The CAT 2023 exam will be tentatively held in November 2023, in 3 slots. The official notification will be released around July 2023 with details about CAT 2023 exam date and registration dates. The CAT application form 2023 will also be released soon after. However, candidates must already begin their preparations for CAT 2023 to clear the cut-offs with the highest percentile. Thus here is an overview to help you on this journey-
The CAT 2023 exam is expected to be held in the month of November 2023. Here is the tentative timeline for the exam-
Event |
Tentative Timeline |
---|---|
CAT 2023 Official Notification |
July 2023 |
Start Date for Registration |
August 2023 |
Last Date for Registration |
September 2023 |
Opening of Form Correction Window |
September 2023 |
Admit Card Release Date |
October 2023 |
CAT 2023 Exam Date |
November 2023 |
CAT 2023 Results Announcement |
December 2023 |
The Common Admission Test held annually by the IIMs is the most common entrance exam for MBA admissions to top-notch B-schools. CAT 2023 will allow students to apply for admission to IIMs among other top institutes for the batch of 2024-26.
Students aiming for admission to MBA programs must clear this exam and make the cut-offs before being selected for further rounds conducted by the institutions.
Given below are the CAT 2023 highlights-
Highlights |
Details |
---|---|
Exam Name |
Common Admission Test |
Official Website |
www.iimcat.ac.in |
Conducting Body |
The Indian Institute of Management |
Frequency |
Annual |
Registration Mode |
Online |
Exam Mode |
Online |
No. of Questions |
66 |
Time Allotted |
120 minutes |
Types of Questions |
MCQs and TITA |
Sections in the Exam |
3 Sections VARC, DILR and QA |
Medium of Exam |
English |
When CAT application form 2023 is open from August 2023, only eligible students will be allowed to apply. Thus, it is imperative that every aspirant understands the eligibility criteria beforehand and prepares accordingly.
Candidates must register for the CAT 2023 exam online through the official website iimcat.ac.in. Here are the steps to fill out the CAT application form 2023, along with the fees and documents required for registration-
Steps for Registration-
Documents Required-
While filling out the CAT application form 2023, the candidate must also upload the required documents in the given format-
Document |
Format |
---|---|
Photo |
.jpg/.jpeg |
Signature |
.jpg/.jpeg |
EWS/NC-OBC/SC/ST Certificate |
|
PwD Certificate |
|
Application Fee-
After filling all the details in the CAT application form 2023, the candidate must make the payment to complete the registration process.
The CAT exam is held in 3 slots. While the exam pattern and syllabus are the same for all slots, the level of difficulty might vary. Here is an overview of the exam pattern for CAT 2023-
Mode of Examination |
Online (Computer-based) |
---|---|
Medium of Examination |
English |
Total Questions |
66 |
Time Allotted |
120 minutes |
Questions Per Section |
VARC: 24 DILR: 20 QA: 22 |
Time Allotted per Section |
40 minutes each |
Type of Questions |
MCQs and TITA (Type in the Answer) |
Marks Awarded for Correct Answer |
+3 for every right answer |
Marks Deducted for Wrong Answer |
-1 for every wrong answer, TITA has no negative marking |
Like all the previous CAT exams, the CAT 2023 exam is divided into 3 sections. While there is no established syllabus for the CAT exam, the syllabus is majorly focused on school-based mathematics and English. Given below is the division of the three sections of the exam-
Section |
No. of Questions |
Time Allotted |
Main Topics |
---|---|---|---|
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
24 |
40 minutes |
Reading comprehension, parajumbles, parasummary, verbal reasoning, etc. |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) |
20 |
40 minutes |
Charts, graphs, arrangements, blood relations, puzzles, etc. |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) |
22 |
40 minutes |
Algebra, arithmetic, number systems, geometry, etc. |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Based on previous years, over 2 lakh candidates register for the CAT exam every year. Thus, the competition for admission into the top B-schools is very high. So preparations for the CAT exam have to be relentless and follow a plan of action to study. Here are a few tips to prepare for the CAT 2023 exam-
Focus on Mock Exams: As you grow confident in your preparation, consider giving mock exams. The mock exams will help you to identify your weaknesses and strengths. It will enable you to improve on your weaker sections.
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The admit card for CAT 2023 will be released in October 2023. Here are a few details to keep in mind for the same-
The CAT results will be available on the official website tentatively in December. The CAT 2023 results will be valid till December 2024.
The IIMs will also release cut-offs for the 2024-26 batch. There is no centralized counseling for the CAT exam as all the IIMs have their own procedure for interviews and further admission rounds.
No, CAT is only held once every year, usually in the month of Novemeber. The notification for CAT 2023 will be released tentatively in July 2023 which will give the exact date of when CAT 2023 is held.
Candidates who wish to appear for CAT 2023 should have completed their bachelor’s degree with a minimum 50% marks in the bachelor’s degree. There is no age limit to give CAT 2023. Students in their final year of bachelor’s can also appear for the exam.
Yes, one year is enough to prepare for CAT and ace it. Aspirants need to maintain an effective study plan and practice on a regular basis to crack CAT with 12 months of preparation.
There is no limit to the number of times you can attempt CAT as there is no age limit. However, candidates must meet the basic eligibility criteria which requires the candidate to have a bachelor’s degre with minimum 50% marks.
Yes, CAT is a mandatory entrance exam for students who wish to pursue an MBA from the 20 IIMs and other top B-schools of India.