CAT Exam 2025: Registration, Dates (Soon), Syllabus, Pattern, Question Papers, Preparation, Cut Offs

Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )

DeskCalelnderExam On - 30 Nov '25

Vipra Shrivastava
Updated on May 12, 2025 15:14 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CAT 2025 will be conducted on November 30, 2025. IIM Kozhikode will most likely conductt the CAT 2025 exam. The official notification regarding the CAT exam 2025 will be released by July 31, 2025 at iimcat.ac.in and in all national newspapers. The CAT 2025 registration cum application process will start in the first week of August 2025 and go on till the third week of September 2025. The form will be available in online mode only. The exam will be conducted in three shifts in over 150 cities across India. It will be conducted in three shifts on the same day. Read all about CAT exam 2025 below.

 

Q:   How much percentile is a good score in CAT exam?
A: 

The CAT (Common Admission Test) is a highly competitive entrance exam for admission to various management programs offered by top business schools in India. The percentile score in CAT exam is based on the relative performance of the test taker compared to all the other test takers.

The cutoff percentile for admission to top business schools varies from year to year and also depends on factors such as the number of candidates, difficulty level of the exam, and the number of available seats. In general, a percentile score of 90 or above is considered a good score and can help you secure admission to some of the top business schools in India. However, to increase your chances of admission to the top-tier business schools, a percentile score of 95 or above is preferred.

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Q:   What is the expected pattern of CAT 2025?
A: 

The CAT 2025 exam pattern is expected to be the same as last year. No change is expected, as a minor change was already brought about in CAT 2025 (an increase in the number of DILR questions from 20 to 22). Thus, the CAT exam pattern for 2025 is expected to be:

  • VARC: 24 questions, 40 minutes
  • DILR: 22 questions, 40 minutes
  • QA: 22 questions, 40 minutes  

Every question will carry 3 marks, and there will be a negative marking of -1 for incorrect attempts.

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Q:   What is CAT 2025 exam date?
A: 

CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on November 30, 2025. Official announcement of the CAT exam date 2025 will be done in the last week of July 2025, along with the release of the offiical notification of CAT 2025. The CAT exam is always conducted on the last Sunday of November. The exam is conducted on a single day in three slots.

Along with the exam date, the CAT 2025 notification will have CAT registration and admit card dates. CAT 2025 registration will begin in the first week of August 2025 and the form submission window will close in the third week of September 2025. 

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Q:   How many candidates scored 100 percentile in CAT 2024?
A: 

14 candidates have scored 100 percentile in CAT 2024, out of a total of 2.93 Lacs candidates. Out of 14 toppers, 1 is a woman candidate. Check below CAT 2024 result data:

Check the below table for data and statistics of CAT 2024 test takers and toppers. 

CAT ToppersGender and 
Discipline
State
100
percentiles 14 - Nos 
Female - 1
 Male - 13
 Engg – 13
 Non-Engg – 1
Andhra Pradesh 1
Delhi 2
Haryana 1
Kerala 1
Maharashtra 5
Odisha 1
Rajasthan 1
Telangana 2
99.99
percentiles 29 -Nos.
Female - 2
 Male - 27
 Engg – 25
 Non-Engg - 4
Chandigarh 1
Delhi 4
Gujarat 2
Haryana 1
Karnataka 3
Kerala 1
Madhya Pradesh 1
Maharashtra 5
Odisha 1
Punjab 1
Rajasthan 3
Tamil Nadu 1
Telangana 1
Uttar Pradesh1
Uttarakhand 1
West Bengal 2
99.98
percentiles 30-Nos
Female - 1
Male - 29
 Engg – 20
 Non-Engg -10
Bihar 1
Delhi 2
Gujarat 2
Haryana 4
Karnataka 4
Madhya Pradesh 3
Maharashtra 3
Tamil Nadu 2
Telangana 3
Uttar Pradesh 2
West Bengal 4
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Q:   From where can I download CAT question papers?
A: 
CAT question papers are released within a week of the exam in the form of a PDF as a response sheet and answer key. Candidates who have appeared for the test are able to access the CAT question paper and answer key. The question paper of every slot is released on the same day along with candidate response sheet and official answer to all question. If any candidate needs previous year CAT question papers for preparation purpose, then they can download them from Shiksha website. We have hosted last five years' CAT question papers for aspirants to download and practice. These official CAT question papers are available for download free. You can download the CAT question paper PDFs at this link: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam-question-papers Candidates must check and practice the latest CAT question paper to know the latest exam pattern and difficulty level.
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Q:   What is CAT cut off for Great Lakes Gurgaon MBA course?
A: 

To get admission to the MBA course at Great Lakes Gurgaon, candidates need to appear for the CAT/XAT/CMAT exam and have a valid score. Further, candidates who meet the overall cutoff need to participate and perform well in the PI round for admission. Considering the past few years' cutoff percentile, Great Lakes Gurgaon has maintained an overall CAT/XAT percentile of 70 for its MBA course for the General All India category students. Therefore, Aspirants must look to score above the 70 percentile in the CAT/XAT exam to high their chances for admission to the Great Lakes Gurgaon MBA course. However, the cutoffs may change for different category students therefore candidates are advised to check the Great Lakes Gurgaon official website regularly for the latest updates on cutoff scores. 

Table of content
  • What is CAT Exam?
  • CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
  • CAT 2025 Exam Highlights
  • CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025
  • CAT Registrations 2025
  • CAT 2025 Syllabus
  • CAT Exam Pattern & Test Structure 2025
  • CAT Exam Preparation 2025
  • CAT Admit Card 2025
  •  CAT Answer Key 2025
  • CAT Exam Analysis
  • CAT 2025 Result and Scorecard PDF
  • IIM CAT Cut Offs
  • Top Colleges Accepting CAT Exam Score
  • IIMCAT Contact Information
  • Important FAQs on CAT 2025
View More
CAT Logo

What is CAT Exam?

Common Admission Test or CAT is a national level management aptitude test conducted by the Indian Insitute of Management (IIM) for admission to MBA and other postgraduate courses offered by its 21 campuses (NITIE Mumbai has been added to the cluster and has been renamed as IIM Mumbai). CAT exam is a speed based test that includes questions from Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). Difficulty level of the exam is moderate to high. 

Over two lakh candidates apply for the CAT exam every year. In CAT 2023, applications touched the record high of 3.30 lakh. The total number of CAT 2024 registration was 3.29 lakh. Candidates who clear the CAT exam are eligible for admission to over 1300 MBA colleges in India, apart from the IIMs. 

Latest Updates:

Is One Year Needed for CAT Preparation? - Shiksha Poll

What is the Best Resource of CAT Preparation? - Shiksha Poll

Courses Offered Through CAT at IIMs

Apart from full-time MBA programmes, the CAT score is valid for admission to Executive MBA, PhD and FPM programmes of IIMs and other B-Schools. This exam is open for not only graduates but also post graduates and working professionals. Check below the list of courses offered by the IIMs through CAT.

IIM

Courses Offered Through CAT

IIM Ahmedabad

PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGP, PhD

IIM Amritsar

MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM, PhD

IIM Bangalore

PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA, PhD

IIM Bodh Gaya

PGP, PhD (FPM)

IIM Calcutta

MBA, PhD

IIM Indore

PGP, PGP-HRM, FPM

IIM Jammu

PGP, PhD

IIM Kashipur

MBA, MBA (Analytics), MBA (WX), PhD, EFPM

IIM Kozhikode

PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, PhD, PhD (PT)

IIM Lucknow

PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM, FPM

IIM Nagpur

PGP, PhD

IIM Raipur

PGP, FPM/ PhD, EFPM

IIM Ranchi

PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics), PhD, EPhD

IIM Rohtak

PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM, PhD, Part-Time FPM

IIM Sambalpur

MBA, PhD, E PhD

IIM Shillong

PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE, PhD, PhDWP

IIM Sirmaur

MBA, MBA (T&HM), PhD

IIM Tiruchirappalli

PGPM, PGPM-HR, PGPBM, FPM, E-FPM

IIM Udaipur

MBA, PhD

IIM Visakhapatnam

PGP, PGPEx, PGPDGM, PhD

IIM Mumbai

MBA, MBA in Sustainability Management

MBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Which courses are offered by IIMs through CAT?
A: 

CAT is the common entrance test for a range of post management courses offered by the Indian Institute of Management. The CAT score is accepted for admission to PGP, MBA, Executive MBA, Ph.D. and FPM courses.

Here is the list of courses offered by every IIM.

  • IIM Ahmedabad: PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGD-ABA (post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Business Analytics), PhD
  • IIM Amritsar: MBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM, EMBA, PhD
  • IIM Bangalore: PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA, PhD
  • IIM Bodh Gaya: PGP, Ph.D. (FPM)
  • IIM Calcutta: MBA, PhD
  • IIM Indore: PGP, PGP-HRM, MSDSM (Master of Science in Data Science and Management), FPM
  • IIM Jammu: MBA, MBA (Hospital Administration & Healthcare Management, Executive MBA (Blended Mode), Ph.D. (Full-Time Mode), Ph.D. (Part-Time Mode)
  • IIM Kashipur: MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA, EMBAA (Executive Master of Business Administration Analytics), PhD
  • IIM Kozhikode: PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi, PhD
  • IIM Lucknow: PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-some, PGPWE, PhD
  • IIM Nagpur: MBA, MBA (Executive), Ph.D. (Executive)
  • IIM Raipur: PGP, FPM/PhD, EFPM
  • IIM Ranchi: PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics), Ph.D. EPhD
  • IIM Rohtak: PGP, EPGDSM, PhD
  • IIM Sambalpur: MBA, Executive MBA, Ph.D. Executive PhD
  • IIM Shillong: PGP, PGPEX, MBA (WE), Ph.D. PhDWP
  • IIM Sirmaur: MBA, MBA (T&HM), ExMBA (Digital Transformation & Analytics), PhD
  • IIM Tiruchirappalli: PGPM & PGPM-HR, DPM, E-DPM
  • IIM Udaipur: MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBAWE, PhD
  • IIM Visakhapatnam: PGP, PGPEx, PGPDGM, Ph.D.
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Q:   What is the full form of CAT?
A: 

CAT exam full form is Common Admission Test. It is a national level MBA entrance exam conducted by the IIMs. The CAT score is accepted by the IIMs for MBA, PGP, Executive MBA, FPM and Ph.D admissions. The Common Admission Test or CAT is the most recognised entrance test for MBA admission in India. Apart from the IIMs, over 1300 MBA colleges in India select candidates on the basis of their performance in CAT. The exam is conducted annually on the last Sunday of November. The exam is conducted in over 150 cities across India. The CAT 2023 will be conducted by IIM Lucknow on November 26, 2023.

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Q:   What is the average number of CAT 100 percentilers every year?
A: 

On an average, about 10-15 CAT aspirants score 100 percentile. Given below is the data of CAT 100 percentilers of last 3 years:

Exam year

CAT 100 percentilers

State wise numbers

CAT 2024

14

1- Andhra Pradesh
2- Delhi
1- Haryana
1-Kerala
5- Maharashtra
1- Odisha
1- Rajasthan
2- Telangana

CAT 2023

14

1 – Andhra Pradesh
1 - Delhi
1 – Gujarat
1 – Jammu & Kashmir
1 - Karnataka
1 - Kerala
4 – Maharashtra
1 – Tamil Nadu
2 - Telangana
1 - Uttar Pradesh

CAT 2022

11

2 - Delhi

1 - Gujarat

1 - Haryana

1 - Kerala

1 - Madhya Pradesh

2 - Maharashtra

2 - Telangana

1 - Uttar Pradesh

 

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Q:   What is the IIM selection criteria through CAT?
A: 

IIM selection criteria for all the 21 campuses is same and includes selection of candidates through three stages. CAT score Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion GD and Personal Interview (PI) Academic record, work experience Academic and gender diversity CAT exam score is the first parameter on which candidates are shortlisted for admission. In the first state of IIM admission, the institutes shortlist candidates for WAT, GD and PI on the basis of their CAT score and class 10, 12 and graduation marks. The cut offs for shortlisting of candidates is between 95-100 percentile (for SC/ST/PwD candidates the cut offs are lower). These shortlisted candidates have to then appear for What, GD and PI round. Those who clear this round are considered for final admission. For the final selection, every IIMs takes into consideration the following aspects: CAT score What, GD and PI performance Class 10 and 12 marks Graduation marks Work experience Academic diversity Gender diversity.

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Q:   Which IIM will conduct CAT 2025?
A: 

CAT exam is conducted by any one of the top 6 Indian Institute of Management on rotation basis. Each of the top IIM conducts the exam after a gap of five years. The responsibility to conduct the CAT 2024 was given to IIM Calcutta. For CAT 2025, IIM Kozhikode will be the exam convening institute. IIM Kozhikode will be responsible for preparation and conduct of the exam without glitches, in collaboration with TCS for test labs and centres. The institute will design the question papers, exam pattern and guidelines, as well as manage the conduct of exam and preparation of admit card, answer key and result. CAT Conducting Indian Institute of Management Over the Years:

2024: IIM Calcutta

2023: IIM Lucknow

·       2022: IIM Bangalore

·       2021: IIM Ahmedabad

·       2020: IIM Indore

·       2019: IIM Kozhikode

·       2018: IIM Calcutta

·       2017: IIM Lucknow

·       2016: IIM Bangalore

·       2015: IIM Ahmedabad

·       2014: IIM Indore

·       2013: IIM Indore

·       2012: IIM Kozhikode

·       2011: IIM Calcutta

·       2010: IIM Lucknow

·       2009: IIM Ahmedabad

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Q:   Is admission to MBA at IIM Ahmedabad confirmed if I score 100 percentile in CAT?
A: 

There is a good chance of receiving an interview call from IIM Ahmedabad, however, admission isn’t guaranteed even at 100 percentile. The overall criteria includes academic profile, that is your Class 12, Class 10 and graduation marks. The college also gives a score for work experience, hence, candidates must have 2-3 years of experience to get maximum points. Additional focus is also given to gender and academic diversity. Considering all these factors and candidates’ CAT score, IIM Ahmedabad prepares a composite score through which decides whether to finalise a student or not. IIM Ahmedabad or any other IIM, for that matter, doesn’t give direct admission only on the basis of CAT percentile, the first phase of admission process is giving the CAT exam. Students must clear the sectional and the minimum final cut-off to be eligible and considered for the call. After that, they must get shortlisted for the interviews and group discussion process. After all these rounds, a final list of shortlisted candidates is prepared. 

CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CAT 2025 exam

DatesUpcoming Exam Dates
Aug ' 25 - Sep ' 25

CAT 2025 registration

TENTATIVE
Sep ' 25

CAT 2025 form correction process

TENTATIVE
Nov ' 25

CAT 2025 admit card download

TENTATIVE
30 Nov ' 25

CAT 2025 exam

Dec ' 25

CAT 2025 answer key challenge

TENTATIVE
Dec ' 25

CAT 2025 result announcement

TENTATIVE
CAT Logo

CAT 2025 Exam Highlights

CAT 2025 notification will be released in the last week of July 2025. Exam slots, timings, fees and courses will be shared in the official notification. Here are the key CAT highlights for reference:

CAT Exam Particulars

CAT 2025 Details

CAT  Full Form

Common Admission Test (CAT) 

Conducting Institute for 2025

IIM Kozhikode

Exam Level

National

CAT Entrance Exam Frequency

Once a year

CAT Exam Date 2025

November 30, 2025

CAT Exam Timings

  • Session 1: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
  • Session 2: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
  • Session 3: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

CAT Exam Fees

INR 2,500 (General category) and INR 1,250 (Reserved category)

Eligibility Criteria

Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST/PwD students)

Number of Applications

3.29 lakh (in 2024)

Number of Test Takers

2.93 lakh (in 2024)

Exam Purpose

Admission to IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1,300 B-Schools in India

Courses Offered

MBA/PGDM

CAT syllabus

  • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) 
  • Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
  • Quantitative Ability (QA)

CAT exam mode

Computer Based Test (CBT) with MCQs and non-MCQs

No. of test cities

170

CAT exam website

https://iimcat.ac.in

Exam helpdesk no.

1-800-210-1088 (Toll Free)

Also Read: CAT 2025 important dates

Every year, CAT sees the largest number of registrations among all MBA entrance exams in India. About 2 lakh candidates apply for CAT every year. In 2023, CAT recorded the highest ever registration of over 3.30 lakhs out of which about 2.88 lakh candidates appeared for the exam. The number of students registered for CAT 2024 was also 3 lakh plus. IIM Calcutta received a total of 3.29 lakh applications. Check below how many students registered for CAT 2024 and previous years. 

CAT registration numbers 2014-2024

CAT registration numbers 2014-2024

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What makes CAT tougher than other MBA entrance exams?
A: 
CAT exam is a national level MBA entrance exam conducted by the IIM. Every year, over 2.3 Lacs candidates apply for it. The CAT score is accepted by the Iims and all top MBA colleges in India. To select the best candidates from over 2.3 Lacs test takers there is a need for tough criteria. That's why, the CAT exam is tougher than other MBA entrance exams. Even though the syllabus of CAT is same as that of other MBA entrance exams, the question paper set by the IIM faculty always has tough questions. Moreover, CAT has sectional time limit for each section which is not there in any other exam expect XAT. Having a time limit for each section adds pressure on candidates to complete solving adequate number of questions in a section within the time limit. If a student is weak in a particular subject, they can't use the time as per their need. CAT's Reading Comprehension passages are long and dense unlike other MBA exams. This is one more reason why most candidates feel CAT is tougher than any other MBA entrance exam.
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Q:   What's new in CAT exam?
A: 

In CAT 2025, the following changes were seen:

  • The fee amount was from INR 2,400 to INR 2,500 for General category candidates and from INR 1,200 to INR 1250 for Reserved category candidates. 
  • In the DILR section, number of questions were increased from 20 to 22. 
  • The total marks of CAT DILR section increased from 60 to 66. 
  • The total marks of CAT exam increased from 198 to 204. 
  • Candidates could select five cities instead of six.
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Q:   Can I get KJ Somaiya at 80 percentile?
A: 

Admission to KJ Somaiya Institute of Management (KJSIM) typically requires a score of 80 percentile or higher, depending on the entrance exam and application year. For 2024, expected cutoff percentiles are: CAT—84 to 90 (2022 was 86), CMAT—98 (up from 95), XAT—around 71 (2022 was 84), and NMAT—expected score of 224. KJSIM offers three MBA programs, including specializations in Healthcare and Sports Management. Applicants can use scores from national-level entrance exams like CAT, CMAT, GMAT, NMAT, or XAT for admission.

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Q:   Which is better IIM Amritsar or IIM Jammu?
A: 

IIM Amritsar and IIM Jammu both offer MBA admission based on the CAT entrance exam. The final CAT cutoff is comparatively higher for IIM Amritsar (95-96) than IIT Jammu (90) for the General AI category students. Candidates can refer to the table below to check other aspects as well, such as tuition fees and average packages, to decide which IIM is better for MBA admission.

ParametersIIM Jammu
Final CAT Cutoff (2023)95-9690
Qualifying CAT cutoff (2024) 9091
MBA Tuition fees (2024)
12.5 L - 14 L
12.5 L - 30.9 L
Average package (2024)
INR 19.73 LPA
INR 15.48 LPA
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Q:   What is the sectional time limit in CAT?
A: 
In CAT exam, each candidate gets 120 minutes to solve the paper. There are three sections in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. For each section 40 minutes are allotted as sectional time limit. For PwD candidates, the sectional time limit is 53.20 minutes per section. Candidates have to complete each section within the given time limit. Since the CAT is an online mode exam, the test screen will move from first section to the next section automatically as soon as the time limit gets over. Thus candidates have to be mindful of the on-screen timer and pre-decide the number of questions to solve in each section. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT has 24 questions, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section has 22 questions and Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions in CAT so candidates can devise a strategy to use 40 minutes per section as per their strength and weakness.
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CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

To appear for CAT 2025,candidates need to fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria. Read below the academic qualification required for being eligible for CAT:

  • Candidates must have a bachelor's degree with minimum 50 per cent aggregate or equivalent CGPA (45 per cent aggregate for SC, ST and PWD/DA category) to appear in CAT 2025.
  • Candidates appearing for the final year of bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification or awaiting the result are also eligible to appear for CAT 2024 exam. However, the aggregate of their first and second year marks must meet the minimum score requirement.
  • Candidates who have completed a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) with the required percentage can also appear for CAT.
  • The education mode of the bachelor's degree can be regular or distance learning, but should be a 3-year programme and from a UGC recognised institution.
  • Those in final year or awaiting result will be required to submit passing certificate or marksheet to the MBA college by a certain deadline for confirmation of admission. Until then, their admission will remain provisional. 

Also Read: CAT eligibility criteria 2025

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the age limit to appear for CAT?
A: 
There is no age limit to appear for CAT. The CAT exam is open for fresh graduates as well as working professionals. Since CAT is accepted by over 1300 B-schools across India for their full-time as well as executive MBA or online professional courses, a lot of working professionals appear for the CAT to pursue such courses. CAT score is accepted by Iims for full time MBA, executive MBA and FPM programmes. Other top MBA colleges in India also shortlist candidates for executive MBA or part-time MBA on the basis of CAT score. The minimum age limit for has to be 20 years as the minimum qualification for CAT exam graduation. Any candidate who has completed Graduation with 50 per cent aggregate (45 per cent for SC/ST candidates). Any candidate in final year of Bachelor's degree course can appear in CAT exam. Any candidate having a professional degree like CA/CS/ICWAI with a minimum of 50 per cent in aggregate.
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Q:   What is the CAT eligibility criteria?
A: 
CAT (Common Admission Test) is a national-level management entrance examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (Iims) for admission to their postgraduate management programs. The eligibility criteria for CAT are as follows: Educational Qualification: Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university or institute. The minimum percentage required varies from institute to institute. Age Limit: There is no age limit for appearing in the CAT exam. Citizenship: Candidates must be citizens of India. NRIs and foreign nationals can also apply for the exam. Reservation Criteria: The reservation criteria for CAT are as per the regulations of the Government of India. Work Experience: Work experience is not mandatory to apply for CAT. However, some institutes may consider work experience as a selection criterion. It is important to note that meeting the eligibility criteria alone does not guarantee admission to the Iims or other participating institutes. Candidates must also meet the selection criteria set by the institutes, which may include factors such as academic performance, work experience, and performance in the CAT exam.
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Q:   How much percentile is required for IIM Udaipur?
A: 

IIM Udaipur percentile varies depending on various factos. The institute accepts students on an entrance basis and offers only a limited number of seats. As per the previous year trends, the cutoff for general category usually ranges between 92-94 percentile. For reserved categories, the percentile ranges between 40-75 depending on several factors. Shortlisted students are then called for the WAT-PI rounds. Interested students can visit the official website of the institute to know more about the course.

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Q:   What are the facilities for PwD candidates in CAT exam?
A: 
For PwD candidates, facilities in CAT exam include, relaxation of marks in graduation. The minimum score required by PwD candidate in graduation for appearing in CAT exam is 45 per cent aggregate. Apart from that, such candidates are provided scribe service at the exam centre. To avail the service such candidates have to fill the relevant form during registration process. The CAT exam authorities follow government rule viz. PwD candidate which is, 'Person with Benchmark Disability' means a person with not less than forty percent of a specified disability where the specified disability has not been defined in measurable terms and includes a person with disability where the specified disability has been defined in measurable terms, as certified by the certifying authority, as defined in The Rights of Persons with Disabilities ACT 2016 (RPwD ACT 2016). The categories of disability are, blindness and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy, autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness, multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d), f) other 'specified disabilities' mentioned in 'The Schedule' of the RPwD ACT 2016.
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Q:   Can I get a call from XIME Bangalore with a 73.89 percentile in the CAT?
A: 

XIME stands for Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, it is an institute dedicated to business management studies. XIME offers various programs to it's students in the subject of business management . The admission to these courses are accepted through various entrance examinations like CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, and GMAT. 

Coming to the answer of the said question, yes, there is a high chance of you getting a call from XIME Bangalore if you score 73.89 in the CAT entrance examination, looking at the cut-off for the same in 2022, the score was 70 percentile for MBA at XIME Bangalore. 

The admission process is followed by the shortlisted applicants going for the group discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds . After all these stages, the candidates are granted admission based on their performance in the following rounds, their academic accomplishments and prior work experiences . 

To know more about XIME Bangalore, candidates can refer to the official website of the institute or shiksha.

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CAT Registrations 2025

DeskCalendarRegistration: Aug ' 25 - Sep ' 25

CAT 2025 registration process will be online. Candidates will have to create a login ID to fill the CAT application form 2025. Check below the process to fill the online form:

Step 1: Go to the official website: iimcat.ac.in

Step 2: Click on 'new registration'

Step 3: Enter name, date of birth, nationality, phone number and email ID to register

Step 4: Log in with the ID received in email to fill the CAT application form

Step 5: Enter personal and academic details

Step 6: Upload a recent passport size photo and scanned signature

Step 7: Select preferred courses and IIMs

Step 8: Select test city preference from the drop down

Step 9: Pay CAT application fee via credit/debit card or net banking

Note: Candidates can select up to five cities for allotment of CAT exam centre in the application form. Allotment of CAT test city and centre will be mentioned on the CAT admit card. Check the list of CAT test cities here.

Get Here: CAT 2025 application process and link

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the CAT application fee?
A: 

The CAT application fee is INR 2,500 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates. For the SC/SCT/PWD candidates, the fee is INR 1,250. Applicants have to pay the fee at the time of form filling. The application form is not accepted without the payment of fees. Candidates must also keep in mind that the CAT application fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. Thus, candidates must fill their forms carefully as if they make a mistake they will have to fill the application form again and pay the fees again. There is a provision of form correction in CAT but only test centre, photo and signature can be edited in the already submitted form. In case, you, ve made a mistake in any other field, you will have to fill the form again. 

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Q:   Which documents are required for filling CAT application form?
A: 

Candidates need the following documents while filling the CAT application form:

  • A recent passport size photo (color against white background)
  • Scanned signature with black pen on white paper
  • Any photo ID card like PAN card, Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Passport 
  • Class 10 marksheet 
  • Class 12 marksheet 
  • Graduation marksheet 
  • Permanent address proof 
  • Work experience documents Reserved category students need to upload Category Certificate along with the CAT application form. The Certificate is available on the CAT website. Candidates can download, fill it, get it attested by competent authority and upload it as PDF with the CAT application form. 
  • The PwD category students also have to fill the PwD form and Scribe affidavit along with the exam application form. This is necessary for getting scribe facility and PwD facility at the test centre. The CAT application form is same for students from all categories. Those belonging to a particular category (SC/ST/PwD) will be required to mention it in the relevant field of the CAT form.
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Q:   What is the process to select CAT test city for exam centre allotment?
A: 

There are over 170 cities where CAT exam is held. These 170 cities are spread across India consist of metropolitan cities, capital cities, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Candidate can select up to five cities for allotment of test centre. The process of test city selection is a part of CAT application process. In the CAT application form, there is a field in which candidates have to select the cities. They need to select the city of preference in order of 1 to 5. The examination authorities will try to allot the test centre in the city of first preference. Thus, candidates must fill all the five cities carefully. They must choose their home city of city of current residence as the first preference. The test city option can only be changed during the form correction window. After that, the request for change of the city will not be accepted by the exam authorities.

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Q:   Can I fill the CAT application form offline?
A: 

No, the CAT application form can only be filled out online on the official website iimcat.ac.in. There is no option to submit the CAT form in offline mode. Candidates will have to create an account on the CAT website once the registrations begin and fill out the CAT form through that candidate account. Candidates must also note that no other website hosts the CAT form other than iimcat.ac.in 

There is no provision of paying CAT fees in cash, challan or Demand Draft either. The CAT registration fee can be paid online only through Internet banking, credit/debit cards or mobile wallets only. The payment window will be available in the candidate dashboard as part of the CAT application form. Candidates have to simply follow the instructions to pay the fee. Candidates must note that fee payment is mandatory for CAT form filling. Until the fee is paid successfully, the form will not be accepted. Thus, candidates must check the fee payment acknowledgement slip after making the payment.

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Q:   Is there any fee charged for CAT form correction?
A: 

No, the candidates do not have to pay any fee for CAT form correction. The facility is provided to candidates free of cost. However, if they have made an error in a field that will not be available for editing during form correction, then they will have to fill a fresh form before the submission deadline and pay the CAT application fee again. So, candidates must review the CAT application form before submitting to check whether they have filled all the information correctly or not. Once submitted, the form will not be editable but of photo, signature and test city.

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CAT 2025 Syllabus

CAT exam syllabus includes topics that assess a candidate's English communication, reasoning skills and quantitative aptitude. It is broadly divided into three sections - VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Check below the main topics of CAT syllabus 2025. Maximum questions are asked from the following topics. Candidates are advised to pay special attention on these topics during exam preparation:

CAT Syllabus sections

CAT Syllabus topics

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Para Summary and Odd Sentence Out

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Set Theory (Variables), Set Theory + Puzzles, Puzzles with Additional Data, Coding-Decoding and Series

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

Number System, Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry and Mensuration

Also Read:

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   Can I prepare for CAT within 3 months?
A: 
Hi Swaleha, 3 months are not enough for CAT as there many students with brilliant mind applying for CAT, you have to compete with them. So, at least, you have to start preparing for CAT before 6 months of exam. Rest of the information is given below. Exam preparation tips for CAT: Rather than focusing on all the topics, students need to try and select those topics with which they are more comfortable. Even on the exam day, with the question sheet in hand, students shouldn't try to solve each and every question and waste their energy, they should rather spend 5 minutes in scanning a section and selecting questions from their area of expertise and skill. In order to ace CAT, students should look at questions from the previous year's CAT paper and understand its syllabus. They should assess whether they are proficient, average or need improvement in each of the areas. The areas that fall in the third category should be focused on first followed by the second and third. CAT aspirants should always start early in preparing for the exams as an early start would benefit them in gaining knowledge about the kind of questions to be asked. Another advantage to it can be spending time in developing extra reading habits and increasing vocabulary. The best way to go on with the CAT preparations is to evaluate oneself in every 10-15 days, which is done by mock tests. But one thing that students should be careful about is to not to repeat the mistakes made by them in either the mock CAT or while practising at home or the whole purpose of taking mock tests would be lost. While preparing for the CAT question paper, one must keep in mind that management schools seek to test understanding of basic concepts that the student possesses. So, students should stop looking for the toughest material to practice and realize that their understanding of concepts is not as good as they think it is. Some things which CAT aspirants must do on an everyday basis are- Minimum 10 hours study everyday, especially before the 6 months of CAT exams. Preparation of minimum 10,000 words to enhance Vocabulary, study of newspapers and editorials for 2 hour's everyday and reading at least two magazines and one novel each week. Time management is an essential ingredient to crack the CAT exam and make it to your favorite college. Managing one's time includes balancing speed with accuracy, handling the pressure and you.
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Q:   Is the CAT syllabus difficult?
A: 

Yes, the difficulty level of CAT syllabus is very high as compared to other MBA entrance exams. However, if you prepare well and follow the CAT exam pattern well, you will be able to score well. Besides having an understanding of the CAT syllabus 2025, candidates also need to be well aware of the CAT exam pattern before they start preparing for the exam. The CAT exam pattern was revised in 2021 and the number of questions were reduced from 76 to 66. The structure of CAT 2023 and CAT 2024 was the same. The syllabus is still tougher than other exams.

The most important things to keep in mind are:

  1. CAT exam mode is online
  2. Each question carries three marks 
  3. There is negative marking of minus one mark for wrong attempts

The section-wise distribution of questions and difficulty levels as per the latest CAT exam pattern are listed below:

  • Quantitative Ability (QA) - 24 questions, difficulty level - moderate to high 
  • Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) - 20 questions, difficulty level - moderate 
  • Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) - 22 questions, difficulty level - moderate. to high
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Q:   Which CAT slot has the toughest question paper?
A: 
There is no pattern to which CAT question paper can be the toughest. The CAT question paper of every slot has unique questions. The examination body strives to maintain the same difficulty level of the paper across all slots but it may happen that a question can be more difficult from another. It is seen that, to keep the uniqueness of the question paper intact, the examination authority also changes the topic wise weightage a little bit across the exam slots. In most of the previous years, it is seen that the morning slot of the CAT exam is tougher than the rest two. However, candidates must not worry about the difficulty level of the slots as, the scores of all the candidates are normalised on a common scale to root out the possibility of advantage or disadvantage to any student due to difference in difficulty level. To know how the CAT scores are normalised, read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/understanding-cat-normalization-process-blogId-9386.
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Q:   Is the question type and pattern of CAT and GMAT similar?
A: 

The examination pattern of both CAT and GRE are more or less similar or not similar based on the point of view. Both the examinations are for the students pursuing buisness management studies . 

The major difference between CAT and GRE is the acceptance, CAT is an examination for admission in business schools across India while GRE is accepted worldwide. 

Subjects in GRE are Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. 

Subjects in CAT are Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR).

To know more about the examination process, fee structure.candidates can refer to the official website. 

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Q:   How many DI questions are asked in CAT?
A: 

Data Interpretation or DI is a sub part of CAT's second section DILR. This section has 20 -22 questions (until 2023, the totla number of DILR questions was 20, and in 2024 the number of questions was 22). Both Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning questions have equal number of questions. Candidates must make sure that they prepare for both topics well as the weightage is equal and if they are ill prepared for either of the two, their score will get affected. 

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View Syllabus
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CAT Exam Pattern & Test Structure 2025

CAT question paper 2025 will have MCQs and TITA questions. The duration of exam will be 120 minutes with sectional time limit of 40 minutes per section. PwD candidates will get a few extra minutes. Check the highlights of CAT 2025 exam pattern below:

CAT Paper Pattern 2025

Mode of CAT exam

Computer Based Test 

Duration of exam

  • 120 minutes 
  • 40 minutes per section

CAT exam slots

  • Morning: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
  • Afternoon: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
  • Evening: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

Number of questions

66

68

CAT total marks

198

204

Language of question paper

English

Number of answer choices

4

Question Type

MCQ and non-MCQ

Also read: CAT exam on screen calculator

CAT Previous Year Papers

CAT syllabus can be best understood by going through CAT question papers. CAT previous year papers, provide an insight into sectional weightage, difficulty level of questions and types of questions. Candidates can solve previous year CAT question papers to know the difficulty level of the exam. Given below are previous years' CAT papers PDFs (links) for free download. 

CAT 2024 question paper: Download free PDF CAT 2020 question paper: download free PDF
CAT 2023 question paper: Download free PDF CAT 2019 question paper: download free PDF
CAT 2022 question paper: Download free PDF CAT 2018 question paper: download free PDF
CAT 2021 question paper: Download free PDF CAT 2017 question paper: download free PDF

Evolution of CAT Exam

CAT exam has evolved a lot in the last decade. Over the years, IIM has taken several measure to make it more academically inclusive and diverse so that more and more students from non-technical streams appear for CAT. It still it remains the toughest MBA entrance exam in India. Earlier, CAT used to have 100 questions, now it has 66 questions. Check the table below for changes in the CAT exam pattern over the years.

CAT Exam  Year

Sections

No. of Questions

CAT Exam Time Duration

2024

QA, DILR, VARC

66

120 minutes

2023

QA, DILR, VARC

66

120 minutes

2022

QA, DILR, VARC

66

120 minutes

2021

QA, DILR, VARC

66

120 minutes

2020

QA, DILR, VARC

76

120 minutes

2019

QA, DILR, VARC

100

180 minutes

2018

QA, DILR, VARC

100

180 minutes

2017

QA, DILR, VARC

100

180 minutes

2016

QA, DILR, VARC

100

180 minutes

2015

QA, DILR, VARC

100

180 minutes

2014

QA & DI, LR & VARC

100

170 minutes

2013

QA & DI, LR & VARC

60

140 minutes

2012

QA & DI, LR & VARC

60

140 minutes

2011

QA & DI, LR & VARC

60

140 minutes

2010

QA, DILR, VARC

60

150 minutes

Prepare for CAT exam with previous years' question papers & prep guides. Get topper tips & expert advice.

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the marking scheme of CAT?
A: 
CAT has a total of 66 question. Each section carries 3 marks for correct attempt and -1 marks for incorrect attempt. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Therefore, the total marks of CAT is 198. Till 2019, the CAT exam used to be of 300 marks as the total number of questions were 100. In CAT 2020, the number of questions was reduced to 76 and the total marks was 228. Since, 2021, the total marks of CAT is 198. Section-wise, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section has maximum weightage. Sectional marking scheme for CAT is given below: 1. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension: 72 (24x3) 2. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning: 60 (20x3) 3. Quantitative Aptitude 66 (22x3) Since CAT has sectional negative marking scheme, candidates must choose the questions to solve very carefully. If they are not sure of the correct answer, they should leave the question instead of taking a chance. Remember that 0 is greater than negative.
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Q:   What is the CAT exam duration? Can I change my exam slot?
A: 
The CAT exam is held for 2 hours. There are three slots of CAT exam. Every slot will have 40 minutes of sectional time limit. Which means candidates will have to finish solving each of the three sections of CAT question paper within 40 minutes. Candidates must take care of saving their answers at every step as the moment 40 minutes will get over, the screen will automatically move to the next section. PwD candidates will get 53 minutes for each section. The exam slot allotted by the exam authorities cannot be changed. There is no provision to apply for the same. Candidates will have to appear for the exam in the allotted slot only. CAT exam timings: Slot 1: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, reporting time: 7:00 AM, Last entry allowed: 8:15 AM Slot 2: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, reporting time: 11:00 AM, Last entry allowed: 12:15 PM Slot 3: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, reporting time: 3:00 PM, Last entry allowed: 4:15 PM.
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Q:   Where can I get official CAT mock test?
A: 

Generally, the official mock tests are available on the official website of CAT which is https./iimcat.ac.in. The examination is conducted by Indian Institutes of Management. Check out the below steps to know how get official CAT mock tests online:

  • Aspirants are requested to visit the official website of CAT (https./iimcat.ac.in)
  • Login in through the CAT credentials.
  • Click on the "mock test" button on the left side of screen. 
  • Official CAT mock test is available for practise to candidates who have registered for exam.
  • After that, the screen will display the instructions.
  • After reading the instructions carefully, click on 'I am ready to begin' tab and start writing the exam.

Please keep checking the official website of CAT to have up-to-date information. 

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Q:   From where can I download CAT question papers?
A: 
CAT question papers are released within a week of the exam in the form of a PDF as a response sheet and answer key. Candidates who have appeared for the test are able to access the CAT question paper and answer key. The question paper of every slot is released on the same day along with candidate response sheet and official answer to all question. If any candidate needs previous year CAT question papers for preparation purpose, then they can download them from Shiksha website. We have hosted last five years' CAT question papers for aspirants to download and practice. These official CAT question papers are available for download free. You can download the CAT question paper PDFs at this link: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam-question-papers Candidates must check and practice the latest CAT question paper to know the latest exam pattern and difficulty level.
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Q:   What are the benefits of solving CAT question papers?
A: 
Solving the CAT question paper is very important from preparation point of view. Since CAT is a speed based test where candidates have to read long passages, tables and charts, do multiple calculations and solve tricky puzzles, one needs to have prior practice of the same. The CAT mock tests serve this purpose. However, to know what type of passages and puzzles are there in the CAT exam, you need to solve previous years' question papers. Some of the benefits of solving previous years' CAT question paper are: 1. With the help of previous year's CAT question paper, you can understand the latest CAT exam pattern and marking scheme 2. Practicing CAT question papers improves speed and accuracy in solving the questions, which is critical to a speed based exam like CAT 3. Practicing CAT question papers improves time management skills as you would get to know which type of questions take how much time. 4. When you practice CAT question papers, you gain confidence that you can solve all types of CAT questions. This confidence helps in performing better in the exam.
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CAT Exam Preparation 2025

The preparation for CAT exam 2025 should include phase wise completion of the CAT syllabus, mock test practice and revision. For effective CAT preparation 2025 aspirants must keep in mind rhe following:

  • Cover CAT syllabus thoroughly. Try not to leave any topic as questions can be asked from anywhere.
  • Attempt a good number of CAT mock tests to develop speed and accuracy. 
  • Dedicate time on regular revision .so that you're always well versed.
  • Learn mental maths for quick calculation.
  • Practice a good number of RC passage from previous years' CAT question papers.
  • Opt for online problrem solving sessions to learn new tricks and techniques.

Check the table below for important articles on CAT 2025 exam preparation.

CAT Mock Test

Practice free CAT mock test by Shiksha to assess your preparation level. These mock tests are on par with official CAT mock test in terms of difficulty level. You can use below CAT mock tests by simply clicking on the link. The CAT mock tests are accompanied by solutions and answers.

CAT Mock Test 1 CAT Mock Test 1 Solutions
CAT Mock Test 2 CAT Mock Test 2 Solutions

Watch expert video on CAT preparation with Mock Tests:

CAT Topper Tips

Learn tips and tricks for optimising performance in the exam from CAT toppers. Check below CAT topper tips and know how the previous year toppers prepared for the exam.

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   How many CAT mock tests to practice to score 99 percentile?
A: 
Experts recommend that aspirants must practice at least 40 CAT mock tests to score above 99 percentile well in the exam. Most of the CAT test takers take up to 50 mock tests of various types and difficulty level. CAT toppers in previous years have practiced even up to 80 mock tests during their preparation. However, candidates must decide the number of CAT mock tests depending on their control and confidence on topics as the exam day comes closer. Mock tests are the best way to judge your performance viz. The important topics of CAT. The more one practices CAT mock tests, the more accurate they get in solving questions from all subjects. It is very important to know which formula to apply to which type question to solve the problem accurately. Mock tests help candidates in this aspect which is why practicing mock tests is most important in CAT preparation.
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Q:   Are six months enough to prepare for CAT?
A: 

Usually, it is recommended to start CAT preparation about a year or nine months in advance. However, one can prepare for this exam even in six months if they put 8-10 hours daily into it. Candidates who have attempted the CAT before may not face a lot of hurdles in six-month preparation as they have a foundation in CAT preparation from previous year, but candidates who are appearing in the exam for the first time may face obstacles, mostly related to accuracy. The syllabus of CAT is vast and includes a lot of reading.

One also has to spend a lot of time in practice sessions and mock tests to be able to master all types of CAT questions - easy, moderate and tough. If you are a student of engineering/technical or commerce background you will need to pay extra attention on VARC . 

However, you'll be able to manage the syllabus of DILR and Quantitative Aptitude with adequate practice of topics. But if you are a student from Arts background, it is advised to start CAT preparation much earlier because you will have to brush up a lot of Mathematics. Reading Comprehension is one subject that cannot be mastered by student belonging to any academic stream, if their English comprehension is not strong. To develop reading habit all CAT aspirants will have to start much earlier.

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Q:   Why is CAT considered a difficult MBA entrance exam?
A: 
The CAT is conducted as a difficult MBA entrance exam because it is the main national level test for MBA Admission in India. Over 2 Lacs candidates appear for it every year. Thus, the competition is high. The question paper is set by the IIM. Even though the score is accepted by over 1300 colleges the top colleges accept above 90 percentile. The Iims have cut offs above 95 percentile. It has been seen that out of the total number of test takers which is usually around 2 Lacs, only about 20 candidates are able to score 99-100 percentile. The difficulty level of CAT is the highest among all the MBA entrance exams in India. It is conducted for 2 hours and has 66 questions in total to solve. However, the difficulty level of all the questions from VARC DILR and Quantitative Aptitude is high. The VARC has tough and long Reading Comprehension passages. The Data Interpretation tables and charts are dense and calculation intensive. Logical Reasoning questions are also on the tougher side. Moreover, there is sectional time limit of 40 minutes for each section. Candidates have to complete a section in the given time limit only.
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Q:   How can I improve my score in Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT?
A: 

The key to improving score in Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT is practice, practice and more practice. Listed below are some tips you can apply while preparing for CAT.

  • Practice Mental Maths to be less dependent on calculators
  • Make short notes of formulae and sample questions to revise them on the go
  • Develop the ability to choose which questions to answer in the exam
  • Avoid negative marking. Don’t attempt questions you are not sure of
  • Practice Quants questions in a time bound manner to be able to utilize maximum time in the main exam
  • Solving a sample question is not enough. Practice the same set of questions multiple time
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Q:   How many questions should I solve to score 99 percentile in CAT exam?
A: 
It is tough to give an accurate number as an answer to this questions are the number of questions have been changing in CAT in the last three years. Moreover, percentile also depends on the difficulty level of the exams and the number of test takers in a particular year. However, one can say that it is safe to solve at least 2/3rd of the total questions in each section of the CAT. So, if CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section has 24 questions, candidate must attempt 16-18 questions correctly. If the CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning has 20 questions, the candidate must solve about 12-14 questions correctly. If the CAT Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions then candidates must solve about 14-15 questions correctly. For further understanding you can check detailed analysis here: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/how-many-questions-to-attempt-in-cat-to-score-99-percentile-blogId-19639.
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CAT Admit Card 2025

DeskCalendarAdmit Card: Nov ' 25

CAT admit card is a mandatory document to be carried to the exam centre. Candidates who shall register for the exam will be issued an admit card. Given below is the process to download the CAT admit card 2025:

  • Log on to CAT website: iimcat.ac.in
  • Click on 'login' tab
  • Enter CAT 2025 application number and password
  • Go to 'admit card' section
  • Click on 'download'

CAT Exam Day Guidelines

CAT 2025 exam will be conducted at designated exam centres across India. The test centre address will be mentioned in every candidate's admit card and they will have to reach the centre as per the reporting time. The exam will be conducted under CCTV surveillance and with certain guidelines to prevent cheating or paper leak. The exam day guidelines will be mentioned on CAT admit card 2025. Read below important CAT exam day guidelines, documents to carry and prohibited items at the exam centre.

Items to carry on CAT exam day 2025

Candidates appearing for the exam will have to carry the following documents to the CAT exam centre to get entry: 

  • CAT admit card 2025: Two printouts of their admit card with their photo affixed on it (preferably the same as uploaded with the application form). Entry without the CAT admit card and photo ID will not be permitted. 
  • Photo identity proof: Along with the admit card, candidates are required to carry a photo ID proof such as College ID, employer ID, driving license, passport, PAN card, Voter ID or Aadhaar card.
  • Name change document: In case a candidate has changed their name at a later point of time in life and their photo ID doesnot reflect the same name, they will have to carry a name change certificate/document.
  • PwD/Scribe Certificate: PwD candidates will have to carry certificate indicating the same and the scribe certificate attested by the competent authority, if they wish to avail scribe services.
  • Ball Point Pen: Candidates will have to carry a blue/black ball point pen to the exam centre to sign the attendance sheet.

Items not to carry on CAT exam day:

The following items will be prohibited inside the CAT 2025 exam hall:

  • Calculator, watch, phone, iPad or any other electronic item
  • Bags and purses
  • Eatables and beverages
  • Jewellery and accessories that contain metal
  • Jackets and clothes with pockets
  • Closed footwear 
  • Book, note books, loose paper

Note: Candidates with a metal implant, pacemaker, etc. in their body will be required to carry medical certificate of the same to the CAT test centre.

Also Read: 

Take a look at CAT exam day work flow:

CAT exam day work flow

CAT 2025 Exam Timings

Check the table below for exam timings of CAT 2025. Candidates are required to reach the exam centre as per the reporting time to be able to appear for the exam. 

CAT exam slot 2025

Exam timing

Reporting time

Last entry allowed

Slot 1

8:30 AM to 10:30 AM

7:00 AM

8:15 AM

Slot 2

12:30 PM to 2:30 PM

11:00 AM

12:15 PM

Slot 3

4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

3:00 PM

4:15 PM

Read more
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Commonly asked questions
Q:   Do IIMs send CAT admit card by post?
A: 

CAT admit card is not sent to any candidate by post. Every candidate has to download their CAT hall ticket from the IIMCAT website by using their login credentials created at the time of exam registration. The announcement of release of CAT admit card is done by the exam convening IIM about 10-15 days before the exam. The CAT admit card release date is also shared beforehand so that candidates can download their admit cards in time.

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Q:   Can I show digital copy of the CAT admit card at the exam centre?
A: 

The digital copy of the CAT 2024 admit card will not be accepted at the test centres as a valid document, thus you cannot show it, to gain entry. As per the official guidelines, only the colour print out of the admit card on A4 size sheet will be accepted as valid. Candidates must also affix a passport size photo, preferably the same as uploaded in the CAT application form.  

The examination authority does not accept digital admit card as valid document as it is to be signed and stamped by the test centre staff for proof of candidate’s attendance. One copy of the CAT admit card of every candidate is also retained by the authorities, thus the need for the print out.

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Q:   What are the details mentioned on CAT admit card?
A: 

The CAT admit card is a main document of identification of the candidate. It is the proof that the candidate has fill the examination form and is eligible to appear in the exam. To help in candidate identification, the following details are mentioned on every candidate's CAT admit card 2024. Candidate's name Candidate's roll number Candidate's gender Candidate's category Candidate's date of birth Candidate's signature Candidate's photo Candidate's address Examination year Examination date Examination slot Examination timings Reporting time Test centre address Google link to locate test centre Along with these details, other information such as exam day guidelines, examination process in the test lab, items to carry, items not to carry, activities prohibited, dress code and entry process are also mentioned on the CAT admit card. 

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Q:   Will CAT exam 2025 also be conducted in three shifts?
A: 

Yes, the CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in three shifts. Until 2019, CAT was conducted in two shifts and the exam duration used to be 180 minutes. However, in 2020, the number of shifts were increased to three and exam duration was reduced to 120 minutes in order to follow the social distancing guidelines for COVID-19. Since the COVID-9 pandemic appropriate behaviour had to be followed at public places and gatherings, the examination authorities increased the number of exam slots to ensure a limited number of candidates can be accommodated at any exam centre in a given exam slot by following social distancing and seating arrangement with gap. Since then, the CAT is conducted in three shifts - morning, afternoon and evening. In CAT 2025 too, there will be three slots which will be allotted to applicants in no particular order. The CAT exam slot timings will be - 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

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Q:   How would I know my CAT exam centre?
A: 

Candidates will know their allotted CAT exam centre only from the admit card. There is no way to know the test centre before the release of the CAT admit card. The examination authority allots a test centre to aspirants in the city of their first preference as mentioned in the city. So, candidates can atleast be assured that they will get a test centre in the city they had chosen as first preference in the CAT application form. However, the venue will be mentioned only on the candidate’s admit card. So as soon as the CAT admit card is released, candidates must check the test city and test centre details. In order to avoid any confusion, they must visit the centre at least once before the exam day.

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 CAT Answer Key 2025

DeskCalendarAnswer Key: Dec ' 25

CAT answer key 2025 will be released by the conducting IIM a few days after the exam. Candidates will have to follow the below given steps to download CAT 2025 answer key and response sheet from the official website:

  • Visit the official website of CAT 2025 (iimcat.ac.in)
  • Click on the 'login' tab
  • Enter CAT login ID and password
  • Click on 'CAT 2025 answer key' will appear on the screen
  • Click on 'download' icon to save it as PDF

The provisional CAT 2025 answer key and response sheet will help candidates know the number of correct and incorrect attempts made by them and calculate estimated CAT score. The option to challenge official CAT answer key 2025 will also be given to candidates. If they think any of the official answers is incorrect, they can challenge if by submitting a vaild document. The fee amount for raising objection is INR 1200 per quesrtion. The fee amount will be refunded to only those candidates whose objection will be accepted as valid. 

Also Read:

How Scaled CAT Score will be calculated for three slots

CAT 2024 Slot 1 answer key PDF question paper analysis

CAT 2024 Slot 2 answer Key PDF question paper analysis

CAT 2024 Slot 3 answer key PDF question paper analysis

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the CAT cutoff for Nirma MBA?
A: 

Nirma University is a famous institute for undergraduate and postgraduate studies at different levels. The institute has a management department for MBA/PGDA program. The duration of this programme is two years. It is dedicated to marketing, finance and other analytical as well practical aspects of business management. 

Admission in MBA programme is accepted through the Common Admission Test (CAT) examination. The expected cut-off for MBA admissions at Nirma University for the year 2024 is somewhere between 75 to 85 percentile. The overall cut-off ratio can be described as 60 percent in the overall CAT examination score, followed by atleast 40 percent in each section of the examination.

To know more about Nirma University, candidates should refer to the official website of the institute or shiksha.

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Q:   How to challenge CAT answer key?
A: 
The CAT examination body allows candidates to challenge the official answer key. In case a candidate feels any answer shared by the examination body is incorrect, they can challenge it by filling an objection form which is released on the same day as release of the CAT answer key and candidate response sheet. The candidates can fill the objection form by using their CAT login ID and password. The steps are given below: 1. Visit the official website of CAT exam 2. Click on 'Login' 3. Enter CAT login ID and password to sign in 4. Go to 'Objection' tab 5. Click on plus sign to add an objection 6. Check the question number from the PDF of the question paper 7. Enter relevant details 8. Upload supporting document 9. Pay objection fee through credit/debit card or net banking The objection fee is INR 1,200 per objection. Candidates can raise any number of objections. The CAT answer key objection fee will be refunded to only those candidates whose objections will be accepted. Objections that have been submitted once cannot be edited.
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Q:   What is the benefit of CAT answer key and response sheet?
A: 
The main benefit of CAT answer key and response sheet is that through this document, candidates can analyse their performance in the exam. The CAT answer key contains, candidate's response as well as correct answer to every question. This can help them in calculating how much marks they will score out of the total marks. They can use that information to SEE how much percentile will they score, even before the result has been declared. They can use the estimated CAT score and percentile to take further decisions regarding MBA Admission such as which colleges to shortlist or which other MBA entrance exams to appear for. Taking these decisions is crucial as many colleges close their application window before the CAT result declaration. Candidates can calculate their CAT score with the help of answer key in the following way: For every correct answer in CAT three marks are awarded, which means if the candidate has got 50 answers correct, the score will be 50x3 i. e. 150 marks. For each incorrect answer, one mark is deducted. So, if a candidate has marked 10 questions incorrectly, then -10 marks will be awarded. So, the score of the candidate out of 198 (total marks in CAT will be: 150 - 10, I. e. 140. For CAT score and percentile click here: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-percentile-predictor.
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Q:   Are CAT cut offs announced along with the CAT result?
A: 

CAT cut-offs are not announced along with the CAT result. The cut-offs are also not released publicly. They are known after a few days of the result announcement when the IIMs and other colleges start their shortlisting process. The IIMs will open the shortlist window based on the CAT cut-offs two to three days after the result announcement. The CAT percentile of candidates shortlisted for the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) can be considered the cut-off for that IIM. For example, if a candidate with a CAT percentile of 99 belonging to the General category is selected for the WAT/GD-PI of IIM Calcutta, then the CAT cut-off for IIM Calcutta is 99 percentile. Only those candidates who make it to the WAT/GD-PI round of IIMs will get to know the cut-offs.

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Q:   What is the difference between CAT preliminary answer key and final answer key?
A: 
The preliminary answer key is the one released after the exam and the final answer is the one released after all the objections raised by candidates have been examined and accepted. The final CAT answer key is released along with the result. It is the final CAT answer key on the basis of which the CAT result is prepared. Which means, score of a candidate is based on the calculation of number of correct, incorrect and unanswered questions after all the objections have been examined. The preliminary CAT answer key is released with candidate's response sheet and there is option to challenge it. However, the final answer key is released only as question ID and correct answer option and there is no provision of challenging it. In CAT 2022, objection on two DILR questions raised by candidates was accepted and the question was dropped from final score calculation as it was found to be erroneous.
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View answer key
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CAT Exam Analysis

Candidates preparing for CAT 2025, must check the CAT 2024 analysis to know the latest paper pattern and difficulty level. Here are key highlights of CAT exam analysis 2024

  • In CAT 2024, there were 68 questions instead of 66.
  • The DILR section saw 22 questions instead of 20.
  • There was no change in VARC and Quant weightage. 

CAT 2024 Exam Analysis: Difficulty Level

Overall, the CAT 2024 question paper was moderately difficult, similar to previous year. Check the table below for difficulty level of CAT 2024:

CAT Sections Number of Questions Number of good attempts Difficulty Level
VARC 24 14-16 Moderate to Tough
DILR 22 10-11 Moderate
Quantitative Ability 22 10 Moderate to Tough

Also Read:

In-depth CAT 2024 exam analysis

CAT 2024 student reactions and reviews

Read more
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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the CAT cut off for IIM Ahmedabad?
A: 
The qualifying CAT cut off for IIM Ahmedabad is 85 percentile for 2023-25 batch. However, the final CAT cut off for IIM Ahmedabad will go up to 99-100 percentile. The qualifying CAT cut off is the minimum score required to be eligible for shortlisting of IIM Ahmedabad PI round. The score on which a candidate is selected is called the final cut off and is much higher than the qualifying cut off. Given below is the qualifying CAT cut offs for IIM Ahmedabad: General/EWS: 70 VARC 70 DILR 70 (QA), 80 (Overall) NC-OBC/transgender: 65 VARC 65 DILR 65 (QA), 75 (Overall) SC: 60 VARC 60 DILR 60 (QA), 70 (Overall) ST: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 (QA), 60 (Overall PwD (General/ EWS, NC-OBC/transgender, SC): 60 VARC 60 DILR 60 (QA), 70 (Overall) PwD (ST): 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 (QA), 60 (Overall). .
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Q:   What was the overall scoring pattern in CAT 2024?
A: 

In 2024, over 2.81 Lacs candidates appeared for CAT out of which 14 candidates scored 100 percentile and 29 candidates scored 99.99 percentile. The overall scoring pattern was similar to previous years. In a poll conducted by Shiksha, 20 % of the respondents said they scored above 99 percentile, 24% scored above 90 percentile, 21% scored above 80 percentile, 18 percent scored above 70 percentile and 60 percentile. Total number of respondents to the poll was 4129.

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Q:   What is CAT cut off for Great Lakes Gurgaon MBA course?
A: 

To get admission to the MBA course at Great Lakes Gurgaon, candidates need to appear for the CAT/XAT/CMAT exam and have a valid score. Further, candidates who meet the overall cutoff need to participate and perform well in the PI round for admission. Considering the past few years' cutoff percentile, Great Lakes Gurgaon has maintained an overall CAT/XAT percentile of 70 for its MBA course for the General All India category students. Therefore, Aspirants must look to score above the 70 percentile in the CAT/XAT exam to high their chances for admission to the Great Lakes Gurgaon MBA course. However, the cutoffs may change for different category students therefore candidates are advised to check the Great Lakes Gurgaon official website regularly for the latest updates on cutoff scores. 

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Q:   What is the CAT cut-off for DoMS, IIT Madras?
A: 
DMS (Department of Management Studies) IIT Madras does not have a specific CAT cut-off for admissions to their MBA programme. The selection process for DMS IIT Madras involves considering the candidate's performance in CAT, followed by a Written Ability Test (What), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI). However, candidates with a percentile of 95 and above in CAT are generally considered highly competitive for admissions to DMS IIT Madras. However, it's important to note that CAT score is not the only factor considered for admissions, and the final selection also depends on the candidate's overall profile, including academic qualifications, work experience, extracurricular activities, and performance in the What, GD, and PI.
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Q:   What minimum CAT percentile is required to get admitted in The ICFAI University, Dehradun?
A: 

The ICFAI University, Dehradun does not typically accept CAT (Common Admission Test) scores for admission to its programs. CAT scores are primarily used for admissions to various management programs offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and some other participating institutes.

For admission to The ICFAI University, Dehradun, the university generally conducts its own entrance examinations or may consider other national-level entrance exams such as JEE Main for certain programs like B.Tech. The specific entrance exams and their respective cutoff scores or percentile may vary depending on the programme you are interested in.

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CAT 2025 Result and Scorecard PDF

DeskCalendarResult: Dec ' 25

CAT 2025 scorecard PDF will be available in online mode only. Candidates will have to download their result by using their login ID and password. Check below the process to download CAT 2025 result:

  • Log on to CAT website iimcat.ac.in
  • Click on 'login' tab
  • Enter CAT application number and password
  • Click on the scorecard section
  • Click on download option and save the PDF of CAT 2025 scorecard

The CAT score is valid for admission for only 1 year in IIMs and most of the top B Schools. IIMs and top MBA colleges provide candidates who have cleared the selection round to defer their admission by a year. Those who wish to drop a year have to appear for CAT again. 

Also Read:

MBA Admission Through CAT Exam Score
IIM selection process and admission includes shortlisting of candidates on the basis of CAT score and Written Ability Test (WAT) /Group Discussion (GD) /Personal Interview (PI). Each IIM fixes minimum CAT cut off percentile to shortlist candidates for participation in the next round of admission process. Given below is an overview of selection process of IIMs and non-IIMs:
IIM Admission Process
The IIMs release admission criteria and selection process for PGP/MBA prior to the CAT result declaration. The documents contain cutoffs, parameters, process, etc. for MBA admission. Selection procedure through CAT for all the IIMs includes the following:
  • Screening of candidates on the basis of their CAT score
  • Written Ability Test/Group Discussion/Personal Interview (WAT/GD/PI)
  • Computation of Composite Score followed by final selection

Also Read: 

Non-IIM Admission Process Through CAT

Institutes accepting CAT score other than IIMs also conduct GD/PI for admission to their MBA/PGDM programmes. However, there are a few colleges that do not conduct personality assessment round and admit students based on CAT score only. 

Also Read:

Check CAT cut offs and predict calls from IIMs and Non-IIMs accepting CAT score for admission. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and Eligibility of all CAT participating colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict CAT Admission Calls
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Commonly asked questions
Q:   Can I get admission in IIM for MBA? I scored 51.4% in 10th, 58% in 12th and 90 %ile in CAT.
A: 
Scoring well in the Common Admission Test CAT is definitely a positive step towards getting admission into the Indian Institutes of Management (Iims). However, it's important to note that the Iims consider multiple factors in their admission process, including academic performance, work experience, extracurricular activities, and performance in the CAT. While a CAT score of 90% is commendable and can enhance your chances, the academic performance in your 10th and 12th grades might be considered on the lower side compared to the typical standards for admission to the Iims. The Iims generally look for candidates with a strong academic track record. That said, the admission process for the Iims is holistic, and they take into account various aspects of an applicant's profile. Along with your CAT score, you can focus on showcasing your achievements, leadership skills, extracurricular activities, and any work experience you may have. A well-rounded profile can improve your chances of securing admission to an IIM.
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Q:   What after CAT result declaration?
A: 
After the declaration of CAT results, Iims and other top MBA colleges start the candidate shortlisting process. The institutes fix CAT cut offs category wise and invite applicants to appear for Written Ability Test, Group Discussion GD and Personal Interview PI rounds for MBA Admission. In case of Iims, the institutes release PI shortlist form which the candidates have to fill before a certain deadline. In the PI form, candidates have to mention their personal, academic and professional details along with CAT score. Depending on the application received and the range of CAT scores the institutes the shortlist candidates for What-GD-PI. The What-GD-PI round is conducted by the institutes individually in March and April in online or offline mode. With the result of What-GD-PI and candidates' overall profile, the institutes finalise the list of students for admission. Offer of admission letters to selected candidates are sent via email in May.
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Q:   How are CAT toppers determined?
A: 

CAT toppers are determined on the basis of candidate percentiles. Those whose overall percentiles are 100 and 99.99, they are declared the toppers of CAT exam. To calculate CAT percentiles, raw scores of every CAT candidate is normalized on the same scale and the following formula is applied:

P = (R/N) * 100

where,

P= Percentile score

R= Rank of the candidate arrived at on the basis of scaled CAT score or the total number of test takers ranking below a particular candidate.

N= Number of candidates who appeared in CAT exam (all three sessions)

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Q:   What is the difference between CAT score and CAT percentile?
A: 

CAT score is the total marks a candidate receives out of the maximum marks, calculated by subtracting the marks of incorrect answers from the marks of correct answers. For every correct answer, +3 is given to the candidates, for every incorrect -1 is deducted from the overall score. Apart from this, a candidate's rank is calculated by normalizing the scores of all candidates and placing them on a common scale based on the difficulty and attempts of the candidates. It is important to understand the difference between CAT score and CAT percentile because IIMs and all MBA colleges in India select candidates on the basis of their CAT and other MBA related exam percentiles and not score.

The CAT percentile is referred to as the rank of a candidate against the rest of the test takers. The percentile indicates the total percentage of candidates who scored less than or equal to a particular candidate in CAT. 

Suppose,1,000 people take an exam and you bag the top rank, which means 999 candidates scored less than you. Then your CAT percentile will be 999/1000*100 = 99.9.

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Q:   I appeared for CAT exam in the second slot. Will my result be declared on the same day as that of the first slot?
A: 

Yes, the CAT results for all the exam slots are announced on the same day. In 2022, the exam was conducted in three slots. The results of all the three slots were announced on the same day, I. e. December 21, 2022. In CAT 2023 too, the results of all three slots were declared on the same day. The slot name will be mentioned on the CAT scorecard. The link to download the scorecard for all the slots will be same. Candidates will be required to log into their CAT accounts and download the scorecard from student dashboard. The CAT result is declared in the first week of January but for the last two years, it has been declared in December. If the CAT convening IIM for 2024 follows the same trend, then the CAT 2024 result can also be released in December instead of January.

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IIM CAT Cut Offs

CAT cut off for IIM admission is fixed by each institute category wise. While the qualifying cut offs range between 80 and 90 percentile (General category), the final cut offs are much higher. For the top IIMs, the final CAT cut offs are usually between 98-100 percentile, whereas for other IIMs, the cut offs range between 90-97 percentile. PI shortlisting is based on final CAT cut offs. Given below is the table indicating qualifying CAT cut off percentiles of 21 IIMs:

IIM

CAT cut offs (qualifying)

IIM Ahmedabad

85

IIM Bangalore

85

IIM Calcutta

85

IIM Lucknow

90

IIM Kozhikode

85

IIM Indore

90

IIM Rohtak

95

IIM Visakhapatnam

80

IIM Trichy

92

IIM Udaipur

92

IIM Ranchi

92

IIM Amritsar

85

IIM Shillong

75

IIM Kashipur

92

IIM Sambalpur

92

IIM Jammu

92

IIM Sirmaur

92

IIM Nagpur

85

IIM Raipur

92

IIM Bodhgaya

92

IIM Mumbai

94

*The CAT cut off percentiles mentioned in the above table are of General category. For the SC/ST/OBC/PWD/EWS categories, the cut CAT cut offs are lower. 

Need Help with identifying the best college for you? Chat with Shiksha Counsellor and get a personalized list matching your preferences.

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List of IIMs for MBA/PGP Courses 

CAT scores are accepted by 21 IIMs. These institutions accept CAT score mainly for MBA/PGDM, PhD, FMP and ePGP. You can visit the links in the below table to know admission cut offs, placements, fees, rankings and selection process of each IIM: 

List of IIMs Accepting CAT Score

1.       IIM Calcutta

2.     IIM Ahmedabad

3.     IIM Bangalore

4.     IIM Lucknow

5.     IIM Kozhikode

6.     IIM Indore

7.     IIM Shillong

8.     IIM Rohtak

9.     IIM Ranchi

10.  IIM Raipur

11.  IIM Udaipur

12.  IIM Nagpur

13.  IIM Tiruchirappalli

14.  IIM Kashipur

15.  IIM Visakhapatnam

16.  IIM Bodh Gaya

17.  IIM Amritsar

18.  IIM Sambalpur

19.  IIM Sirmaur

20.  IIM Jammu

21.  IIM Mumbai

Also Read: MBA colleges accepting CAT score

IIM Fees for MBA – Campus Wise

Below is the list of MBA/PGP programme fees of each IIM. The fee is to be paid in instalments semester wise. First instalment is to be paid at the time of admission. The IIMs provide assistance for financial aids and scholarships to meritorious students. 

IIM campus

PGP/MBA seats (approx.)

*MBA/PGP fees

IIM Ahmedabad

385

INR 24.61 lakh

IIM Bangalore

430

INR 24.50 lakh

IIM Calcutta

210

INR 27.00 Lakh

IIM Lucknow

436

INR 20.70 lakh

IIM Kozhikode

375

INR 20.50 lakh

IIM Raipur

210

INR 16.10 lakh (excluding boarding fees)

IIM Udaipur

260

INR 19.00 lakh

IIM Rohtak

240

INR 17.60 lakh

IIM Visakhapatnam

60

INR 17.58 lakh

IIM Trichy

180

INR 21.00 lakh

IIM Sambalpur

120

INR 13.08 lakh

IIM Ranchi

240

INR 17.50 lakh

IIM Bodhgaya

120

INR 15.50 lakh

IIM Sirmaur

60

INR 15.75 lakh (including fees for international immersion programme)

IIM Jammu

120

INR 17.15 lakh

IIM Amritsar

60

INR 16.00 lakh

IIM Shillong

120

INR 17. 50 lakh

IIM Kashipur

210

INR 17.30 lakh

IIM Nagpur

130

INR 18.00 lakh

IIM Indore

451

INR 21.14 lakh

IIM Mumbai

660

INR 14.00 lakh

 *The fee amount For every IIM mentioned in the table above has been rounded off to the nearest lakh. IIM fees may increase in the new academic session. 

Also Read: IIM fees & scholarships

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the cut off for IIM Jammu?
A: 

The Indian Institute of Management Jammu accepts CAT scores for admission to the MBA/PGDM courses. The Institute does not release the final CAT cutoff publicly and only allows access through account login to candidates who appear in the CAT exam. However, candidates seeking admission must aim to secure a cutoff percentile range between 92 and 95 to improve their chances for admission at IIM Jammu. This is for the General AI category students, and the cutoff data varies for different categories. 

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Q:   Can I get IIM Ranchi at 85 percentile?
A: 

As per the IIM CAP criteria, the qualifying CAT cut off for the batch of 2023-25 is 93 percentile for the General category students. So students belonging to the General category can not get into IIM Rnachi with 85 percentile. However, other categories student can easily get a call for the Personal Interview (PI) round for IIM Ranchi admission. Final selection, however, is entirely depends on candidates' performance in the PI round. Apart from PI, IIM final selection process also consider other criteria such as Verbal Comprehension, Verbal Comprehension and Verbal Comprehension, among others. 

 

 

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Q:   What is the CAT cut off for IIM Indore?
A: 
The IIM Indore cut off is usually around 95-97 percentile. The overall qualifying CAT cut off percentile for What-PI shortlisting is 90 for General category students. For EWS category too, the minimum qualifying CAT cut off is 90 percentile. However, for NC-OBC candidates the minimum qualifying cut off it is 80 percentile whereas for SC/ST candidates, it is 60 and 45 percentile, respectively. Given below are the sectional and overall qualifying CAT cut offs for Indore PGP course. General category: 80 VARC 80 DILR 80 Quantitative Aptitude 90 (Overall) NC-OBC category: 70 VARC 70 DILR 70 Quantitative Aptitude 80 (Overall) SC category: 55 VARC 55 DILR 55 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall) ST category: 40 VARC 40 DILR 40 Quantitative Aptitude 45 (Overall) PwD category: 40 VARC 40 DILR 40 Quantitative Aptitude 45 (Overall) Click here for detailed IIM Indore admission and selection criteria: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/iim-indore-shortlist-admission-criteria-blogId-19051.
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Q:   Can I get into FMS Delhi with 60% in class 12?
A: 

To get admission at FMS Delhi, you must be eligible for the particularly for MBA course. The cutoff for the MBA programme should be minimum 50%. It is imperative that you verify the most recent eligibility requirements and cutoff for the course you are interested in, though, since they can have changed since the data displayed in the search results. Check out the eligibility criteria for the admission 2025: 

  • Candidates must have a bachelor's degree with minimum 50 per cent aggregate or equivalent CGPA (45 per cent aggregate for SC, ST and PWD/DA category) to appear in CAT 2025.
  • Candidates who have completed a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) with the required percentage can also appear for CAT.
  • Candidates appearing for the final year of bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification or awaiting the result are also eligible to appear for CAT 2024 exam. However, the aggregate of their first and second year marks must meet the minimum score requirement.
  • The education mode of the bachelor's degree can be regular or distance learning, but should be a 3-year programme and from a UGC recognised institution.
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Q:   Are CAT cut offs announced along with the CAT result?
A: 

CAT cut-offs are not announced along with the CAT result. The cut-offs are also not released publicly. They are known after a few days of the result announcement when the IIMs and other colleges start their shortlisting process. The IIMs will open the shortlist window based on the CAT cut-offs two to three days after the result announcement. The CAT percentile of candidates shortlisted for the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) can be considered the cut-off for that IIM. For example, if a candidate with a CAT percentile of 99 belonging to the General category is selected for the WAT/GD-PI of IIM Calcutta, then the CAT cut-off for IIM Calcutta is 99 percentile. Only those candidates who make it to the WAT/GD-PI round of IIMs will get to know the cut-offs.

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Top Colleges Accepting CAT Exam Score

Along with IIMs, about 1,300 more MBA colleges in India accept CAT score for admission. Given below is the list of top MBA colleges in India accepting CAT score. The list also includes IITs that offer MBA programme through their Department of Management Studies. 

Top Non-IIMs Accepting CAT Score

1. NIT Trichy DOMS

2.  IIFT Delhi

3. FMS, Delhi University

4.  MDI, Gurgaon

5.  IIT Kanpur-IME

6.  IIT Delhi - DoMs

7.  IIT Kharagpur-VGoSM

8.  Great Lakes Institute of Management

9.  IMI-Kolkata

10. ITM-University

11.  IIITM-Gwalior

12.  Woxsen University, Hyderabad

13.  Asian Business School Noida

14.  SOIL Institute of Management

15.  SPJIMR, Mumbai

16.  IMT, Ghaziabad

17.  IMI, Delhi

18.  IIT Bombay-SJMSOM

19.  IIT Roorkee-DoMs

20.   IIT Dhanbad-ISM

21.   IMT-Nagpur

22.   IPE-Hyderabad

23.  Institute of Management, Nirma University

24.  Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa

25.  New Delhi Institute of Management

26.  KIIT KSOM

27.  JK Business School Gurgaon

Also Read:

Check Cut offs of top MBA entrance exams and predict calls from IIMs and other Top MBA Colleges. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and eligibility of all MBA Colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict IIM & Non IIM Calls
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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the CAT cut off for MBA Rural Management Xavier and also for MBA HRM Bhubaneswar Xavier?
A: 
Based on the previous year's cutoffs, here is the approximate CAT cut off for the MBA Rural Management and MBA HRM programs at XIMB: - MBA Rural Management: The CAT cut off for the MBA Rural Management programme at XIMB may be around 85 to 90 percentile. - MBA HRM: The CAT cut off for the MBA HRM programme at XIMB may be around 90 to 95 percentile. It is important to note that the cutoff may vary from year to year based on various factors such as the number of seats available, the number of applicants, and the overall performance of the applicants. Additionally, XIMB also considers various other factors such as academic background, work experience, and performance in the selection process including Group Discussion GD and Personal Interview PI before making admission decisions. It is always advisable to check with the college's admission office for the latest and most accurate information on the CAT cutoff for the MBA Rural Management and MBA HRM programs at XIMB.
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Q:   Which MBA colleges are available with 80 percentile in CAT?
A: 
There are quite a few MBA colleges who accept CAT score of 80 percentile and above for admission. The admission process for these colleges include group discussion and Personal Interview . Fore School of Management Goa Institute of Management International Management Institute, Delhi Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal Indian Institute of Management, Visakhapatnam Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli Praxis Business School, Kolkata Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management development & Research, Bangalore Shiva Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research TA Pai Management Institute Trinity College for Management and Technology, Ghaziabad Click on this link for more: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/colleges-accepting-cat-scores-range-80-to-90-percentile-blogId-11981.
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Q:   What percentile is required for IIM Raipur?
A: 

The general category CAT percentile cutoff at IIM Raipur normally lies between 92 and 95%, though it could differ somewhat depending on the category (OBC, SC, ST) and applicant pool. At somewhat lower percentiles, candidates with a solid academic background and pertinent professional experience may be given consideration. A comprehensive review that takes into account the candidate's performance on the Written Ability Test (WAT), academic background, and personal interview (PI) is required for the ultimate selection. The likelihood of being shortlisted for the following round of the selection process increases with higher scores.

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Q:   Which MBA colleges are available with 70 percentile in CAT?
A: 
A good number of private MBA colleges accept CAT score of 70 percentile in CAT. We have listed some of the colleges in which admission is possible with 70 percentile. Amity University AIMS Institutes (AIMS), Bangalore Amrita School of Business - Bangalore Acharya Bangalore B-School Asian Business School (ABS), Noida Amrita School of Business, Kochi Bengal Institute of Business Studies (BIBS), Kolkata Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani Christ Institute of Management, Pune Doon Business School (DBS), Dehradun Eastern Institute For Integrated Learning In Management, Kolkata FOSTIIMA Business School, Delhi International Institute of Business Studies, Noida International School of Business and Media (ISB&M) Bangalore JK Lakshmipat University-Institute of Management, Jaipur National University (JNU), Jaipur JRE Group of Institutions (JRE), Greater Noida Lotus Business School, Pune Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar MATS University, Raipur IIKM Business School, Calicut IILM Institute for Higher Education, Delhi For full list, click here: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/colleges-accepting-cat-scores-range-70-to-80-percentile-blogId-11956.
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Q:   Does IRMA have a sectional cut off for CAT?
A: 

IRMA accepts both CAT sectional and overall cutoff for admission to the Management courses. The institute has released the CAT qualifying cutoff 2024. As per the data availble on the official webiste, IRMA overall qualifying CAT percentile is 85 for General AI category students.

Candidates can refer to the table given below to check out the IRMA section cutoff for CAT:

SectionsCAT Cutoff Percentile 
Overall85
Quants50
VA-RC50
DI-LR50
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View accepting colleges

IIMCAT Contact Information

Queries regarding CAT Registration, Application and Payment Processing, Document uploading:

-800-210-0175 (Toll Free)

Call on the Toll free number, Monday to Saturday 9:00AM to 6:00PM (excluding National holidays).

cathelpdesk@iimcat.co.in

Academic queries like eligibility, category and PwD certificate contact CAT Centre office with the following details.

Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM (excluding holidays)

Ph: 033-7121 1104
email: cat2024_helpdesk@iimcal.ac.in

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Important FAQs on CAT 2025

Check below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to CAT exam 2025:

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the IIM selection criteria through CAT?
A: 

IIM selection criteria for all the 21 campuses is same and includes selection of candidates through three stages. CAT score Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion GD and Personal Interview (PI) Academic record, work experience Academic and gender diversity CAT exam score is the first parameter on which candidates are shortlisted for admission. In the first state of IIM admission, the institutes shortlist candidates for WAT, GD and PI on the basis of their CAT score and class 10, 12 and graduation marks. The cut offs for shortlisting of candidates is between 95-100 percentile (for SC/ST/PwD candidates the cut offs are lower). These shortlisted candidates have to then appear for What, GD and PI round. Those who clear this round are considered for final admission. For the final selection, every IIMs takes into consideration the following aspects: CAT score What, GD and PI performance Class 10 and 12 marks Graduation marks Work experience Academic diversity Gender diversity.

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Q:   I am in 2nd year 4th semester of BBA. Can I write CAT Exam this year and get into MBA college next year?
A: 
No, you cannot write the CAT exam in your second year of BBA. CAT exam is a national-level entrance examination conducted once a year, usually in November or December, for admission to various MBA programs in India. The eligibility criteria for appearing in the CAT exam is a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university or institute. Additionally, the minimum percentage requirement for appearing in the CAT exam may vary from institute to institute. Therefore, to be eligible to write the CAT exam, you need to have completed your Bachelor's degree or be in the final year of your Bachelor's degree. So, you can prepare for the CAT exam in your final year of BBA and then apply for MBA programs the following year. In the meantime, you can focus on improving your academic performance and gaining practical experience through internships or other extracurricular activities that can enhance your profile and increase your chances of getting admission into a good MBA programme.
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Q:   From where can I download CAT result?
A: 

CAT result is announced at the iimcat.ac.in website. Candidates who appear for the test can download their scorecards from the official website by using their login credentials. The CAT result download link is made live about 20 days after the exam. Candidates can download their scorecards by using their login credentials.

Given below is the process to follow for downloading the CAT result.

  • Visit the official website of CAT exam
  • Click on CAT scorecard download
  • Enter your CAT ID and password 
  • Click on the scorecard tab
  • Download the CAT result PDF 

Process to check the CAT result on smart phone:

  • Open a web browser on the mobile phone
  • Type the url of CAT exam: iimcat.ac.in
  • Click on CAT scorecard tab 
  • Enter your CAT application number and password
  • Click on the scorecard tab to open the document
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Q:   Does Delhi School of Management accept CAT scores for MBA admission?
A: 

Yes, DSM accepts CAT scores for MBA admission. However, for MBA from DSM/ USME , those with a valid score in MAT can also apply. Candidates seeking admission to MBA offered via DSM or USME are required to apply online on the official website of the Common Management Admission Committee (CMAC Delhi). Additionally, they must meet the below eligibility for admission:

  • Must have completed a UG degree with a minimum aggregate ranging between 50% and 60% (10% relaxation for SC/ST/ PwD candidates)
  • Final year students with a proof of eligibility can also apply
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Q:   What is IIM CAP process?
A: 
IIM CAP is a common selection process for newer Iims. Under the CAP candidates eligible for admission to the nine new Iims - IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Kashipur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Jammu, IIM Ranchi, IIM Trichy and IIM Udaipur are shortlisted for What-PI round by a single IIM, the one who is given the responsibility to conduct the CAP round in a particular academic year. CAT cut offs, admission parameters and their weightage are same for all CAP Iims. The participating Iims send the list of candidates shortlisted by them for the What-PI process to the institute conducting CAP. The CAP conducting IIM conducts the What-PI round for all the participating Iims. The IIM CAP conducting institute then share the What-PI scores and results of the candidates with the participating institutes. Those institutes then prepare the final shortlist for admission. Those who are selected for admission are informed by the Iims via email. The offer of admission is sent to selected candidates which they have to accept within the given time limit. For more details of IIM CAP, read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/what-is-iim-cap-know-admission-process-selection-criteria-and-participating-institutes-blogId-51225.
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Q:   What is the syllabus for CAT exam?
A: 
CAT syllabus includes all the important topics of subjects that are relevant for business aptitude. For CAT exam, candidates have to study, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension VARC Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Given below are the key topics included in the CAT syllabus. The VARC section of CAT exam syllabus includes various topics of English Grammar, Word Meaning, Vocabulary, Parajumbles, Paracompletion, Parasummary, Fill in the Blanks, Verbal Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. The Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT syllabus includes all the topics of Mathematics from Class 9 to 10 such as Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra Trigonometry Modern Math, Number System and Mensuration. The DILR syllabus of CAT exam includes topics that require analytical interpretation of data presented in the form of Puzzles, Pie Charts, Venn Diagram, Tables and Bar Graphs.
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Download Important Dates for MBA/PGDM Exams
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CAT Exam

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 2 days ago

Although both the CAT and the JEE Mains are a combination of assessments; they each use a different types of questions for each exam. The CAT exam asked questions about verbal ability, reading comprehension, data interpretation, logical reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. The questions tested rea

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A

ABHINAV SRIVASTAVA

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

Obtaining 54 marks in CUET PG and belonging to general status would make furthering you education next to impossible as the cutoffs for central universities (CU), like Delhi University (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), tend to be quite higher. However, some

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A

ABHINAV SRIVASTAVA

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 days ago

No, you can't avail PGDM course at 70 percentile, you should atleast have 85 percentile in CAT. As per the Welingkar Mumbai CAT cutoff 2024, the last-round Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) course stood at 85 for admission to institute for the General category students in the All India quot

...Read more

V

Vikrant Singh

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 days ago

CAT 2024 result has been out. Candidates willing to opt for PGDM course must get ready for the admission process at XISS Ranchi. Admission at XISS Ranchi consist of several stages wherein it first release its cutoffs for the MBA courses. After that, students were invited to appear for Written Abilit

...Read more

N

Nishtha Kaur

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 days ago

Getting into PUMBA can be possible through CAT, CMAT, MAT, and MAHCET exams. Based on PUMBA MBA cutoff 2024, the percentile for CAT, CMAT, MAT, and MAHCET stood at 95, 85, 80, and 99.95 for the General All India category candidates. 

A

Ayush Uniyal

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 days ago

PUMBA allows admission to CAT exam scores. Considering the PUMBA CAT cutoff 2024, the needed percentile to get into the institute stood at 95. So, you can definitely get admission to PUMBA with this much of percentile.

M

Mohit Singh

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 days ago

In 2024, the PUMBA cutoff has been released for MBA course based on CAT exam. As per the PUMBA CAT cutoff 2024, the needed percentile to get into the institute stood at 85 for the open AI category candidates. Further, the cutoff remained the constant over the years.

S

Shikha Dixit

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 days ago

The Great Lakes Institute of Management cutoff 2024 for MBA has been announced for the open category candidates. The institute has accepted CAT and XAT exam scores to offers PGDM courses to the candidates.

As per GLIM Chennai cutoff 2024, has set a cutoff score of around 90 and 85 percentile in CAT a

...Read more

C

Chandra Jain

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 days ago

Great Lakes Institute of Management allows candidates to take admission through CAT and XAT scores. Considering the Great Lakes Institute of Management cutoff 2024, getting 95 percentile in CAT is sufficient to secure a seat for the MBA course. The CAT cutoff for GLIM stood at 90 for admission to MB

...Read more

V

Vikrant Singh

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 days ago

Yes, candidates can get admission in the Maharashtra Institute of Technology MBA course without CAT, since the institute accepts multiple other national and state-level entrance exams for its MBA course. Candidates can go for the MAH MBA/ MMS CET/ GMAT/ MAT/ ATMA/ XAT/ CMAT, etc., exams for MBA admi

...Read more

M

Manori Karan

Contributor-Level 9

1632 Institutes accepting CAT

IIM Ahmedabad - Indian Institute of Management

Vastrapur, Ahmedabad Public

IIM Ahmeda
  • 25.00 Lakh
  • 2 years
  • |
  • Full Time

IIM Bangalore - Indian Institute of Management

Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore Public

IIM Bangal
    • 24.50 Lakh
    • 2 years
    • |
    • Full Time
    • 20.50 Lakh
    • 2 years
    • |
    • Full Time
    • 12.00 Lakh
    • 2 years
    • |
    • Full Time

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