Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Extended Application Deadline: 10th Feb 2024
Common Admission Test or CAT, is India's most prestigious national-level entrance examination. The CAT exam is conducted for admission to a postgraduate management programme, such as an MBA/PGDM, offered by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and various prestigious business schools. This year, the IIM Calcutta will conduct the CAT 2024 on November 24, 2024, Sunday. Read this article to know why CAT exam is necessary for MBA?, CAT exam uses, difficulty level of the CAT, etc.
The CAT entrance test is the largest MBA entrance test in the country and allows aspirants to get into top management institutes. The CAT exam assesses the verbal ability, logical reasoning, quantitative ability, and data interpretation skills of candidates working in management education, business, and administration fields.
Before entering the topic, you need to know is CAT exam mandatory for MBA? Not necessarily, but candidates who want to get admission to IIM or any other top B-schools in India must appear in the CAT exam. Many MBA colleges in India accept certain MBA entrance exam scores like CMAT, MAT, XAT, and NMAT.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Extended Application Deadline: 10th Feb 2024
250+ Companies | Highest CTC 16 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level management aptitude test that is conducted by the IIM on a rotational basis for admission to the MBA courses offered by its 20 campuses and more than 1200 B-schools in India. Every year, more than 2.5 lakh candidates apply for the CAT exam.
CAT exam is conducted on a single day in three sessions (Morning, Afternoon, and Evening) at about 400 test centres in 155 cities across India. The majority of government and private MBA colleges in India accept the CAT exam, so those who intend to pursue an MBA in the 2025 academic session should take CAT 2024.
The CAT exam is a test that evaluates a student's skills and ability to determine whether they are suitable for a managerial job. Whether you are close to completing your graduation or have worked in the industry for a few years and are planning to pursue an MBA at one of the top B-schools in India, preparation for the CAT exam is very important. Check out below the what is the use of CAT exam
Gateway to Prestigious Institutions: The CAT entrance exam opens the door to prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top MBA colleges in India.
Multidisciplinary Skill Development: Preparing for CAT helps develop essential skills like critical thinking, problem solving, time management, and decision making skills.
Career Advancement: Clearing the CAT exam can significantly improve career prospects, providing access to higher-paying job opportunities in various industries.
Business and Leadership Intelligence: Rigorous curriculum and exposure to excellent management programmes develop business acumen, leadership skills, and strategic thinking skills.
Networking Opportunities: Joining top management institutes through CAT provides a great platform to network with like-minded individuals and professionals.
Also Read:
How Many Students Clear CAT Exam Every Year? | How To Get into IIM Without CAT |
How Many Students Give CAT Exam Every Year? | How to Get Into IIM: Selection Criteria, Cutoff, Admission Process |
If you are interested in studying MBA, here we have listed some advantages of the CAT exam.
Students passing out from these premium institutes, i.e., IIMs, are selected by companies with attractive MBA salary packages.
The sheer variety of jobs and the amount of responsibility you get with an MBA in a job make it worth it. You can choose from many specializations like advertising, finance, strategy, marketing, consulting, etc.
To grow beyond a certain level in your job, you need an additional degree. Choosing a career in MBA is one of the best options for higher education in India.
If you have done an MBA at one of the best B-schools in the country, your ability to get seed capital to start a new business (as an entrepreneur) will be greatly enhanced. You can interact with people from different backgrounds, where you can brainstorm your ideas and handle things better.
An MBA certainly offers better recognition, networking opportunities, and credibility.
Know more about IIM Placement Report
Candidates appearing in the CAT exam will have the following opportunities and know what is CAT exam used for and CAT exam is for which stream;
For those who wish to pursue a career in management, taking the CAT exam is an overall great choice. It is important to remember that it is very competitive, and success requires a lot of effort and dedication.
Top MBA colleges based on CAT, XAT, SNAP, and NMAT scores include some of India’s best institutions. For CAT, the IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta) and FMS Delhi are highly regarded. XAT results in prestigious colleges like XLRI Jamshedpur and XIMB. SNAP is known for Symbiosis Institutes, such as SIBM Pune and SCMHRD. NMAT scores open doors to NMIMS Mumbai, SPJIMR Mumbai, and ISB Hyderabad. Each exam has unique eligibility requirements, and their cutoffs vary, so it's important to research the specific criteria and select based on your preferences and strengths.
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Based on the previous year analysis, According to your CAT 2024 percentile some of the colleges in which you have chances to get a seat includes:
You can predict more colleges using the CLAT 2024 college predictor tool .
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With a CAT 2024 percentile of 68.28%, you may face a challenging time getting into IIT Delhi, as their cutoffs are typically higher. However, being an SC female student, you may be eligible for relaxation in the cutoff criteria .
To give you a better idea, here are some general CAT cutoff percentiles for IITs and other top B-schools:
- *IIT Delhi*: Typically above 90 percentile for general category students.
- *Newer IIMs*: Such as IIM Vishakapatnam, IIM Shillong, and IIM Udaipur, may have lower cutoffs, around 80-90 percentile.
- *Other top B-schools*: Like IMT Ghaziabad, XIM Bhubaneswar, and TAPMI, may also consider students with lower percentiles.
It's essential to note that CAT cutoffs can vary from year to year, and other factors like your academic background, work experience, and performance in the personal interview (PI) and written ability test (WAT) also play a significant role in the admission process.
To explore more options and predict your chances of getting into various colleges, you can use online CAT college predictor tools .
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Considering your 82.58 percentile in CAT and 22 months of industry experience in IT and Financial analysis, you have several options for General Management PGDM or PGPM programs.
*Decent Colleges Accepting Low CAT Percentile:*
- _SPJIMR_: Offers PGDM and PGPM programs, accepting CAT scores, with a minimum eligibility criterion of 50% aggregate in graduation ¹ ².
- _SOIL_: Provides PGPM and PGDM programs, considering CAT scores, with a focus on experiential learning ³.
- Other institutes like _IMT Ghaziabad_, _XIMB_, and _IRMA_ might also accept candidates with lower CAT percentiles, but this may vary depending on the program and intake.
*Key Factors to Consider:*
- _Work Experience_: With 22 months of experience, you might be eligible for PGPM programs, which typically require more work experience than PGDM programs ¹.
- _Career Gap_: Explain your career gap effectively in your application, highlighting any relevant activities or skills gained during that period.
- _Profile-Based Selection_: Some institutes consider profiles, including work experience, academic background, and extracurricular activities, in addition to CAT scores ¹.
*Next Steps:*
1. Research the institutes mentioned above and their programs.
2. Review the eligibility criteria, admission process, and fees for each program.
3. Prepare your application, ensuring you effectively communicate your strengths, work experience, and career goals.
4. Be prepared for interviews, focusing on your profile, experience, and motivation for pursuing a PGDM or PGPM program.
Remember, a lower CAT percentile doesn't necessarily limit your options. Focus on showcasing your strengths, experience, and fit with the program to increase your chances of admission.
Have a great day
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Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Extended Application Deadline: 10th Feb 2024
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