CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024: Date, Exam Pattern, Syllabus and Marking Scheme

Overview: The CAT MBA entrance exam 2024 will commence on 24 November 2024. IIMs conduct the CAT exam, which allows you to pursue management courses at the top B schools. Scroll down to learn everything about the CAT exam 2024!

• The Common Admission Test, or CAT 2024, is one of the toughest MBA entrance exams conducted nationally by the Indian Institute of Management.
• The last date to apply for the CAT exam 2024 is 20 September 2024, and you can download the admit card from the official website on 5 November 2024.

If you are an MBA aspirant dreaming of getting admission to the top B schools, you should be aware of the important details about the CAT MBA entrance exam 2024. Read on!

Download FREE Study Material for CAT Exam 2024 by SuperGrads

Also Read | CAT 2024 Registration Begins: Apply Before 13 September 2024

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024: Major Highlights 

Common Admission Test 2024 is an MBA entrance exam conducted every November. Over 3.5 lakh MBA aspirants have appeared in the CAT exam 2023. The registration process for CAT 2024 exam has started from 1 August 2024 and will end on 13 September 2024. Here’s a brief overview of the CAT Entrance Exam 2024: 

Particulars of the CAT exam	Details
CAT Full Form	Common Admission Test (CAT)
Conducting Institute	IIMs
CAT Exam Difficulty Level	National
CAT Exam Frequency	Once a year
CAT Entrance Exam Date 2024	Sunday, November 24, 2024 (tentatively)
CAT 2024 Exam Timings	To be notified
CAT Exam Registration Fees	SC/ST/PwD - INR-1250/- GEN - INR 2500/-
CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria	Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students)
Number of Applications in the CAT Entrance exam	3.28 lakh (in 2023)
CAT 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)
CAT Exam 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/

Also Read | How to Get Good Score in CAT Exam

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024 Important Dates

To avoid last-minute hustle, it is best to have complete details about the CAT MBA entrance exam for 2024. Here are the important dates of CAT 2024:

CAT Exam 2024 Events	CAT Entrance Exam Important Dates
CAT 2024 Exam Notification	28 July 2024
Registration Date Opens	1 August 2024
Application form's last date	20 September 2024
CAT 2024 Exam Admit Card Release Date	5 November 2024
Registration Fees	INR 1250/- (Reserved categories) INR 2500/- (Other categories)
CAT Exam Date 2024	November 24, 2024
Official Website	iimcat.ac.in

Also Read | Guide to Best CAT Exam Courses 2024 for MBA Aspirants

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024 Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the CAT 2024 MBA entrance exam, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories) from a recognised university or educational institution.

Candidates who have completed their degree requirements, are awaiting results, or are in their final year of a bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification are eligible to apply.

It's important to note that meeting the minimum CAT entrance exam criteria does not guarantee consideration for shortlisting by IIMs.

Also Read | Section Wise Detailed CAT Syllabus

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024 Reservation Policy 

Candidates belonging to different categories like SC, ST, NC-OBC, PwD, and EWS get some relaxation in the fees in the CAT exam 2024. Here is the tabular representation of the CAT exam reservation policy:

Category	Percentage (%)
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%
Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC)	27%
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)	10%
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD)	5%

Also Read | CAT Exam Slot Timings

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024 Exam Pattern

The exam pattern of the CAT exam 2024 is similar to that of 2023. It consists of three major sections: verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC), Data interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR), and Qualitative ability (QA).

There are 66 questions (MCQ+ TITA), and the CAT total marks are about 198. Here is a brief description of the CAT MBA entrance exam pattern 2024: 

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

Also Read | How Many Times CAT Exam is Conducted in a Year

Section-wise Number of MCQ and Non-MCQ Questions

The CAT exam consists of both MCQs and TITA questions (type-in-the-answer questions). Negative marking is only applied to the MCQ questions; there is no negative marking for TITA questions.

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

Also Read | How to improve reading comprehension for CAT Exam 2024?

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024 Marking Scheme

The CAT exam in 2024 has a marking scheme that awards three points for each correct answer and deducts one point for each wrong answer. 

There is no negative marking for unanswered questions or non-multiple-choice questions. You can find the CAT exam marking scheme 2024 in the table below.

Type of Questions	CAT Marking Scheme	CAT Negative Marking Scheme
MCQ	+3 marks are given to each correct answer	-1 mark is deducted for every wrong answer
Non-MCQ	+3 marks are given to each correct answer	There is no negative marking for TITA questions.

Also Read | What are the Benefits of CAT Exam for MBA

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024 Section Wise Syllabus

To ace the CAT 2024 MBA entrance exam on your first attempt, you should also know what questions will come in the CAT exam and which topics you should be well prepared for. So, the syllabus for the CAT MBA entrance exam 2024:

Exam Sections	CAT Exam Syllabus
Verbal ability or English	Reading Comprehension, General grammar, Sentence Completion, Sentence Correction, Synonyms and Antonyms, One word substitution, Jumbled paragraphs, Contextual usage, Odd one out, Fill In the blanks, Idioms, Syllogisms, Vocabulary
Quantitative, Data Interpretation, & Data sufficiency	Number system, HCF and LCM, Number base system, Work and time, pipes and Cisterns, Averages, Percentages, Compound Interest, Arithmetic Progression, Quadratic and Linear equations, Trigonometry, Arithmetic Mean, Geometric Progression, Permutations and Combinations, Menstruation, Partnership, Ratio and proportion, Simple interest, Time speed and distance, Profit and loss, Venn diagram
Analytical and Logical Reasoning	Arrangements, Analogies, Critical Reasoning, Coding and Decoding, Clock and Calendar, Sequence and series, Blood relations, Directions, Syllogisms, Puzzles

Also Read | How to Improve Reading Comprehension for CAT Exam Preparation?

CAT MBA Entrance Exam 2024 Important Books 

To boost your preparation for the CAT MBA entrance exam 2024, you can practice with the free mock test series and previous year's papers. You can also join the best coaching for the CAT exam to get the right guidance to improve your performance and CAT score.

Not only this, but practising with the right study material is equally beneficial for getting in-depth knowledge of the topics. So, here are the best books to get CAT exam good score in 2024: 

Sections	Book Title
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	How to Prepare for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for CAT Preparation by Arun Sharma
	Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for the CAT Exam Preparation by Nishit K. Sinha
	Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for CAT exam preparation by Meenakshi Upadhyay
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT preparation by Arun Sharma
	Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT exam Preparation and Other MBA Entrance Examinations by Nishit K Sinha
	Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Guide for CAT Exam Preparation and Other MBA Entrance Examinations by S. Jha
Quantitative Ability	CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri
	Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT exam preparation by Nishit K. Sinha
	Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency by Ananta Ashisha

Conclusion

As we wrap up, knowing the basics about the CAT MBA entrance exam helps you prepare well in advance before the main CAT exam.

By focusing on fundamentals, practising regularly, managing time effectively, and staying positive, you can unlock the key to success in the CAT MBA 2024 Entrance exam and take the first step towards achieving your MBA dreams, feeling fully prepared and confident.

Also Check | Enroll in our CAT online coaching with SuperGrads for comprehensive preparation.