Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
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CAT exam is also know as the Common Admission Test is India's top national-level MBA entrance exam conducted every year for admission into Postgraduate (PG) and fellow/doctorate programs offered by IIMs and over 1000 B-schools across the country. The CAT registration 2024 is extended till September 20, 2024. As per CAT 2024 official notification CAT entrance exam will be held on November 24 in 3 shifts across the country in 170 cities.
Free Study Material: VARC | DILR | Quant | Chapter-wise Practice MCQs
CAT 2024: 60-day study material | CAT'23 Official Question with Solutions (Slot 1, 2, 3)
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CAT exam 2024 is conducted on a rotational basis by IIMs, generally old IIMs, and IIM Calcutta is reportedly conducting CAT 2024. The notification of CAT 2024 was released on July 28 and the CAT 2024 registration was started on August 1. This page has everything a CAT 2024 aspirant looks for, scroll down for CAT dates, CAT prep tips, real-life experiences of past CAT exam takers, translations of their CAT exam and MBA admission experiences and much more.
CAT 2024 will be conducted by IIM Calcutta. The old IIMs, which are one of the top 6 IIMs, conduct the CAT entrance exam every year on a rotational basis. IIM Calcutta conducted CAT last in the year 2018. Last year, IIM Lucknow conducted CAT then in the year 2022, IIM Bangalore conducted CAT and in 2021, IIM Ahmedabad conducted this MBA entrance exam.
The CAT notification 2024 was released on July 28, 2024, on the CAT official website - iimcat.ac.in. The CAT 2024 notification comprises the important dates of CAT 2024, details on CAT eligibility, CAT test centres, CAT reservation, CAT 2024 registration fees for various categories and more.
The full form of the CAT is the Common Admission Test. The CAT is a 2 hours IIM entrance exam for MBA conducted to analyse the candidates based on their verbal ability, reading, mathematical, and data interpretation skills.
There is no restriction on the number of CAT exam attempts. Candidates meeting the eligibility criteria can take CAT n number of times to get a good percentile followed by admission in their dream b-school.
21 IIMs in India will offer admission to management courses such as MBA, PGP, and PGDM based on their CAT score. The table below mentions the IIMs along with the IIM courses, IIM fees, and IIM highest and average salary packages.
IIM Name | IIM Courses | IIM Fees | Highest Salary (Rs. ) | Average Salary (Rs. ) |
MBA, PGD, Executive MBA | Rs 25 lakh | Rs 1.46 CPA | Rs 34.45 LPA | |
MBA, PGP | Rs 24.50 lakh | Rs 1.15 CPA | Rs 35.3 LPA | |
MBA, PGP, PGD, Executive MBA | Rs 23.00 lakh | Rs 1.15 CPA | Rs 35.07 LPA | |
MBA, PGP, FPM, Executive MBA | Rs 26.50 lakh | Rs 65.00 LPA | Rs 30 LPA | |
PGP, MBA | Rs 22.50 lakh | Rs 67.02 LPA | Rs. 31.02 LPA | |
PGP | Rs. 21 lakh | Rs 1.14 CPA | Rs 30.21 LPA | |
MBA, PGP, Executive MBA | Rs. 22 lakh | Rs 71.30 LPA | Rs 26.96 LPA | |
FPM, PGD, PGP, Executive MBA | Rs 17.90 lakh | Rs 36.00 LPA | Rs 18.73 LPA | |
MBA, PGP, Executive MBA | Rs 17.50 lakh | Rs 67.00 LPA | Rs 35.50 LPA | |
PGP | Rs. 18 lakh | Rs 43.43 LPA | Rs 21.04 LPA | |
PGP, Executive MBA | Rs 21 lakh | Rs 41.61 LPA | Rs 20.55 LPA | |
MBA, Executive MBA | Rs. 17.30 lakh | Rs 37.00 LPA | Rs 18.10 LPA | |
MBA | Rs 22.20 lakh | Rs 35.04 LPA | Rs 20.02 LPA | |
MBA, Executive MBA | Rs. 18.9 lakh | Rs 64.00 LPA | Rs 16.74 LPA | |
PGP, MBA | Rs 17.82 lakh | Rs 43 LPA | Rs 16.61 LPA | |
MBA | Rs 17 lakh | Rs 48.58 LPA | Rs 14.96 LPA | |
MBA, Executive MBA | Rs. 21 lakh | Rs 36.25 LPA | Rs 16.51 LPA | |
MBA | Rs 17.50 lakh | Rs 64.12 LPA | Rs 14.45 LPA | |
MBA, Executive MBA | Rs. 21 lakh | Rs 64.61 LPA | Rs 16.74 LPA | |
MBA, Executive MBA | Rs. 18.85 lakh | Rs 64.00 LPA | Rs 16.43 LPA |
Also Read:
Apart from IIMs, IITs will also accept CAT 2024 scores for admission to management programs. Check the list of IITs below where one can apply via CAT 2024 percentile.
IITs offering MBA Admissions | IIT Courses | IIT MBA Course Fees |
MBA | Rs. 14 lakhs | |
MBA, MBA Telecommunication Systems Management | Rs. 12 lakhs | |
MBA, Executive MBA | Rs. 10 lakhs | |
MBA | Rs. 3 lakhs | |
MBA | Rs. 10 lakhs | |
MBA | Rs. 8.5 lakhs | |
Department of Management Studies and Industrial Engineering, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | MBA | Rs. 3 lakhs |
CAT 2024 Important Dates
CAT exam dates 2024 are available on the IIM CAT 2024 official website, iimcat.ac.in. Candidates preparing for CAT this year can keep track of the CAT 2024 dates from the table below. The CAT 2024 schedule consists of all important CAT events and dates:
Events | Dates |
CAT 2024 notification release date | July 28, 2024 |
CAT 2024 registration start date | August 1, 2024 |
CAT 2024 registration last date | September 20, 2024 |
Last date for CAT application correction | To be announced |
Release of CAT 2024 admit card | November 5, 2024 |
CAT 2024 exam date | November 24, 2024 (Sunday) |
CAT 2024 answer key release date | December 5, 2024 |
CAT results 2024 date | December 21, 2024 |
MBA aspirants who wish to pursue a career in management or the business world can join the top B-schools in India. To join the best institutes, a good CAT score is mandatory. Candidates who fulfil the CAT eligibility criteria can only apply for the CAT exam 2024.
Who is eligible to fill out the CAT application form 2024, The answer is here:
There is no age limit to apply for the CAT entrance exam. Candidates of any age category with a bachelor's degree from an approved university can take CAT 2024.
The CAT registration window was started on August 1, 2024. Candidates who meet the CAT exam eligibility criteria can complete their CAT exam 2024 registration by September 20, 2024. Applicants can also correct the CAT application form 2024 when the correction window opens. The CAT exam registration fee for general candidates is around Rs. 2,500, and for SC/ST/PWD candidates, the CAT 2024 registration fee is Rs. 1,250. CAT registration 2024 will be completed only after paying exam fees.
The CAT exam is an online aptitude test conducted to analyse the verbal ability, language comprehension, quantitative ability and data interpretation skills of the candidates. The CAT exam 2024 syllabus and CAT exam subjects 2024 mentioned below have been devised based on the previous year’s CAT paper pattern and the topics from which the questions have been asked in the exam. The CAT syllabus 2024 pdf download will help the candidates to understand the CAT exam syllabus in detail.
CAT Syllabus 2024 | CAT Exam Subjects 2024 |
Para jumbles, Verbal logic and RC passages, One-word substitution, Para summary, Odd sentence out, Odd one out, Syllogism and Analogies, Inferences, | |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Blood Relations, Syllogism, Logical Sequence, Directions, Clocks and calendars, Connectives,, Matching/ Puzzles, Tables, Graphs, Charts, Number and Letter Series, Seating Arrangement, Venn Diagrams, Coding-Decoding, Binary Logic and Caselets |
Geometry, Arithmetic, Trigonometry, Averages, Percentages, Number Systems, Modern Maths, Algebra, Mensuration, Profit and loss, Simple & Compound Interest |
The total number of questions asked in the CAT exam varies. The CAT total questions number is not announced officially, However, in the last 2-3 years, 66 questions (MCQs and non-MCQs) were asked from VARC, DILR and Quants sections in CAT and the same is expected to be followed for CAT 2024 also. The CAT question paper 2024 will be available in English only.
CAT 2024 exam pattern is not expected to see any major changes but CAT is known for throwing last-minute surprises on the exam day and CAT 2024 aspirants must keep this thing in mind. CAT paper pattern includes details on the number of sections and number of questions in CAT, CAT marking scheme, CAT exam duration, CAT total marks, CAT question paper language, etc. The table summarises the CAT paper pattern.
IIM CAT Exam Paper 2024 | Total Questions | Time allotted for completing each section (Minutes) | Allotted Time for PwD Students |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 40 | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Total | 66 | 120 | 160 minutes |
Candidates will have 120 minutes in total to complete the CAT 2024 exam. Only 40 minutes are allotted for completing each section. The sectional time for PwD candidates is 53 minutes and 20 seconds for CAT.
CAT 2024 is usually conducted in 3 slots on a single day. Check the CAT slot timings below.
Is a Calculator allowed in the CAT exam?
Candidates cannot carry calculators to the testing centre. They can use the onscreen calculator that will be available throughout the exam.
If the CAT 2024 exam will again have 66 questions and the total marks for the CAT question paper will be 198.
Download CAT previous year question papers pdf of last 10 years
A good CAT score 2024 will be 99+ for old IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta etc, and top MBA colleges like FMS Delhi, SPJIMS, MDI Gurgaon etc. CAT percentile of 80 to 90+ can also get you calls from new and baby IIMs. Apart from the CAT score, candidates must keep the below points in mind for getting calls and shortlisted for IIMs.
Candidates can use the free CAT College Predictior tool to find out which colleges are available for MBA admissions 2025 based on their profile.
At the beginning of this article, we already mentioned that getting into an IIM is possible only with a CAT percentile of 99+. However, due to the high demand for MBAs, the chance of getting seats for MBA aspirants at IIMs has become more challenging, even though they have a CAT percentile of 90 or 95, they don’t get PI calls. We are sharing the opinions and reviews of the previous year’s CAT-qualified candidates here. These opinions and suggestions will help the CAT aspirants 2024 make plans accordingly.
Previous academic performance is important for the IIM shortlist
One of the NMIMS MBA graduates who scored a 99.54 percentile in CAT 2023 says that the candidates who scored percentages above 80% in previous academic backgrounds like 10th, 12th, and UG got the chance to appear for their interviews. Also, some of the IIMs choose candidates with work experience and academic consistency.
View the LinkedIn post for more information:
Read and Understand the IIM selection criteria clearly
Scored a 99.8 percentile in CAT 2023 for one of the MBA aspirants. However, I didn’t receive any interview calls from any IIMs. Through his LinkedIn post, he says this happened because of the toughest IIM selection criteria. Now he is trying for a second attempt at the CAT 2024 exam.
View the LinkedIn post:
How to build a strong profile and MBA CV
The MBA graduate from MDI Gurgaon shared his suggestions on how to build a portfolio and strong CV for the placements. This guide will help you understand how to create a portfolio. Read the below LinkedIn post to get more insights on this.
For more details, read the LinkedIn post:
How to prepare for the CAT exam by self-learning?
A student from IIM Calcutta shared how she cracked the CAT exam by self-learning without the help of any coaching institutes. As per her CAT preparation strategy plan, reading newspapers and articles to solve the VARD section, solving sudoku, and puzzles enhanced her logical reasoning ability. After revising all the topics, try to attend mock tests and analyze the weak areas. By solving the mock test, candidates can easily improve their weak topics. Go through the LinkedIn post to understand in detail how to clear the CAT 2024.
Things to avoid while preparing for the CAT exam
One of the graduates from IIM Calcutta says, “Why did she fail in the first attempt of the CAT exam?”.
In summary, the post says that without a proper CAT preparation strategy and study plan, the dream of scoring well in the CAT exam will not be fulfilled.
Following a proper CAT preparation plan, attending the mock tests, analysing the performance of the CAT mock tests and improving based on the CAT mock results will only help you attain good marks in the CAT exam.
Go through the LinkedIn post to know the don’ts in CAT preparation:
Choose the right institute for Management studies
One of the graduates who passed out of the Goa Institute of Management without getting any placements thinks that completing MBA at GIM was a wrong decision. He shared his real-life experience and things to keep in mind while choosing the institute to pursue an MBA.
Candidates who are looking for a bright future in the management and business administration field must be careful in selecting the IIM or any other MBA institute in India.
Read this LinkedIn post to understand how to select the best MBA college:
Work experience and Percentage scored in the UG plays pivotal role in MBA Admission via CAT exam
A candidate who got a CAT percentile of 99.62 in 2023 says that scoring the highest percentile in the CAT exam helped him to be shortlisted for the IIM Indore and IIM Mumbai. As per his experience, the IIM MBA admission process not only sticks to the CAT score but also gives higher priority to previous work experience and marks scored in the UG. The final admission offer letter is offered based on all these parameters. So, before start preparing for the CAT 2024 exam, MBA aspirants must analyse their previous academic background and work experience.
Given LinkedIn post tells what to do before CAT preparation:
Case of other MBA Entrance Exam (OMETs)
The MBA aspirant shared his real-life experience of not receiving any calls from any of the top institutes based on his scores in the national-level MBA entrance exams. The scores achieved by the candidate are mentioned below.
Read the below LinkedIn post, to know what should be done next, even though you scored a good percentile in all MBA entrance exams but are not getting any calls.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/devansh-bansal-019877175_cat2023-snap2023-activity-7194739385634889731-kOTX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
The CAT exam admit card will be available on the CAT official website by November 5, 2024. Registered candidates can download the CAT exam 2024 hall ticket from the CAT exam website using their credentials. Candidates must carry the CAT admit card 2024 to attend the test at CAT exam centres.
The authority will release the CAT answer key by the first week of December 2024, tentatively. Candidates who attended the CAT exam 2024 can check out the CAT 2024 answer key pdf at iimcat.ac.in by using their CAT login credentials, such as CAT ID and password. If any discrepancies are found in the CAT answer key 2024, candidates can raise objections within a period of 2 to 3 days after the release of the CAT exam answer key.
Candidates who attended the CAT entrance exam can expect the CAT result 2024 by December 2024. The CAT exam results 2024 will be announced through the CAT official website - iimcat.ac.in. The CAT result will be released in the form of score card. The CAT scorecard will list out the sectional and overall percentiles of the candidates.
There are no CAT passing marks. The minimum pass mark required to get admission in the top CAT accepting institutions is about 90+ percentile. To apply for the old IIMs the CAT qualifying marks are around 96 percentile above, and for the new IIMs, they are 85+ percentile. The chances of getting admission to the best MBA colleges, such as IIM, IIT or any other, are based on the overall CAT marks achieved by the candidates.
After the declaration of CAT results 2024, the institutes will release their CAT cutoff marks. Candidates who meet the minimum cutoff percentile are only able to attend the next level of the CAT selection procedure. Candidates with a CAT cutoff percentile above 95+ can join IIMs or IITs for management courses.
The CAT 2024 registration last date is September 20, 2024. The official CAT notification and registration dates were announced on July 28, 2024.
The CAT entrance exam will be conducted on November 24, 2024. Candidates can start their CAT preparation by preparing a CAT study timetable, and following the best CAT exam strategy will help them crack the exam in 3 months.
As per past year trends, more than 3 lakh+ candidates are expected to appear for the CAT 2024 MBA exam.
As per media reports, around 2.85 lakh students attended the CAT exam 2023. So about 3.88 lakh students can be expected to take the CAT entrance exam 2024.
Candidates who wish to attend the CAT 2024 exam can start their preparation 6 months before. The CAT 2024 is expected to be conducted in the last week of November 2024. Candidates with a proper CAT preparation plan can easily score good marks in the CAT exam.
A time period of 6 to 8 months is required to prepare for the CAT exam 2024. Based on the CAT preparation strategies followed by the candidates it will differ.
The student cannot join the postgraduate MA program directly in the second year of the MA after completing the MBA.
Universities generally expect students to begin the first year of a masters' program even though they had qualifications at the level of a bachelor's degree. The university's curriculum along with the courses are planned to give an in-depth knowledge of the subjects.
But you could opt for:
Postgraduate Studies:
Research Career: In case research interests you, then you can pursue a Ph.D. in your specific interest.
Specialized Master's Programs: Find any specific master's course that supports the career goal.
Professional Certifications:
Make a professional certification in CFA, CA, or FRM to enhance the professional skills and better opportunities in the career field.
Job Entry via MBA
After gaining an MBA from a renowned institution, it's possible to get entry into the corporate world where the diversity in the career field is assured.
In the end, it would depend on what you would like and what you are particularly interested in. It will be better if you take a suggestion from your academic advisor or career counselor.
Hello Pratik,
If your family income exceeds 8 LPA, it will affect your eligibility for the NC-OBC category under the CAT reservation rules. The NC-OBC category requires that the family income should be below 8 LPA to qualify. If you anticipate that your income will exceed this threshold, you should update your status and notify the CAT authorities .
Here's what you can do:
Email the CAT authorities
: Inform them about the potential change in your income status and request to be considered under the
General
category, if applicable. You should do this before the examination or any further processing, as your eligibility for the OBC category depends on the income criteria.
Documents and Proof
: Make sure you have a valid
OBC certificate
and any relevant documentation regarding your family income, in case they require verification. Also, be aware that if your income exceeds 8 LPA, you might need to apply under the
General
category, as the OBC-NC reservation is no longer applicable.
General Category Consideration : If your application is accepted as General, you will be evaluated based on the General category criteria, including cutoffs and ranking.
To summarize, notifying the CAT authorities is the correct approach to avoid discrepancies later, and if your income is above the threshold, you will be treated as a General candidate for the admissions process.
For more details about CAT exam you can check out an article by Careers360 whose link is given below:
Link: https://bschool.careers360.com/exams/cat
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Hi Shreya ,
Having a tattoo on your wrist should not create a problem during the CAT exam as long as it does not contain any content that violates exam rules , such as communication-related symbols , unauthorised messages or any text resembling formulas or answers .
For a safe side , it is recommended :
1. Inform the Invigilators : Let them know about your tattoo during the identification check , so there are no misunderstandings .
2. Follow the Guidelines : Ensure you follow all instructions regarding permissible items and dress code on the exam day .
Hope this helps you .
ALL THE BEST .
To know about this please prefer our college predictor
Hello,
Yes, you can also join IIMs two years after graduation, depending upon the justification in interviews and your performance in entrance exams. If you are not sure about CAT, try those other management exams less hard:
Common Management Admission Test: Easier than CAT; 4-5 months of continuous preparation will suffice.
MAT : Much easier and takes place thrice a year.
SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test): A bit easier than CAT, apt for Symbiosis Institutes.
Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT : Hence, easier than CAT but the unique decision-making section.
Use exams like CMAT and MAT as a challenge to be competitively prepared. This can be given about 4-5 months, along with a few rounds of mock tests and smart studying.
A career as Marketing Director is also known as a marketing expert who is responsible for the overall marketing aspect of the company. He or she oversees plans and develops the company's budget. The marketing Director collaborates with the business team to plan and develop the marketing and branding strategies for the company's products or services.
A Business Development Executive (BDE) is a professional responsible for identifying growth opportunities and fostering strategic partnerships to enhance a company's market position. Typically, a BDE conducts market research, analyses industry trends, and identifies potential clients or business prospects. He or she plays a crucial role in developing and implementing sales strategies to achieve revenue targets.
A BDE often collaborates with cross-functional teams, including marketing and product development, to align business objectives. Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills are essential for success in this role. BDE strives to expand the company's customer base, drive sales, and contribute to overall organisational growth in a dynamic and competitive business environment.
Content Marketing Specialists are also known as Content Specialists. They are responsible for crafting content, editing and developing it to meet the requirements of digital marketing campaigns. To ensure that the material created is consistent with the overall aims of a digital marketing campaign, content marketing specialists work closely with SEO and digital marketing professionals.
A sales manager is a revenue-generating source for a company. Any organisation or company which sells a commodity or service requires sales to generate revenue. A Sales manager is a professional responsible for supervising the sales team. An Individual as a sales manager works closely with salespeople, assigns sales territories, sets quotas, mentors the members of the sales, assigns sales training, and builds a sales plan.
The Sales Manager work also includes hiring and laying off sales personnel after evaluating his or her work performance. In bigger entities, sales quotas and plans are usually set at the executive level. He or she is responsible for overseeing the set target or quotas met by salespeople or upholding any policy. He or she guides his or her fellow salespeople and allows them to sell.
Individuals who opt for a career as a business analyst look at how a company operates. He or she conducts research and analyses data to improve his or her knowledge about the company. This is required so that an individual can suggest the company strategies for improving their operations and processes.
In a business analyst job role a lot of analysis is done, things are learned from past mistakes and the successful strategies are enhanced further. A business analyst goes through real-world data in order to provide the most feasible solutions to an organisation. Students can pursue Business Analytics to become Business Analysts.
A marketing manager is a person who oversees a company or product marketing. He or she can be in charge of multiple programmes or goods or can be in charge of one product. He or she is enthusiastic, organised, and very diligent in meeting financial constraints. He or she works with other team members to produce advertising campaigns and decides if a new product or service is marketable.
A Marketing manager plans and executes marketing initiatives to create demand for goods and services and increase consumer awareness of them. A marketing manager prevents unauthorised statements and informs the public that the business is doing everything to investigate and fix the line of products. Students can pursue an MBA in Marketing Management courses to become marketing managers.
An SEO Analyst is a web professional who is proficient in the implementation of SEO strategies to target more keywords to improve the reach of the content on search engines. He or she provides support to acquire the goals and success of the client’s campaigns.
Digital marketing is growing, diverse, and is covering a wide variety of career paths. Each job function aids in the development of effective digital marketing strategies and techniques. The aims and objectives of the individuals who opt for a career as a digital marketing executive are similar to those of a marketing professional: to build brand awareness, promote company services or products, and increase conversions. Individuals who opt for a career as Digital Marketing Executives, unlike traditional marketing companies, communicate effectively through suitable technology platforms.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 1st Dec 2024
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