Admit Card - 12 Nov '25
By: Dinesh Upadhyay
An effective preparation strategy plays a key role in one’s success in the much-awaited annual CAT exams.
The CAT and MAT are one of the most accepted test scores in b-schools across India.
CAT - (Common Admission Test) conducted by IIMs in rotation.
Advantage of giving CAT over others: Most of the top and other b-schools accept it however, they are conducted once a year. The CAT score is also accepted for IIT and IISc management programs.
Explore colleges based on CAT
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
Eligibility: Graduation with 50% or 45% (in case of SC/ST) .final year student can apply
| Section |
Number of questions |
Time Allowed |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
34 |
40 |
| logical reasoning and DATA interpretation |
32 |
40 |
| Verbal ability and reading comprehension |
34 |
40 |
Total Questions: 100
Total Time: 120
Correct Answer: +3
Wrong Answer: -1
Score categorization
- 90-99: chances for IIM s
- 80- 90: FMS, XLRI, other top b-schools
- 70-80: other top b-schools.
An exam with a success rate of about 2% definitely needs special efforts. It takes a lot of extra effort to raise the score from 95 to 99.
Steps in preparation
- Understanding the CAT pattern and syllabus- the foremost thing is to understand the CAT pattern and topics of each section
- Quality reading material - Selecting quality material is next. Be precise with reading material quantity.
- A strong foundation of concept- Start preparation by getting a good grasp over the concept.
- Mock tests after every phase of the preparation.
Preparation tips for every section
- Quantitative Aptitude
-
- Try to attempt a minimum of 15 -16 question out of 34
- May be done at the latter stage of the test
- Based on concept and practice
- Data Interpretation and Reasoning
-
- Minimum 15-16 questions
- May be done at starting or after the comprehension section
- The score for this section depends on the practice
- Reading Comprehension
-
- Can be done in the beginning.
- Scoring in this section depends on the reading speed and vocabulary.
Important points
Start Early: The earlier you start, the better it is
Basic Concept: Without having a clear understanding of the basic concept, it will be difficult to score high
Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates
17 Oct '25 - 18 Nov '25
1 Aug '25 - 20 Nov '25
30 Sep '25 - 20 Nov '25
10 Jul '25 - 5 Dec '25
23 Oct '25 - 7 Dec '25
1 Aug '25 - 16 Dec '25
1 Jul '25 - 19 Dec '25
21 Dec '25
31 Jul '25 - 31 Dec '25
31 Dec '25
Mocks: The mocks can make things easy and improve preparation level
Short tricks: Can differentiate you from other special for the quant section
Reading speed: For comprehension, developing a reading habit with good speed can improve overall speed. It comes with continuous practice.
Key consideration:
- Start early in a phased manner and attempt mocks after every phase. It should be done for at least two phases to maintain continuity and the quality of preparation.
- Different strategies for each section. For example. comprehension part requires a habit of news reading.
- Minimum time required: The earlier the better, however, a six-month preparation should be enough for an aspirant.
- Quality is important than the quantity
- Common mistakes: taking too much pressure, rushing at last time and lack of planning.
- Score raising tips: Starting with the section where one can solve more questions in less time. Continuous practice to increase speed.
- Keeping an eye on the important dates.
About the Author:
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
10 Jul '25 - 5 Dec '25 | XAT 2026 Exam registration |
20 Dec '25 | XAT 2026 admit card download s... |
1 Aug '25 - 20 Nov '25 | SNAP 2025 Registration Process |
28 Nov '25 - 6 Dec '25 | SNAP 2025 admit card session 1... |
28 Oct '25 - 16 Dec '25 | NMAT 2025 Admit Card Issuance |
1 Aug '25 - 16 Dec '25 | NMAT 2025 Rescheduling Window |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
23 Oct '25 - 7 Dec '25 | MAT PBT Registration 2025 (Dec... |
23 Oct '25 - 15 Dec '25 | MAT CBT Registration 2025 (Dec... |
1 Jul '25 - 19 Dec '25 | IBSAT 2025 Registration |
5 Nov '25 - 27 Dec '25 | IBSAT Slot Booking 2025 |
17 Oct '25 - 18 Nov '25 | CMAT 2026 registration and app... |
Dec '25 | MAH MBA CET 2026 registration ... |
2 Sep '25 - 4 Sep '25 | MAH MBA CAP 2025: Reporting to... |
Jan '26 | Publication of TANCET notifica... |
Jan '26 | TANCET registration window |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 days ago
Hi...
h
Scholar-Level 17
Answered 6 days ago
GIBS Business School, Bangalore accepts various national-level examinations for admission to the PGDM and MBA programs. The scores of CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, and GMAT are accepted by the institute. Besides these, GIBS also accepts all the state-level management entrance examinations if their scor
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
GIBS Business School, Bangalore, has a strong and dynamic Placement Cell that helps in securing excellent career opportunities for the students. Every year, more than 260 reputed companies have visited the campus for recruitment, offering versatile jobs in sectors like BFSI, IT, consulting, manufact
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
hi.
- Entrance Exam Score (Approx. 40% weightage): A valid score in any of the accepted national-level exams (CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, GMAT, etc.) is a primary eligibility requirement for shortlisting.
- Group Discussion (GD)
h
Scholar-Level 17
Answered a week ago
Getting into the MBA programme of NIT Trichy with a 300 SC CAT rank is somewhat uncertain. As the recent data sets suggest, NIT Trichy's CAT cutoff for SC category admission stands around 65th percentile. A 300 SC rank could be borderline depending on how many SC candidates apply and the quality of
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
The present faculty-to-student ratio of GIBS Business School, Bangalore, is about 1:15, with one faculty member for every fifteen students. This balanced ratio enables personalized attention, close mentorship, and interactive classroom learning to ensure that each student gets proper academic guidan
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 weeks ago
Candidates who did not appear for the CAT entrance exam can apply St. Xavier's College, Kolkata admissions as it is not a mandatory entrance exam. The candidates who wish to gain admissions into the MBA course of the institute have to appear for the Kolkata University entrance test for St. Xavier's
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
PGCET and CAT serve distinct purposes. The PGCET is primarily conducted for MBA admissions in colleges in the state of Karnataka, specifically for government colleges and private universities with lower fees. CAT is a national level exam for top-ranking B-schools and colleges such as the IIMs that h
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
That's a wonderful goal to push your son toward right at the start. To obtain previous CAT model papers, you can check many available popular exam preparation books in any bookstore or online store. Coaching interest such as TIME, IMS, Career Launcher, etc., usually have mock tests and sample papers
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, you can get admission to Jaypee Business School (JBS), Noida for MBA even if you don't have CAT. JBS accepts scores from several other exams such as MAT, CMAT, XAT, GMAT, ATMA, and also CUET-PG. Just make sure you have a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks, then apply with any of those va
Contributor-Level 9