MBA CAT Exam 2023

The CAT Exam is a computer-based test that is given by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in India. It is offered to MBA students who have completed their course in any of the IITs, IIMs, and other higher education institutes across India. The exam consists of two papers: Objective Type and Subject Type. The objective type paper has 120 questions while the subject type paper has 120 questions. Each question carries four marks (one mark for each correct answer).

The CAT Exam was first introduced in 1973 by IIM Calcutta and has since been administered at various times by different IIMs. The CAT Exam is conducted every year in July or August depending on the academic calendar of your institute.

The CAT 2023 Exam will most likely be held on November 26. The exam will be held in three sessions across India, in approximately 156 cities. The dates for the CAT 2023 Exam will be announced in July 2023, and registration will begin in August 2023.

Candidates who want to pursue an MBA from a top-tier B-School in India must take the CAT because approximately 1,200 MBA colleges accept the scores for admission to their PG management programs. The IIMs, MDI, SPJIMR, IMT, FMS, IM, IITs, GIM, GLIM, LIBA, NITIE, MICA, IRMA, KIIT SOM, BIMTech, AMU, JMI, and BHU are among the Top MBA colleges that accept CAT scores for admission.

Latest Updates

The announcement of the CAT Examination date has been made public on the 2nd of August. Common Admission Test, which is commonly known as CAT Exam is one of the most popular National level examinations that is administered by the IIMs on a rotational basis. 

MBA CAT Exam is administered for the purpose of granting students admission into Top MBA Colleges in India such as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other  MBA Colleges in India, the list of NON-IIMs colleges accepting CAT is also listed below. 

This year, CAT 2023 is being undertaken by the (IIML) Indian Institute of Management Lucknow.

In addition to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), candidates have the opportunity to utilize their Common Admission Test CAT Scores for admission into a diverse range of postgraduate management programs offered by both government and private management institutions. 

Individuals who possess an interest in acquiring information regarding the Common Admission Test (CAT) for the year 2023 may avail themselves of comprehensive details by referring to this article, which covers aspects such as CAT Eligibility Criteria, syllabus, exam pattern, application process, and associated fees.

CAT Exam 2023 Highlights

The CAT is a Common Aptitude Test used to assess a candidate's business aptitude, reasoning, analytical, and English skills. Check out the key highlights of CAT 2023 below.

Particulars	CAT 2023 Exam Details
CAT Full Form	Common Admission Test (CAT)
Exam schedule	November 26, 2023 (tentative)
CAT exam fees	INR 2,200 (General category) and INR 1,100 (Reserved category)
Eligibility criteria	Graduation with 50 % aggregate (45 % for SC/ST students)
Application mode	Online
Application fees	INR 2,200 for General category INR 1,100 for SC/ST/PwD
CAT Syllabus	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)Quantitative Ability (QA)
CAT Exam website	https://iimcat.ac.in

List of NON-IIMs colleges accepting CAT for Admission: Cut offs and fees

The following compilation presents a selection of the List of NON-IIMs colleges accepting CAT excluding the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Additionally, the overall cost of the course and the anticipated minimum CAT Scores for admission are discussed.

List of NON-IIMs colleges accepting CAT	Fees Structure	List of NON-IIMs colleges accepting CAT CutOff
XIMB - Xavier University, Bhubaneswar	INR 12.20 to 20 lakh	80 percentile
Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, Bangalore (XIME),Bangalore	INR 11.50 lakh	70 percentile
Woxsen University, Hyderabad	INR 13.90 lakh	70 percentile
Vinod Gupta School of Management (IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur	INR 10.31 to 20 lakh	95 percentile
T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal	INR 16.00 lakh	80 percentile
Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), Mumbai	INR 8.27 to 15.21 lakh	97.5 percentile
S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai	INR 19.00 lakh	85 percentile
Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool), Mumbai	INR 13.00 lakh	85 percentile
National Institute of Technology (NIT Trichy), Tiruchirappalli	INR 14.63 lakh	89.65 percentile
National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai	INR 8.10 lakh	97 percentile
Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon	INR 25.00 lakh	97 percentile
Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai	INR 17.20 lakh	86 percentile
Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM)	INR 13.00 lakh	87 percentile
K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR), Mumbai	INR 8.80 lakh	90 percentile
JIMS, Rohini Sector 5 - Jagan Institute of Management Studies	INR 4.05 to 8.00 lakh	60-75 percentile
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai	INR 2.00 lakh	95 percentile
International Management Institute, Delhi (IMI)	INR 19.25 lakh	90 percentile
Institute of Management, Nirma University (IMNU), Ahmedabad	INR 7.61 to16.3 lakh	80.04 percentile
Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur	INR 12.04 lakh	50 percentile
Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM), Kolkata	INR 2.5 to 5.9 lakh	50.35 percentile
IILM Institute for Higher Education (IILM), Delhi	INR 12.09 lakh	60 percentile
IBS, Hyderabad	INR 16.02 lakh	85 percentile
Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa	INR 18.07 lakh	90 percentile
Fortune Institute of International Business, Delhi	INR 8.75 lakh	50 percentile
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) - University of Delhi	INR 20,960 (per semester)	98.54 percentile
DMS, IIT-Delhi	INR 8.8 to 9.89 lakh	98.04 percentile
BITSOM Mumbai	INR 24.50 lakh	No minimum cut off required
Birla Institute of Management Technology, (BIMTECH), Greater Noida	INR 12.00 lakh	75 percentile
Bharathidasan Institute of Management (BIM), Tiruchirappalli	INR 14.79 lakh	85 percentile
Asia-Pacific Institute of Management, Delhi	INR 9.65 to 11.08 lakh	75 percentile
Amity Business School, Noida	INR 6.80 to 14.82 lakh	85 percentile
AIMS Institutes (AIMS), Bangalore	INR 8.75 lakh	60 percentile

Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT in the Non-IIM Category: 90% to 100%

Among the MBA institutions accepting CAT scores are highly rated and globally approved MBA/ PGDM colleges in addition to the IIMs. Some of the top MBA institutions, excluding IIMs, that will accept CAT 2021 scores of 90% or higher for MBA admission in 2022 are:

MBA College	MBA Fee (Rs. in Lakhs)	The average salary in Placement  (Rs. in Lakhs)
SPJIMR, Mumbai	19.00	26.06
MDI Gurgaon	21.34	23.15
FMS New Delhi	1.92	26.20
IMI New Delhi	19.25	12.77
IMT Ghaziabad	19.53	12.42
DMS IIT Delhi	9.60	18.50
SJMSOM IIT Bombay	10.08	21.96

Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT: 80-90 Percentile

Top MBA colleges in India that accept CAT 80-90 percentile and above are highly recognized and globally approved MBA/PGDM programs. The list is shown below, along with their admittance status.

B-School	Program Fee (Rs.in Lakhs)	Average Placement (Rs.in lakhs)	Admission Status
MICA Ahmedabad	21	13.9	Opening Soon
NITIE Mumbai	12.58	19.95	Opening Soon
Xavier University Bhubaneswar	18.9	15.42	Opening Soon
Great Lakes Chennai	17.15	12.8	Opening Soon
TAPMI Manipal	16.00	11.20	Opening Soon
IIM Kashipur MBA Analytics	15.42	--	Opening Soon
GIM Goa	17.21	10.71	Opening Soon
IRMA Anand	15.17	10.76	Opening Soon
FORE School of Management New Delhi	15.98	10.7	Opening Soon
BIM Tiruchirappalli	12.14	10.60	Opening Soon
K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai	18.78	9.41	Opening Soon
LBSIM New Delhi	12.9	9.67	Opening Soon
Welingkar Mumbai	12.89	9.2	Opening Soon
NIRMA University	9.52	9.00	Opening Soon
Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani	9.00	--	Opening Soon

MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score: Cut off Percentile - 70-80

Many MBA Colleges that accept CAT percentiles in the 70-80 range give more weightage to the applicants' profiles rather than just the CAT Exam result. They are excellent MBA programs that consistently position students. The following is a list of some of the most prestigious MBA colleges:

B-School	Program Fee (Rs.in Lakhs)	Average Placement (Rs.in lakhs)
Great Lakes Institute of Management Gurgaon	16.65	11.00
BIMTECH Greater Noida	12	8.2
SDMIMD Mysore	11.2	7.7
SOIL Institute of Management	15.30	--
CIMP Patna	7.65	--
IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University	14.56	10
JAGSOM Bangalore	12	10
MDI Murshidabad	12.19	10.5
LIBA Chennai	15.38	9
NIA Pune: National Insurance Academy	9.43	10.3
SDA Bocconi Asia Center	18.6	11.4
IMI Kolkata: International Management Institute	11.5	10.01
Rajagiri Business School	6.00	7.90
Institute of Management Technology Nagpur	12.12	7.98
BIIB Pune	7.85	--
XIME Bangalore	11	7.73
Indus Business Academy - IBA Bangalore	8.51	6.92
KIIT School of Management  Bhubaneswar	14.5	6.87
IBS Hyderabad: ICFAI Business School	16.02	7.59
SIES College of Management Studies and SIES School of Business Studies , Navi Mumbai	9	7.28
Welingkar Bangalore	13	7.91
SRM University, Delhi-NCR	3.50	6.00
Alliance School of Business	14	8
ISBM Pune	11.8	8.8
Jaipuria Institute of Management Lucknow	10.45	6.73
IMI Bhubaneswar	8.07	--
VIT Business School (VIT) Vellore	7.02	5.1
Amrita School of Business Coimbatore	12.6	6.68

MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score: Cut off Percentile - 60-70

A good number of MBA Colleges that accept CAT percentiles in the region of 60-70 provide a variety of MBA/PGDM programs and give more weightage to the candidates' profiles rather than just the CAT test result. Some of them are highly ranked and excellent MBA programs that consistently place students. The following is a list of some of the most prestigious MBA colleges:

B-School	Cat Cut off
Shiv Nadar University Greater Noida	60-70
New Delhi Institute of Management - NDIM New Delhi	60-70
Jindal Global Business School	60-70
Institute of Management Technology, Hyderabad	60-70
Chetana’s Institute of Management and Research - CIMR Mumbai	60-70
Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida	60-70
NTPC School of Business - NSB Noida	60-70
Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management - VJIM Hyderabad	60-70
Praxis Business School	60-70
Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar	60-70
Jaipuria Jaipur: Jaipuria Institute of Management	60-70
Delhi School of Business	60-70
EDII Ahmedabad	60-70
IIMS Pune: International Institute of Management Studies	60-70
IPE Hyderabad: Institute of Public Enterprise	60-70
JIMS Rohini Delhi	60-70
PSGIM Coimbatore	60-70

MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score: Cut off Percentile - 50-60

MBA colleges that accept CAT percentiles in the 50-60 range offer reasonable fees and high placements. These institutions purposefully maintained the CAT cut-off reasonably since they give more weightage to the candidates' profiles rather than just the CAT percentile. The following is a list of some of the most prestigious MBA colleges

B-School	Cat Cut off
FIIB Delhi: Fortune Institute of International Business	50-60
Jaypee Business School Noida	50-60
Sir Padampat Singhania University Udaipur	50-60
Firebird Institute of Research in Management	50-60
GBS Kolkata: Globsyn Business School, Kolkata	50-60
IMS Ghaziabad: Institute of Management Studies	50-60
Jaipuria Institute of Management (Jaipuria) Indore	50-60
NSB Academy	50-60
XIME Chennai: Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship	50-60
XIME Kochi: Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship	50-60
Jaipuria Ghaziabad	50-60
RSB Chennai	50-60
Apeejay School of Management, Dwarka, New Delhi	50-60
Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication	50-60
Pune Business School	50-60
BULMIM New Delhi	50-60
SJIM Bangalore	50-60
IES Management College And Research Centre, Mumbai	50-60
IMS Unison University Dehradun	50-60
ITM Navi Mumbai: ITM Group of Institutions	50-60
MET Mumbai	50-60
RV Institute of Management	50-60
SCMS Cochin: SCMS Cochin School of Business	50-60
UPES School of Business: UPES University	50-60
AIMS School of Business	50-60
SRM School of Management Chennai	50-60
Vivekanand Business School (VBS)	50-60

CAT Exam 2023 Dates

Candidates can below check the complete official CAT Exam Dates  / Calendar for the 2023 exam

CAT Admission Notification releases	30th July 2023
CAT 2023 Registration process starts	2nd August 2023
CAT Exam Last date to register	13th September 2023
CAT Exam Correction facility opens	3rd-4th week of September 2023
Availability of CAT Exam admit card	25th October 2023
CAT Exam 2023	26th November 2023
Release of CAT Exam Answer key	1st week of December 2023
Submission of objections/ suggestions	Till 3-4 days after release
Declaration of CAT Exam result	3rd week of December 2023
Starting of CAP (common admission process)	January 2024
Releases of CAT Cut off by participating institutions	January/ February 2024

CAT Exam 2023 Application Form

The subsequent information pertains to the registration process for the CAT 2023 entrance examination:

• The application form for the CAT 2023 Exam was made available to applicants on August 2nd, 2023.
• CAT Exam Registration for candidates is exclusively available through online mode.
• Please provide the required information in the form in order to complete the registration process.
• The deadline for registration for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2023 is September 13th, 2023.
• Upon completing the registration process, candidates are required to access the application form and provide additional information such as their name, residence, educational qualifications, and other relevant details.
• Please submit the required documents as part of the registration process.
• Upon completing the process of uploading the necessary papers and providing the required information, it is imperative for candidates to thoroughly review all the details included in the application form.
• It is advisable to obtain a hard copy of the application form and retain it for future reference.

CAT Exam Application Fee

CAT 2023 Application fees can only be submitted online.

Candidates can pay their application fee using credit cards, debit cards, net banking, and UPI methods

The following is the application fee for CAT 2023:

1. For candidates belonging to SC/ ST/ PWD Rs.1200/-
2. All other category candidates Rs.2400/-

How to Apply For the CAT 2023 Exam? 

Students who want to Apply For CAT 2023 Exam must follow the steps below - steps to register for CAT Exam 2023/2024:

• Go to the official website, then click on the ‘CAT 2023 Registration’. And afterwards, you will have to fill in the details like name, mobile number, DOB, email, etc.
• After you complete the registration process, you will receive a one-time password (OTP) with which students can create their login details.
• Use the credentials provided during registration to log in.
• Enter your personal number, and other information on the application form.
• Then the scanned images should now be uploaded in the format and size specified.
• Please enter the details of your qualifying academic degree. And also add work experience (If any).
• Then you will have to enter the program name and exam centre details in the form.
• Afterwards, you will have to pay the CAT 2023 Exam application fee as per your category and payment gateways.
• It is advisable to obtain a hard copy of the application form and the receipt of payment for future reference.

CAT 2023 Application Correction

CAT 2023 Application Correction tentative dates are in the last weeks of September. Students must keep the CAT 2023 Application Correction in mind and make the necessary changes in the CAT 2023 Application (If it is required). Tentatively, it is anticipated that students will have the opportunity to rectify any errors in their uploaded photos (both photo and signature) as well as their chosen test city during the period spanning the third to fourth week of September 2023.

Students who meet the criteria are expected to access the CAT 2023 dashboard on the official website. As the students are logging in, you can make the changes as required and you have been given the ability to post photos that are both accurate and valid. 

However, please note that the authority will not let any modifications be made in other aspects of the CAT application form for the year 2023.

CAT 2023 Eligibility Criteria

CAT 2023 Eligibility Criteria are given below in order - students are requested to follow the step and easily apply after verifying the eligibility criteria details. 

Here, you can check the details about CAT Eligibility criteria below:

1. Candidates must have a bachelor's degree or an equivalent exam from a recognized college/university/institution.
2. applicants must get at least 50% in the qualifying test for general category applicants (45% for SC/ ST/ PWD candidates).
3. Candidates in the last year of their bachelor's degree are also eligible. Professional degrees such as CA/ CS/ ICWA are also acceptable.
4. There will be no age or attempt limit for CAT applicants.

CAT Exam 2023 Eligibility Criteria

The applicant must have a graduation grade point average of at least 50%. Students in their final year can also take the CAT exam. The CAT Exam can be taken as many times as you want, and there is no age limit to apply.

Qualification	Percentage/CGPA
Bachelor's Degree from any institute (Recognized by UGC)	50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)
Engineering Degree- B.Tech/ B.E from any university (Recognized by AICTE/MHRD)	50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD)
Students pursuing the final year of degree examination	50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD

• The Reserved seats for OBC: 27%
• The Reserved seats for SC Candidates: 15%
• The Reserved seats for ST candidates: 7.5%
• The Reserved seats for the person with disabilities: 3%

CAT 2023 Registration

• CAT application forms will only be available online at iimcat.ac.in.
• The first step in applying for the exam is to register for the CAT.
• Only candidates who meet the eligibility requirements will be permitted to apply.
• Candidates must have a working email address and password in order to register for CAT 2023.
• Candidates will need their Class 10, 12, bachelor’s degree, personal ID number (Aadhaar, Voter ID, Passport number, etc.), scanned photograph, scanned signature, and net banking details to fill out the CAT application form 2023.
• Candidates must select IIMs and courses only on the CAT application form. They are not required to fill out separate IIM forms for MBA admission.
• The CAT application fee is non-refundable, and form correction will be available for only certain fields of the form.

Documents Required

While filling out the application form, the candidate must also upload the required documents in the given format-

Document	Format
Photo	.jpg/.jpeg
Signature	.jpg/.jpeg
EWS/NC-OBC/SC/ST Certificate	pdf
PwD Certificate	pdf

Application Fee

After filling in all the details in the application form, the candidate must make the payment to complete the registration process.

• For General, EWS, and NC-OBC, the application fee is INR 2,200/-
• For SC, ST, and PwD, the application fee is INR 1,100/-
• The fee can be paid online mode only.
• Before submitting the application form and making the payment, the candidate will be able to preview the complete form.
• After successful payment, the candidates will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes.

CAT Exam 2023 Centres

Andhra Pradesh	Tirupati
	Visakhapatnam
	Kurnool
	Nellore
	Kakinada
	Guntur
	Rajahmundry
	Vizianagaram
	Vijayawada
Assam	Silchar
	Guwahati
	Jorhat
	Tezpur
	Dibrugarh
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Port Blair
Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar
Bihar	Patna
	Muzaffarpur
	Darbhanga
	Aurangabad
	Arrah
	Bhagalpur
Chattisgarh	Raipur
	Bhillai
	Bilaspur
Chandigarh	Chandigarh
	Mohali
Delhi-NCR	Delhi
	Faridabad
	Gurugram
	Ghaziabad
	Greater Noida
	Meerut
	New Delhi
	Noida
Haryana	Ambala
	Hisar
	Karnal
	Bhilai
	Panipat
	Rohtak
Gujarat	Surat
	Rajkot
	Vadodara
	Gandhinagar
	Ahmedabad
	Mehsana
	Anand
Goa	Panaji
Himachal Pradesh	Hamirpur
Jharkhand	Bokaro
	Ranchi
	Jamshedpur
	Dhanbad
	Hazaribagh
Jammu and Kashmir	Jammu
Karnataka	Belagav
	Bengaluru
	Dharwad
	Hubbali
	Kalaburagi
	Mangaluru
	Mysuru
	Shivamogga
	Udupi
Kerala	Trivandrum
	Kannur
	Kollam
	Ernakulam
	Kottayam
	Kozhikode
	Thrissur
Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal
	Gwalior
	Indore
	Jabalpur
	Sagar
	Satna
	Ujjain
Maharashtra	Mumbai
	Nagpur
	Amravati
	Pune
	Ahmednagar
	Aurangabad-Maharashtra
	Jalgaon
	Kolhapur
	Nanded
	Nashik
	Satara
	Solapur
	Ulhasnagar
	Raigad
	Thane
	Palghar
	Navi Mumbai
	Vasai
Mizoram	Aizawl
Meghalaya	Shillong
Nagaland	Kohima
Odisha	Sambalpur
	Cuttack
	Balasore
	Berhampur
	Bhubaneswar
	Dhenkanal
	Rourkela
Puducherry	Puducherry
Punjab	Amritsar
	Bhatinda
	Jalandhar
	Patiala
	Ludhiana
	Pathankot
	Sangrur
Rajasthan	Jaipur
	Udaipur
	Ajmer
	Alwar
	Bikaner
	Jodhpur
	Sikar
	Kota
Telangana	Hyderabad
	Karim Nagar
	Warangal
Tamil Nadu	Madurai
	Chennai
	Coimbatore
	Trichy
	Salem
	Tirunelveli
	Vellore
Uttar Pradesh	Varanasi
	Agra
	Jhansi
	Lucknow
	Aligarh
	Allahabad
	Bareilly
	Gorakhpur
	Kanpur
	Moradabad
	Muzaffarnagar
Uttarakhand	Dehradun
	Haldwani
	Roorkee
West Bengal	Siliguri
	Asansol
	Bankura
	Burdwan
	Kolkata
	Durgapur
	Hooghly
	Kalyani

CAT 2023 Exam Pattern

In the below given section, candidates can check the complete CAT Exam pattern 2023:

1. Exam Mode: The CAT exam 2023 will be administered online (a computer-based examination).
2. Exam slots: The exam is anticipated to be held in three sessions.
3. categories of Questions: There will be two categories of questions in the exam: MCQs and non-MCQs.
4. Time allotted: The CAT question paper will be solved in two hours.
5. Marking Scheme: Each right answer will get three points.
6. Negative Marking: In the objective type part, 1 mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer/attempt. However, there will be no negative grading in the subjective part.

Section-wise distribution of Questions and Marks:

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning - The number of Questions is 20

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension - The number of Questions is 24

Quantitative Aptitude - The number of Questions is 22

In Total the Number of Questions is 66

CAT 2023 Exam Pattern

CAT 2023 exam pattern will be as follows:

Mode of Examination	Online (Computer-based)
Medium of Examination	English
Total Questions	66
Time Allotted	120 minutes
Questions Per Section	VARC: 24 DILR: 20 QA: 22
Time Allotted per Section	40 minutes each
Type of Questions	MCQs and TITA (Type in the Answer)
Marks Awarded for Correct Answer	+3 for every right answer
Marks Deducted for Wrong Answer	-1 for every wrong answer, TITA has no negative marking

CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus

The CAT 2023 exam, like all previous CAT exams, is divided into three sections. While there is no set syllabus for the CAT exam, it is heavily focused on school-based mathematics and English. The three sections of the exam are divided as follows:

Section	No. of Questions	Reading comprehension, parajumbles, para summary, verbal reasoning, etc.	Main Topics
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	Reading comprehension, para jumbles, para summary, verbal reasoning, etc.	Reading comprehension, para jumbles, para summary, verbal reasoning, etc.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)	20	40 minutes	Charts, graphs, arrangements, blood relations, puzzles, etc.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	22	40 minutes	Algebra, arithmetic, number systems, geometry, etc.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• Reading Comprehension, Sentence Correction, Fill in the blanks, Cloze Test, Sentence Completion, Word Usage, Error Spotting, Jumbled Words, etc.
• Reading comprehension and verbal ability are the two main components of the VARC section. The reading comprehension section of the VARC is important because it includes paragraphs of varying lengths with MCQ and TITA questions. The verbal ability section includes para jumbles, odd sentences, and so on.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• Coding & Decoding, Venn Diagram, Seating Arrangement, Logical Sequence, Graphs, Tables, Puzzles, Blood Relations, Data Sufficiency, Charts, Tables, Binary Logic.
• Data Interpretation is a collection of questions based on various charts, graphs, and other forms of data presentation. The data for the answers must be extracted directly from the provided charts. The logical reasoning section also includes sets of questions about seating arrangements, blood relations, puzzles, and so on.

Quantitative Ability (QA)

• Algebra, Probability & Statistics, Mensuration, Profit & Loss, Geometry, Simple & Compound Interest, Permutation & Combination, Number System, Sequence & Series, etc.
• This section focuses on mathematics because the QA syllabus is entirely based on school math. LCM and HCF, trigonometry, mensuration, probability, and other topics are covered. The IIMs have reduced the difficulty of this section in recent years.

Syllabus for CAT 2023

You can always rely on the previous set of Syllabus for the CAT Exam for gaining the best possible advantage possible. 

As per the latest syllabus for CAT it has not been informed by the IIM that there is any fixed Syllabus for CAT. but as the trend goes the questions asked are going to be mostly based on the middle school Mathematics and English subjects or topics.

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Ability are all included in the CAT curriculum. The following is the full curriculum for this section:

Quantitative Aptitude:

• Variations
• Linear and Quadratics Equations,
• Time, Speed and Distance
• Time and Work
• Surds and Indices 
• Critical Path
• Mensuration and Geometry
• Logarithms
• Percentage
• Allegations and Mixtures
• Critical Path.

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning:

• Line Graph
• Pie Chart
• Bar Graph
• Syllogism
• Seating Arrangement, Puzzles
• Propositions
• Data Arrangement
• Blood Relations
• Venn Diagram
• Combination of Graphs
• Clocks and Calendars
• Data Sufficiency and Assumptions.

Verbal & Reading Comprehension:

• Analogies
• Idioms
• Fact Inference Judgment
• Para Jumble
• Para Completion
• Fill in the blanks
• Word usage
• Sentence Correction, etc.

CAT Syllabus 2022 Revisions and Changes

The CAT 2022 Exam Syllabus has been updated to reflect changes in the CAT pattern and structure. Given IIMs' reputation for introducing changes to the CAT exam every year, a few changes are introduced in the CAT syllabus 2022 as the exam pattern for CAT is also changed. The CAT syllabus has been changed again this year, with fewer questions in the exam.

Changes to the CAT Syllabus in 2022

The CAT 2022 syllabus has been revised and now follows a different pattern and structure. There have been significant changes to the CAT syllabus.

i) The CAT will be divided into three sections with fewer questions

ii) Sectional weightage in the CAT syllabus is as follows:

• Section-1: VARC - 34% weightage
• Section-2: DILR – 32% weightage
• Section-3: Quant – 34% weightage

iii) Questions on topics such as sentence correction, fill-in-the-blanks, and sentence completion are no longer included in the CAT exam.

iv) The number of sections is increased from two to three, and DILR is now a single section. It is given a lot of weight in the IIM shortlisting process, and you must clear the cut-offs in this section as well as the other two.

v) The CAT exam now includes 25% to 28% of questions with no negative marking. The topics for non-MCQ questions are the same as for MCQ questions with negative markings.

Best CAT Preparation Books

There are numerous books available on the market for CAT preparation. Candidates must exercise caution when selecting books to read. Experts advise that CAT syllabus preparation books be comprehensive, have up-to-date exam patterns, and include question banks. Take a look at the list of best books for the CAT exam, which has been carefully curated after reviewing all available options and consulting our CAT experts.

1) CAT Books for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning- Gautam Puri
• Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT-Nishit K Sinha
• Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency- Ananta Ashisha
• How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT- Arun Sharma

2) CAT Books for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT- Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay/Arihant
• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT- Sharma, and Upadhyay
• 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback- Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster
• High School English Grammar & Composition- Wren & Martin

3) CAT Books for Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

• NCERT Mathematics Books (Class 9 to 10)- NCERT
• How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT- Arun Sharma
• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations- Abhijit Guha
• Quantitative Aptitude for CAT- Nishit Sinha
• Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT- Sarvesh Sharma

How and when to start preparing for CAT Exam 2023?

According to previous years, over 2 lakh candidates register for the CAT exam each year, and nearly 2 lacks take it. As a result, admission to the top B-schools is extremely competitive. As a result, preparations for the CAT exam must be relentless, with a study plan in place. Here are some pointers to help you prepare for the CAT 2023 exam:

• Prepare a Study Strategy: Divide the syllabus into sections and phases based on the amount of time you have for preparation. Set aside time each day for CAT preparation and stick to it. You must ensure that each section of the paper receives adequate attention.
• Establish the Fundamentals: Identify the concepts that you are unfamiliar with or struggle with the most. Devote time to each section's various topics and establish your understanding at the start of your CAT preparations.
• Select the Preparation Mode: You can study independently or enrol in a CAT coaching program. A coaching program will walk you through the entire preparation process. Remember to consult the appropriate books and materials for your preparation if you choose to self-study.
• Mock Exams: As your preparation improves, consider administering mock exams. Mock exams will assist you in identifying your weaknesses and strengths. It will allow you to improve on your weaker areas.

When to start preparing for CAT 2023?

The tentative CAT 2023 exam date is in November, and if you plan to take the exam, you should begin CAT preparation in March-April. However, if you begin preparing now, you will be able to pass. All you have to do is make four-month plans from August to November.

CAT Exam 2023 Admit Card

The CAT 2023 admit card will be available in October 2023. Here are a few details to remember in this regard:

• Candidates who have successfully registered for the exam can download their admit cards.
• Candidates can obtain their admit cards by visiting the official website and entering their registration ID and password. The admit card would then be available for download.
• The admit card will include the test location, date, and other exam information.
• On the day of the examination, candidates must bring their admit cards with them.

CAT Exam 2023 Results

The CAT results will be posted on the official website in December. The results of the CAT 2023 will be valid until December 2024.

Cut-offs for the 2024-26 batch will also be released by the IIMs. There is no centralized counselling for the CAT exam because each IIM has its own procedure for interviews and subsequent admission rounds.

Frequently Asked Questions about MBA CAT Exam 2023

Q. What are the subjects for the CAT exam?

Ans. The syllabus of the CAT 2022 exam includes all the important topics from these four subjects: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. The candidates need to focus mainly on Algebra, Geometry, Arithmetic, Tables, Graphs, Venn Diagrams, Blood Relation, Number Series, Coding-Decoding, Reading Comprehension, Para jumbles, and Verbal Ability.

Q. Does the CAT syllabus change every year?

Ans. The CAT syllabus remains the same every year. In fact, the syllabus has remained the same since the inception of the exam. However, the distribution of questions within each section of the question paper changes every year. For example, if in one-year Algebra dominates the QA section then the next year, Arithmetic dominates it.

Q. Is the CAT exam tough for MBA?

Ans. Common Admission Test, abbreviated as CAT, is a national-level MBA Entrance Test conducted by IIMs for admission into various MBA specializations. The CAT exam's competition level is a little more challenging than the other MBA exam, as more than 2 Lakhs (approx) candidates appear for this exam every year.

Q. Which section of the CAT exam is the toughest?

Ans. Although the CAT exam is tough overall, it has been seen over the years that most test takers find VARC tough, as the Reading Comprehension passages are long and tricky. At times, reasoning questions also turn out to be lengthy and time-consuming. 

Q. What is the duration of the CAT exam?

Ans. The duration of the CAT exam is 120 minutes (two hours). For each section, 40 minutes have been allotted. For PwD candidates the total time allotted is 180 minutes, with a sectional time limit of 53 minutes.

Q. What are the fees for the CAT exam?

Ans. Fees for the general category are Rs. 2000/- and Rs. 1000/- for SC/ST/PWD applicants.

Q. Is there any age limit for taking the CAT exam?

Ans. No, there is no age limit for taking the CAT exam.

Q. Can I bring my own calculator to the test centre?

Ans. No, physical calculators are strictly prohibited. Rather you can use an on-screen calculator.

Q. Are 3 months enough for CAT?

Ans. The aspirants must attempt a decent number of CAT mock tests to analyze their mistakes. If the candidates follow an effective study plan, then 3 months would be enough to prepare for the CAT exam.

Q. How can I get the 99 percentile in CAT?

Ans. How to Get a CAT 2022 Score of 99+ Percentile

• Find Out Your Strengths and Weaknesses.
• Practice Solving Questions.
• Work on Time Management.
• Check CAT Exam Analysis.
• Check CAT Toppers Tips.
• Check Our CAT Preparation Tips.

Q. Are 600 hours enough for CAT?

Ans. CAT preparation requires roughly around 300 to 500 hours of serious preparation time.

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