CAT : Full Exam Guide for Every MBA Aspirant
Get to Know Everything about CAT
What is the CAT Exam?
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India’s most prestigious MBA entrance exam, conducted annually by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). It is a gateway to 21 IIMs and over 1,000 top B-schools in India.
CAT is a computer-based test (CBT) designed to evaluate candidates’ aptitude in three areas:
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
CAT scores are not only accepted by IIMs but also by institutes like FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, IIT DoMs, and many more.
Key Highlights
| Conducting Body | Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) – Rotational basis |
| Exam Level | National-level |
| Mode of Exam | Online (Computer-based test) |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year (November/December) |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Sections | 3 (VARC, DILR, QA) |
| Question Type | MCQs & TITA (Type in the Answer) |
| Validity of Score | 1 year |
| Number of Test Cities | 150+ across India |
| Accepting Institutes | 21 IIMs + 1000+ MBA colleges |
Eligibility Criteria
Education: Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD).
Final Year Students: Eligible, but must provide a certificate from the college.
Age Limit: No restrictions.
Work Experience: Not mandatory (both freshers & experienced candidates can apply).
Exam Pattern
| Section | No. of Questions | Time Limit | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension) | 24 | 40 minutes | Moderate |
| DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning) | 20 | 40 minutes | High |
| QA (Quantitative Aptitude) | 22 | 40 minutes | Moderate to High |
| Total | 66 | 120 minutes | Tough |
Marking Scheme: +3 marks for correct, -1 mark for incorrect, 0 for unattempted/TITA.
Sectional Time Limit: 40 minutes each (cannot switch sections).
Syllabus Overview
CAT does not release an official syllabus, but based on past years, here’s the distribution:
VARC (24 Qs)
Reading Comprehension (RC Passages—70% weightage)
Para Jumbles
Sentence Completion & Correction
Odd One Out
Vocabulary-based Qs (rare but possible)
DILR (20 Qs)
Caselets & Graphs
Bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs.
Logical Puzzles
Venn Diagrams & Set theory.
Tables & Arrangements
QA (22 Qs)
Arithmetic (Time, Speed, Distance; Profit & Loss; Ratio; Percentage)
Algebra (Equations, Functions, Progressions)
Geometry & Mensuration
Number Systems
Probability, Permutation & Combination
Modern Math (Logarithms, Trigonometry basics)
Difficulty Level of CAT
VARC: Moderate, but RC passages are lengthy & tricky.
DILR: Considered the toughest section (logic-intensive).
QA: Moderate to tough, requires speed & accuracy.
Cut-Off Trends
| College | Expected Cut-off Percentile |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta | 99+ |
| IIM Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore | 97–99 |
| FMS Delhi | 98+ |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 95–98 |
| MDI Gurgaon | 94–96 |
| IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay (DoMS) | 90–95 |
| Tier-2 Colleges | 70–85 |
Application Process
Register on the official CAT website.
Fill in personal, academic, and work details.
Choose up to 6 exam cities.
Upload scanned photo & signature.
Pay the fees:
General/OBC/EWS: ₹2,400
SC/ST/PwD: ₹1,200
Important Dates (Tentative 2025)
Notification Release: July 2025
Registration Window: Augus–Septemberr 2025
Admit Card Download: October 2025
CAT Exam Date: November 2025 (last Sunday)
Result Declaration: January 2026
Preparation Strategy
When to Start?
Ideal time: 9–12 months before the exam (July/August).
Minimum prep time: 6 months with daily practice.
Section-Wise Tips
VARC: Read newspapers (The Hindu, Economic Times), and practice RCs daily.
DILR: Solve puzzles, and practice caselets from the past 5 years.
QA: Strengthen basics from NCERT (6–10), then move to CAT-level problems.
Books & Resources
VARC: How to Prepare for Verbal Ability & RC (Arun Sharma)
DILR: Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation (Nishit K. Sinha)
QA: Quantitative Aptitude for CAT (Arun Sharma)
Mocks: TIME, IMS, and Career Launcher test series.
Career Scope After CAT
Placements: Average salaries at top IIMs are ₹25–35 LPA.
Industries: Consulting, Banking & Finance, Marketing, Analytics, Tech Management.
Global Recognition: IIM MBAs are valued worldwide.
ROI: Many CAT-accepting colleges (like FMS Delhi) have fees < ₹5 Lakhs, but average packages are > ₹20 LPA.
FAQs
Unlimited—you can take the CAT every year.
Yes, CAT is considered tougher in terms of unpredictability and competition.
No, newer IIMs have cut-offs around the 85–90 percentile; older IIMs need the 97–99 percentile.
Yes, many working professionals crack CAT with part-time prep and weekend coaching.
Yes. Students from any discipline with a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PWD) are eligible.
Our CAT Mentor
An alumna of IIM Calcutta & a math graduate from St. Xavier's, Mumbai. She is also a US-CFA charter holder and also holds the FRM (GARP) certification. She has been a regular CAT topper with 100 percentiles more than once. She is very passionate about learning, teaching, and all things educational. She has also published a book for CAT Verbal with Wiley, India.
Munira Lokhandwala
IIM-C Alumna, US CFA
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