The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer-based examination conducted annually in India. It assesses candidates on key areas such as Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VA-RC), Data Interpretation (DI), and Logical Reasoning (LR). Originally introduced by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), the CAT serves as a primary criterion for selecting students for their business administration programs. The responsibility of organizing the exam rotates each year among the IIMs, following a predefined policy.
CAT
Common Admission Test
- The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree, with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA [45% in the case of candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disability (PwD) categories], awarded by any University or educational institution as incorporated by an Act of Parliament or State legislature in India or declared to be deemed as an University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
- Candidates appearing for the final year of Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification examination and those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results can also apply. However, it may be noted that such candidates, if selected, will be allowed to join the programme provisionally, only if they submit a certificate from the Principal/Registrar of their University/Institution (issued on or before the date as stipulated by the respective IIM) stating that they have completed all the requirements for obtaining the Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification on the date of issue of the certificate.
- Candidates applying for CAT should fulfill any one of the following conditions:
A) Completed Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage of marks*.
B) Completed professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA (CMA)/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)) with required percentage*.
C) Should be in the final year of Bachelor’s degree with required percentage*. *SC/ST/PwD candidates should have a minimum 45%. For General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates, the minimum is 50%.
- Candidates applying for CAT should fulfill any one of the following conditions:
- The percentage of marks obtained by the candidate would be calculated based on the practice as followed by the respective University/Institution. In case of grades/CGPA, the conversion to percentage of marks would be based on the procedure as certified by the respective University/Institution. If any University/Institution confirms that there is no scheme for converting CGPA into equivalent marks, the equivalence would be established by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA, and multiplying the result with 100.
- IIMs may verify eligibility at various stages of the selection process, the details of which are provided at the website www.iimcat.ac.in. Applicants should note that the mere fulfilment of the minimum eligibility criteria will not ensure consideration for shortlisting by IIMs. Candidates must declare and maintain a valid and unique email account and a mobile phone number throughout the selection process.
The CAT 2019 question paper will consist of the following sections:
| Mode | Online |
| Duration of Exam | 120 Minutes |
| Multiple-Choice Questions | 68 questions of 3 mark each |
| Subject areas with number of the questions: | |
| 1. Verbal Ability | 24 |
| 2. Quantitative Ability | 22 |
| 3. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 22 |
| Negative Marking | -1 Mark for each wrong answer |
| Cat Exam Pattern | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC) | 24 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 120 |
Candidates will be given 120 minutes to answer the questions. Each section is allotted 60 minutes. The candidates cannot choose any section to start with or switch from one section to another. They will have to follow the question paper chronologically, from section 1-3.
Some questions in each section may not be of multiple choice type, thus the answers will have to be typed on the screen.
Use of basic onscreen calculator will be allowed for computation.
SCOPE AND COVERAGE OF QUESTIONS UNDER DIFFERENT SUBJECT AREAS
1. Mathematics or Quantitative Section
Some of the core concepts in math and quant subjects are:
| Geometry | HCF & LCM | Averages |
|---|---|---|
| Trigonometry | Algebra | Partnership (Accounts) |
| Mensuration | Profit & Loss | Time-Speed-Distance |
| Ratios and Proportion | In-equations Quadratic and linear equations | Surds and Indices |
| Number system | Geometric Progression | Inequalities |
| Work and time | Percentages | Logarithms |
2. English or Verbal Section
Prominent topics in this section are:
| Fill in the blanks | Verbal Reasoning | Sentence completion |
|---|---|---|
| Grammar | Syllogisms | Jumbled paragraphs |
| Para Completion and inference | Contextual usage | Foreign language words used in English |
| Reading Comprehension | Analogies | Sentence correction |
| Verbal Logic | Different usage of the same word | Idioms |
| Para-jumbles | Antonyms | One word substitution |
3. Logical Reasoning Section
Important topics under AR are:
| Blood Relations | Series | Proposition |
|---|---|---|
| Direction Sense | Coding-Decoding | Assumptions |
| Puzzles | Clocks and Calendars | Statements |
| Data Arrangement | Family Tree | Binary Logic |
| Seating Arrangement | Venn Diagram | Sets |
| Data Structures | Syllogism |
4. Data Interpretation Section
Problems related to organised and unorganised data are quite common in this section. Core topics are as follows:
| Tables | Pie Charts | Case-lets |
|---|---|---|
| Bars | Line Graphs | Data Sufficiency |
| Registration Starts | 1st August 2024 |
| Registration Ends | 20th September 2024 |
| Admit Card Download | 5th November 2024 |
| Exam Date | 24th November 2024 |
| Result | 19th December 2024 |
Click here (URL: iimcat.ac.in) for more details
We have created a niche by delivering the highest level of services and an unmatched approach with a focus on conceptual clarity, speed & accuracy, resulting in realizing one’s potential.
10,000+
Mentored & Placed
1000+
IIM Calls
3000+
Calls from Top MBA Institutes
We have created a niche by delivering the highest level of services and an unmatched approach with a focus on conceptual clarity, speed & accuracy, resulting in realizing one’s potential.
10,000+
Mentored & Placed
1000+
IIM Calls
3000+
Calls from Top MBA Institutes
Featured Services
We believe in offering the highest quality courses, created by the expert who shares our commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, both online and in the classroom.
Our Guiding Light
Rushabhsen Sanghani
Rushabh sir is the co-founder of H R Mentors. He entered the training domain in the year 2004 and immediately fell in love with the adrenal rush that he derived from the success of students. With a keen interest in understanding the examination patterns and guiding students on the test-taking strategies, Rushabh sir has carved a niche for himself in the test-prep industry. ‘Mentoring above Teaching’ is what he has always believed in. It is this vision that has helped H R Mentors in creating the right pedagogy for its students.
Hitesh Dewani
Hitesh sir is the co-founder of H R Mentors and contributes in the capacity of a GD-PI & WAT expert. He also plays a pivotal role in framing the test taking strategy in the Verbal Ability section for the students. Known to be a great speaker, Hitesh sir is a familiar name among various educational institutions in Central India. He has been invited for and successfully delivered sessions at various prestigious platforms such as the TEDx, IITs, IIITs, NITs, Rotary’s education fest, AISEC’s Youth Speak Forum and many more.
Hitesh Dewani
Hitesh sir is the co-founder of H R Mentors and contributes in the capacity of a GD-PI & WAT expert. He also plays a pivotal role in framing the test taking strategy in the Verbal Ability section for the students. Known to be a great speaker, Hitesh sir is a familiar name among various educational institutions in Central India. He has been invited for and successfully delivered sessions at various prestigious platforms such as the TEDx, IITs, IIITs, NITs, Rotary’s education fest, AISEC’s Youth Speak Forum and many more.