One of the biggest MBA entrance exams, CAT is conducted every year by Indian Institute of Management (IIM) on a rotational basis. CAT is a computer-based test held for admissions in elite B-Schools across India. A seat in these institutions promises high pay-packages and a rewarding career in the corporate world. As such, CAT remains one of the most sought-after competitive examinations and attracts graduates from all streams. The score is not only accepted by the IIMs, but also by other 100+ top notch B- Schools across the country. Approximately 4,000 seats are offered by the IIMs.
Though the official registration of CAT started in the month of August and the test will be conducted in November, we bring you the important dates of the commencement of the CAT so that you have a fair idea about CAT and plan your preparation accordingly.
| Notification release date | Last week of July, 2019 |
| Registration commencement | 2nd week of August, 2019 |
| Last date for Online Registration | Last week of September, 2019 |
| Issue of Admit Card | 4th week of October 2019 |
| CAT Exam Date | November 24, 2019 |
| Releasing of Answer Key | 1st week of December, 2019 |
| Result Announcement | 2nd week of January 2020 |
A quick overview of important facts about CAT:
| Name of test | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
| Purpose of test | Qualifying test for admission to 20 IIMs and over 100 B-schools across India |
| Conducted by | IIM Calcutta |
| Exam type | National level |
| Periodicity | Once in a year |
| Score/Percentile Validity | One Year |
| Annual Number of Test Takers | 2,09,405 in 2018 |
| Pattern of Test | MCQs and Non-MCQs |
| Number of Questions | 100 |
| Test Duration | 3 hours |
| Negative Marking | -1 for each wrong answer in MCQs No negative marking for Non-MCQs or TITA |
| Syllabus | Questions from VARC, QA and DI & LR |
| Mode of Conduct | Computer-based (Online test) |
| CAT 2018 Convenor | Prof. Sumanta Basu |
| Application Fees | Rs. 1900 for General/NC-OBC category Rs. 950 for SC/ST/PWD/DA category |
| Reservation of seats in IIMs and B-schools | As per the Government of India regulations |
| Official Website | https://iimcat.ac.in |
