What If CAT Was Like JEE? 2 Times a Year. Fair or Too Much?

Should Common Admission Test (CAT) happen twice a year? Arguments for It

In recent times, the idea of CAT happening twice a year has gained traction among management aspirants to get into IIMs. Needless to say that the management aspirants are entitled to have their opinion, but several arguments is given in favour of holding CAT examination twice a year that can not be ignored.

1. Reduces Exam Pressure: If CAT is held twice a year, then it will reduce the exam pressure for the candidates. Rather than one year, one attempt, if CAT is held twice a year, then the candidates will have more than one opportunity to perform well in CAT.

In a public option sharing platform, Reddit, one commented that “ Yes, this should happen. Too much pressure on one attempt.” Several others agreed with that, saying that this will not only decrease the exam pressure from them but at the same time give them time to reflect on the CAT examination as well.

“Just knowing that you have more attempts left will ease the anxiety a lot,” affirmed another management aspirant who is looking to get into any of the prominent IIMs.

2. Greater Flexibility: More frequent CAT examination will mean that the candidates can also help avoid any unforeseen circumstances. If they miss the one CAT examination application, they can also appear for the next CAT examination without wasting that year.

3. Comparison with other Management examinations:

“SNAP happens three times a year. Why can't CAT?” argued one Reddit user in favour of holding CAT twice a year.

Management examinations like SNAP, ATMA, MAT, NMAT, GMAT take place multiple times in a year. This not only gives the management aspirants more than one chance to appear for the best business school, but at the same time, it provides the opportunity to better their management score.

Apart from the management examination, All India Entrance Examination for Engineering, JEE, happens twice a year. Management aspirants.

4. Avoiding Year Loss for management candidates: If the candidates have multiple options to appear for the CAT in the year, it might help them to improve their chances of getting a better score in the CAT examination, which would mean that they don't have to lose an academic year.

5. Changes in getting better scores at CAT: If CAT happens to be held twice a year, then the candidates might have the option to not only better their score but also apply based on the best of two scores.

CAT Exam Twice a year ?: Not a good option

Though there has been an argument in favour of holding CAT twice a year, some Reddit users pointed out the technical flaws in holding CAT twice a year:

1. While some of the users pointed out the improvement of the score through the multiple chances, one talked about the concern regarding CAT admission. “How will the admission take place?”
   To this, one candidate pointed out that the IIM admission can take place twice a year. Another user supported it by saying, IIM admission can happen through 'Rounds, like most foreign colleges do. Then the admissions become more about how strong your profile is rather than just by scores.”

2. Those who are against the CAT examinations to held twice a year pointed out that if the examination happens twice a year, then it would increase the completion rate, rather than reducing the examination pressure.

3. If the CAT exams happen twice a year, then candidates will get less time for CAT preparations. Some candidates may feel pressured to prepare throughout the year, rather than focus on one targeted attempt.

4. Frequent CAT exam sessions may compromise the quality, uniformity and fairness across the sessions.

5. Multiple CAT attempts in a year may reduce the exclusive, competitive edge presently linked to cracking CAT.

6. Moreover, if the CAT starts to happen twice a year, that would not only create in the disrruitopn in the IIM Admission process, but at the same time would create a lot of confusion among the management aspirants.

CAT 2025: Everything you Should Know

This year, CAT 2025 is expected to take place on November 30, 2025. Here are some of the aspects of the CAT 2025 that one candidate should learn about :

Why CAT 2025?

One needs to appear for the CAT primarily to take IIM admission. IIMs are regarded as the top institutions to pursue MBA courses in India. Though there are ways to get management courses without CAT or even IIM without CAT, getting into IIM for the management course increases the chances of getting better placement opportunities. Therefore, CAT provides the way to get into the IIM, as IIM majorly accepts CAT scores for management courses.

CAT Accepting Colleges :

CAT is regarded as one of the top management examinations, as several prominent management colleges, including IIMs, accept the CAT score. CAT 2025 score is a gateway to break into the top IIMs, and IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Kolkata, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, are some of the CAT accepting IIMs.

On the other hand, IITs accepting CAT are IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, and IIT Kanpur.

Apart from IIMs or IITs, top MBA colleges accepting CAT include FMS, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, SPJIMR, JBIMS, TAPMI Manipal, Great Lakes Chennai, BIMTECH.

CAT 2025 Registration:

The CAT 2025 registration will begin once the CAT official notification is published. The CAT official notification is expected to be out on July 30, 2025. Candidates can fill up the CAT application 2025 as CAT 2025 registration begins. CAT 2025 examination is scheduled for November 30, 2025.