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

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

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CAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 13 Sep' 25

Suvam MaitiUpdated on 25 Jul 2025, 11:21 AM IST

CAT examination, the most prominent among all the management examinations, is scheduled to happen on November 30, 2025. As everyone is waiting for the CAT notifications 2025, there has been a discussion regarding the frequency of the CAT examination. CAT, an All India management examination, happens only once a year. But what if CAT is like JEE and happens twice a year? CAT is much more coveted than of any other All India management entrance examination, as students can get into the prestigious IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bangalore, which are regarded as the top B-Schools in India.

This Story also Contains

  1. Should Common Admission Test (CAT) happen twice a year? Arguments for It
  2. CAT Exam Twice a year ?: Not a good option
  3. CAT 2025: Everything you Should Know
What If CAT Was Like JEE? 2 Times a Year. Fair or Too Much?
What If CAT Was Like JEE? 2 Times a Year. Fair or Too Much?

Not only lakhs of management aspirants fill out the CAT application to appear for the examinations, but also the lower acceptance rate to the top IIMs, the limited seats, and the higher CAT cutoff make the examination a challenging competition. So if the candidates can't do well according to the benchmark in the CAT examination, it might appear to them that they might have wasted a year. This leads us to the discussion: Should Common Admission Test (CAT) happen twice a year?

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.

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  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.

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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.

  1. 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.

  2. Comparison with other Management examinations:

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“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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I give CAT examination in 2nd year?
A:

No. One can either appear for the CAT examination if they have completed a minimum of 3 years of graduation, or are in their 3rd year of graduation. One cannot give the CAT examination in the 2nd year. 

Q: How many times can I give a CAT in a year?
A:

One can give CAT one time in a year.

Q: Is the CAT exam held twice a year?
A:

No, CAT exam is held once a year.

Q: When the CAT 2025 official notification will come out?
A:

The CAT 2025 notification is expected to be come out on July 31, 2025.

Q: When the CAT 2025 exam will take place?
A:

According to the trends, CAT 2025 examination is expected to be held on November 25, 2025. 

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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

Hello

As you said you by mistakenly done that,  you don't need to get worry regarding that ,

Just inform the help desk and carry the correct certifications , the state certificate will not disqualify you .

The steps you can follow is -

1. You can check if the correction window is available or not

2. Contact the CAT desk immediately.

Hope this helps

Yes, you can fill the CAT form even if you currently have a backlog. CAT eligibility requires you to be in your final year of graduation or already graduated backlogs don’t stop you from applying.

While filling the form:

  • Enter the aggregate percentage/CGPA of marks you have obtained up to the latest semester for which results are declared (in your case till 4th semester).

  • There will be an option to mention that you have a backlog.

  • If you clear the backlog later, you’ll just need to show the updated marks during admission.

Hello Aspirant,

Yes, you can apply for the CAT exam as a final-year student. You must declare your backlog on the online application form. You do not write about it on the final-year student certificate; that document is to certify your enrollment status. You must clear all backlogs before the final admission process to any MBA college.

Hello,

Thank you for your question!

KL- MAT syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English/Verbal Ability, and General Awareness (similar to MAT/CMAT pattern).

CAT scores are valid in many private universities including KL University, but always check the year’s admission notification.

CAT vs other exams: CAT is toughest (IIMs + top B-schools), while MAT/CMAT/ATMA are relatively easier and accepted by many mid-level private universities.

Hello it will clear your doubt!

Hello Aspirant,

  1. I saw a cat. The cat found an old map inside a drawer of the king's palace.

Here's why:

  • "a cat": It's the first time we mention the cat, so it's indefinite.

  • "The cat": Now we're talking about that specific cat we just mentioned, so it's definite.

  • "an old map": It's the first time we mention a map, and "old" starts with a vowel sound, so "an."

  • "a drawer": It's one of possibly many drawers, not a specific one known to us yet.

  • "the king's palace": This is a specific, unique place, so "the."