CAT 2021 exam registration process concluded on September 22. The CAT form correction window is open till September 27, 5:00 PM. Read all about CAT 2021 exam to be held on November 28. Know details of CAT registration 2021, syllabus, pattern, fees, eligibility, preparation tips and get official CAT question papers here.
CAT 2021 exam registrations ended on September 22, (5:00 PM). Now IIM Ahmedabad has started CAT form correction process on September 25 for candidates to edit certain fields. The form correction deadline is September 27 (5:00 PM).
CAT 2021 exam will be conducted on November 28. About 2.31 lakh candidates have applied for the exam this year. The number of applicants is about 10,000 more than last year. Admit cards for CAT 2021 will be issued to registered candidates on October 27.
CAT is a national level MBA entrance exam conducted by the IIM for admission to over 1,200 B-Schools across India. CAT exam is conducted in online mode at over 400 test centres across India. As per the official CAT exam notification 2021 released on July 31, the exam will be conducted in 159 cities across India in three shifts. List of CAT 2021 test centers will be prepared by the test conducting body on the basis of applicants strength and their most nearest cities. This year, the CAT registration process commenced on August 4, 2021 from 10:00 AM. Key changes in the CAT exam this year include the relaxation of eligibility criteria and addition of Shrinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) as a CAT test city.
What's New in CAT 2021?
- The CAT 2021 exam will be conducted as per the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines and the candidates will be required to follow physical distancing and other safety precautions at the exam centre
- CAT eligibility criteria of 50 per cent marks in graduation (45 per cent marks for SC/ST/PwD) has been relaxed for students pursuing bachelor's degree programme in pandemic years. Candidates can mention 'pass/promotion' i the graduation score column of the application form
- The total number of exam cities is 159 and the total number of slots is three for CAT 2021 to accommodate all the candidates as per COVID-19 guidelines of physical distancing
- This year, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir has been added to the list of CAT test cities. Candidates can choose Srinagar as preferred test city of they wish to.
- The CAT exam has been traditionally conducted for 180 minutes but the duration was reduced to 120 minutes for CAT 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. The examination authority has retained the same time duration for CAT 2021.
- The CAT 2021 question paper will comprise 76 questions in MCQ and non-MCQ format from Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude
Also Read:
CAT 2021 Highlights
If a candidate is planning to appear in CAT 2021 then its important to know about the CAT 2021 syllabus & pattern. Check below highlights of CAT 2021:
| Features |
Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name |
Common Admission Test (CAT) |
| CAT Exam Date |
28-Nov-2021 |
| Conducting Body |
|
| Exam Mode |
Online |
| Exam Frequency |
Once a year |
| Exam Fees |
Rs 2,200 (General category) and Rs 1,100 (Reserved category) |
| Exam Purpose |
Admission into IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1200 B Schools in India |
| Course Offered |
|
| No. of Test Cities |
158 |
CAT 2020 statistics
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2021
- The candidate must have cleared bachelor's programme with minimum 50 per cent aggregate or equivalent CGPA (45 per cent aggregate for SC, ST and PWD/DA category) from a recognised board or university
- Candidates who completed graduation in pandemic years (2020, 2021) or are in the final year of graduation (2022 batch) can mention “promotion/pass” in their CAT 2021 application form
- The candidate must have completed a professional degree (CA/ CS/ ICWA) with required percentage
Also Read: CAT Eligibility Criteria 2021
CAT 2021 Important Dates
CAT 2021 exam date and other events have been announced. Take a look at the table below for the schedule of CAT 2021:
| CAT 2021 Exam Events |
CAT 2021 Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| CAT 2021 notification release |
31-Jul-2021 |
| CAT 2021 registrations start |
04-Aug-2021 (10:00 AM) |
| CAT 2021 Registrations end |
15-Sep-2021 (5:00 PM) 22-Sep-2021 (5:00 PM) |
| CAT form correction |
25-Sep-2021 (10:00 AM) to 27-Sep-2021 (5:00 PM) |
| Admit card release |
27-Oct-2021 |
| CAT exam 2021 |
28-Nov-2021 |
| CAT answer key release |
First week of December, 2021 |
| Answer key challenge process |
First week of December, 2021 |
| CAT result 2021 declaration |
Second week of January, 2022 |
CAT 2021 Registration Process and Fees
CAT registration and application form submission is an online process. The candidates can fill CAT application forms online on the official website by creating a login ID. Read below some important points related to CAT 2021 registration process:
- CAT 2021 registration process started from August 4 (10 AM)
- CAT 2021 registration can be done on the official website of CAT only (iim.cat.ac.in)
- CAT registration cum application fee is Rs 2,200 for General and OBC candidates and Rs 1,100 for SC/ST/PwD candidates
- To apply for CAT 2021, the candidates have to create a login ID using their mobile phone number and email ID
- Documents such as passport size photo, scanned signature and Category/PwD certificate are to be uploaded at the time of form filling
- Candidates have to select test city for allotment of CAT test centre in the application form only. They can select up to six cities as preferred locations.
- Candidates have to select IIM courses and IIM campuses of their choice in the CAT form only. Post the declaration of CAT result, candidates can apply to only those IIMs which they select in the application form.
- CAT application fee is to be paid via credit/debit card or internet banking. The application form will be considered submitted only after the payment of fees.
Also Read: CAT registration cum application process
CAT 2021 Test Cities and Centre
CAT 2021 exam will be conducted in 425 test centres across 158 cities in India. The exam is usually conducted in two slots, but CAT 2020 was conducted in three slots due to COVID-19. The number of exam slots is also three for CAT 2021. Listed below are the cities in which the CAT exam centres will be allotted to candidates.
| CAT 2021 Test Cities |
||
|---|---|---|
| Port Blair |
Hamirpur |
Mumbai |
| Guntur |
Jammu |
Nashik |
| Nellore |
Bokaro |
Satara |
| Vijayawada |
Dhanbad |
Palghar |
| Kakinada |
Hazaribagh |
Ulhasnagar |
| Rajahmundry |
Jamshedpur |
Shillong |
| Visakhapatnam |
Ranchi |
Aizawl |
| Kurnool |
Belagavi (Belgaum) |
Kohima |
| Tirupathi |
Bengaluru |
Balasore |
| Vizianagaram |
Hubballi(Hubli) |
Cuttack |
| Itanagar |
Mysuru(Mysore) |
Sambalpur |
| Dibrugarh |
Kalaburagi(Gulbarga) |
Berhampur |
| Silchar |
Shivamogga(Shimoga) |
Dhenkanal |
| Guwahati |
Dharwad |
Bhubaneswar |
| Tezpur |
Mangaluru(Mangalore) |
Rourkela |
| Jorhat |
Udupi |
Puducherry |
| Aurangabad-Bihar |
Kannur |
Pathankot |
| Darbhanga |
Ernakulam |
Ludhiana |
| Arrah |
Kollam |
Amritsar |
| Muzaffarpur |
Kottayam |
Bhatinda |
| Bhagalpur |
Kozhikode |
Patiala |
| Patna |
Thrissur |
Jalandhar |
| Mohali |
Trivandrum |
Sangrur |
| Chandigarh |
Bhopal |
Ajmer |
| Bhilai Nagar |
Jabalpur |
Jaipur |
| Bilaspur |
Ujjain |
Sikar |
| Raipur |
Gwalior |
Alwar |
| Delhi |
Sagar |
Jodhpur |
| Faridabad |
Indore |
Udaipur |
| Gurugram |
Satna |
Bikaner |
| Ghaziabad |
Bhopal |
Kota |
| New Delhi |
Jabalpur |
Madurai |
| Greater Noida |
Ujjain |
Chennai |
| Noida |
Gwalior |
Salem |
| Meerut |
Sagar |
Trichy |
| Panaji |
Indore |
Coimbatore |
| Ahmedabad |
Satna |
Vellore |
| Mehsana |
Amravati |
Tirunelveli |
| Vadodara |
Jalgaon |
Hyderabad |
| Anand |
Nagpur |
Karimnagar |
| Rajkot |
Pune |
Warangal |
| Gandhinagar |
Solapur |
Allahabad |
| Surat |
Navi Mumbai |
Bareilly |
| Ambala |
Ahmednagar |
Kanpur |
| Hisar |
Kolhapur |
Muzaffarnagar |
| Karnal |
Nanded |
Agra |
| Kurushetra |
Raigad |
Gorakhpur |
| Panipat |
Thane |
Lucknow |
| Rohtak |
Vasai |
Varanasi |
| Shimla |
Aurangabad |
Aligarh |
| Jhansi |
Moradabad |
Dehradun |
| Haldwani |
Roorkee |
Asansol |
| Durgapur |
Bankura |
Burdwan |
| Kolkata |
Hooghly |
Kalyani |
| Siliguri |
||
CAT Exam Pattern 2021
CAT exam pattern was revised in 2020. The duration of exam was reduced from 180 minutes to 120 minutes and sectional time limit was reduced from 60 minutes to 40 minutes. In CAT 2021, the same exam pattern will be followed. Check the highlights of CAT exam pattern below:
| CAT pattern and structure |
|
|---|---|
| Sections |
VARC, DILR and QA |
| Total number of questions |
76 |
| Section-wise number of questions |
|
| Total marks |
228 |
| Sectional Time Limit |
Yes |
| Number of answer choices |
Four |
| Type of questions |
MCQs and Non-MCQs |
| Marking Scheme |
|
Free DILR Questions with Answers for Practice
Free VARC Questions with Answers for Practice
Free QA Questions with Answers for Practice
CAT Syllabus 2021
CAT syllabus includes important topics from the following three sections:
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
Section wise weightage
| Download the latest CAT syllabus (VARC, LRDI & QA) in PDF format for section wise preparation. |
Also Read:
CAT Preparation 2021
CAT 2021 exam preparation must begin at least nine months before the exam. Whether they choose to prepare by self study or take coaching, they need to make sure they can handle the pressure of 8-10 hours of daily study. Listed below are some of the top CAT preparation articles on Shiksha for reference:
| Tips and Tricks for CAT |
|
|---|---|
| CAT exam: Preparation plan for data interpretation & logical reasoning |
|
| How many questions to attempt in CAT to score 99+ percentile |
|
CAT Topper Interviews
Gain key insight and learn tips for CAT 2021 preparation from previous years’ toppers. Read topper interviews listed below:
| CAT Toppers |
CAT Topper Tips |
|---|---|
| Kshitiz Singhal CAT 2020, 99.99 percentile |
My suggestion for the aspirants is to work on your fundamentals, speed and accuracy. Read: Kshitiz’s full interview |
| Ekansh Agarwal CAT 2020, 99.98 percentile |
I would say that mock tests are the most important part of CAT preparation. Attempt as many mock tests as possible. Read: Ekansh’s full interview |
| Naval Mittal CAT 2020, 99.97 percentile |
Solve as many types of questions you can from each section. Secondly, focus on your accuracy. Read: Naval’s full interview |
| Swarnadeep Ghosh CAT 2020, 99.92 percentile |
Attempt all kinds of mock tests, difficult and easy. Maximize your strengths and do not stress about the weaker areas. |
| Sabyasachi Mishra CAT 2020, 99.90 percentile |
Focus more on concepts more than the mock tests. I would say that mocks do not matter much. What you learn from the mock tests is what matters. |
| Ravi Prinshu CAT 2020, 99.78 percentile |
Be self-disciplined and take mock tests regularly and decide your preparation strategy accordingly by identifying your strengths and weaknesses. Read: Ravi’s full interview |
| Aruneet Dutta CAT 2020, 99.52 percentile |
You have to decide your own preparation and test-taking strategy through trial and error method. You are the best person to decide which preparation method works best for you. |
| Deepanshu Arora CAT 2020, 99.49 percentile |
Take as many mock tests as possible and analyse your performance. This would improve your exposure to the various question types. |
| Gahana Agarwal CAT 2020, 99.30 percentile |
It is necessary to keep yourself motivated by any means possible through the entire preparation phase and not to let mocks scores and percentiles affect your mindset. Read: Gahana’s full interview |
| Arijit Kumar CAT 2020, 99.10 percentile |
Work on your strengths. Refer to the CAT preparation books like Arun Sharma and take ample mock tests and practice varieties of question types. Read: Arjit’s full interview |
| Somansh Chordia CAT 2019, 100 percentile |
It’s good and important to compare your performance with others as essentially it’s a competitive exam but one should not get demoralised or overconfident. Read: Somansh’s full interview |
| Rishi Mittal CAT 2019, 100 percentile |
I would say that while preparing for CAT be honest to yourself and prioritize CAT results over everything. Read: Rishi’s full interview |
| Saathwik Kolluru CAT 2019, 99.99 percentile |
Prepare a good strategy for every type of question (VA/RC/DI/LR/QA) and stick to that on D-day. |
| Rahul Manglik CAT 2019, 99.99 percentile |
Play your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Regular practice and a lot of mocks can help achieve your goals. Read: Rahul’s full interview |
| Karan Goyal CAT 2019, 99.95 percentile |
My suggestion would be giving a couple of mock tests to understand your strengths and weaknesses and then work on them accordingly. Read: Karan’s full interview |
| Ankit Desai CAT 2021, 99.91 percentile |
Whenever you start your preparations, it is necessary that you start early and daily at least solve one topic or a section. Read: Ankit’s full interview |
| Romik Banerjee CAT 2019, 99.87 percentile |
Be relentless, that's what worked for me. A lot of dedication and practice coupled with a bit of luck is what takes you a long way. Read: Romik’s full interview |
| Srishti Banzal CAT 2019, 99.86 percentile |
Definitely start before August as otherwise there is very little time to complete the entire syllabus. |
| Ronit Banerjea CAT 2019, 99.80 percentile |
I attempted around 18-20 CAT mock tests. Constant college commitments made it difficult to attempt as many as I would like, although the number I gave allowed me enough room to hit upon a reasonable exam strategy. Read: Ronit’s full interview |
| Karal Maheshwari CAT 2019, 99.03 percentile |
You need to ace at least two sections to touch the 99 percentile mark. Do not compare your preparation, your marks with anyone. Read: Karal’s full interview |
Try this CAT Mock Test, Powered by IMS, to assess your preparation level and time-management skill.
Free CAT Mock Test 1Try second CAT Mock Test, Powered by IMS, to assess your preparation level and time-management skill.
Free CAT Mock Test 2CAT 2021 Admit Card
CAT 2021 admit card will be released on October 27. The admit card will be available for download until the exam day. Given below is the process of downloading CAT admit card:
- Log on to CAT 2021 website
- Click on 'admit card download' tab
- Enter CAT ID and password
- Click on the tab indicating admit card
- Click on download and save the PDF of CAT admit card on your desktop
Candidates must carry two print outs of the CAT admit card to the exam centre. The invigilator will submit one copy and return the second copy after signing it. The CAT 2021 admit card will have a COVID-19 self declaration attached to it, which the candidates must fill before reaching the exam centre.
Also Read:
- CAT exam day guidelines related to COVID-19
- CAT exam: Complete test day guide
- CAT exam day tips
- Items not allowed inside CAT exam hall
CAT Answer Key 2021
The CAT 2021 answer key will be released in the form of question paper and response sheet about a fortnight after the exam. Each candidate will be able to download the CAT 2021 answer key from the official website and match their response with the official answers. This will help them assess their performance and calculate their CAT score.
The examination body will provide the opportunity of challenging the official answer key before preparation of the CAT result. If any candidate feels that any official answer is incorrect, they can challenge it by filling an online application form and submitting a supporting document.
CAT Answer Key Challenge: Key Points
- The fee to challenge CAT answer key is Rs 1,200 per question
- The window to challenge CAT 2021 answer key will be open for only 2-3 days
- If the candidate’s objection is accepted as valid by the examination authority, the fee amount will be refunded
- If the candidate’s objection is rejected, the fee amount will not be refunded
- The final CAT answer key and result will be prepared after analyzing objections
- If no objection is found to be valid, the revised answer key will not be released
- No request of objection to answer key will be accepted after CAT result declaration
Also Read:
- CAT normalization process
- Difference between CAT score and CAT percentile
- How scaled CAT score is calculated for three slots?
CAT 2021 Result
CAT result is announced online about a month after the exam. CAT 2021 result announcement is expected by the first week of January. The candidates can check their score and download their result from the official website. Given below is the process to download CAT 2021 result.
- Visit the official website (iimcat.ac.in)
- Click on 'CAT login'
- Enter CAT 2021 ID and password
- Click on scorecard tab
- Download the CAT scorecard
The CAT 2021 result cum scorecard will contain each candidate’s name, registration number, category, gender, photo, signature, address, CAT scaled scores, sectional percentiles and overall percentile.
Also Read:
- What after CAT 2021 result?
- IIM admission criteria and selection process
- MBA admission 2021: application deadlines
CAT selection process
CAT Cut Off Percentiles for Admission
MBA admissions to IIMs are based on selection of candidates through minimum marks scored by candidates. This minimum marks or CAT cut off is fixed by the IIMs every year on the basis of total number of CAT qualifiers, difficulty level of the exam and number of seats available. The non-IIMs also follow the same process of shortlisting candidates based on CAT cut off. The cut off percentiles of top colleges accepting CAT is normally between 95-100. The CAT cut offs for Reserved category candidates are lower at IIMs. Check the table below for expected CAT 2021 cut offs.
| IIMs |
Expected CAT cut offs (percentile) |
|---|---|
| 99-100 |
|
| 99-100 |
|
| 99 |
|
| 97-98 |
|
| 97-98 |
|
| 97-98 |
|
| 95-96 |
|
| 95-96 |
|
| 95-96 |
|
| 94-95 |
|
| 94-95 |
|
| 94-95 |
|
| 94-95 |
|
| 92-94 |
|
| 92-94 |
|
| 92-94 |
|
| 90 |
|
| 90 |
|
| Non-IIMs |
|
| 98-99 |
|
| 95-99 |
|
| 90 |
|
| 96 |
|
| 94 |
|
| 90 |
|
| 91 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 86 |
|
| 80 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 80 |
|
| 80 |
|
| 80 |
|
| 70 |
|
| 70 |
|
Also Read:
- MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 80-90 Percentile Range
- MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 70-80 Percentile Range
- MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 60-70 Percentile Range
CAT 2021: IIM Selection Process and Admission Criteria
Admission to MBA/PGP courses through CAT score will begin soon after the exam result has been declared, i.e. in the first week of January 2022. All the IIMs will release shortlist status of the candidates and the will have to fill the online form for participation in Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) round. The WAT-PI round will be conducted in February, March and April while the final admission result will be announced in May 2022. Given below are IIM admission stages and selection criteria.
- Stage 1: Shortlisting of candidates on the basis of CAT 2021 score
- Stage 2: WAT-PI round
- Stage 3: Preparation of final admission list
IIM Selection Criteria
Given below is the table indicating, IIM Bangalore selection criteria and weightage. While the selection criteria is common for all IIMs, weightage may vary.
| Parameters |
Weight |
|---|---|
| CAT score |
25 |
| WAT |
10 |
| PI |
30 |
| 10th board |
10 |
| 12th board |
5 |
| Graduation |
10 |
| Weighted Work Experience |
10 |
| Total |
100 |
Also Read:
- What is IIM CAP? Check Details
- IIM Shortlist: Application process and cut offs
- All About IIM Shortlisting and Selection Process
- Check institute-wise IIM cut offs (qualifying and final)
- IIM fees: Institute-wise fees for MBA/PGP
FAQs Related to CAT 2021 Exam
Q: What is CAT exam?
A: CAT or Common Admission Test is an aptitude test conducted for admission to MBA/PGP/PGDM/Executive MBA programmes. CAT is conducted by the Indian Institute of Management for admission to its 20 institutes and over 1,200 other B-schools.
Q: When will CAT 2021 exam be conducted?
A: CAT 2021 will be conducted on the last Sunday of November (November 28). The exam date was officially announced on July 31, 2021. There is no delay expected due to COVID-19 as the exam was conducted on time last year amid the pandemic.
Q: When will CAT 2021 registration process begin?
A: CAT 2021 registration process began from August 4 (10:00 AM) and will conclude on September 22 (5:00 PM). The CAT 2021 application closure date was September 15 but the deadline was extended by a week.
Q: Which IIM will conduct CAT 2021 exam?
A: The CAT 2021 exam will be conducted by IIM Ahmedabad. Prof M P Ram Mohan, Faculty in Business Policy, IIM Ahmedabad has been appointed as the CAT 2021 exam convener.
Q: What is the eligibility criteria of CAT?
A: The eligibility criteria to appear in CAT is minimum 50 per cent aggregate (45 per cent for SC/ST/PwD) in graduation or equivalent from a recognised university. Final year graduation students as well as professional degree holder like CA/CS/ICWA can also appear for CAT.
Q: Which colleges accept CAT score other than IIMs?
A: Other than the IIMs, over 1,200 MBA colleges accept CAT score. Some of the top B-schools include SPJIMR, MDI, IMT, FMS, IBS, NITIE, IITs (Dept. of Management Studies), BIMTECH, IMI, XIMB, TAPMI, IRMA among others.
Q: Which IIMs accept CAT score between 95 to 98 percentile?
A: All the new IIMs including IIM Shillong, IIM Rohtak, IIM Kashipur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Jammu, IIM Nagpur, IIM Udaipur, IIM Bodhgaya and IIM Trichy accept CAT score between 95 to 98 percentile. Also Read: IIM CAP Admission Process
Q: Is the CAT cut off percentile for IIM admission low for reserved category students?
A: Yes, the CAT cut off percentiles for IIM admission is much lower (qualifying cut off ranging 40-50 percentile) for reserved category students than the candidates of General, NC-OBC, EWS categories.
Q: What is the syllabus of CAT exam?
A: CAT syllabus included all the important topics of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. Download: CAT syllabus PDF
Q: Is CAT 2021 exam pattern going to be the same as CAT 2020?
A: In CAT 2020 a few changes were made in the exam pattern due to COVID-19 pandemic and it is going to be the same for CAT 2021 as well. However, If there is any change IIM Ahmedabad will announce with the release of official mock test in October.
Q: Is CAT score valid for two years?
A: No, the CAT score is valid only for one year. For example, CAT 2021 score will be valid for MBA admission to 2022-24 batch only. In case, a candidate wants to drop the year, they will have to take CAT exam again in the next year.
Q: Is six-month plan enough to prepare for CAT 2021?
A: Ideally, one should dedicate nine to twelve months to CAT preparation. However, many toppers have cracked CAT even with less than six-month preparation. It depends on the candidate how much time he/she feels is enough to complete the CAT syllabus and have ample practice of sample questions.
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