CAT

A candidate who scores just 20 on the percentile scale in CAT, hence, will find it difficult to get admission for MBA programs to any top part of the elite business schools, for all these institutes have put a very high cut-off percentage on a general basis in the range of 85 to 99 percentiles.

This very high cut-off range for all potential candidates includes even new and baby IIMs. All of them set the bar high even for the reserved categories. But then there remain some options for you.

A few private business schools and deemed universities offer admissions at the lower-end CAT score or even conduct their entrance tests. Many such institutes are Amity University, Lovely Professional University (LPU), and many others that assign those low percentiles additional weightage on other selection criteria, like their academic performance, group discussions, and personal interviews. Furthermore, there are some state universities or tier 2 and tier 3 MBA colleges that offer admission on a no-CAT basis. 

It all depends upon which IIM you get shortlisted, but considering your percentile in CAT 2023 that is 70, a very good chance stands by your side if the cutoff will be met by you in terms of that IIM.
For example, IIM Ahmedabad will set the minimum overall cutoff at 60 percentile for ST candidates while others may be different. Normally, top IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta are higher with cut-off values generally more than 90 percentile in most of the cases but relax it for the reserved categories.
Although your score may suffice for admission into some IIMs, admission is not guaranteed and will depend on your overall profile, including academic performance and performance in subsequent rounds like interviews.

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 introduced several notable changes compared to previous years. Here are the key changes:

1. Increased Number of Questions:

•  The total number of questions was increased from 66 to 68.

•   This increase was specifically in the DILR section, which now had 22 questions instead of 20.

2. Removal of Para-Jumbles in VARC:

•  The VARC section no longer included para-jumbles questions.

•   This was a significant change as para-jumbles had been a staple of the CAT exam for many years.

3. Changes in VARC Question Format:

•   The VARC section mixed VA questions with RC passages instead of grouping them separately.

•   This change might have affected the exam-taking flow for some candidates.

4. Difficulty Level:

•   The DILR section was generally considered slightly easier than in previous years.

•  The QA section was also slightly easier, with many questions falling in the moderately difficult range.

•  The VARC section remained at a moderate-to-difficult level, similar to previous years.

These changes impacted the overall exam-taking strategy and the approach required to tackle different sections. Candidates who were aware of these changes and prepared accordingly were likely to have a better chance of performing well in the CAT 2024 exam.