19 | Arrah | |
| 20 | Bhagalpur | |
| 21 | Darbhanga | |
| 22 | Muzaffarpur | |
| 23 | Patna | |
| 24 | Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| 25 | Chhattisgarh | Bhilai Nagar |
| 26 | Bilaspur | |
| 27 | Raipur | |
| 28 | Dadar and Nagar Haveli | Silvaasa |
| 29 | Goa | Panaji |
| 30 | Madgaon | |
| 31 | Gujarat | Ahmedabad |
| 32 | Anand | |
| 33 | Gandhinagar | |
| 34 | Mehsana | |
| 35 | Rajkot | |
| 36 | Surat | |
| 37 | Vadodara | |
| 38 | Haryana | Ambala |
| 39 | Faridabad | |
| 40 | Gurugram | |
| 41 | Himachal Pradesh | Bilaspur |
| 42 | Shimla | |
| 43 | Hamirpur | |
| 44 | Jammu & Kashmir | Jammu |
| 45 | Srinagar | |
| 46 | Jharkhand | Dhanbad |
| 47 | Hazaribagh | |
| 48 | Jamshedpur | |
| 49 | Ranchi | |
| 50 | Karnataka | Belagavi (Belgaum) |
| 51 | Bengaluru | |
| 52 | Hubli-Dharwad | |
| 53 | Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) | |
| 54 | Mangaluru (Mangalore) | |
| 55 | Mysuru (Mysore) | |
| 56 | Shivamogga (Shimoga) | |
| 57 | Udupi | |
| 58 | Kerala | Kannur |
| 59 | Ernakulam | |
| 60 | Kollam | |
| 61 | Kottayam | |
| 62 | Kozhikode | |
| 63 | Thrissur | |
| 64 | Trivandrum | |
| 65 | Ladakh | Leh |
| 66 | Lakshadweep | Kavaratti |
| 67 | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| 68 | Gwalior | |
| 69 | Indore | |
| 70 | Jabalpur | |
| 71 | Sagar | |
| 72 | Satna | |
| 73 | Ujjain | |
| 74 | Maharashtra | Amravati |
| 75 | Ahmednagar | |
| 76 | Aurangabad-MH | |
| 77 | Bhiwandi | |
| 78 | Boisar | |
| 79 | Jalgaon | |
| 80 | Kolhapur | |
| 81 | Mumbai | |
| 82 | Nagpur | |
| 83 | Nanded | |
| 84 | Nashik | |
| 85 | Pune | |
| 86 | Raigad | |
| 87 | Satara | |
| 88 | Solapur | |
| 89 | Thane | |
| 90 | Vasai | |
| 91 | Manipur | Ukhrul |
| 92 | Meghalaya | Shillong |
| 93 | Mizoram | Aizawl |
| 94 | Nagaland | Kohima |
| 95 | New Delhi | New Delhi |
| 96 | Odisha | Balasore |
| 97 | Berhampur | |
| 98 | Bhubaneswar | |
| 99 | Cuttack | |
| 100 | Dhenkanal | |
| 101 | Rourkela | |
| 102 | Sambalpur | |
| 103 | Punjab | Bhatinda |
| 104 | Jalandhar | |
| 105 | Ludhiana | |
| 106 | Mohali | |
| 107 | Patiala | |
| 108 | Amritsar | |
| 109 | Puducherry | Puducherry |
| 110 | Rajasthan | Ajmer |
| 111 | Bikaner | |
| 112 | Jaipur | |
| 113 | Jodhpur | |
| 114 | Kota | |
| 115 | Sikar | |
| 116 | Udaipur | |
| 117 | Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| 118 | Coimbatore | |
| 119 | Madurai | |
| 120 | Salem | |
| 121 | Tirunelveli | |
| 122 | Tiruchirappalli | |
| 123 | Vellore | |
| 124 | Telangana | Hyderabad |
| 125 | Karimnagar | |
| 126 | Warangal | |
| 127 | Uttar Pradesh | Agra |
| 128 | Aligarh | |
| 129 | Bareilly | |
| 130 | Ghaziabad | |
| 131 | Gorakhpur | |
| 132 | Greater Noida | |
| 133 | Kanpur | |
| 134 | Jhansi | |
| 135 | Lucknow | |
| 136 | Meerut | |
| 137 | Moradabad | |
| 138 | Muzaffarnagar | |
| 139 | Prayagraj | |
| 140 | Varanasi | |
| 141 | Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| 142 | Haldwani | |
| 143 | Roorkee | |
| 146 | West Bengal | Asansol |
| 147 | Bankura | |
| 148 | Burdwan | |
| 149 | Durgapur | |
| 150 | Hooghly | |
| 151 | Kalyani | |
| 152 | Kolkata | |
| 153 | Siliguri |
CAT Exam Duration
| Section | Duration |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 40 minutes |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 40 minutes |
The total duration of the CAT exam is 2 hours
CAT Salary Structure
| Job Profile | Salary Range (per annum) |
|---|---|
| Management Consultant | ₹8,00,000 – ₹20,00,000 |
| Investment Banker | ₹10,00,000 – ₹25,00,000 |
| Marketing Manager | ₹6,00,000 – ₹15,00,000 |
| Operations Manager | ₹5,00,000 – ₹12,00,000 |
| Finance Manager | ₹7,00,000 – ₹18,00,000 |
CAT Cut Off 2023
| IIM | Qualifying CAT cut offs |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 85 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 |
| IIM Indore | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 |
| IIM Amritsar | 90 |
| IIM Nagpur | 85 |
| IIM Sambalpur | 93 |
| IIM Trichy | 93 |
| IIM Raipur | 93 |
| IIM Ranchi | 90 |
| IIM Kashipur | 94 |
| IIM Vizag | 80 |
| IIM Udaipur | 93 |
| IIM Bodhgaya | 93 |
| IIM Shillong | 75 |
| IIM Sirmaur | 92 |
| IIM Rohtak | 95 |
| IIM Nagpur | 85 |
| IIM Jammu | 93 |
CAT Previous Year Question Paper
| Question Paper 2018 | Question Paper 2019 |
| Question Paper 2020 | Question Paper 2021 |
| Question Paper 2022 | Question Paper 2023 |
CAT Answer Key 2023
| Answer Key 2018 | Answer Key 2019 |
| Answer Key 2020 | Answer Key 2021 |
| Answer Key 2022 | Answer Key 2023 |
Best Books for CAT Exam 2024
| CAT Books | Author | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Seven Habits of Highly Effective People | Stephen Covey | Management |
| A Brief History of time | Stephen Hawking | Science |
| Cosmos | Carl Sagan | Science |
| An Illustrated Retelling of Mahabharta – Jaya | Devdutt Patnaik | Mythology & Management |
| India in Slow Motions | Mark Tully | Politics |
| Capitalism & Freedom | Milton Friedman | Economics |
| Maximum City | Suketu Mehta | City Life – Mumbai |
| Long Walk to Freedom | Nelson Mandela | Autobiography – Politics |
| Wings of Fire | APJ Abdul Kalam | Autobiography |
| Shantaram | David Gregory Roberts | Autobiography – City Life |
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