A very good effort by the CL team, it was the closest prediction, especially in times when prediction was near to impossible. Thanks lot!
Choosing Career Launcher has been one of the best decisions as far as my CAT prep is concerned. Can’t thank you enough. Also, CL’s percentile predictor has been very accurate. Thanks alot CL
CL Predictions were bang on, i got exact percentile!!
CL was most accurate in predicting the percentile...Hats off to the extended work done by CL team
I have been following CL for the past 3 years and every time, I have felt that the CL percentile predictor is the most accurate to the actual one, ranging in +-0.2 in 97+ scores. This year, it predicted the exact percentile, what I actually got.
I'm really happy with CL's percentile predictior. It's very much accurate. I'll suggest this to my friends as well.
I'm really happy with CL's percentile predictior. It's very much accurate. I'll suggest this to my friends as well.
Percentile predictor was very close for me. No other institute predicted north of 95, except CL.
You’re just way ahead of the league! I’m a fan. More power to all of you out there!
Section |
MCQs |
Non-MCQs |
Total |
VARC |
21 |
5 |
26 |
DILR |
18 |
6 |
24 |
QA |
20 |
6 |
26 |
Overall |
59 |
17 |
76 |
The CAT 2020 Slot 1 finally revealed the mystery behind the number of questions in the CAT exam. It ended up being 76 questions with 26 questions in VARC and QA while DILR had 24 questions. In terms of the level of difficulty, the VARC section of Slot 1 was lengthy and tricky, the DILR section was of a similar level to CAT 2016-18 and the QA section was similar to CAT 2019. A 99%ile overall could be expected if you scored around 105-110 marks.
CAT 2020 Slot 2 was quite similar to the slot 1 for the VARC section. The DILR section was similar in terms of pattern but slightly more difficult. The QA section on the other hand was again on similar lines to the CAT 2020 Slot 1 Paper. An overall score of 105-107 would be sufficient to obtain a 99%ile.
CAT 2020 Slot 3 was similar to the previous slots in terms of the paper pattern. The DILR section was somewhat tougher in comparison to the previous slots. An overall 99%ile is expected to be reached at an overall score of 100-102
Gejo
IIM Calcutta
Shivku R
IIM Calcutta
Gautam Puri
IIM Bangalore
Gautam Bawa
IIM Calcutta
Arks Srinivas
IIM Calcutta
After each CAT Exam, one question that burns in the mind of every CAT aspirant is “How have I performed?” Well, Career Launcher aims to answer this question with our CAT 2020 Score Calculator & Percentile Predictor. Over the years, we have collected the information of CAT attempts of thousands of candidates and with the help of Machine Learning techniques have been able to build a robust model of percentile prediction which has proven its worth over the years. Some of the standout results from CAT 2019 are given below:
USER_ID |
SLOT |
PREDICTED |
CAT 2019 - Actual |
3977814 |
1 |
99.979928 |
100.00 |
4054869 |
1 |
99.969192 |
99.99 |
3619913 |
2 |
99.910107 |
99.99 |
3745268 |
2 |
99.920944 |
99.98 |
3312710 |
1 |
99.941422 |
99.98 |
2501128 |
2 |
99.897787 |
99.98 |
2855723 |
2 |
99.924258 |
99.98 |
3603607 |
2 |
99.867854 |
99.95 |
3361772 |
1 |
99.910107 |
99.95 |
2554136 |
2 |
99.836326 |
99.93 |
2276159 |
1 |
99.873391 |
99.92 |
3928607 |
2 |
99.821704 |
99.92 |
3927317 |
1 |
99.873391 |
99.91 |
4067639 |
1 |
99.867854 |
99.91 |
3920895 |
2 |
99.813911 |
99.91 |
2582679 |
2 |
99.829171 |
99.90 |
3399750 |
1 |
99.862076 |
99.90 |
4072197 |
1 |
99.862076 |
99.90 |
3081237 |
1 |
99.856045 |
99.90 |
3328344 |
1 |
99.821704 |
99.89 |
One thing that sparks the curiosity of every CAT 2020 Aspirant is the CAT 2020 Expected Percentile, Score and cut off for the coveted 99%ile. While this depends heavily on the level of difficulty of the CAT 2020 Exam and applicants themselves, a fairly accurate estimate can be drawn on the basis of the past few CAT Exams. The estimates given below are based on the judgments of the CL Gurus who have vast experience in the domain.
| Section | VARC | DILR | QA |
| Difficulty Level | Slightly Lower compared to CAT 2020 | Similar to CAT 2019 | Higher than that of CAT 2019, Lesser than that of CAT 2018 |
| Exam Pattern | To be Confirmed (TBC) | To be Confirmed (TBC) | To be Confirmed (TBC) |
| 70% Questions expected to be from RCs | Multiple sets with 3-4 questions each | Algebra : 20-25% of total questions, Arithmetic : 30% of total questions | |
| 30% Questions expected to be from VA (PJ, PS, OS) | Good mix - mostly questions which require R&D work | Numbers : 15-20% of total questions, Geometry : 10-15% of total questions, Modern Maths : 1-2 Questions | |
| 99 percentile | ~ 70-75% of maximum marks | ~ 50% of maximum marks | ~ 60-65% of maximum marks |
| 95 percentile | ~ 60-65% of maximum marks | ~30-35% of maximum marks | ~ 50-55% of maximum marks |
| 85 percentile | ~ 50-55% of maximum marks | ~25% of maximum marks | ~ 40-45% of maximum marks |
With the CAT 2020 Exam being conducted across 3 slots this year (Slot 1 - 8:30AM-10:30AM, Slot 2 - 12:30PM-2:30PM, Slot 3 - 4:30PM-6:30PM), there is an additional focus on normalization of the CAT score. In order to calculate the scaled score for all the students, some of the parameters which are calculated are:
Following this, based on a formula which is available to view on the official CAT 2020 website, the scaled score of each student is calculated. The main function of the normalization is to ensure that each student is a level ground when it comes to the CAT score.
Although CAT 2020 is expected to very different from previous CAT Exams due to the 2 hour time limit, the level of difficulty of CAT 2020 Exam is expected to remain along similar lines to CAT 2019. The VARC section of CAT 2020 might be slightly easier as compared to CAT 2019 while the DILR section is expected to remain the same as CAT 2019. The QA section of CAT 2020 may be slightly more difficult compared to CAT 2019 which will mean that the overall CAT 2020 Paper would be of a comparable difficulty level to last year. The detailed CAT 2020 Analysis and Cut Off will be updated on this page right after the exam. CL Gurus will be taking the CAT 2020 in all three slots and, therefore, you will witness the most comprehensive and accurate analysis here.
Add all the content from the current CAT Page from the CAT 2020 Notification section.
CAT (Common Admission Test) is the premium entrance exam held by IIMs for admissions into top business schools. The CAT Exam score is accepted as a qualifier in over a 100 Business Schools. It is the most popular amongst the MBA Entrance Exams due to the vast number of colleges accepting the CAT Score including the top B-Schools in India such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, etc.
Like all things in 2020, CAT 2020 has also decided to people a shock with their announcement on 15th September that the exam duration for CAT 2020 has been reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours with each section having an individual time limit of 40 minutes. This has led to some speculation that the number of questions would be reduced in order to maintain the level of difficulty. It is also possible that the number of questions remains the same while the level of difficulty is reduced making CAT 2020 more of a speed based test. The CAT 2020 Admit Card has been released on 28th October. It will give you details regarding your slot & exam center which is required for you to take the CAT 2020 Exam.
Since CAT 2017, the CAT Exam has released its question paper for public scrutiny which has convinced a few international business schools like Singapore Management University to accept the CAT score for admissions into their business programs.
The CAT Exam is also quite simple in terms of the procedures to be followed.
Read below for further details regarding CAT 2020 Exam, Notification, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Important Dates, Eligibility Criteria, Preparation strategy, and more.
The first milestone that every CAT aspirant looks forward to is the CAT 2020 Notification. The CAT 2020 Notification, which has been released on 29th July 2020, marks the start of the fervent CAT Season which kicks off in earnest around August-September picking up the pace in November & December and finally stops around June. The CAT 2020 Notification is the time when the serious CAT aspirants start counting down their days for preparation. The CAT 2020 Notification may reveal some details about the CAT 2020 Exam like:
CAT 2020 Exam Date
CAT 2020 Exam Registration: Beginning and Deadline
Number of Centers in CAT 2020
Any Changes in CAT 2020 Exam Pattern â CAT 2020 has introduced a change in the CAT 2020 Exam Pattern which has seen the exam duration reduce from 3 hours to 2 hours. More information about the number of questions per section will be announced on 20th September.
Some other details about the CAT 2020 Notification and subsequent Registration are:
CAT 2020 Notification: Important Dates
The CAT 2020 online application form is usually divided into the following sections:
On completing the information on the form, click 'Save & Next' option. As the next step, you will be required to upload your photograph and signature in the respective sections. The last step of the CAT 2020 registration process is the payment of the application fee via Credit/Debit Card or Net Banking.
As per the eligibility criteria of CAT 2020 charted by IIMs, candidates should fulfill the following parameters:
The CAT 2020 eligibility criteria for reserved categories as decided by IIMs are as follows:
a) low vision blindness,
b) hearing impairment,
c) locomotor disability/cerebral palsy
On 15th September, IIM Indore announced on the official website of CAT 2020 that the exam duration for CAT 2020 has been reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours.
The order of sections will remain the same: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
The use of basic on-screen calculator for computations is allowed.
The CAT 2020 Exam pattern is given below:
| S.NO | SECTION | Number of Questions | Time Limit |
| 1 | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VRC) | To be Confirmed (TBC) | 40 minutes |
| 2 | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR) | TBC | 40 minutes |
| 3 | Quantitative Ability (QA) | TBC | 40 minutes |
| TOTAL | TBC | 120 minutes |
Every correct answer carries 3 marks.
Every wrong answer carries -1.
Negative marking do not apply to non-MCQs or TITA (type in the answer) questions.
The order of attempting the sections is pre-determined.
Sections start with VARC, followed by DILR, and ends with QA.
Here is what our experts have to say about the CAT 2020 Updated Exam Pattern
Based on the previous years' question papers, the subjects for CAT 2020 can be classified under the following categories:
Each of these sections contains different types of questions. A highly-effective CAT preparation strategy includes dense familiarity with all the topics that fall under these categories.
Verbal and Reading Comprehension sections comprises of Reading Comprehension passages. Thorough practice of RC passages will aid in better understanding of longer and complex texts.
Verbal Reasoning questions involve analyzing the form and content of passages. Sometimes the questions herein can surprise the candidates. Previous years' paper contained the following types of questions under Verbal Ability:
If you are looking for help in VARC specifically for CAT 2020, please have a look at the following page.
Data Interpretation (DI) and Logical Reasoning (LR) consists of charts and graphs of all kinds i.e. line, bar, and pie. These may appear individually or along with tables or other elements.
The questions in the Logical Reasoning sections are fundamentally word problems. However, they may also combine word problems with any of the aforementioned data forms. The form of questions asked in the DILR section may slightly seem complex and hence, consistent practice is the key.
If you are looking for help in DILR for CAT 2020, please have a look at the following page.
The question progression in the Quantitative Ability (QA) section may indeed seem heavy. From fractions to profit and loss to triangles and circles to exponents, etc., the escalation continues. Nonetheless, the calming feature of this section is the uniform pattern.
Questions under the QA section include algebra, arithmetic, geometry, modern math (including set theory, polynomials, probability, progressions, and permutations/combinations), and number systems (e.g. integers, primes, exponents).
he subjects' syllabus of CAT exam is definitely not confined. However, it follows a logical and standard pattern. This only means that once you're very familiar with the pattern, preparation gets more effective. Good luck for CAT 2020!
Visit our CAT 2020 Preparation Strategy page to know how you can follow a highly-effective preparation strategy for CAT devised by our MBA experts.
CAT'19 Exam Analysis : https://www.careerlauncher.com/cat/analysis-cut-off/
Despite the absence of rigid CAT syllabus, our experts have analyzed and provided a tentative CAT 2020 syllabus based on the past CAT trends. While there could be additions of new topics or removal of the old, CAT syllabus is expected to remain same for the year 2020.
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning |
Quantitative Ability |
|
|
|
Read more
In 2017, IIMs, for the first time released the official CAT 2017 questions and answer key. Based on this continuing trend into 2018 & 2019 as well, the official CAT 2020 question paper can be expected to be released by the first week of December, 2020.
The CAT 2020 Admit Card will be released on 28th October 2020 as per the CAT 2020 Notification. It will remain available for registered candidates till the day of the CAT 2020 Exam (29th November 2020). Candidates will be able to download their admit cards online by logging onto the official website with their unique credentials.
CAT Admit Card is one of the most important documents. One must carry a hard copy to the center on the exam day and keep it safe till the end of admission process.
CAT 2020 timeline is quite similar to that of CAT 2019 according to the CAT 2020 Notification. The main exam will be held on 29th November 2020, and with the CAT 2020 Notification released on 29th July 2020. Online application for the exam shall remain open from 5th August 2020 to the 23rd September 2020.
Do's
Don'ts
There is Test System Number in your CAT Admit card. This unique number is provided for the purpose of identifying the floor / wing and your designated seat at the exam center.
For any other correspondence with your CAT exam center, you should provide your Registration Number and not the Test System number. Test System number is only needful for seat location/identification during the main exam date.
Similar to CAT 2019, CAT 2020 exam centers will be located in over 150 cities across India. The actual number of exam centers may vary depending on the number of participating candidates and the situation at the time.
During the exam registration process, candidates will have to select three CAT exam centers in the order of their preference. The final allotting of exam center is decided by the IIMs which are then reflected on the official CAT Admit Card.
The official CAT mock test is usually released by the IIMs in the last week of October. It is created and shared with the candidates one month prior to the CAT exam. This way, candidates may practice and become familiar with the format and navigation process of the online test. Candidates can also familiarize themselves with the usage of the online calculator and timer. However, it must be noted that the CAT mock test is intended for practice purposes only. The questions therein cannot be considered as an insight to the actual questions due to the absence of qualitative similarity.
CAT result 2020 is expected to be released in the second week of January, 2021. The official CAT 2020 score card will be available for download online by entering your unique CAT ID and password on the official website (www.iimcat.ac.in). The CAT score card will include your detailed sectional and overall scaled scores and percentiles. The score cards are available online alone, hence, take a print out for further admission processes
The table below contains past exam-result trends as an attempt to lay down the past exam mechanism of CAT.
YEAR |
EXAM |
RESULT |
2015 |
November 29th, 2015 |
January 8th, 2016 |
2016 |
December 4th, 2016 |
January 9th, 2017 |
2017 |
November 26th, 2017 |
January 8th, 2018 |
2018 |
November 25th, 2018 |
January 5th, 2019 |
2019 |
November 24th, 2019 |
January 4th, 2020 |
2020 |
November 29th, 2020 |
- |
When the CAT 2020 Results are declared, the candidates will be able to check it and download the score card by following the given steps:
Go to the official CAT website www.iimcat.ac.in.
Enter User Id and Password and login to your account
Click on 'score card for CAT 2020'.
Take print out of your CAT Result 2020 for reference/record keeping.
Although the official CAT result is after almost two months, it is an added advantage and a peace of mind to have an insight on the performance. Keeping this in mind, Career Launcher experts have created a percentile calculator for the purpose of score assessment. The link below is to help you predict/calculate your CAT percentile, so you can begin your college picking plan ahead of time.
Since CAT is conducted in morning and afternoon slots on a single day, it becomes necessary to normalize the scores of all candidates from both slots. Therefore, IIMs normalizes CAT scores by using a formula similar to that applied for GATE.
The scaled scores for each section along with percentiles are declared along with the result. This is practiced for transparency and for equalizing the scores. This way, no candidates from either slot are left in an advantaged or disadvantaged position.
CAT cut-off is an indication of the minimum percentile score that is expected of a candidate to achieve for getting shortlisted by the participating institutes. While top B-schools are known to have a higher CAT cut-off range, the minimum cut-off varies from institute to institute.
CAT cut-off is generally dependent on certain factors like difficulty level of the exam, number of test-takers, number of seats, etc.
Find the below the tabulated 2020 CAT cut-off of top-tier IIMs for reference:
IIM |
SECTION |
GENERAL |
OBC-NC |
SC |
ST |
PwD (except ST) |
PwD (ST) |
IIM Ahmedabad |
VRC |
70 |
65 |
60 |
50 |
60 |
50 |
|
DI&LR |
70 |
65 |
60 |
50 |
60 |
50 |
|
QA |
70 |
65 |
60 |
50 |
60 |
50 |
|
Aggregate |
80 |
75 |
70 |
60 |
70 |
60 |
IIM Bangalore |
VRC |
85 |
75 |
70 |
60 |
50 |
|
DI&LR |
80 |
70 |
65 |
60 |
50 |
||
|
QA |
80 |
70 |
65 |
60 |
50 |
|
|
Aggregate |
90 |
80 |
75 |
70 |
60 |
|
IIM Calcutta |
VRC |
85 |
75 |
65 |
60 |
60 |
|
|
DI&LR |
80 |
75 |
65 |
60 |
60 |
|
|
QA |
80 |
75 |
65 |
60 |
60 |
|
|
Aggregate |
90 |
85 |
70 |
70 |
70 |
|
The selection procedure differs according to various participating institutes. However, the one uniform feature among all is the preliminary round selection where candidates are shortlisted based on CAT cut-off.
For the second round selection, candidates will have to appear for the Group Discussion (GD) or Writing Ability Test (WAT) or both and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. The new IIMs have in fact started to conduct Common Admission Process (CAP) where the shortlisted candidates from all participating IIMs appear for WAT and PI rounds jointly.
After the end of CAT selection procedure, each IIM release their separate merit lists. The final selection process of B-schools or the CAT selection procedure of participating B-schools is based on multiple criteria such as performance in CAT and GD/WAT and PI rounds and past academic records and or work experience. The criteria or parameters vary from institute to institute. IIMs release their detailed admission criteria after the CAT notification every year.
Apart from CAT, the other MBA exams are XAT, IIFT, SNAP, NMAT, MICAT, TISSNET and a few others.
This diagram gives you a representation of all the important MBA exams and the timeline.