What is CAT?
Common Admission Test or CAT is a national level management aptitude test conducted annually for admission to MBA/PGP programmes offered by the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and over 1,200 B-Schools in India. Every year, about 2 lakh candidates appear for the CAT exam, which is conducted on the last Sunday of November. In CAT, candidates have to solve 66 questions on Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretatation, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, in 120 minutes. CAT 2022 exam will be conducted on November 27, 2022 and the online registration process for the same will commence by August 3, 2022.
The 20 IIMs that accept CAT score for admission to post graduate management courses are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Shillong, IIM Raipur, IIM Indore, IIM Nagpur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Trichy, IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Ranchi, IIM Jammu, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Udaipur, IIM Amritsar, IIM Kashipur and IIM Rohtak.
Top colleges accepting CAT scores apart from IIMs include IMT, IMI, FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, IITs, GLIM, NITIE, NMIMS, ICFAI, GLIM, TAPMI, Amity University, Xavier University, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, BIMTECH and LIBA among others
MBA aspirants must start preparations CAT 2022 exam now as minimum six months are required to complete the exam syllabus and practice enough numbers of mock tests. If you’ve appeared for the exam before, you’ll need lesser time to prepare for it. Read all about CAT 2022 exam in this article including dates, application process, fees, eligibility criteria, syllabus, pattern, preparation, etc.
CAT Exam Pattern 2022: Key Features
Every year, one of the top IIMs conducts the CAT exam. CAT 2022 convening institute is IIM Bangalore. Read below key highlights of CAT exam 2022:
CAT Exam Features | CAT Exam Details |
|---|---|
CAT full form | Common Admission Test |
Conducting IIM | IIM Bangalore |
Exam level | National |
CAT syllabus |
|
CAT pattern | CBT with MCQs and non-MCQs |
No. of test cities | 156 |
Exam frequency | Annual |
CAT 2022 exam date | November 27, 2022 |
Exam fees | INR 2,300 (General category) and INR 1,150 (Reserved category) |
Eligibility | Graduation with 50 % aggregate (45 % for SC/ST students) |
Number of applications | 2.31 lakh (in 2021) |
Number of test takers | 1.92 lakh (in 2021) |
Exam purpose | Admission into IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1,200 B-Schools in India |
Course offered | MBA/PGDM |
Exam helpdesk no. | 1-800-210-1088 (Toll Free) |
Exam website | https://iimcat.ac.in |
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2022
CAT is an entrance exam for admission to PG-level management courses. Thus, the minimum qualification required is graduation. Check the CAT 2022 eligibility criteria below:
- Candidates must have completed graduation in any stream with minimum 50 per cent in aggregate (45 per cent for SC/ST/PwD candidates) or equivalent from a recognised university
- Final year bachelor’s degree candidates or those awaiting their result are also eligible to appear CAT exam
- Candidates will professional qualifications such as CA/CS/ICWA can also appear in the CAT
CAT Notification & Registration 2022
- CAT application form has to be submitted online.
- CAT 2022 exam will be held in 150+ cities across the country.
- CAT registration stays open for nearly 45 days from its start date.
- Most important, CAT aspirants should maintain a valid and unique email account and a mobile number for the selection process to be carried out smoothly.
- CAT result is released after a month of the exam.
| Important Events of CAT Exam 2022 | Dates |
|---|---|
| Release of notification | 31 Jul 2022 |
| Release of CAT Exam registration 2022 | 03 Aug 2022 (10 AM) |
| Last date to apply at iimcat.ac.in | 14 Sep 2022 (5 PM) |
| CAT Exam admit card 2022 release date | 27 Oct 2022 (5 PM) |
| CAT 2022 exam date | 27 Nov 2022 |
| Session Timings | 3 sessions |
| Issuance of answer key | TBA |
| CAT 2022 Exam result date and time | TBA |
Candidates must keep checking iimcat.ac.in for any changes in the Common Admission Test dates.
- At the official website, click ‘Register Now’ and generate your login credentials. Input the required details (Name, Date of Birth, Email Address, etc.).
- In the next step, you need to login with your user ID and Password. Thereafter, complete your CAT application form and upload the scanned copies of the stated documents.
- Apart from your personal and academic information, you need to provide details about your work experience, if applicable. Further, you also have to indicate your preferred programmes/institutes (IIMs) and select the interview cities from the given options.
- Finally, you need to pay CAT application fee via Net Banking/Credit/Debit Card/ or other such modes. Once you have paid the fee, you will not be able to make any changes in the form. So, double-check the form before the submission and payment.
- At the official website, login with your CAT user ID and password
- Click on the ‘Download CATAdmit Card’ link. Your hall will be displayed; you can download and take a printout of it. You can also save its soft copy for reference.
CAT Exam Pattern 2022
CAT exam is a Computer Based Test (CBT) conducted at multiple test centres across the country. The exam pattern was revised in 2022 due to COVID-19 pandemic. The total number of questions was reduced from 100 to 76 and the duration was reduced from 180 minutes to 120 minutes. The CAT pattern was revised again in 2021. The total number of questions were reduced from 76 to 66. Check below CAT exam pattern highlights:
CAT Exam Pattern 2022 | |
|---|---|
Mode of CAT exam | Computer Based Test |
Duration of exam | Total: 120 minutes Section wise:40 minutes per section |
CAT exam slots |
|
Number of questions | 76 66 |
Total marks | 228 198 |
Language of question paper | English |
Number of answer choices | 4 |
Question Type | MCQ and non-MCQ |
Marking Scheme | +3 for every right attempt -1 for every wrong attempt 0 for wrong attempt in non-MCQ |
CAT Syllabus 2022
CAT Sections and Weightage
he CAT question paper has three sections. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Check the table below for sectional distribution of questions and marks:
CAT Sections | Number of Questions | Marks Allotted |
|---|---|---|
VARC |
24 |
72 |
DILR |
20 |
60 |
QA |
22 |
66 |
Section-Wise CAT Syllabus
CAT syllabus is vast and includes a wide range of topics. Given below are the main topics from which the questions are usually asked in CAT exam:
CAT Syllabus sections | CAT Syllabus topics |
|---|---|
VARC | Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Para Jumbles, Para Summary and Odd Sentence Out |
DILR | Set Theory (Variables), Set Theory + Puzzles, Puzzles with Additional Data, Coding-Decoding and Series |
QA | Number System, Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry and Mensuration |
Top Colleges Accepting CAT Score 2022
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta
- Indian Institute Of Management(IIM), Lucknow
- S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai
- Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon
- Indian Institute Of Management (IIM), Kozhikode
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore
- International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi
- Faculty of management studies (FMS), New Delhi
- Institute Of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad
- National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Trichy
- Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (IIM),Shillong
- Xavier Institute of Management (XIM), Bhubaneswar
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kashipur
- Department of management studies (IIT Delhi), New Delhi
- Sydenham Institute of management studies and research and entrepreneurship education (SIMSREE), Mumbai
- Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of management studies (JBIMS), Mumbai
- Shailesh J Mehta School of Management (IIT Bombay), Mumbai
- Vinod Gupta school of management (VGSOM), IIT Kharagpur
CAT Cut-off 2022
- Total number of students who appear for CAT 2022
- Difficulty level of CAT exam
- Total number of admission seats available at the B-school
- Ranking/reputation of the B-school
CAT Cut-off | Institutes |
94+ | FMS, MDI-G, IISc-B, IIM-RH, IIM-RN, IIM-RP, IIM-KS, IIM-UP, IIM-T, IIM-BG |
90+ (profile-based) | IIM-I, IIM-J, IIT-B, IIT-D, IIT-KH, IMT-G |
80+ (profile-based) | IIM-A, IIM-B, IIM-C, IIM-L, IIM-K, SPJIMR, NITIE, KJSIMSR |
80+ | DU, UBS-CHD, IMT-N, GLIM, FSM, IRMA, TAPMI, NIRMA, IIFM, LBSIM |
70+ | IMT-H, BIMTECH, MDI-M |
MBA Admission Process
Course | Description |
PGP – Post Graduate Program in Management | The flagship programme of IIMs, PGP is equivalent to an MBA degree.It is a two-year full-time programme spanning six trimesters. PGP covers all the core subjects of management,and in the second year, students canselect their preferred subject from the choice of electives. After completing the programme, students are awarded with PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management). |
PGDHRM – PGP in Human Resource Management | This is the flagship programme of IIM Ranchi. It is offered by IIM Indore,and similar courses are extended by other IIMs. |
PGP- FABM (Food and Agribusiness Management), previously PGP-ABM | Offered by IIM-A, PGP-FABM maintains a common syllabus with PGP in the first year. In the second year of FABM, the focus is specifically on agro-based subjects. |
PGPPM – PGP in Public Policy and Management | Facilitated by IIM-B, PGPPM is a one-year programme developed to train students inpublic policy and leadership. It also covers an international immersion programme of 2 weeks. |
PGPBM – PGP in Business Management | PGPBM is offered by IIM Tiruchirappalli. It is a two-year programme devised to mentor working executives for higher leadership. |
PGPEM – PGP in Enterprise Management | Preferred by senior and mid-level executives, PGPEM is a two-year weekend programme provided by IIM Bangalore. It is meant for people with a minimum 4 years of work experience. |
PGP-ABM – PGP in Agri-Business Management | PGP-ABM is a two-year full-time programme extended by IIM Lucknow. It is particularly designed to develop leaders in the field of agribusiness. |
PGP-SM – PGP in Sustainable Management | PGP-SM is a two-year full-time programme offered by IIM Lucknow. It aims to nurture professionals with good knowledge ofsocial, economic, and environmental issues. |
Preparation Tips for CAT 2022
- Make quick notes of important formulae and shortcuts for last-minute revisions.
- Develop a regular habit of reading newspapers, books, magazines, etc.
- Jot down notes/ use flashcards for new words you learn every day. If you make it a point to utilize them while communicating, you will be able to build a strong vocabulary.
- Practice topic-wise and sectional tests on a periodic basis. Alongside, monitor your improvements in speed and accuracy over time.
- Identify your weak and strong areas and strategize to work on the former.
- Once you are thorough with all the requisite topics, start practicing the full-length mock tests and analyze your performance.
- You may need to modify your test-taking strategy after testing it during mocks. Keep in mind that different strategies work for different candidates.
- Remember to take regular breaks in between your study routine. It will help you stay motivated and focused.
Best Books for CAT 2022
- Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
- Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha
- How to prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma
- How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- Barron’s Pocket Guide to Vocabulary
- Puzzles to Puzzle you by Shakuntala Devi
- Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal
Suggestion
- Login with your CAT user ID and password at the official website
- Click on ‘CAT 2022 answer key’ and choose to ‘download’ it as PDF.
FAQs Regarding CAT 2022
- What is the registration fee for CAT 2022?
- What is fee for raising objection on CAT 2022 answer key?
- How long are the CAT scores valid?
- Are there any age restrictions for appearing in CAT?
- How many times can I take the CAT exam?
- Can I appear for more than one slot for CAT?
- Can I opt for the exam shift of my choice?
- What is a good score/percentile in CAT?
