CAT Entrance Exam, Online CAT Preparation
Common Admission Test or CAT is a distinctly competitive exam conducted each year by the IIMs. It was initiated 37 years ago in the year 1984, as a paper- pencil based test. CAT has undergone various changes since the time it was introduced.
Due to go green revolution, in the year 2009, the CAT was switched to computer-based test. The online testing partner of the first computer-based CAT exam was Prometric India Pvt. Ltd. CAT is considered among the most sought after among the other management entrance tests held in India. IIM- Ahmedabad conducted the first computer based CAT in 2009.
CAT inculcates diligent selection process where written ability tests is followed by personal interview, discussions and the scores in the exam.
WHAT IS CAT EXAM?
CAT Exam is an online test conducted by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on rotational basis. Excelling in CAT exam is essential for students who wish to seek admission in business administration programs (MBA/PGDM) offered by IIMs or various other prestigious management colleges across India such as Management Development Institute (Gurgaon), Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), International Management Institute (IMI), Institute of Management Technology (IMT) and many more. Preparation for CAT Exam would be sufficient to help students appear for other B-School entrance exams as well, as the pattern and syllabus are almost the same.
From the year 2012, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have also started accepting CAT score for admission to their Management programs in lieu of JMET.
CAT is the dominant entrance test for the 2 years full time post graduate management program (MBA/PGDM). Apart from this, it serves as a gateway for one year MBA programmes in IIMs and several other eminent management studies.
ADVANTAGES OF CAT EXAM
CAT is conducted once in a year in 156 cities across the country. Lakhs of students appear for the exam each year though the number increases consistently. CAT is a gateway for admitting students into top-notch B-schools. Below are some advantages of CAT exam:
- IIMs along with other prestigious institutes consider CAT score for giving admission into MBA programs.
- Excelling the CAT exam with excellent scores helps you get into prestigious institutes gives knowledge and exposure to enter into the corporate world.
- One can appear for CAT as many times as they want as there is no limit to the attempts.
Advantages for students pursuing final year of Under-graduation
No gap year
Atleast, one year preparation is required to crack CAT with good score. Students who have already completed the graduation will have to dedicate one year for the preparation to enter into PG program, whereas students pursuing final year will not have to drop a year and can attempt the CAT exam.
Helpful in CAT preparation
Students can prepare for CAT along with their final year’s studies. Students pursuing B.Tech, B.Sc and B.Com can easily prepare for Quantitative Ability while studying subjects like Maths.
Earn work experience before the course
IIMs reserves approximately 10 percent of seats for students who have work experience before joining the PGP course. Thus, final year student who gets into IIM in a particular year can defer the admission for up to two years and can take up the job before joining the programme after working for one or two years.
Helpful in CAT coaching
Though each student may not need to take CAT classes but classes do help in disciplined and streamlined preparation. Final year students can surely take advantage of the classes, unlike the working professionals who are stuck with their 9 to 5 jobs and are unable to manage time.
IIM Ahmedabad will be conducting CAT 2023. Check below table for the upcoming events and tentative dates.
CAT EXAM ELIGIBLITY
There is no age limit to apply and attempt CAT exam. An applicant should secure minimum 50% marks in graduation, whereas a student in the final year can also appear for CAT exam.
NOTES:
- Applicants in the final year of degree examination need to submit the certificate from the Principal/Registrar of the respective institute or university. It should state that they have met all the requirements for equivalent qualification.
- As per the current regulations, students with any kind of academic backlogs in their graduate program can apply for CAT exam without any issue.
- Students with professional degrees CA/CS/ICAW can apply for CAT.
CAT EXAM PATTERN
IIM Lucknow will conduct CAT Exam. The exam pattern of CAT 2023 mentioned briefly below. The CAT exam pattern has undergone numerous changes in the past. Since the last 5 years, the CAT exam pattern has remained same. Below is the brief about the pattern.
Further Exaggerated
Changes in CAT Exam 2023
- Changes in CAT Syllabus: VARC, DILR and QA
- Exam duration was reduced from 180 minutes to 120 minutes with a Sectional limit of 40 minutes
- The difficulty level of 3rd slot was higher than the two others, with VARC and DILR slightly more difficult than CAT 2019. QA was moderate as compared to others though the comprehension of questions seemed a bit tricky for the students.
Other CAT Exam Pattern Analysis
- In CAT 2009 and CAT 2010, there were three sections : VARC, LRDI and QA with an overall time limit but no sectional time limits
- In CAT 2011, 2012 and 2013 though the number of questions remained same, the sections were reduced to two : VARC-LR and AQ-DI with 30 questions from each sections
- In CAT 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, there were total 60 questions with a time limit of 150 minutes
- In CAT 2014, there were 50 questions each from the two sections : VARC-LR and QA-DI with total time limit of 170 minutes and no sectional time gap.
CAT Exam Analysis
Morning Slot
Afternoon Slot
All Slot
CAT EXAM REGISTRATION
Registration for CAT Exam can be done through online mode only. Applicant need to fill in the correct details as any incorrect information may lead to cancellation of the application or may create issues at the time of admission. Applicant need to fill in the application form before the last date as after that, no forms will be accepted. It is advisable to keep the print of the filled application form and fee receipt for future reference.
APPLICATION FEE
Application fees is required to be submitted through online mode only. Payment can be made through Debit Card/ Credit Card/ Net Banking and UPI payment gateways only.
For SC/ST and PWD – the application fees is Rs. 1200/-.
For other applicants- the application fees is Rs. 2400/-.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR CAT Exam APPLICATION FORM
Aspirant should keep the below documents ready before filling the CAT registration form:
- Marksheet of class 10
- Marksheet of class 12
- Marksheets/Certificates of Graduation
- Date of Birth Certificate
- Address Proof
- Caste category certificate (if applicable)
- Scribe Certificate (if applicable)
- PwD category certificate (if applicable)
- Debit/Credit card or net banking credentials
- Work Experience document
CAT EXAM REGISTRATION PROCESS
CAT registration starts in the first week of 2nd August, 2023 and ends on the 13th September, 2023.
CAT registration is bi-furcated into 3 steps:
STEP 1. CAT REGISTRATION
In order to apply for CAT Exam, aspirant need to register on the official CAT website.
- Open iimcat.ac.in
- Select “New Candidate Registration” tab.
- Fill in details like name, email ID, date of birth, mobile phone number and nationality.
- Select “Generate OTP” tab.
- Then OTP is sent on the registered mobile number.
- Enter the OTP in the given field to verify CAT registration.
STEP 2. FILLING UP CAT REGISTRATION FORM
Once the verification is done, aspirant receives user ID and password on the registered mobile number and or on the registered email ID. Further, to fill the form, applicant need to login again using the CAT user ID and password.
Registration form of CAT is divided into six parts:
Personal Details
Details like name, date of birth, category, father’s name, gender, nationality, email ID, phone number etc. are required to be filled in.
Academic Details
Aspirant need to fill in scores of class 10 and 12 exam, details and marksheet of bachelor’s degree and details of other professional courses (if any).
Work Experience
Aspirant need to fill in the details of their relevant work experience, such as name of the company, duration.
Programmes
Aspirant need to click on the IIM institutes of their choice and the MBA programmes they wish to choose.
Test City
Aspirants need to mark the test city they prefer. One can select up to six cities in preference order from one to six out of 156 cities. Please note: Test City is subject to availability of seats.
Payment
Applicant can use Credit/Debit Card, Internet Banking or Paytm/PayU mobile wallets to pay the CAT application fees.
STEP 3. PAYMENT OF CAT REGISTRATION CUM APPLICATION FEE
The final step in CAT registration process is the payment of application fees. Select ‘Save & Continue’ tab to proceed towards fee payment window.
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE DOCUMENTS
SCANNED PASSPORT SIZE PHOTO
Photo should not be more than six months old. It should be in jpg or jpeg format within the dimension of 30mm x 45mm. It should not be less than 150 px/inch in resolution.
SCANNED SIGNATURE
The signature should be clear and on white background within the dimensions of 30mm x 35mm and in jpg or jpeg.
SC/ST/NC-OBC CERTIFICATE
If the aspirant belongs to any of the above category, then one has to download the caste certificate from the CAT website, fill in the required information, self-attest and then upload the scanned copy as a PDF document.
PwD CERTIFICATE
If the aspirant is from PwD category, then one need to download PwD certificate from the CAT website, fill in the details, self-attest and then upload its scanned copy as PDF document.
Points to note while filling the form:
- Edge Chromium or Mozilla Firefox (version 56 and above) and Google Chrome (version 59 and above) are the preferred web browsers to fill the CAT exam form.
- Correct and valid mobile number and email ID should be entered.
- Fill the CAT application form by using laptop or a desktop instead of the smartphone.
- Enter the IIM campuses thoughtfully as you may get a call based on the choices mentioned (if shortlisted).
- Before clicking ‘Submit/Save’ tab, check all the details thoroughly.
- Once the form is submitted it cannot be edited. Or else you will have to create a new login ID, fill the form and pay the fees again.
- CAT form will not be accepted if the fee payment transaction is incomplete.
- It is advisable to save a copy of the CAT application fee acknowledgement slip and copy of duly filled application form for future reference.
- Take the print of the CAT registration confirmation email until the end MBA process for future reference.
CAT APPLICATION FORM CORRECTION
Applicants who wish to change their test city preference or upload another photograph and image of their signature can do so once the correction window opens.
- Log on to CAT website.
- Enter User ID and password
- Click on Application Form
- Click on Personal details or Test City
- Furnish the changes and enter CAPTCHA code and click on continue to complete the process.
ELIGIBLITY VERIFICATION
If any of the IIMs shortlist the applicant then he/she will have to comply the following eligibility verification:
Reservation Category Requirements
Applicants from SC, ST, NC-OBC and DA category are required to present their original caste/class and/or disability certificate and submit the copy of the certificate at the time of interview.
Additionally, when an applicant is selected for a programme, he/she will have to provide the original certificate of qualifying degree and attested copy of the same for verification.
Marksheets and Degree Certificates
Shortlisted applicants are required to provide all the original marksheets and present attested photocopies proving their eligibility at the time of interview. Additionally, when an applicant is chosen for a particular programme, he/she may have to submit the original degree certificate and marksheets of all the semesters along with their attested copies at the time of joining.
Applicants Pursuing Final Year of Graduation
Applicants pursuing their final year bachelor’s degree or equivalent examination are required to provide an original certificate from the Principal/Registrar/ Director of the University/institution endorsing that the applicant has secured 50% marks or equivalent (45% for the SC/St and DA category) based on the current marks. As well as the attested copy of the original certificate (for category applicants).
- Applicants shortlisted for the Post-Graduate Programmes of IIMs can join the program PROVISIONALLY ONLY if they submit the duly signed certificate from the head that all the required certificates (including the supplementary exams) are provided.
- In case, the certificate is incorrect or has any discrepancies later may lead to automatic cancellation of the provisional admission.
ADMISSION PROCESS
Applicants are selected solely based on their performance in CAT exam that includes Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).
Please note: IIM shortlists applicants for the second stage of selection independently. IIMs consider various parameters while shortlisting and ranking an applicant during the admission process, such as academic records, relevant work experience and several other points. Additionally, the evaluation parameters may vary across other IIMs. One should refer individual IIM’s website for further information.
CAT PREPARATION
CAT is a national level exam. It is taken by various fresh graduates and experienced professionals from various fields each year. As the CAT exam is highly competitive, the preparation also needs immense hard work. The number of applicants increase each year simultaneously the difficulty level of the CAT exam also increases each year. Thus, those who wish to get into the preferred B-School need to prepare well for the exam.
Have you started with your CAT exam preparation?
Confused! Where to start from?
Well, for preparation you need to plan, prepare and follow a proper strategy and stay connected with the experienced faculties to guide along.
But not sure how to make a proper CAT preparation strategy?
Read ahead to know:
- CAT Exam Preparation Tips
- CAT Online Preparation
- CAT Online Coaching
- CAT Preparation Books
- CAT Question Papers
- CAT Sample Papers
- CAT Mock Tests
- CAT Mock Test By IIM
CAT EXAM PREPARATION TIPS
‘Early you start, wisely you’ll achieve’
Students who wish to crack CAT Exam and achieve high score to get into elite MBA institutes then you need to start your preparations right away.
Here we are to help you plan your strategy in step-by-step manner:
- Know the CAT Exam pattern
- Be thorough with CAT Exam Syllabus
- Clear your basics
- Attempt CAT mock tests regularly
- Analyse your strengths and weaknesses
Know the CAT Exam Syllabus and pattern
‘To reach the destination, know the road you need to travel upon.’
Similarly, one should have a complete understanding of the CAT syllabus and the CAT exam pattern.
CAT exam paper is divided into 3 major sections, namely, ‘Quantitative Aptitude (QA)’, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC). Having thorough knowledge of the exam pattern helps students know how the CAT exam would be.
Be thorough with CAT Exam Syllabus
An aspirant should be very clear with what all topics are required to be covered. Though there is not a standard exam syllabus for CAT but one can refer to CAT sample papers, previous year’s papers or speak to the mentor to know the syllabus and accordingly plan which topics should be finished within which time limit.
Knowing the syllabus helps you prepare a proper timetable. Check out Ekoching’s article on CAT exam syllabus to have a detailed syllabus.
Clear Your Basics
Want to gain greater accuracy in little time?
Get your concepts clear!
So when you are thorough with the syllabus and exam pattern, start working on the basics of each topic. For verbal ability section, regular reading is essential, whereas for QA and DILR, you need to practice a lot. More you practice, well-versed you become.
Attempt Mock Tests Regularly
Any kind of preparation is incomplete if you have not tested yourself. Similarly, your CAT Exam preparation is incomplete if you have not attempted mock tests. CAT mock tests, CAT test series or CAT sample papers are designed to help students understand the exam pattern and the difficulty level of the exam.
Additionally, CAT mock tests boost an aspirant’s confidence level too which in turn helps aspirant to perform well in the main exam.
Analyse your strengths and weaknesses
Assessing mock test is very important step in the journey of preparation. Mock tests help aspirant understand their strengths and weakness over the topics. Aspirants get to know where they stand and accordingly prepare their strategy.
Hence, more mock test you appear for, more you get to know which tips and tricks work for you.
SECTION WISE CAT PREPARATION STRATEGY: VARC
Verbal ability section is delineated to analyse applicant’s oral as well as written communication skill. To prepare for this section, you should:
- Develop perpetual habit of reading. You can read newspapers, editorials, novels, simple passages and much more. This is turn increases reading speed and you gain a better understanding of grammar.
- You should be thorough with the basic grammar concepts like articles, verbs, parts of speech, tenses etc.
- Scan the questions before reading the passage. This helps you get the answers quickly when you read the passage.
- Learn new words and revise atleast 50 words each day.
- Read quickly by setting a time frame.
SECTION WISE CAT PREPARATION STRATEGY: LRDI
Consistent practice is the key to success especially in LRDI section.
- Be meticulous with the tables, charts and graphs for DATA Interpretation and work on caselets and puzzles for Logical Reasoning.
- Study percentage equivalent of fraction and the alphabets codes from A to Z and practice brain calculations for quick computation.
- Practice atleast 4-5 question sets of logical reasoning and data interpretation by setting a time limit.
SECTION WISE CAT PREPARATION STRATEGY: QA
For QA section, applicant should understand basic concept and the questions smartly. Here accuracy is more important than speed.
- One should be thorough with the squares and cubes up to 30, tables till 50 as well as percentage equivalent of fractions up to 30.
- Prepare a plan on how many questions you should solve each day within the time limit.
- Start with easy questions followed by tricky questions (as it may take more time to solve).
ADDITIONAL TIPS
- Prepare short notes on topics subject wise. This helps you understand how much time you need to allot to each subject.
- Revise previous year’s paper of CAT to get a better understanding of the exam pattern as well as the difficulty level of the paper.
- Read, read and read to get the speed.
- Read newspapers and listen to debates, understand the issues to keep yourself updated with the happenings further increasing your general knowledge.
CAT PREPARATION BOOKS
Planning to give CAT exam?
But don’t know how to start?
Which are the best books for CAT preparation?
From where will to get the right CAT study material?
Online books or the hard copy, which will work best?
Huh, lots of questions. Lot of confusion.
Yes, we understand. Selecting the best books for CAT preparation is a very crucial part. Why won’t it be? If an aspirant wish to score well in CAT exam, then of course source or the study material should be correct. Â
Best Books For CAT Preparation
Before hunting for books, aspirants should have a thorough knowledge of the CAT syllabus and the exam pattern. Comparing to the past, there have not been many changes in the pattern though. Total three sections will be asked in CAT Exam: Quantitative Ability, Verbal ability and reading comprehension, Data interpretation and logical reasoning.
Aspirants preparing through a coaching classes get the right study material from the institute itself curated by the faculties themselves whereas aspirants preparing themselves have to hunt for the right material to enhance their skills.
Aspirants whether opting for coaching classes or self-preparation, you should consider following parameters while choosing the best books for CAT preparation:
Accurate & easy to understand
Books which cover almost all the topics and is in easy language help aspirant understand each subject easily and covers the syllabus too.
Latest edition
Referring the book from the latest addition is always beneficial as it has the add-ons of the new topics too based on the latest exam pattern.
Credible Author
Aspirant should check the books they select are from the credible authors or not.
ADD-ONS:
Further, look for the following points while considering books for different sections:
Best CAT Books For QA
QA is considered to be one of the toughest sections out of three. It needs well-versed preparation. Thus,
- Books should cover all the necessary topics as per the latest CAT Exam syllabus.
- Should have good and elaborative examples.
Best CAT Books For VARC
As this section is divided into two, one is reading comprehension (RC), the other is Verbal Ability (VA). Thus, RC checks the way an aspirant concludes and answer questions whereas VA checks the aspirant’s vocabulary, grammar etc.
Thus,
- Topic wise segregation is provided in the book.
- Improves vocabulary.
- Have passages for preparation.
- Explains correct usage of words.
Best CAT Books For LRDI
A lot of practice is required for this section as the aspirants are tested on logic and calculation. Thus,
- Book should have lot of exercises to boost thinking in a logical manner.
- Numerous examples for better explanation.
But remember, not just the books, along with that, your focus and determination will help you adept CAT exam with flying colours.
CAT EXAM DATE
IIM Lucknow will be conducting CAT 2023. Check below table for the upcoming events and tentative dates.
Please note: All the events will be conducted through online mode only.
CAT SYLLABUS
CAT exam tests student’s generic knowledge by asking questions based on logical reasoning and middle school topics from the subjects Maths and English. Before heading towards the detailed syllabus. Check out the important topics one should cover.
CAT Syllabus Overview
VERBAL ABILITY & READING COMPREHENSION
- Sentence Completion
- Inferences
- Para jumbles & para summary
- Reading comprehension and questions based on it
QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE
- Number System
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Mensuration
- Geometry
- Modern Maths
LOGICAL REASONING & DATA INTERPRETATION
- Tables
- Seating Arrangements
- Graphs
- Data Caselets
Find below is the comprehensive details of the CAT exam syllabus:
DATA INTERPRETATION & LOGICAL REASONING
- Bar Graphs and Column Graphs
- Syllogism
- Venn Diagrams
- Connectives & Sequence
- Binary Logic
- Number and Letter Series
- Caselets and Tables
- Combination of two or more types linked to each other
- Calendars
- Logical Matching
- Seating Arrangement
- Line Charts & Pie Chart
- Connectives & Sequence
QUANTITATIVE ABILITY
- Trigonometry
- Coordinate Geometry and Mensuration
- Profit, Loss and Discount
- Averages
- Simple & Compound Interest
- Permutation & Combination
- LCM & HCF
- Number Systems
- Surds&Indices
- Set Theory
- Mixtures & Allegations
- Inequalities
- Logarithm
- Complex Numbers
- Quadratic & Linear Equations
- Time & work,
- Ratio & Proportion
- Speed Time & Distance
- Sequences & Series
- Percentages
VERBAL ABILITY & READING COMPREHENSION
- Jumbled paragraph and Close Passage
- Analogies and Reverse Analogies
- Verbal Reasoning
- Facts Inferences Judgements
- Verbal Reasoning
- Summary Questions
- Reading Comprehension
- Para Completion
CAT PREPARATION BOOKS
Planning to give CAT exam 2023?
But don’t know how to start?
Which are the best books for CAT preparation?
From where will to get the right CAT study material?
Online books or the hard copy, which will work best?
Huh, lots of questions. Lot of confusion.
Yes, we understand. Selecting the best books for CAT preparation is a very crucial part. Why won’t it be? If an aspirant wish to score well in CAT exam, then of course source or the study material should be correct. Â
Best Books For CAT Preparation
Before hunting for books, aspirants should have a thorough knowledge of the CAT syllabus and the exam pattern. Comparing to the past, there have not been many changes in the pattern though. Total three sections will be asked in CAT 2023: Quantitative Ability, Verbal ability and reading comprehension, Data interpretation and logical reasoning.
Aspirants preparing through a coaching classes get the right study material from the institute itself curated by the faculties themselves whereas aspirants preparing themselves have to hunt for the right material to enhance their skills.
Aspirants whether opting for coaching classes or self-preparation, you should consider following parameters while choosing the best books for CAT preparation:
Accurate & easy to understand
Books which cover almost all the topics and is in easy language help aspirant understand each subject easily and covers the syllabus too.
Latest edition
Referring the book from the latest addition is always beneficial as it has the add-ons of the new topics too based on the latest exam pattern.
Credible Author
Aspirant should check the books they select are from the credible authors or not.
ADD-ONS:
Further, look for the following points while considering books for different sections:
Best CAT Books For QA
QA is considered to be one of the toughest sections out of three. It needs well-versed preparation. Thus,
- Books should cover all the necessary topics as per the latest CAT 2023 syllabus.
- Should have good and elaborative examples.
Best CAT Books For VARC
As this section is divided into two, one is reading comprehension (RC), the other is Verbal Ability (VA). Thus, RC checks the way an aspirant concludes and answer questions whereas VA checks the aspirant’s vocabulary, grammar etc.
Thus,
- Topic wise segregation is provided in the book.
- Improves vocabulary.
- Have passages for preparation.
- Explains correct usage of words.
Best CAT Books For LRDI
A lot of practice is required for this section as the aspirants are tested on logic and calculation. Thus,
- Book should have lot of exercises to boost thinking in a logical manner.
- Numerous examples for better explanation.
But remember, not just the books, along with that, your focus and determination will help you adept CAT 2023 exam with flying colours.
USING EKOCHING STUDY PLANNER AND SCHEDULER
Approximately 1 year (45-54 weeks) is optimum for CAT preparation. However, aspirant should understand the CAT syllabus and divide the preparation time into various phases to enhance your speed and accuracy.
Considering the dedication towards learning along with the convenience, Ekoching has come up with study planner and scheduler.
It is basically a customized study planner, different for each aspirant. Ekoching study planner and scheduler, formulates a preparation strategy. For instance, in how many days a topic should be completed or sets a reminder when the aspirant will have to appear for mock test.
CAT QUESTION PAPERS
Best source to prepare for CAT 2023 is to solve CAT question papers. One should always inculcate a time slot for solving CAT question paper in the preparation strategy. CAT previous year papers give an idea about
- the CAT exam pattern,
- the types of questions asked
- review the most important and frequent topics
- the marking scheme
- helps you formulate new problem-solving techniques.
When to start practicing CAT Question papers?
Aspirants should solve the question papers once they complete the syllabus of any one section. But it is not advisable to solve them prior to the preparation as it will not be beneficial.
If you wish to solve before CAT preparation, then solve the papers after preparation too so that you get to know where you stand and your preparation level.
CAT SAMPLE PAPERS
Aspirants who wish to score well in CAT exam and a spot in the prestigious IIMs or any other top B-school, they need to have a well-thought study plan that includes focused study and lots of practice.
Just learning the subjects will not be of any use until and unless you practice. So, when you start solving CAT sample papers, you actually use your concepts. This in turn, helps you understand where you stand, further offering room for improvement.
CAT 2023: Benefits of solving sample papers
Solving CAT 2023 sample papers have numerous benefits that help you enhance your score in a systematic way:
- Consider CAT sample papers as a mirror. It will reflect your position compared to others. Compare your performance with others to see what works for you and accordingly develop a comprehensive strategy for the exam.
- Check how well you can perform under given time constraints. This score will let you know your preparation level at any specific stage.
- Do analyse your performance in the sample test papers as it will show your weak areas if you wish to score high in actual exam.
- It also gives you an idea of which questions you should attempt first and which ones later. Include this tip in your strategy. It will help you improve the overall score.
CAT MOCK TESTS
Want to score high percentile in CAT 2023 exam?
Start practicing CAT Mock tests. Once you finish the exam syllabus or earlier also, you should start with mock tests. This practice helps you know your control over the three sections of the exam paper- QA, DILR and VARC.
Mock tests just not test your knowledge but puts you in a simulated domain of the actual CAT exam. Online CAT mock tests are fabricated like an actual CAT question paper. For instance, applicants will have to login, there will be section-wise MCQs, timer etc. Thus, it creates an actual CAT exam environment preparing applicant to sit for three long hours and attempt the paper under a pressurized environment with complete focus.
Aspirants should rigorously practise CAT mock tests especially when there are less than three months left for CAT 2023.
How Online CAT Mock Test Will Be Beneficial?
- CAT online mock tests improves your speed and accuracy
- More you practice, more tricks and shortcuts you discover of solving CAT exam
- More online mock tests you practice, you acquaint to solve different types of questions be it difficult, easy, tricky or lengthy.
- Once the admit card for CAT 2023 exam is issued, you get to know your time slot. Since then start practicing mock tests during that particular time slot only. This helps you retain energy during that period of time on the date of actual exam.
CAT MOCK TEST BY IIM
CAT 2023 will be conducted on 26th November 2023. According to the official announcement, IIM Lucknow will be organizing CAT 2023 and would probably release the IIM CAT official Mock Test more than a month before the exam date.
KEY FEATURES OF CAT MOCK TEST BY IIM
- CAT MOCK TEST BY IIM is similar to actual CAT 2023 exam pattern
- CAT Mock Test by IIM is a free official mock test.
- Official CAT Mock Test 2023 cannot be downloaded from the CAT website as it is not in the Pdf form.
- Applicant with normal vision gets a separate login link to access the official CAT mock tests for free.
- Applicants with low vision are provided a login link with two magnifying glass icons at the top of the screen for CAT 2023 official Mock test.
- There is no limit to practicing CAT 2023 official mock test.
- No CAT mock test official solutions are provided with the official CAT mock test.
- To access official CAT 2023 mock tests, applicants need not to enter their CAT login ID or password.
CAT official Mock Test: Structure
Below is the expected sectional structure of CAT 2023.
Benefits of official CAT 2023 mock test:
- CAT 2023 mock tests serve as the perfect guide to actual CAT exam.
- Aspirant work out the time management strategy for the D-day.
- Difficulty level for CAT 2023 exam can be determined
- Aspirants get to know if there are any new topics introduced or removed.
- After attempting the official CAT 2023 mock test, aspirants get to know if they need to bring in any changes in their preparation strategy.
CAT EXAM ANALYSIS
‘Analyse, understand and go forth’
CAT is a prestigious exam taken over by several students. By taking turns, CAT is conducted by Indian Institute of Management (IIMs). Attempting CAT exam is a very first step to take admission in the IIMs and various other top management institutes. To adept CAT exam, it is essential to know the exam properly. In order to achieve your goal i.e., to crack CAT exam, you need to analyze previous year’s papers appropriately.
How to analyze CAT exam paper?
Check the changes in the exam pattern by checking the exam duration and the sections. As in the year 2014, there were only 2 sections- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and the duration was 170 minutes. But from the year 2015, CAT introduced the 3rd section- Verbal and Reading comprehension to the exam paper and the duration increased to 180 minutes.
Additionally, watch out for the number of questions asked in each section and from each topic.
Benefits of CAT exam analysis
Though there are several benefits of assessing CAT exam previous year’s papers but below are the vital ones:
- Aspirants get to know the exam pattern
- Aspirants can measure the difficulty level
- Aspirants get to know the topics with more weightage and the topics which are hardly incorporated in the exam paper.
For CAT 2023, QA section may have 34 questions; VARC section may have 34 questions; LR & DI may have 32 questions.
MBA ADMISSION THROUGH CAT EXAM SCORE
Aspiring for MBA through top B-schools?
Work towards your goal by scoring high percentile!
Once the CAT results are out, the next step for an aspirant is to look for the best MBA institutes. CAT percentile plays a very important role if an aspirant wish to get a call from the top B-schools.
Additionally, there are various other factors which aspirant will have to check upon such as
- Fees of the institute
- Alumni base
- Placement institute offers
- Institute’s location
- Curriculum
- Faculty
- Extra-curricular activities and much more.
Aspirants are recommended to think and decide which institute will fulfil their needs and will suit their pocket too.
MBA institutes have been bifurcated in different tiers based on CAT percentile they accept.
Tier 1: 98-100 Percentile
Tier 2: 95-98 Percentile
Tier 3: 80-95 Percentile
Tier 4: 70-80 Percentile
TOP COLLEGES ACCEPTING CAT EXAM SCORE
Let’s begin with the list of 20 IIMs accepting CAT 2023 exam score along with the seat availability for the course:
Apart from IIMs, there are several other esteemed and internationally accredited MBA/PGDM colleges accepting CAT exam score. Here is the list:
| MICA Ahmedabad | SPJIMR, Mumbai |
| Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon | International Management Institute (IMI) New Delhi |
| Institute of Management Technology | XIM-Xavier University Bhubaneswar |
| IIT BOMBAY Mumbai | Vijay Patil School of Management (VPSM), |
| Amrita School of Business Coimbatore | Great Lakes Institute Of Management, Chennai |
| TAPMI Manipal | K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai |
| IRMA Anand | Welingkar Mumbai |
| LBSIM New Delhi | FORE School of Management (FSM) New Delhi |
| GIM Goa | GIM Goa Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) Chennai |
| Christ University Bengaluru | Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) Chennai |
| IMT Nagpur | NIRMA University |
| IMS Ghaziabad | Department of Management Studies (IIT Delhi) New Delhi |
| Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) New Delhi | BIMTECH, Greater Noida |
CAT RESULT
- Percentile can be mapped with the score on the basis of this CAT Percentile vs Score analysis.
- It has been seen that colleges like IIM-A, IIM-B, IIM-C, IIM-I, IIM-K, IIM-L shortlist 99+ percentile candidates for the admission process.
- With good attempts of around 18-20 and a raw score of 46-52 candidates can expect 98 to 99 Percentiles in the respective sections. On the other hand with good attempts of around 13-15 and a raw score of 35-41 candidates can expect a 95+ Percentile.
- The relation between CAT Percentile and Marks varies for each section as it depends on the score normalization process.
Our Team
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What our students say
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Post- Urban Company (Product Manager)
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FAQs
CAT application form can be filled in online mode only on the official website iimcat.ac.in.
Click on ‘Forgot Password’ tab and follow the instructions. A link to reset the password will be sent to you via email. Click on the link to change the password.
There is no defined age limit for CAT Exam .
CAT is conducted in English language only.
Yes, applicants can register for CAT exam on one day and fill the form on any other day. It’s just that one needs to fill the form and exam fees before the deadline in order to appear for CAT exam.
No, CAT registration fees cannot be paid offline. It has to be done through online mode only via debit/credit card, net banking or mobile wallets.
CAT scores are valid for 1 year only.
No, one cannot register once the last date of submissionis over.
Applicants need to contact the official authorities in order to make corrections in the admit card. Please note details should be corrected in the admit card before the exam date as the scorecard will be issued on the basis of the admit card details.
No, CAT application form is same for all the applicants. One need to just fill in the relevant category in the CAT form and upload the supporting documents.
