CAT 2023: Exam Dates, Registration, Pattern, Syllabus, Application Form, Question Papers

The CAT 2023 exam is expected to be held in the month of November 2023. Here is the tentative timeline for the exam-

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-

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.

• Candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline with a minimum score of 50% for the General and NC-OBC categories. The required score for SC, ST and PWD candidates is 45%.
• Final year candidates of an undergraduate can also appear for the exam with the expectation that they complete their graduation with the required marks. Candidates failing to provide the same during admissions will find their admission canceled.
• CAT 2023 has no age restrictions and anyone fulfilling the above criteria is welcome to apply.
• Candidates with a professional degree such as CA/ CS/ ICWS are also eligible for the CAT exam.

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-

• On the official website, candidates must click on new candidate registration, fill in the basic details required and submit.

• Upon verification, candidates will receive a unique user ID and password on the registered email and mobile number.
• Now the candidates can fill up the details requested in the CAT application form 2023.
• The candidate will also have to select the programs of their choice along with the Interview City for the same.
• The candidate can choose 6 preferred test cities for the CAT 2023 exam.

Documents Required-

While filling out the CAT application form 2023, the candidate must also upload the required documents in the given format-

Application Fee-

After filling all the details in the CAT application form 2023, the candidate must make the payment to complete the registration process.

• For General, EWS and NC-OBC, the application fee is INR 2,200/-
• For SC, ST and PwD, the application fee is INR 1,100/-
• The fee can be paid through online mode only.

• Before submitting the CAT application form 2023 and making the payment, the candidate will be able to preview the complete form.
• After successful payment, the candidates will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes.

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-

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-

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• The VARC section is divided into two main parts; reading comprehension and verbal ability. A major section of the VARC is reading comprehension which includes paragraphs of varying lengths with MCQ and TITA questions. The verbal ability section comprises parajumbles, odd sentences etc.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• Data Interpretation consists of sets of questions based on various charts, graphs and other forms of data presentation. The data for the answers is to be directly extracted from the given charts. The logical reasoning section also consists of sets of questions based on seating arrangements, blood relations, puzzles etc.

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

• This section is focused on mathematics as the syllabus for QA is entirely based on school maths. Topics included are LCM & HCF, trigonometry, mensuration, probability etc. In recent years the difficulty of this section has been reduced by the IIMs.

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-

• Prepare a Study Strategy: Divide the syllabus into various sections and phases across the time you have for preparation. Allot time daily for your CAT preparations and commit to it. You should ensure that each section of the paper gets the required time.
• Establish the Basics: Identify the concepts you are not accustomed to or struggle with more. Devote time to the different topics of each section and establish your understanding at the start of the CAT preparations.
• Choose the Mode of Preparation: You can choose to study by yourself or enroll in a CAT coaching program. A coaching program will guide you through all the processes of preparation. If you choose to self-study, remember to consult the correct books and materials for your preparation.

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 candidates who fill out the CAT application form 2023 and successfully register for the exam will be able to download their admit cards.
• Candidates can access their admit cards by logging into the official website using the registration ID and password. They would then be able to download the admit card.
• The test centers, date and other details of the exam will be present on the admit card.
• Candidates must carry their admit cards with them on the day of the examination.

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.