All About CAT 2021

What is CAT exam?

CAT Exam is the acronym for the Common Admission Test conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission into their MBA/PGDM programs. The test is accepted as part of their admission process by all the 20 IIMs as well as some other top business schools in India like FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon among others.

When is CAT exam conducted ?

CAT exam is an aptitude test that examines students in three important areas viz. Proficiency in English language, Ability to Interpret and Analyze Data, and Ability to solve high school level Math problems. Accordingly, the test is divided into three sections: the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and the Quantitative Ability (QA) sections.

Because of the sheer number of B-schools accepting CAT score including most of the premier B-schools, CAT becomes the most important test to prepare for and succeed in for an MBA aspirant.

CAT 2021 Pattern & Test Structure

The CAT exam Pattern & Test Structure is divided into three sections:

1. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
2. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) (insert link to DILR section page)
3. Quantitative Ability (QA) section. 

CAT Scoring System

The candidate is scored separately on each section as well as for the entire CAT test. The score achieved, as per the marking system in the table above, is considered as the raw score of the candidate. A scaled score is calculated based on a complex calculation that takes into consideration the scores of other candidates. The scaled score of each section and the overall scaled score are considered for further evaluation.

CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria – Who can take the CAT Exam?

Any individual who either:

1. Has completed graduation in any stream with minimum 50% marks (45% for candidates from SC/ST/PWD/DA category) from a recognized board or university OR
2. is studying in the final year of graduation or is awaiting result of the final year

is eligible to appear for CAT.

• There is no age limit.
• There is no requirement that graduation has to be completed in the first attempt.
• There is no requirement for any work experience.
• There is no limit on the number of times one can attempt CAT Exam.

CAT 2021 Registration and Fees

The CAT 2021 registration process will begin somewhere around August 2021. Official notification will be released by the IIM conducting CAT 2021 following which aspirants can register for CAT exam and fill the application form by visiting the official CAT website.

The fees for registration and application for CAT 2020 was Rs. 2,000/- for General category and Rs. 1,000/- for SC/ST/PWD categories and is expected to be similar for CAT 2021.

CAT 2021 Important Dates

List of IIMs accepting CAT Score

CAT 2021 Pattern & Test Structure

List of Top B-Schools which do not accept CAT Score