CAT Application Data Analysis: 5 Years Trends and Key Insights

For all Indian students who are management education aspirants and want to get into the top management schools in India, it is the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam score that holds the key. CAT 2024 is going to be as tough and competitive as its predecessors. Hence, it is imperative that you understand CAT exam trends really well.

Those who are preparing for CAT 2024, must know that it is crucial to understand the changes in CAT Exam. By knowing how many people register for the exam, what scores they get and which subjects are tested more, you can get better insight and prepare smartly to score well.

This article is all about the evolution of the CAT exam giving CAT aspirants a in depth look into the exam. By carefully studying past CAT exam trends, you can set yourself up for a successful career in management.

Registration Trends Over the Years

There has been a continuous increase in CAT exam registrations over the years, indicating its popularity and the importance of its scores among management aspirants. Year 2023 witnessed the highest number of registrations – 3.5 lakh. This upward trend emphasises the importance of strategic preparation by CAT aspirants aiming for top B-Schools.

The number of registration has increased around 70 per cent and the number of appeared candidates has increased more than 72 per cent in the span of three years. Let's take a look at the registration data over the past few years:

CAT Exam Trends: Number of Registrations Over The Years

Management education aspirants saw the evolution of the CAT exam in 2009. It was in this year that the coveted management exam switched to online mode instead of pen and paper for the first time. Such changes in CAT Exam were a big adjustment for aspirants who were used to marking answers on optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets. The exam duration also increased to two hours and 15 minutes because of the online mode.

CAT Exam Percentile Score: Number and Gender of Candidates

Percentile scores serve as a crucial metric in the CAT exam, determining candidates' relative performance. The table below presents percentile scores alongside the number and gender distribution of candidates. It also gives information on how many toppers belonged to which states within India.

The male dominance is clearly shown in the toppers list, emphasising the need for initiatives to promote gender diversity in management education. Also most of the toppers students came from states like Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujrat etc.

Discipline and Percentiles

Discipline-wise performance analysis gives insight into the strengths and weaknesses of candidates across different educational backgrounds. While engineering graduates dominate the top percentiles, non-engineering candidates also demonstrate competitive performance. However, the inclusion of female candidates in engineering disciplines seems like a positive shift towards gender-inclusive education.

Before going for the personal interview round, it will be beneficial to identify which IIM is most suited for your academic journey.

CAT in 2023

Out of the 3.28 lakhs registered candidates, 36 per cent were females, 64 per cent were males, with a nominal representation from the transgender community. Category-wise distribution showcased varied proportions, with General category candidates comprising the majority with 68 per cent, EWS at 4.8 per cent among other categories. .

CAT in 2022: Among the 2.22 lakh candidates who appeared for the exam, 35 per cent were females, 65 per cent were males, with a marginal representation (just four candidates) from the transgender community.

The CAT exam is one of the most popular and major management entrance exams in India. It is most important to understand the CAT registration trends, percentile distributions, CAT Exam Trends and changes in CAT Exam as these will help you understand your changes at the coveted IIMs and other B-schools which accept CAT scores.