CAT 2019

CAT 2019 - Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode released the CAT mock test on October 16. The authorities have also provided the link of the mock test of CAT 2019 for PwD category candidates. Candidates can practice the mock test and get an idea about how to navigate between the sections and also know the type of questions that will be asked. CAT admit card 2019 will be released on October 23, 2019. The authorities closed the CAT 2019 correction window on September 30. The edit window had opened on September 28 at 10:00. Candidates could edit their signature and photograph only. CAT registration 2019 ended on September 25, 2019. The total number of candidates who registered for CAT 2019 is 244,169. Last year 240,338 candidates had applied for CAT. IIM Kozhikode had released the CAT 2019 percentile calculation method on September 16. The institute started CAT registration from August 7, 2019 at 10 am. The authorities had released all the important details related to CAT 2019 on its official website iimcat.ac.in which was launched on July 28. CAT 2019 will be conducted on November 24 as per the media release issued on July 26. CAT is a computer-based national level entrance examination for admission to MBA/PGDM courses at 20 IIMs as well as more than 1000 B-Schools across the country. CAT registration 2019 began from August 7 and the last date to apply online has been extended till September 25. CAT will be held at 374 centres in 156 cities across India with more than two lakh students expected to appear for the exam. CAT admit card will be released on October 23, 2019. CAT 2019 result is expected to be announced by the second week of January 2020 and the validity of CAT scores is till December 31, 2020 only. The admission process is separate for each IIM as well as other institutes and candidates must apply separately for each. The selection process includes consideration of valid CAT 2019 scores and factors like performance in WAT, GD and PI. To know all pertinent detailed information about CAT 2019 like important dates, eligibility criteria, application form, exam pattern, syllabus, vital preparation tips and more, read the article below.
Latest: CAT Mock Test 2019 released on October 16. CAT Admit Card 2019 will be available from October 23.

Latest: Analyse your preparation level with Free Mock Test of CAT - Start Now

CAT 2019 Highlights

What's New in CAT 2019

• CAT 2019 will be conducted in 156 cities. In 2018, the exam was held in 147 cities across India. This means an increase of 9 exam cities where students can appear for CAT.
• CAT 2019 Scores are valid till December 31, 2020 only. Therafter no queires regarding its issuance will be entertained by IIM Kozhikode.

CAT 2019 Official Website iimcat.ac.in looks like:

CAT 2019 Important Dates

It is an important part of exam strategy to be aware of the exam deadlines and other dates. CAT 2019 dates are listed below for the reference of all CAT aspirants. Knowing the important dates of CAT 2019 will aid them to avoid missing application deadlines, chalking a preparation strategy for success and checking all important information on time.

CAT Important Dates

CAT 2019 Mock Test

IIM Kozhikode released the CAT 2019 mock test on October 16, 2019, to help the applicants understand the exam pattern/structure of CAT 2019. The mock test enables the test takers to practice and get accustomed to the online test format and navigation process. The test applicants are advised to take at least 8-12 CAT mock tests prior to appearing the main exam which will be held on November 24, 2019. Last year, IIM Calcutta had released two mock tests. One was for all the candidates and the other for the PwD candidates with low vision. Both the test links were made available on the official website (iimcat.ac.in).

CAT 2019 mock test is designed in such a way that candidates will be able to check the usage of the online calculator and timer along with the question pattern of CAT. However, aspirants must note that the mock test of CAT 2019 is meant for practice purpose only and the questions should not be treated as sample questions as there will hardly be any qualitative similarity in the questions.

CAT Mock Test 2019 for PwD Category has been released in online mode for candidates with low vision. Such candidates will be given 20 minutes extra for each section. This means that the total time in which the candidates can complete the exam is 240 minutes.

CAT Admit Card 2019

The admit card of CAT 2019 will be released on October 23, 2019 in online mode. Candidates will have to login and download the same as IIM Kozhikode will not send the CAT admit card through any other means. Only applicants who have successfully completed their CAT registration 2019 will be able to download the CAT admit card 2019. Since the admit card of CAT 2019 is an important identity document, it must be carried to the exam hall on the exam day for identification purposes. Candidates are advised to keep the CAT admit card safe till the completion of admission process.

How to download CAT 2019 Admit Card?

• Open the CAT 2019 official website

• Login using CAT User ID and Password (created during registration)

• Click on the tab ‘Admit Card’

• The admit card will appear on the screen

• Download the admit card and keep a soft copy for future use

• Take print copies and keep it safe.

The CAT Admit Card/Hall Ticket 2019 will mention the following details -

• Name of the candidate

• Date of birth of the candidate

• CAT 2019 Registration Number and User ID

• Category – Whether the candidate belongs to General category or Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe or Differently Abled

• Date and slot of CAT 2019

• Name of the CAT exam centre including address

• Candidate’s signature

• Candidate’s photograph

• Exam day instructions

• Note - A new inclusion since last year: Google Map Link- The exact location of the test centre will be displayed on the admit card which can be checked on Google Maps by clicking on the Google Map link.

• Reference Number

• Emergency Number

How to correct discrepancies in CAT Admit Card 2019?

For any discrepancy in the CAT 2019 Admit Card/Hall Ticket, applicants must contact the exam authority immediately to get it rectified/ corrected. Helpline details are as follows

CAT Toll-Free Number: 1800-266-3549; Call on the Toll-free number, Monday to Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (excluding National holidays).
CAT Helpdesk email address: [email protected]

CAT Exam Pattern 2019

Candidates can understand the exam pattern of CAT 2019 from the details below

1. Duration: Three hours/180 minutes.
2. Mode of exam: Computer-based test
3. Total Questions asked: 100 objective types multiple-choice (MCQs) and non-multiple choice type questions (non- MCQs).
4. Sections: Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR).
5. Marking Scheme - Each question will carry three (3) marks. For each incorrect/wrong answer, there will be a negative marking of one mark. However, it has to be noted that there will be no negative marking for non-MCQs or TITA (Type In The Answer) questions.

CAT Marking Scheme 2019

The table below displays the detailed CAT exam pattern 2019 -

CAT Exam Pattern

CAT Syllabus 2019

IIMs do not release the syllabus officially for CAT. The syllabus given here has been formulated with the help of experts, exam analysis and the topics covered in CAT question papers from previous years. CAT 2019 syllabus will cover the following topics

CAT 2019 Syllabus

CAT Question Paper 2019

IIM Kozhikode is expected to release the question paper for 2019 tentatively in the first week of December, 2019. Candidates aspiring to appear for CAT 2019 must download the CAT question paper in order to know the types of questions and topics to expect in the upcoming CAT 2019. CAT question papers are available since the past two years unlike the previous years when they were not released.

To Download CAT 2018 Question Paper and Answer Key - Click here

CAT Sample Paper 2019

After applying for CAT 2019, the first question that will occur in candidates’ minds is how to get the sample papers of CAT exam! Candidates can download the CAT 2019 Sample Papers from the Careers360 Sample Paper Store for free. By solving the CAT sample papers, prospective test takers will be able to analyse their preparation status, understand the flow of the exam and last but not the least, be familiar with the test-taking process that helps in the management of time.
To Download CAT 2019 Sample Paper – Click here

Preparation Tips By CAT Toppers

With the aim to help the future aspirants, CAT 2018 toppers share some valuable tips so that the students can sail through the exam with ease.

According to Manaswi, who scored 99 percentile in CAT 2018, he adopted a different strategy for each section. In order to strengthen his vocabulary as well as his English, he used to read newspapers every day and also novels. Each day, he used to choose 21 words from the newspaper and used to check and learn the meaning. This used to help him to enhance his vocabulary

As far as data interpretation and logical reasoning were concerned, at the coaching institute, Manaswi learnt that one should not attempt all the questions and answer only those about which they are confident. One must take up mock tests to strengthen their data interpretation and logical reasoning.

Another topper of CAT 2018, Jagesh Golwala who scored a 100 percentile is of the view that candidates appearing for common admission test (CAT), they must solve at least twenty to thirty mock tests ahead of the final exam. This will help them to identify their strong and weak areas.

Kaustabh Vyas, who got 99.99 percentile states that in order to do well in CAT one needs to manage their time well and practice mock tests without taking any break. The aim was not to get myself burnt out ahead of the exam and also ensure that I crack the exam by identifying my weak areas and overcoming them.

CAT Topper Interviews

How to prepare for CAT 2019?

CAT is considered to be one of the most competitive entrance tests and it measures the aptitude of aspirants who are aspiring to pursue management studies. Now, “How should aspirants prepare for CAT 2019?”

What one needs is a lot of hard work accompanied by smart strategy and accurate planning. For ensuring a higher rate of success in CAT, Careers360 brings some important tips and tricks pertaining to CAT 2019 preparation -

• Be thorough with the CAT syllabus 2019

• Check the basic concepts, especially Mathematics and English

• Prepare a day-to-day timetable

• Plan for dedicated study hours

• Practise Previous Years’ CAT Question Papers and Sample Papers

• Evaluate the CAT papers and work on the weaker sections

• Take more and more Mock Tests which will give you the real feel of the actual exam

• Refer to the important CAT Books that cover the entire syllabus.

Check Careers360's Video on "Best Books for CAT Exam 2019"

Apart from the smart strategy and planning, the most important aspect of CAT 2019 preparation includes taking good care of one’s health and stay positive for the entire tenure of CAT preparation 2019.

Important links:

CAT Application Trends

The application trends for CAT for the past ten years are given below in the table and they indicate an increase in the number of candidates who have appeared in the entrance exam.

Application Trends for CAT Exam

CAT 2019 Notification

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode, the conducting body released CAT notification 2019 on July 28. The notification of CAT 2019 gives all the important dates pertaining to eligibility criteria, application form, admit card, response sheet, answer key and result. Details of the participating IIMs and the programmes offered is available in the CAT notification 2019.

Check Video on "How to Fill CAT 2019 Application Form - Step by step Guide"

CAT 2019 Application Form Correction

Applicants who have made mistakes in their CAT application form could make the changes in the image and in the signature. The authorities opened the correction window for images on September 28, 2019 at 10:00 a.m and the facility was available until September 30, 2019 (till 5:00 pm). For the rest of the fields, candidates need to contact the CAT help desk in [email protected] and Toll-free: 18002090830 do appropriately depending on your call.The correction window facility opened only after the completion of the CAT application process. Corrections will NOT be allowed in personal details, academic details, exam city preference etc. after submission of the application form. If candidates have made a mistake while filling the application form like ((Date of birth, email address, mobile number etc), candidates must register again with a new email ID. CAT 2019 application will be considered for the latest registration and the admit card will be issued for the same. Please note that candidates will not receive a refund or admit card for your earlier registration.

Screenshot of reply from CAT helpdesk on CAT Application Form Correction 2019 -

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2019

The CAT 2019 eligibility criteria specifies the following parameters-

• Candidates should obtain a Bachelor’s Degree across disciplines from a recognized University or Institute

• General and OBC-NC category candidates must secure at least 50 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent CGPA. For reserved category candidates, the minimum percentage to obtain is 45.

• The duration of the graduation programme in any discipline should be a minimum of three (3) years.

• Final year graduation students are also eligible to apply for CAT 2019 provided they complete their undergraduate studies within the stipulated schedule.

• Age Limit - There is no age limit for applying to or appearing in CAT 2019 exam

CAT 2019 Registration & Application Process

CAT correct window will open on September 28 at 10:00 am and close on September 30 at 5:00 pm. Candidates can edit their photograph and signature only. The CAT 2019 application form was released by the IIM Kozikhode on August 7. The last date to apply for CAT 2019 was extended till September 25, 2019 (till 5:00 pm). Earlier the last date for registration of CAT 2019 was September 18 till 5 PM. The mode of CAT 2019 registration process was completely online.

How to fill CAT Application Form 2019?

For filling the CAT 2019 application form, applicants, first need to register and create their unique User ID and Password. Post-registration, they need to login again and fill up the application form by entering the required information accurately.

Step 1 - Click on the official link to register

Step 2 - Fill the necessary details and generate the login id and password

Step 3 - Relogin and fill the application form of CAT 2019
Step 4 - Upload all the documents while registering

Step 5 - Pay CAT application fee

Step 6 - Submit the application form

Step 7 - Download and take print out of the form

The application form of CAT 2019 will be divided into the following categories -

• Personal Details

• Contact Details

• Academic Details

• Work Experience, if any

• Selecting IIMs to apply to

• Selecting Test Centres and Interview Cities

After filling up information on each page, applicants need to click on the tab ‘Save & Next’. Then, they would be prompted to upload their photograph and signature in the stipulated dimension. The last step is to pay the application fee through Credit/Debit Card or Net Banking.

CAT 2019 Application Fee

CAT 2019 Exam Centres

374 CAT 2019 exam centres will be located across 156 cities in India. In 2018, two new exam states have been added- Mizoram and Nagaland and exam was held in 147 cities. While filling the CAT 2019 registration form, CAT applicants are required to select four exam centres city in the order of preference. The final CAT exam centre will be allotted by the exam conducting IIM and the exam centre details including address and Google map will be printed on the CAT admit card 2019.

List of CAT 2019 exam centres

CAT Application Form Status

After submitting the CAT 2019 registration/application form in online mode, a pop-up message will appear on the display screen with information pertaining to the application status (success/reject). Also, an SMS will be sent to the registered mobile number along with an email to the registered email ID confirming the same.
Once the application form is successfully submitted, the application status appears as “Successfully Submitted.” In case there is an error it will appear as “Application Rejected.”

CAT 2019 Analysis

After the conclusion of CAT exam, it is customary that experts of various coaching institutes release the CAT analysis. The CAT analysis includes both sectional and overall scrutiny for the convenience of the test takers. As per the previous year’s CAT analysis by experts, the overall difficulty level was moderate to tough. Quantitative Ability section was the toughest followed by Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. On the other hand, the Verbal Ability section was the easiest. In terms of comparison between slots, Slot 2 was slightly tougher than that of the Slot 1.

Previous Year’s CAT Analysis

Do's and Don'ts for CAT test day

Do's :

• Candidates should reach CAT exam centre at least an hour early as candidates will have to undergo frisking before entering the hall.

• Cooperate with Test centre staff during document Verification and Frisking

• Use the Reference Number printed on CAT 2019 Admit Card, to check the location of Exam Lab from the List displayed on the Notice Board at the Test Centre

• Return Writing Pad with all pages intact and Pen post the Exam to the Invigilator

• Ask for any help only from Test Centre Invigilator during the exam

• Provide attendance in the Form with the signature when asked for in the Exam Lab

• Post the Exam, hand over Admit Card duly signed to Invigilator present in the Exam Lab

Don'ts :

• One cannot appear for CAT 2019 exam more than once. Candidature will be cancelled if a candidate is found to appear for both the exam slots.

• Do not request entry to the CAT exam centre after the closing time as mentioned on the admit card of CAT 2019.

• Do not involve yourself in any arguments with fellow test takers or Test centre staff or attempt to copy or cheat. The decision of concerned authority will be treated as final on the test day.

• Do not use the keyboard at any point in time; this will lock your computer system.

• Do not request for change of CAT Test Centre/Exam Lab/Console on the Exam Day.

• Do not waste writing pad pages as it is will be distributed only once per candidate during the tenure of the exam.

Documents allowed inside the CAT 2019 exam hall

• Admit Card of CAT 2019 (clear copy)

• Photo Identity Proof

• Required Medical certificate and Scribe affidavit (if applicable)

• Socks, plain Pullovers / Sweaters / Cardigans (without any pockets) are allowed

• Candidates with the metal implant, pacemaker, etc. in their body should bring a medical certificate of the same at the CAT Test Centre.

Things NOT allowed inside the CAT exam hall

• Mobile phone

• Bag, wallets

• Jackets

• Jewellery

• Watch

• Electronic gadgets

• Stationery items

If CAT 2019 candidates get the above-mentioned articles along with them, they must submit the same outside the exam hall and collect them after the completion of the examination.

CAT Exam Day Tips/Guidelines

CAT Candidate Response File 2019

The CAT 2019 IIM will release the Candidate Response File (CRF) tentatively in the last week of November, 2019. The candidates who appear for the exam will be able to check their responses by logging in to the official website using their CAT user id and password. It will allow them to check and verify whether their responses were registered correctly or not during the exam. After the release of the candidate response sheet, IIM officials will release the answer key in the first week of December, 2019, tentatively.

CAT Answer Key 2019

The official answer key of CAT 2019 is expected to be released in December, 2019. With the help of the answer key, test takers will be able to check the correct answers and calculate their estimated scores. Candidates will need to login to the official website to view and download the CAT 2019 answer key. Moreover, IIMs also provide the option to challenge CAT answer key or questions by paying Rs.1200 per question within a stipulated period of time. Based on the validity of the challenge, CAT 2019 conducting IIM would take appropriate action and refund the challenge application fee. However, if the challenge related to CAT answer key 2019 is found inappropriate, the fee will be forfeited.

CAT Percentile Predictor

Once CAT is over, many students are anxious to check their probable scores and analyse their performance so that they can prepare for admissions. The CAT Percentile Predictor is the answer. A tool that is designed exclusively for CAT test takers, it allows candidates to predict their CAT percentile right after appearing in the exam.
The CAT Percentile Predictor tool allows candidates to estimate their overall and sectional CAT percentile even before the actual result is announced. It can aid them in estimating their chances of securing admission in popular IIMs Like IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta and Lucknow etc or new IIMs like Amritsar, Ranchi, Sirmaur, Sambalpur etc. , FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, IITs, to name a few institutes. The best time to use the CAT percentile tool is after checking the CAT 2019 answer key. Furthermore, using the CAT percentile predcitor will help aspiring candidates prepare accordingly for the selection rounds of whichever management institutes or B-schools they wish to apply to.

CAT Result 2019

CAT 2019 result will be released in online mode around the second week of January, 2020. To download the result, test takers need to login to the official website and follow steps to view and download the CAT result 2019 which would be published in the form of a scorecard. Candidates can login with their registered CAT user ID and password to download the PDF file of the result. The result or scorecard of CAT 2019 will consist of sectional and overall scaled scores and percentiles. Candidates should take print out of the CAT 2019 scorecard and preserve the CAT result until the entire admission process is completed. CAT 2019 scores will only be valid till December 31, 2020.

How to Download CAT 2019 Result?

• Open the CAT 2019 official website
  Login using CAT user id and password
  Click on the tab ‘Score Card’

• Check and download the result of CAT 2019 (pdf format)

CAT Normalization Procedure

IIM Kozikhode has released the CAT percentile calculation method on September 16. As CAT 2019 will be conducted in multiple slots across single day window, CAT scores will be normalized to ensure equivalence in difficulty levels of the exam for both slots. IIM Kozhikode will normalize the CAT 2019 scores using perentile equivalence. The process includes adjustment for location and scale differences of score distributions across different forms and then the scores will be further normalized across different sections. The scaled scores thus obtained will be converted into percentiles for shortlisting and selection purposes.

CAT Cutoff 2019

CAT cutoff 2019 refers to the minimum percentile to obtain in order to get shortlisted by the CAT participating institutes. The CAT 2019 cutoff will vary among various management institutes. The reputed B-schools have a higher range of cutoff and higher admission criteria. The cutoff of CAT 2019 will generally depend on factors like difficulty level of the exam, number of test takers, number of seats among others.
Most of the IIMs and other participating institutes have already released the CAT cutoff 2018 for different categories. As the admission procedure has already begun, the table here projects the respective cutoff scores pertaining to CAT 2018 (academic batch -2019-21).

Here is the CAT 2018 cutoff for the IIMs who have released it officially.

CAT 2018 cutoff for IIM Ahmedabad

CAT 2018 Cutoff for IIM Bangalore

CAT 2018 cutoff for IIM Calcutta

CAT 2018 cutoff for IIM Lucknow

CAT 2018 cutoff for IIM Indore

CAT 2018 Cutoff for top colleges -

CAT Selection Procedure 2019

Each participating institute conducts its individual admission process and thus has its own CAT selection procedure 2019. The first step to shortlist candidates and this will be done considering the CAT 2019 cutoff. The shortlisted candidates will then be invited to appear for further selection rounds including Group Discussion (GD) or Writing Ability Test (WAT) or both and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. The new IIMs conduct Common Admission Process (CAP) where the shortlisted candidates from all participating IIMs have to appear for WAT and PI rounds. The CAT 2019 selection procedure will be followed by an announcement of the merit lists where each IIM will publish its own merit list for final admission. CAT selection procedure of different participating B-schools is based on multiple criteria such as performance in CAT 2019, GD/WAT & PI rounds, candidate’s profile, past academic records and/or work experience (if applicable). The criteria or parameters vary across institutes. All IIMs will release their detailed admission criteria after the CAT notification.

CAT Reservation Criteria 2019

IIMs and other Government management institutes follow the reservation criteria of candidates. The following table displays the category-wise seat reservation percentage.
Category wise seat reservation

CAT 2019 Participating Institutes

A total of 115 B-schools accept CAT scores out of which 114 are in India and one is in Singapore. Since last year, an international CAT participating institute was added. It is none other but Singapore Management University, who joined the list of CAT participating institute and became the first ever international B-school to accept the CAT score. It is expected that more than 100 B-schools in India and abroad will register for being the CAT 2019 participating institutes. Out of the total number of participating institutes, 20 are IIMs (including old and new IIMs)
CAT 2019 participating institutes include public and private institutes. The noted public institutes are IITs, NITs, FMS Delhi, MANAGE Hyderabad, IISc Bangalore to name a few. The top private participating institutes include MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, IMT Ghaziabad to name a few.

From the academic year 2019-21 onwards, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, will also accept the CAT score for admission to its MBA programme offered by the School of Management and Entrepreneurship. CAT scores are used as a screening test for exams like MICAT 2020 for admissions to PGDM courses offered by MICA.

Check the fee, number of seats and programmes offered by IIMs in the table given below: