CAT Exam 2024: Notification, Registration, Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus

CAT 2024 - The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta will conduct the CAT exam 2024 on November 24 this year. Aspiring students who wish to secure admission to MBA programs can apply for the Common Admission Test (CAT). IIM Calcutta has launched the official website of the CAT exam where students can register with their email ID and password.

Latest Updates:

• CAT registration started on August 1, 2024 and will continue till September 20, 2024.
• CAT admit card 2024 released on November 5 at iimcat.ac.in. 

The conducting body released the official CAT notification 2024 for candidates. They must fulfil the required eligibility criteria in order to appear for the exam. The basic eligibility to appear for the CAT exam is a bachelor's degree in any discipline with the minimum required percentage. The official notification consists of details including CAT eligibility criteria, pattern, and syllabus.

Also Read: 

CAT Notification 2024 PDF

IIM Calcutta has released the official notification for CAT 2024 at the official website. The notification contains details about the upcoming CAT exam including dates, eligibility, fees, and test centres. Candidates can check and download the official notification from the link provided below: 

CAT Notification 2024 (Download)

CAT Exam 2024: Highlights

Candidates appearing for the CAT 2024 exam can check the table below to know major highlights for the upcoming exam.

CAT 2024: Selection Process for IIMs

CAT exam 2024 is conducted for admission to the MBA program at top IIMs and other management colleges. The selection process for admission to IIMs is different which candidates must be aware of. Students can check the IIM selection process in the section below:

• The CAT 2024 results are anticipated to be available from the second week of January 2024.
• The list of candidates selected for the next level of the selection process will be published on the respective IIMs' websites. Shortlisted candidates will receive interview letters directly from the IIMs.
• Each IIM follows its own independent criteria for shortlisting candidates, which may involve assessments like Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interviews (PI).
• CAT 2024 exam performance holds significant importance in the admission process, while IIMs may also consider additional factors such as previous academic records, work experience, gender, academic diversity, and other similar inputs in shortlisting and ranking candidates at various stages of the admission process.
• If a candidate is shortlisted for an interview, they must present an original certificate from the Principal/Registrar/Director of the University/Institution, confirming that they have obtained at least 50% marks or equivalent (45% for SC, ST, and PwD candidates) based on the latest available grades/marks for their final bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification examination.
• An attested copy of the original certificate must be submitted at the time of the interview. The deadline for submitting the qualifying degree/equivalent mark sheet and certificate is December 31, 2024. Failure to meet this condition will lead to the automatic cancellation of provisional admission. Additionally, if it is later discovered that the submitted certificate is incorrect, the provisional admission will also be cancelled.

CAT Exam 2024: Percentile Score Calculation

The procedure outlined below is utilized to determine a candidate's CAT percentile scores for both the overall and individual sections of the CAT exam 2024. To exemplify the percentile score calculation process, let's take the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section as an example. This identical process is applied to calculate percentile scores for the remaining two sections, namely, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) in CAT 2024.

CAT Exam 2024: Application Process

Candidates appearing for CAT 2024 Exam must register on the official website for  CAT, @iimcat.ac.in 2024. The application process will continue for a period of one month from the date of the release of the Application form. 

As per the CAT application guide, candidates can register themselves for the exam by following the simple steps mentioned below: 

• Individuals must register to generate a unique User ID and Password.
• Log in with the generated User ID and Password to fill in the CAT form.
• Submit the Application form after entering details and making online payments to complete the registration and application process. 

CAT Exam 2024 Application Fees

The CAT application fee is INR 2,500 for general category candidates. The CAT exam fee is INR 1250 for SC, ST, and Pwd Candidates. Candidates must pay the application fee while filling out the CAT application form 2024. The application fee can be paid through debit card, UPI, and NET Banking. Interested candidates can check the category-wise application fee for the CAT exam 2024 in the table below:

CAT Exam 2024: Eligibility Criteria

CAT eligibility criteria are prescribed in the official notification. The CAT eligibility criteria pertaining to educational qualification, reservation category requirements and other parameters are established by the conducting body. There is no age limit to apply for the CAT exam 2024.

CAT Educational Qualification:

CAT Exam Pattern 2024

The CAT exam pattern for 2024 has not been officially prescribed, but we can make assumptions based on the previous year's trends. It is likely that the CAT 2024 exam will consist of three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.

Analysis of past question papers indicates that the CAT 2024 exam will likely have around 70 questions. Aspirants will have a total of 2 hours or 120 minutes to attempt all three sections. Interested candidates can check the CAT exam pattern 2024 in the table below:

CAT Syllabus 2024

The CAT notification 2024 clarifies that there is no prescribed syllabus for the exam. However, candidates aiming to take this test should be aware that the CAT syllabus for MBA primarily encompasses concepts from secondary-level education, typically ranging from 10 to 12th-grade topics. Despite being based on secondary-level content, the CAT question paper's difficulty level is remarkably high, reflecting the intense competition among test-takers.

To prepare for CAT 2024, aspiring candidates must acquaint themselves with the fundamental concepts of the topics covered in the secondary-level curriculum. The table below provides an overview of the essential topics for all the sections:

CAT Admit Card 2024

CAT admit card will be released by IIM Calcutta on its official website. It is expected that the CAT admit card will be released a few weeks prior to the exam. Only candidates who successfully fill out the application form will receive the admit card. Interested aspirants can check the steps below to download their admit card:

• Visit the official CAT 2024 website @ iimcat.ac.in 2024
• Click on 'Login' 
• Enter registration ID and password
• After successfully Login in the CAT Admit Card 2024 Download portal, Click on 'admit card' link.
• Click on download and save the admit card on the desktop.
• Take a print out of the CAT 2024 admit card

CAT Cutoff and IIM Seat  Intake 

CAT cut-off is the minimum score required to be considered for admission to a particular management program or institution. The cutoff varies each year and is determined by the number of applicants, the difficulty of the exam, and the number of seats available. It is important for candidates to aim for a score higher than the cutoff to increase their chances of getting admitted to their preferred program or institution. This year, the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) will be accepting the CAT score for admission to MA (HR & LR) program.

In the table below, candidates can check the expected CAT cutoff for IIMs in 2024. 

IIM Seat Matrix 2024

In the table below, candidates aspiring to appear must know the seat available in all IIMs of India:

CAT 2024 Cutoff for B-Schools:

Apart from the 20 IIMs, there are 8 IITs and over 200 B-schools that accept CAT scores for admission into various management programs. The table below contains a  list of Top B-school in India along with the expected CAT 2024 score for securing admissions:

CAT 2024 Result and Scorecard.

CAT results are released in the form of percentile scores. Observing previous year's results release pattern, it can be expected that the results for the CAT 2024 will be released in January 2024. Candidates who will appear for the exam will be able to check the CAT 2024 results using their login credentials. 

CAT Result 2024: Previous Year Toppers List and Statistics

The table below contains the list of CAT Toppers along with their percentage

CAT 2024 Answer Key

IIM Calcutta releases the CAT answer key after the exam is successfully conducted. The answer key and the response sheet for the CAT exam is released likely in the first week of December 2024. However, there is no official confirmation yet. The same will be updated once the CAT answer key 2024 date is released officially.

CAT 2024: Preparation Strategy

Being one of the most competitive examinations in the country, the CAT exam requires thorough preparation. Students must have a preparation strategy aligned with their strengths and weaknesses.

Ultimate Step to Begin Preparation for CAT Exam:

• Understand the nature of the syllabus and the exam pattern thoroughly. Read the in-depth analysis article for CAT Syllabus and CAT Exam Pattern here.
• Being familiar with the CAT syllabus and exam pattern will help you in knowing which subject needs more focus. Thus, formulate a “Time Management” strategy 
• Follow the Time Management routine, and acquaint yourself with the CAT Mock test on a regular basis