CAT 2021 Exam - Date, Notification, Registration, Eligibility, Syllabus, Exam Pattern

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) will conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) in an online computer-based mode. The IIM conducting body will begin CAT Registration 2021 from the first week of August 2021. CAT 2021 is going to be held on the last Sunday of November 2021 i.e. November 28, 2021 (Tentative). Candidates who want to take MBA admission in IIMs or other top B-schools have to appear in the CAT exam 2021. Candidates who completed graduation with 50% of marks are eligible to apply for IIM CAT 2021.

As per the new CAT exam pattern, students will have to answer a total of 76 questions within 2 hours. CAT exam number of questions are VARC - 26 questions, DILR - 24, and Quant - 26 questions making it 76 questions in all. As per last year, we expect more than 2.28 lakh students will register for CAT 2021. CAT 2021 will be conducted by the Indian Institute of Management in 430 centres across 159 cities in the country for admissions to MBA/PGDM programmes in IIMs and more than 1000 B-Schools of the country. 

What is CAT Exam 2021?

CAT exam is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams in the country. The full form of CAT is the Common Admission Test and it is a computer-based entrance exam for MBA/PGDM admissions at 20 IIMs and 1000+ B-Schools in India. IIM CAT is conducted by one IIM in rotation every year. Candidates are assessed through the CAT exam for MBA admissions. More than 2 lakh applicants every year register for CAT for IIM admissions.

Official CAT 2021 Contact Details

• Official CAT exam website: iimcat.ac.in
• CAT 2021 Helpline: 1-800-209-0830 (Toll-Free) 
• Email for CAT exam: cat2021@iimidr.ac.in
• IIM Indore Address: CAT Exam Centre, Indian Institute of Management Indore, Prabandh Shikhar, Rau - Pithampur Road, Indore- 453556, Madhya Pradesh, India.

The IIM for Common Admission Test (CAT) will prescribe the eligibility criteria for CAT 2021, under which candidates must meet certain criteria. Detailed IIM CAT Eligibility Criteria 2021 for candidates appearing for CAT 2021 is explained here. IIM will release the CAT eligibility in PDF format outlining who can apply for the CAT entrance exam. Prior to CAT 2021 registration, candidates must ensure they fulfill the specified eligibility criteria of CAT exam 2021. 

Who can apply for the CAT exam 2021?

It should also be noted that eligibility for the CAT exam 2021 is very simple and has remained the same for the past several years. Candidates who fulfill the given CAT 2021 eligibility criteria specified below can apply for the CAT exam.

• Educational Qualification: All candidates must hold a Graduation/ Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from any recognized university/ institute.
• Marks in qualifying exam: All candidates must have secured a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. Candidates belonging to the reserved category (Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disability (PWD)), must have secured a minimum of 45%.
• Final year students: Candidates in the final year of their Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification exam or awaiting their graduation results can apply for CAT 2021.
• Age Limit: To appear for the CAT entrance exam there is no age limit/ age restriction.
• Work Experience: It is not mandatory to apply for the CAT exam 2021. If candidates have any work experience, then they will get more preference.
• Reservation: IIM offers some reservations for different categories of students applying for any business management program.

Who is not eligible for the CAT exam?

• If the candidate is in the process of completing their professional degree (CA/ CS/ ICWA) without appearing for their bachelor’s degree.
• The candidate is pursuing both their bachelor’s degree and a professional degree but has not yet completed both.
• If the candidate's score in the degree is less than 50% (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD candidates), he or she is ineligible to apply for the CAT.
• If the degree is not recognized by MHRD/ AICTE/ UGC, the candidate will be considered ineligible for the CAT examination.

Note: CAT eligibility for IIM Admission 2021-2023 is separate from exam eligibility. 

Mode of Application : Online

Mode of Payment : Net Banking | Credit Card | Debit Card | NEFT | Paytm | Other

IIM will start the CAT registration tentatively in the first week of August 2021 in online mode and the application process will end in the third week of September 2021. After the registration process closes, the IIM CAT Application Form 2021 correction window will open. Candidates who completed a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% aggregated marks are eligible to apply. Candidates who appeared for a final year examination can also apply. As per last year's trends, we expect more than 2.28 lakh students will apply for the CAT 2021 entrance exam.

CAT 2021 Application Process

• Visit the official CAT 2021 website.
• Go to the "CAT 2021 Registration" link.
• Fill in the required valid details.
• Upload all the necessary documents in a prescribed format.
• Pay the CAT application fee online.
• Submit the completed registration form of CAT 2021.
• Download and take a printout of the application form.

On successful registration for the CAT exam, candidates will receive a CAT login credential like User ID and Password which can be used in the future to use the candidate login.

Know how to fill the CAT 2021 Application Form

1st Step: First, go to the official website of CAT 2021 and find and click the "New Candidate Registration" link on the right side of the webpage.
2nd Step: It will carry candidates to the CAT registration page. From there, they have to enter their Name of the Candidate, Date of Birth, Email Address, Country, Mobile Number, and Captcha.
3rd Step: Next, click the "Generate OTP" button to receive the OTP on registered mobile. Using the OTP, login to the CAT application page.
4th Step: In the dashboard, fill the Personal Details, Other Personal Details, Communication Address, Emergency Contact Details, Upload Documents (in a prescribed format and size), Work Experience, IIM Programmes & Interview Cities.
5th Step: Make a payment online for CAT 2021 registration and take a printout of the submitted application form for your future reference.

CAT 2021 Application Fee-  Candidates from the general category have to pay Rs 2,000 and from the reserved category have to pay Rs 1,000. CAT registration fee should be payable through Debit/ Credit card/ Net banking/ BillDesk/ PayU/ Paytm.

Documents to upload during CAT registration 2021

• Photograph as specified
• Signature as per given specific guidelines
• Academic certificates
• PwD certificate as applicable (if any)
• EWS/Category Certificate as applicable (if any)
• Identification document 

Application Fees

One needs grit, determination, planning, and execution to clear the CAT exam. The tough part is to clear CAT 2021 with a very high percentile for IIM admissions. Even very good B-schools require a good CAT percentile and this can be achieved with proper preparation.

How to prepare for CAT 2021 exam?

Candidates will have to divide their CAT preparation strategy into manageable sections. When to start preparation for CAT 2021, how to go about it, what is the CAT syllabus, best books for the CAT exam, etc are some important questions that have to be addressed? 

Tips for CAT 2021 preparation

CAT Exam Preparation Timetable

Preparation for CAT 2021 exam requires proper resources and solid help from experts. Given below are CAT expert tips as well as links to CAT exam resources.

CAT 2021 exam preparation- list of resources

CAT toppers are ideal people to explain their CAT exam strategy as they not only have cleared the exam but have done so in flying colours. Given below are some CAT Topper tips and guidelines

CAT Topper Tips

CAT exam day 2021 will be a crucial day. Check common mistakes and errors that are made in CAT entrance exam and how to avoid them in CAT 2021.

Know CAT exam day strategies

• Practise with CAT sample question papers 
• 10 Key Points To Know While Attempting CAT Exam
• What are the mistakes to avoid during CAT 2021 exam?
• Common CAT Exam Day errors to avoid

IIM has not officially announced the CAT 2021 exam pattern and syllabus for Common Admission Test (CAT). According to last year’s analysis, there were only 76 questions in the CAT exam question paper. Based on the CAT exam pattern 2021, there will be 26 questions in VARC and QA section and 24 questions in the DILR section. CAT exam questions will be a mix of MCQ and Non-MCQ.

From last year CAT 2020 onwards, the students from the PwD category will receive a total of 53 minutes and 20 seconds to complete a specific section of the CAT exam, while other students will receive 40 minutes per section. As well as the time duration of the CAT exam has been reduced to 2 hours (120 minutes).

CAT syllabus has remained the same with questions from VARC, DILR, and QA. The detailed CAT exam pattern with marking scheme and other information is as follows.  

Exam Pattern of CAT 2021 

CAT entrance exam  - Important features

• Calculator in CAT exam
• CAT  exam  Timer 
• Question Palette of CAT 2021
• Expand the CAT question area 
• Scrolling during CAT entrance exam
• Answering a question in CAT 2021
• Changing the response in CAT exam
• Navigating through CAT sections 
• Zoom Option in CAT 2021

Check the features of CAT 2021 in the image below

*Source: CAT official mock test guide

IIM will release the mock test of CAT 2021 in the first week of November 2021 on the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in. CAT mock test is a replica of the actual examination. CAT 2021 mock test has sectional timing like the official CAT entrance exam. 

Why Take Mock Test for CAT?

Taking the free CAT mock test online is important for test-takers, as well as designed to help candidates get a feel for the real CAT question paper. Furthermore, the CAT 2021 mock test will help to identify the weaknesses of the candidates and analyze the respective performance. IIM Indore will release the official CAT 2021 mock test and training guide on the official website. Take the official mock test to find out the changes in the exam pattern.

Benefits of CAT Mock Test

• This helps the candidate to understand the online process of the CAT exam.
• CAT mock tests provide a reasonable understanding of the question paper pattern and marking scheme.
• CAT online mock test helps you to improve your speed and accuracy in solving questions.
• Practicing mock tests will help you find the tricks and shortcuts to solve the CAT question paper in the least amount of time.

Steps to use CAT Mock Test

1. Click on Mock Test Link from the CAT 2021 official website
2. "Enter your Registration Number and password and click on Sign In” – Since a dummy registration number and a dummy password have already been embedded. Candidates can proceed by just clicking on Sign In.
3. Post login, read through the “General Instructions for Candidate”
4. Click on the disclaimer check box on “Other Important Instructions for Candidate:” page
5. Click on “I am ready to begin” to start your Mock Test

Sample Image for CAT 2021 mock test

* Source from CAT exam 2020 mock test

CAT Exam Mock test Links of past years

CAT 2021  - Preparation Tips

In addition, the CAT syllabus is important. Candidates must know what topics and subjects to study and be ready for CAT 2021. IIMs have not specified any special CAT syllabus but have given sections in which students will be tested. The CAT syllabus 2021 given by all coaching centres and books are all based on the past CAT exam papers.

IIM will release the admit card of CAT 2021 in the last week of October 2021. The last date to download CAT admit card 2021 on the official website will be November 28, 2021 (tentatively). CAT 2021 admit card can be availed after entering the CAT login ID and password.  CAT admit card mentions a name, date of birth, registration number, category, CAT entrance exam day instructions, CAT 2021 exam date and time, reference number, emergency contact number, google map link along displaying the candidate's photograph. 

Note: All candidate's primary reference identities will be through their CAT 2021 application number printed on the  CAT Admit Card. This application number is used to identify the exam lab/console at the exam centre on the CAT Exam Day.

Steps to download CAT 2021 admit card

Step 1 - Go to the CAT 2021 site -iimcat.ac.in.

Step 2 - Login using CAT exam credentials like user ID and password

Step 3 - The CAT admit card will be displayed

Step 4 - Download the same and check the details mentioned therein.

Step 5 - Keep a soft copy of the admit card for CAT 2021 saved for future references.

CAT 2021 Admit Card - Details

• Name
• Application Number of CAT exam
• PwD status
• CAT 2021 exam date
• CAT exam time and session
• Reporting/ entry time for CAT 2021 at exam centre
• Gate closing time for CAT exam
• CAT 2021 test city name
• Test Center address

Also know CAT 2021 Dress Code

CAT Exam Schedule

Check CAT test day guidelines pdf released by IIM Indore.

Steps to be taken by candidates for CAT 2021

1. Frisking of Candidates prior to entry for the CAT exam.  

2. Document Verification: 

• CAT Admit Card (with affixed photograph),
• One original valid photo identity proof (such as College ID, Employer ID, Driving License, Passport, PAN Card, Voter ID, Aadhar Card, and Identification Affidavit)
• Other documents like a medical certificate in case of a candidate using a Pacemaker or implants (metal) or other devices for medical reasons.

**Test Day Exception Forms/ Authorization Form

3. Move to CAT exam lab

Imp: Candidates would be advised to remove their footwear outside the Exam Lab.

4. Registration Process for CAT 2021 (Capturing IRIS and photo)

5. Sign the attendance sheet in the CAT exam hall and begin the exam at the scheduled time.

CAT 2021 Exception and Authorization Form

• CAT Exam Exception Form: Candidates will have to sign the Exception form in case of an exceptional situation arising on CAT exam day. The staff at the test centres will guide students in such a case.
• IIM provided Authorization Form for CAT 2021: This is a document that is required in case candidates have to carry any prohibited or exceptional items inside the exam hall of CAT 2021 on account of medical reasons. Candidates would be required to contact the respective CAT exam centre to get such authorization if any.

Things/ Documents to carry to the CAT exam centre

Candidates will be allowed to carry the following documents

• CAT 2021 admit card
• Original valid photo identity card
• Mask
• Sanitizer (50 ml)
• Transparent water bottle
• Requisite medical certificate and Scribe affidavit (if applicable).

CAT 2021 dress code: Socks, plain Pullovers/Sweaters/Cardigans (without any pockets) can be worn for the CAT exam. Candidates with metal implants, pacemakers, etc. in their bodies have to submit a supporting medical certificate.

Important: Since there will be no arrangement to safe keep the belongings of the candidates appearing for CAT 2021, it is advisable for aspirants to not carry valuables keeping this in mind.

Points to keep in  mind during CAT exam

• Once candidates start answering a section, the clock inbuilt in the system starts ticking and displays the remaining time available for the current section. 
• After 40 minutes, the timer becomes 0 and the current section gets auto-submitted.
• Candidates automatically move to the next section and the cycle repeats for all three sections of CAT 2021.
• Movement between sections is not allowed.  However, candidates will have an option for submitting the answers to a section at any point of time after the completion of the allotted 40 minutes. 
• There is a built-in calculator in the CAT entrance exam. To know more, check "How to Utilize Calculator in CAT 2021?"

• Candidates can leave the CAT exam hall only after the completion of 2 hours (120 minutes). PWD candidates will be given 160 minutes to complete the CAT exam paper.

Click here for last-minute CAT instructions by IIM Indore

CAT 2021 - Key Do's for Candidates

Print CAT admit card on A4 size paper Before reaching the CAT exam centre, make sure you have admit card in hard copy and original ID proof Use the google map link (embedded on e-admit card) to locate the CAT exam centre 2021 Candidates must affix photograph in the space provided on CAT admit card They must use the mouse to answer CAT MCQ questions and use the on-screen keyboard to answer TITA questions in CAT 2021 They have to return the writing pad after completing their CAT exam The admit card must be handed to invigilator once the CAT entrance exam is over

Don'ts for Candidates for CAT exam

Do not carry any prohibited items inside the CAT 2021 exam centre Avoid copying/cheating during CAT exam Keep a distance from fellow candidates/staff. Keep conversations to a minimum. Avoid using the keyboard in CAT exam as this will lock the computer system Unless it's a medical emergency, avoid going for a bio-break in between CAT 2021. Do not waste the writing pad provided or take away pages after completion of the CAT exam.

IIM will release the final CAT 2021 answer key in the last week of December 2021 in online mode. Before that, the exam conducting body will release the provisional answer key in the first week of December 2021 along with the candidate's response sheets and CAT 2021 question papers. Candidates will have the choice to raise an objection to the answer key till the end of the objection date on payment of a fee of Rs. 1,200. Since the correct answers have been mentioned in the CAT answer key, candidates can use the same to calculate their probable scores and estimate their admission chances. 

CAT exam will be conducted tentatively on November 28, 2021. Many coaching institutes like CL, IMS, TIME, etc will come up with the CAT answer key using memory-based questions as the test is online.

How to download CAT Answer Key

• Go to the CAT 2021 official website.
• Find and click the Candidates Login tab.
• Enter your CAT login credentials, i.e., the user ID and password, and click submit button.
• Find your slot (Slot 1/ Slot 2/ Slot 3).
• Download the appropriate answer key by clicking on the link provided.

How to Challenging the CAT 2021 answer key

• Go to the official website of CAT 2021.
• Find and click the link called the "Candidates Login" tab.
• Now enter your CAT login credentials, i.e., your registration ID and password.
• Find and click on the link 'Objection Form' on the dashboard where the candidate's personal details are displayed.
• Enter the question number, section, and type of objection. Candidates also have the option to write a remark in up to 500 words.
• Test takers can click on '+' to add another objection against the CAT Answer Key.

Points to keep in mind when raising objections

• There is no limit to the number of objections a candidate can raise. It should be noted that an objection once submitted cannot be amended or revoked under any circumstances.
• Objection Fee: Rs 1,200 per objection
• The objection fee will not be refunded if the objection is not supported with proof.
• The objection fee will not be refunded if the objection raised is not valid.

NOTE: Correct answers will be marked in green with a tick and incorrect answers will be marked in red with an “X” symbol on the CAT Exam 2021 key

CAT Official Answer Key 2021 Snapshot

CAT 2021 Answer Key

How to calculate CAT Scores?

The score obtained = 3 x number of correct answers (MCQ and Non-MCQ) - 1 x number of incorrect MCQ answers.

The CAT scores will be normalized as per the methodology announced by IIM Indore in light of the changes in the duration of the exam and other parameters. The details are available on this page in the result section.

CAT exam analysis for slots 1 and 2 will be available after the CAT 2021 exam over. CAT 2021 number of questions is 26 from VARC, 24 from DILR, and 26 from Quant. The CAT slot 1 paper is expected to be moderate to difficult. CAT 2021 slot 2 paper will be expected to be moderately difficult. CAT question paper 2021 will be much of a surprise compared to last year and students who will appear for slot 1 as well as slot 2 of CAT 2021 feel that they could score well with a bit of good preparation. 

Candidates who are likely to score 105-110 marks in CAT 2021 will be able to secure around 99 percentile as per Career Launcher. 

Check CAT Analysis - Student Reactions live from exam centres to know the CAT 2021 question papers, difficulty levels, topics, and more.

Most found the CAT 2021 pattern to be the same except for the duration and the reduction in the number of questions. Students have also given mixed reactions to the new CAT 2021 exam pattern. TITA questions have been found easy and so were the questions in the DILR section. English was found to be tricky. Overall the paper was moderate to difficult.

CAT analysis from CL, MIS, TIME, and other coaching experts is available for all slots of the CAT exam. CAT analysis gives details of the difficulty levels of the CAT exam and expected cutoff. The CAT 2021 analysis from coaching centres can be checked by clicking on the link given below in the table.

CAT 2021 Exam Analysis from Coaching Centres

Details in CAT exam analysis are:

• A number of questions in each section in the CAT question paper.
• Number of MCQs and number of non- MCQs asked in CAT 2021
• Difficulty levels for all topics and CAT exam sections
• Topics from VARC, DILR and QA with weightage
• Expected cutoff based on the difficulty levels and the time available

The result of CAT 2021 will be released in online mode in the first week of January 2021. Candidates have to log in to the official website to download their CAT 2021 scorecard. They must download their CAT scorecard 2021 as all admissions are on the basis of the CAT result 2021. On the basis of the CAT 2021 result, a merit list will be prepared for further IIM MBA admissions 2021.

How to check CAT result 2021

1st Step - Open the official website - iimcat.ac.in

2nd Step - Enter registration details like User ID and Password 

3rd Step - CAT Result/ Score Card will be displayed.

4th Step - Download the same and save it.

5th Step - Check the details given in the result of CAT 2021

What details are mentioned in the CAT exam result 2021?

The sectional and overall scores of CAT 2021 will be mentioned in the result/ scorecard. The exam percentile obtained by candidates in the CAT exam is also be mentioned.

CAT score vs percentile - one of the major questions asked by students is about the score versus percentile in CAT 2021. IIM Indore has released the computation of the CAT Scores and normalization methodology adopted. The process is as follows

How to calculate CAT percentile scores?

The steps to calculate the CAT exam 2021 overall and sectional percentile scores are given. Here the QA section is chosen as an example. A similar process is also followed for DILR and VARC in the exam.

Step 1: Calculate the total number of candidates (N) who appeared for CAT (i.e. including morning, afternoon, and evening sessions).

Step 2: Assign a rank (r), based on the scaled scores obtained in the QA section, to all candidates who appeared for the CAT exam. In the case of two or more candidates obtaining identical scaled scores in the QA section, identical ranks are assigned to all such candidates.

For example, if two candidates obtain the highest scaled score in the QA section, then both of those candidates are assigned a rank of 1. Then, candidate(s) obtaining the second-highest scaled score in the QA section will be assigned a rank of 3 and so on.

Step 3: Calculate the percentile score (P) of a candidate with rank (r) in the QA section as:

Step 4: Round off the calculated percentile score (P) of a candidate up to two decimal points.

For example, all percentile scores greater than or equal to 99.995 are rounded off to 100, all percentile scores greater than or equal to 99.985 but strictly less than 99.995 are rounded off to 99.99, and so on.

How to calculate the CAT scaled scores of a candidate?

The following steps will be followed to calculate the scaled score of a candidate in each of the three sections, i.e. VARC, DILR, and QA in the examination. The overall scaled score is obtained by adding scaled scores of these three sections. 

QA section is chosen as an example. A similar process is valid for the DILR and VARC. Three sessions of the examination will be expressed as a morning session (8:30 AM – 10:30 AM), afternoon session (12:30 PM – 2:30 PM), and evening session (4:30 PM – 6:30 PM), on November 28, 2021 (tentative).

One of the big questions asked by many students is what are the CAT cutoff marks for admissions? The CAT 2021 cutoff marks which are minimum marks or percentile required to secure admissions differ from IIM to IIM as well as the course and category of the students. 

Check CAT Cutoff (expected) by leading Coaching centres

It is to be noted that cutoff for qualifying and admissions are two different things. The qualifying cutoff is the score that decides if a candidate has cleared the exam or not. The admission cutoff of CAT is the score at which the admissions closed last. 

It has to be noted that only qualified students will be able to participate in the selection process -  IIM Admissions, CAP 2021, the IIT MBA admissions or other MBA admissions in the country.  

Some factors that decide CAT cutoff are

•    No. of Candidates taking the test 
•    Difficulty Level of exam
•    Availability of seats 
•    IIMs and other institutes ranking

CAT Cutoff of Top IIMs

CAT Cutoff of Top Institutes 

IIMs and other CAT 2021 participating management institutes will conduct the selection procedure of the exam in two-steps. Candidates who qualify in CAT 2021, will be called out for the second step. After releasing the cutoff of CAT 2021, eligible candidates will be called for Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) round. On the basis of scores received by candidates, the final selection list will be issued.

Also read - Know IIM Fee Structure and Seat Intake

Some of the new IIMs may hold a common counselling for CAT 2021. This is held as Common Admission Process also called as CAP. Details of IIM CAP through CAT exam will be announced shortly and will be updated here too.

After CAT 2021 - Know IIM Fee Structure

* Fee may change.

Other Top BSchools accepting CAT scores  

Is CAT exam only for MBA?

While it is common perception to assume that CAT exam is only for MBA, it is also for admissions to other post graduate programmes. MICA uses CAT scores for admissions to its post graduate programmes. So CAT exam is not just for MBA programmes.

What is the benefit of CAT exam?

CAT entrance exam scores are used by many institutes and universities for admissions to their management programmes. The benefit of appearing for CAT 2021 is that one can apply to leading BSchools other than IIM on the basis of the CAT result. It is easier to use CAT entrance exam as a screening test to shortlist candidates before the selection stage where the GD and PI factors play a role.