CAT 2024

The CAT entrance exam 2024 is expected to be held on November 24, 2024, which is the last Sunday of November. The CAT 2024 will be conducted by IIM Calcutta. The official notification for the exam is expected to be released in the last week of July 2024, with registration starting in August 2024 and ending in September 2024. There are several entrance exams (that are mandatory) conducted every year for admission to the Management degree program and CAT (Common Admission Test) is one of them.

Every year CAT entrance exam is conducted by the top B-Schools across India and lakhs of students appear in this exam. Those aspirants who are willing to take this exam in 2024 should start preparing beforehand – say nine months in advance. The difficulty level of CAT entrance exam is usually moderate to high difficulty and is conducted in three shifts: morning – 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, afternoon – 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and evening – 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. 

At present, there are a lot many students and young professionals willing to pursue higher education in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Post Graduate Diploma Programme (PGDM). These courses have been gaining a lot of popularity among the youth not only in India but also abroad. However, the majority of Management Institutions such as IIMs accept entrance exams such as CAT 2024 for the intake of students and hence there is no exception for these aspirants to get any direct admission for pursuing these courses.

CAT Entrance Exam 2024 Highlights

CAT 2024 Key Features

The CAT entrance exam is the mandatory entrance exam for MBA or PGDM admission in all the 21 IIMs and other top B-schools. Hence, this exam is an important step for an MBA or a PGDM aspirant. Following is a list of some of the key features that are related to the CAT entrance exam 2024.

• The registration fee for the CAT 2024 is set to INR 2,500.
• The exam is based on a computerized method.
• It is conducted in 155 cities with more than 400 venues.
• Candidates applying for this exam are required to allot at least 6 centers in which they can appear.
• The duration of the exam is set to 2 hours since 2020.
• There are three sections in this exam – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).
• Each of these sections is to be attempted within a limited time period.
• Candidates willing to be admitted to IIMs for 2025 need to submit their CAT entrance exam scores secured in 2024 only.

CAT 2024 Exam Dates

Following is the list of the important dates for the candidates appearing in the CAT 2024. It also includes the date of application and counseling process.

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates appearing for the CAT 2024 are required to fulfill certain eligibility criteria that are listed below.

• Candidates are required to have a minimum aggregate of 50% in graduation.
• Candidates from the reserved category (SC/ ST/ PWD/ OBC) should have a minimum aggregate of 45% in Graduation.
• Candidates who are final-year students pursuing Graduation are also eligible.
• No age limit
• No work experience is required.

It is important to note that the CAT entrance exam 2024 eligibility criteria may vary slightly from year to year, and candidates are advised to check the official CAT website for the latest information on eligibility criteria before applying for the exam.

CAT 2024 Registration/Application Process

The registration and application process is conducted online. The official website provides all the necessary information related to the CAT entrance exam including – the exam dates, registration process, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, syllabus, and other important details. Candidates can easily register for the exam, download the admit card, and check their results on the official website. The website also provides a helpdesk number for candidates to get their queries resolved. 

Step – 1: Candidates are required to visit the official CAT website – https://www.iimcat.ac.in which is managed by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and create a profile.

Step – 2: Candidates are then required to register themselves online through the website portal and follow the steps. After registration is done, candidates are then required to fill in the application form.

Step – 3: In the final step, candidates are then required to make the payment of INR 2,500/- (General category) or INR 1,250/- (Reserved category) for the application form.

Read More - CAT 2024 Application Process

CAT 2024 Reservations

Following is the list of the percentage of reservations that are provided to the candidates belonging to SC/ ST/ PWD/ OBC categories.

CAT 2024 Admit Card

Candidates appearing for the CAT entrance exam in 2024 will be able to download their admit cards (hall tickets) online from the official website – https://www.iimcat.ac.in only. No admit cards will be sent to the postal address of the candidates.

All the candidates should go through the details provided in their respective hall tickets/admit cards before appearing in the exam venue. In case of any discrepancies in the admit card, the candidates are required to contact the official authority before the date of examination.

Click here for More details about CAT Admit Card

CAT 2024 Syllabus

The Syllabus for CAT 2024 can be checked from the official website in which a detailed structure is provided. There are a variety of topics that are covered in all of these sections. However, candidates have to keep in mind that there will be both objective and subjective types of questions.

Section – 1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

The CAT VARC questions are often passage-based, and candidates have to read these passages to find the answers correctly. The questions also consist of topics such as – Odd one out, Reading Comprehension, Para-Summary, Para-Jumbles, Sentence Completion, Vocabulary Usage, Error Correction in a Para, Analogies, and Critical Reasoning.

Section – 2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

The CAT DLIR section tests the candidates' ability to interpret data, analyze it, and make decisions based on logical reasoning. The questions usually consist of topics such as – Tables, Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, Pie Charts, Seating Arrangements, Blood Relations, Direction Sense, Syllogisms, Venn Diagrams, Propositions, Assumptions, and Statements and Conclusions.

Section – 3: Quantitative Ability (QA)

The CAT QA section is usually presented in the form of sets, and candidates have to apply mathematical concepts and formulas to solve the questions correctly. These questions are usually based on topics such as – arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and modern mathematics. However, the difficulty level in this section for CAT 2024 was made easier compared with the previous year’s trends.

Difficulty level: The overall difficulty level of the CAT entrance exam is usually moderate to difficult. 

CAT 2024 Exam Pattern (Revised)

There are a few questions in which there will be no negative markings. There will be a total of 48 MCQs and 18 non-MCQs out of 66 questions. Following is the list of the CAT Exam Patterns conducted in the CAT entrance exams.

Time Limit: There will be a total of 66 questions divided into 3 sections within a total time limit of 120 minutes. Hence, candidates are required to answer each of these sections separately within 40 minutes. Candidates from the PWD category are provided with 160 minutes to finish their exams.

Marking: For each correct answer a candidate will be given 3 marks, meanwhile for each incorrect answer 1 mark will be deducted.

CAT 2024 - Result

The CAT 2024 results will be available on the official IIMCAT website approximately 20 to 30 days after the exam, featuring sectional and overall marks along with percentiles. To access your CAT 2024 result, follow these steps:

1. Visit the official CAT website.
2. Click on the "Result" link.
3. Enter your CAT registration number and password.
4. Click on the "Login" button.
5. Your CAT result will be displayed on the screen.
6. Check your result carefully and download a copy for your records.

CAT 2024 - FAQs

Q1. When is the CAT entrance exam to be held in 2024?

Ans. The CAT entrance exam will be held on 24^th November 2024.

Q2. What are the eligibility criteria for appearing in the CAT entrance exam?

Ans. Candidates must have a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum aggregate of 50% (45% for the reserved category candidates). There is no age limit nor is any prior work experience required for the candidates to appear in this exam. Candidates who are in the final year of their graduation degree are also eligible for this exam.

Q3. How many questions are there in the CAT entrance exam?

Ans. There are a total of 66 questions allotted in the CAT entrance exam divided into 3 sections. Each of these sections has a set of 24 questions in Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), 20 questions in Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and 22 questions in Quantitative Ability (QA) respectively.

Q4. What are the time limits given to the students for completing the CAT entrance exam?

Ans. Candidates will be provided with a total time limit of 120 minutes. However, candidates belonging to the PWD category will be given 160 minutes to complete the exam.

Q5. How to avail of admit cards for the CAT 2024 Entrance Exam? 

Ans. Candidates appearing for the CAT entrance exam in 2024 will be able to download their admit cards (hall tickets) online from the official website. 

Q6. What to do if there are any discrepancies in the CAT Exam admit card?

Ans. In case of any discrepancies in the admit card, the candidates are required to contact the official authority before the date of examination.