Overview: The provisional CAT exam date for 2024 is November 24, with IIM Calcutta likely to oversee its administration. Registration for the CAT entrance exam 2024 is expected to open in the first week of August.

What is the CAT Exam 2024?

• The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a gateway exam for students who wish to pursue a career in business and management at top IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) and other top business schools in the country.
• CAT entrance exam, in addition to admission to IIMs, gives students the benefit of having a strong alumni network that helps them build their careers.
• The CAT 2024 exam admission is considered one of the toughest exams since it assesses your overall aptitude and preparedness for admission to a top-tier management program. 
• Examination Authorities will release the CAT entrance exam 2024 notification once the previous examination cycle is over.

Download FREE Study Material for CAT Exam 2024 by SuperGrads

Learn More: How to Prepare for CAT in One Year

CAT Exam 2024 Highlights

Here’s a brief overview of the CAT Entrance Exam 2024: 

Particulars	Details
CAT Full Form	Common Admission Test (CAT)
Conducting Institute	IIMs
Exam Level	National
Exam Frequency	Once a year
CAT Entrance Exam Date 2024	Sunday, November 24, 2024 (tentatively)
CAT 2024 Exam Timings	To be notified
Registration Fees	SC/ST/PwD - INR-1200 GEN - INR 2400
Eligibility Criteria	Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students)
Number of Applications in the CAT Entrance exam	3.28 lakh (in 2023)
Exam Purpose	Admission in IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1,200 B-Schools in India
Courses Offered Through CAT Exam	MBA/ PGDM
CAT Entrance Exam Sections	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), Quantitative Ability (QA)
Mode	Online Computer Based Test (CBT) with MCQs and non-MCQs
No. of test cities for the CAT 2024 Exam	150
Website	https://iimcat.ac.in/

Note** Candidates must declare and maintain a valid and unique email account and a mobile phone number throughout the selection process.

Know More: How Many Times CAT Exam is Conducted in a Year

CAT Exam Date & Schedule for 2024

Important CAT entrance exam date and details for 2024 are tabulated respectively. 

CAT Exam 2024 Events	CAT Entrance Exam Important Dates
CAT 2024 Exam Notification	Second Week of August
Registration Date Opens	Fourth Week of August
Application form's last date	Second Week of September
CAT 2024 Exam Admit Card Release Date	Fourth Week of October
Registration Fees	INR 1200 (Reserved categories) INR 2400 (Other categories)
CAT Exam Date 2024	November 24, 2024
Official Website	iimcat.ac.in

CAT Exam 2024 Eligibility Criteria [Educational Qualification]

•  As per the CAT exam eligibility criteria, the candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree, with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA [45% in case of candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disability (PwD) categories], from any recognized University or educational institution. 
• Candidates who have finished degree prerequisites, are awaiting results, and are taking the last year of the Bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification test are both eligible to apply.

Note: Applicants should note that mere fulfilment of the minimum CAT entrance exam criteria will not ensure consideration for shortlisting by IIMs.

Read More: CAT Exam Admission Process 2024

Let's Analyse the Trend of CAT Exam Over the Years

The CAT 2024 exam date is set to be conducted on November 24. Following table will help you understand how the CAT exam has evolved over past 13 years.

Year	Time (mins)	Sections (Abbreviation)	Questions per Section	Total Questions
2024 (expected)	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 20, 22	66
2023	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 20, 22	66
2022	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 20, 22	66
2021	120	VARC, DILR, QA	24, 20, 22	66
2020	120	VARC, DILR, QA	26, 24, 26	76
2019	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2018	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2017	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2016	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2015	180	VARC, DILR, QA	34, 32, 34	100
2014	170	QA & DI, VA & LR	50, 50	100
2013	140	VALR, QADI	30, 30	60
2012	140	QA, DI, VARC	21, 9, 30	60
2011	140	VALR, QADI	30, 30	60

**Note:

1. VARC: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
2. DILR: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
3. QA: Quantitative Ability
4. VALR: Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
5. QADI: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

Learn More: How Many Students Appear for CAT Exam Every Year

CAT Exam 2024 Paper Pattern [Expected]

Overview of CAT Entrance Exam Pattern 2024 helps you start your CAT preparations for the CAT 2024 Exam date.

Ensure you go through the updated CAT Entrance Exam Pattern thoroughly. 

CAT Exam Paper Pattern 2024
Mode of CAT entrance exam	Computer Based Test
CAT 2024 exam Date duration	120 minutes (40 minutes per section)
Number of questions	66
CAT total marks	198
Language of question paper	English
Number of answer choices	4
Question Type	MCQ and non-MCQ
Total Sections	3
Mode of Paper	Online Only
Question Types	MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA)
Section Names	1. Quantitative Aptitude 2. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension 3. Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation

Section-wise Number of MCQ and non-MCQ Questions

Following is the table to give you an idea about the number of questions asked in each CAT exam subject or section divided into both MCO and non-MCQ.

Section	Number of MCQs	Number of Non-MCQs	Total Questions
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	21	3	24
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	14	6	20
Quantitative Ability	14	8	22
Total	49	17	66

CAT Entrance Exam Marking Scheme

• Each correct answer will receive 3 marks.
• There will be a negative marking of 1 mark for every incorrect answer for the objective questions.
• Non-MCQ-type questions will have NO negative marking.

Learn More: CAT Exam 2024 Shift Timings

CAT Exam Syllabus 2024

The CAT entrance exam details and date for 2024 are yet to be released. However, the CAT Exam syllabus 2024 is expected to be the same as CAT 2023, which was as follows:

CAT 2024 Exam Sections	Syllabus
Quantitative Aptitude	Number System, Geometry, Algebra, Mensuration, Time and Work
Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation	Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	Para-Jumbles & Para-Summary, Sentence Completion, Inferences, RC Passages-Based Questions

CAT 2024 Exam Registration Process

The CAT exam registration is a crucial step after the CAT entrance exam date and notification is announced. You need to be careful while filling out the registration form.

The application can change for this year's CAT Exam date 2024. The information below is curated as per the previous year's data. 

What is the CAT entrance exam application fees:

• SC, ST, and PwD candidates must pay an application fee of ₹1200. 
• The general category must pay an application fee of ₹2400. 

Please note that a candidate needs to pay the registration fees only once, irrespective of the number of institutes he/she is applying.

Steps to successfully register for the CAT Exam 2024

• Step 1: Registration for User ID and Password 
• Step 2: Log in to the CAT Official Website
• Step 3: Fill Application Form 
• Step 4: Choose your preferred PG programme
• Step 5: Pick a Test City
• Step 6: Make the Payment

CAT Exam 2024 Application Correction Window

The examination authorities will make the edit window live; students must log in using their user ID and password.

Please make use of this period if you wish to edit the following: 

• Photo
• Signature
• Test City preferences

Steps to edit CAT application 2024

• In order to edit your application form, log in by using your user ID and password. 
• After logging in, click on Go to application to start the editing process.
• Please read all the instructions carefully while editing the form. 

Also Check: CAT Exam Preparation Books 2024 

CAT Exam Score Accepting IIMs: NRIF Rankings and Programs Offered

List of IIMs	Establishment Year	NIRF MBA Ranking (MBA)	Programs Offered
IIM Ahmedabad	1961	1	PGP, PGP-FABM
IIM Calcutta	1961	4	MBA
IIM Bangalore	1973	2	PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA
IIM Lucknow	1984	6	PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM
IIM Indore	1996	8	PGP, PGP-HRM
IIM Kozhikode	1997	3	PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi
IIM Shillong	2008	26	PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE
IIM Rohtak	2009	12	PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM
IIM Udaipur	2009	16	MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBA
IIM Ranchi	2010	24	PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics)
IIM Raipur	2010	11	PGP
IIM Kashipur	2011	19	MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA
IIM Tiruchirappalli	2011	22	PGPM, PGPM-HR, PGPBM
IIM Visakhapatnam	2015	29	PGP, PGPEX, PGPDGM
IIM Amritsar	2015	51	MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM
IIM Nagpur	2015	43	PGP
IIM Bodh Gaya	2015	53	PGP
IIM Sirmaur	2015	98	MBA, MBA (T&HM)
IIM Sambalpur	2015	58	MBA, Executive MBA
IIM Jammu	2016	41	MBA, Executive MBA (Blended Mode), PGP in Health Care Management (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu), PGP in Hospital Administration (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu)
IIM Mumbai (formerly NITIE)	1963 (renamed in 2023)	7	MBA, MBA (Operations and SCM) and MBA in SM

CAT Exam 2024 Admit Card/Hall Ticket

CAT Admit Card is an official document issued by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to candidates who have successfully registered for the CAT exam date 2024.

It is mandatory to carry the CAT Admit Card on the day of the exam as it contains important details like the candidate’s name, roll number, exam date, time, and venue.

CAT 2024 Exam Centers List

• The exam will be conducted in a CAT Exam centres spread across 155 test cities. Candidates will be given the option to select any six test cities in order of their preference.
• The CAT website will include the test cities, and the admit card will list the exam centres' names. 
• IIMs maintain the right, in their sole discretion, to alter any test centers, city, and/or time and day.

What is the CAT Exam 2024 Selection Process?

Please be aware that IIMs use their own, maybe separate, criteria to shortlist applicants for the interview round. Generally, the IIM selection process is conducted in three parts viz.,:

1. Phase 1- CAT entrance exam and CAT results
2. Phase 2- Individual conduction of multiple rounds by IIMs like Personal Interview (PI), Writing Ability Test (WAT) and Group Discussion (GD)
3. Phase 3- Verification of Candidates and Final Selection

Note:

• IIMs may also shortlist and rank applicants at different stages of the admissions process using other criteria such as the applicant's prior academic performance, pertinent job experience, gender and academic diversity, and other comparable inputs. 
• There may be differences between IIMs in the procedures, academic cutoffs, and weights given to the evaluation metrics. For more about CAT entrance exam details, consult the admissions policies of each IIM on their separate websites.

Check: CAT Exam Details About Preparation 2024

CAT Exam 2024 Reservation Policies

According to regulatory regulations following are the reservations give to the candidates applying for the CAT 2024 exam as per different categories.

Category	Reservation (%)
Non-Creamy Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC)	27
Schedule Caste (SC)	15
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)	10
Schedule Tribe (ST)	7.5
Person with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD)	5

For the CAT exam, "Specified disability" refers to the conditions listed in the RPwD Act 2016's Schedule. The types of disabilities include:

• a) blindness and low vision
• b) deaf and hard of hearing
• c) locomotor disability, including cerebral palsy, leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy
• d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness
• e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d)
• f) other 'specified disabilities' mentioned in 'The Schedule' of the RPwD Act 2016

Note: After CAT registration, no change in category will be considered. Applicants are advised to pay attention while registering.

Check: CAT Exam Marks vs Percentile 2024

IIM CAT Exam Cut-Offs 2024

• IIM CAT cut-offs are the minimum scores required to be eligible for admission to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM). 
• The CAT exam cut-offs are determined based on the number of available seats, the number of applicants, and the difficulty level of the exam. 
• The cut-offs are typically higher for the prominent IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta.

CAT Exam 2023 Cut-Offs

Following are the different cut-offs released by different IIMs in 2023:

IIM	General	OBC	EWS	SC	ST
IIM Ahmedabad	80	75	70	70	60
IIM Bangalore	85	75	75	70	65
IIM Kozhikode	85	75	75	65	55
IIM Calcutta	85	75	75	70	65
IIM Lucknow	90	82	82	65	60
IIM Mumbai	85	75	75	70	65
IIM Indore	90	80	90	60	50
IIM Raipur	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Rohtak	95	78	90	55	30
IIM Udaipur	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Kashipur	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Trichy	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Ranchi	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Shillong	75	75	75	60	50
IIM Visakhapatnam	80	70	72	45	35
IIM Jammu	Male- 90	Male- 72	Male- 68	Male- 52	Male- 37
	Female- 87	Female- 70	Female- 65	Female- 50	Female- 34
IIM Nagpur	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Amritsar	85	75	85	55	40
IIM Bodh Gaya	92	74	70	54	40
IIM Sambalpur	74	74	70	54	40
IIM Sirmaur	92	74	70	54	40

Check: CAT Exam Documents

IIM Seats Campus Wise 2024

Check the official website for CAT entrance Exam fee details and other CAT exam information. 

Here is the seat matrix for the management program at each IIM.

IIM campus	PGP/MBA seats
IIM Ahmedabad	385
IIM Bangalore	430
IIM Calcutta	210
IIM Lucknow	436
IIM Kozhikode	375
IIM Raipur	210
IIM Udaipur	260
IIM Rohtak	240
IIM Visakhapatnam	60
IIM Trichy	180
IIM Sambalpur	120
IIM Ranchi	240
IIM Bodhgaya	120
IIM Sirmaur	60
IIM Jammu	120
IIM Amritsar	60
IIM Shillong	120
IIM Kashipur	210
IIM Nagpur	130
IIM Indore	451

Check: CAT Exam Top Colleges 2024

CAT Exam 2024 Preparation Tips

The CAT 2024 exam date is yet to be released. However, you must start your CAT entrance exam 2024 preparation with the help of the following expert tips:

1. Understand CAT entrance exam pattern: The first step to creating an effective preparation strategy for the CAT exam is understanding the exam pattern. You should know the type of questions asked, the marking scheme, the sectional time, and the syllabus for the exam.
2. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Allocate more time to topics you find challenging while improving more on your strengths.
3. Set Daily Targets: Once you clearly understand the exam pattern, the next step is to set daily targets for yourself. You should decide which sections to focus on, the number of questions you want to solve, and the time you want to devote to each section.
4. Daily Study Plan: A CAT exam study plan should be made in such a way that it covers all the topics of the syllabus. Make sure to allot more time to topics you are weak in and practice mock tests and sample papers.
5. Mock Tests are must: Mock tests help you get familiar with the exam pattern and test your time management skills. Solving CAT mock tests regularly will help you to improve your speed and accuracy.
6. Revise: Revising the topics you have already studied is very important. This will help you recall the concepts and identify your weak areas.
7. If required, join CAT coaching classes, which help boost your preparation level. 

Conclusion

The CAT exam 2024 is important in applying to a top business school in India. Preparing well for the CAT 2024 entrance exam and clearly understanding its topics and concepts is important. With the right preparation and focus, a successful CAT exam result can help you achieve your goal of getting into a top business school.