The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most prestigious and widely accepted entrance exams for admission to MBA and other postgraduate management courses in India. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) conduct it annually. The CAT exam serves as a gateway to many business schools, including the IIMs and other top-tier institutions.
1.Eligibility Criteria –
- Completed Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage of marks
- Completed professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA (CMA)/Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI)) with required percentage
- Should be in the final year of Bachelor’s degree with the required percentage
- SC/ST/PwD candidates should have a minimum 45%. For General, EWS, and NC-OBC candidates, the minimum is 50%.
2. Reservation –
The Common Admission Test reserves 15% of the seats for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. Candidates from the “non-creamy” layer (NC-OBC) hold 27% of the reserved seats. Candidates from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) hold up to 10% of the reserved seats.
3. Registration and Application Process –
- The CAT 2024 registration window opened at 10.00 a.m. on August 1, 2024, and will close at 5:00 p.m. on September 13, 2024.
- The candidates need to click on the “Register” button to create a new user account. Fill in the necessary details.
- The mentioned mobile number will receive an OTP, which the candidates must enter during registration.
- The candidates must click on submit after entering the OTP.
- Through email and SMS, the candidates will receive their user ID and password.
- After obtaining their user ID and password, candidates must complete the application form by clicking on the “Registered Candidates” login.
- Uploading of scanned copies of the candidate’s photograph, signature, and any other required documents, such as a valid EWS/NC-OBC/SC/ST/PwD Certificate (if applicable), is mandatory.
- The education details need to be filled in carefully.
- During the application process, candidates must pay the registration fee (Rs 1250 for SC, ST, and PwD category candidates, Rs 2500 for all other categories).
- The candidates can select all courses at once by clicking on the “Select All” checkbox above the program section.
- Choose the course, then choose the interview city from the list of cities provided in the corresponding drop-down menu.
- Before finally submitting the form, the candidates must preview it for errors.
- The candidates will also receive a confirmation email stating the successful submission of their CAT 2024 application within a few minutes.
4. CAT Exam Pattern –
- CAT 2024 will be conducted on November 24, 2024, in three sessions.
- CAT admit card can be downloaded from November 05 — November 24, 2024.
- It will be conducted across 170 cities. Candidates are given the option to choose CAT exam centres from five preferred cities.
- The duration of the test will be 120 minutes.
- The test will have the following three sections: Section I: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Section II: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Section III: Quantitative Ability.
- Candidates will be allotted exactly 40 minutes for answering questions in each section.
- They will not be allowed to switch from one section to another while answering questions in a section.
5. CAT Result –
- The tentatively results will be declared in the second week of January 2025.
- Candidate’s CAT 2024 scorecards will be made accessible on the CAT website.
- The CAT 2024 score is valid only till December 31, 2025, and will accordingly be accessible on the website.
6. CAT Selection Process –
- The primary criterion for shortlisting candidates is the CAT score. Each participating institute sets its own cut-off percentiles, which vary based on the course and category.
- Candidates must meet the minimum required percentile in each section of the exam as well as the overall percentile.
- After the CAT results are announced, each participating institute releases its shortlist of candidates based on their CAT scores and other criteria.
- Shortlisted candidates are invited to participate in the next stages of the selection process, which include Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI).
- Institutes compile a composite score for each candidate, considering various components such as CAT score, WAT, GD, PI performance, academic background, etc.
- Based on the composite score, a final merit list is prepared, and admission offers are extended to successful candidates.
- Candidates who receive admission offers must confirm their acceptance by paying the required fees and completing the necessary formalities.
7. Preparation Tips and Strategies –
Preparing for the CAT 2024 requires a well-structured approach, consistent practice, and a strong understanding of the exam pattern and syllabus. Here are some effective tips and strategies to help candidates prepare for CAT–
- Understand the exam pattern and syllabus
- Create a Study Plan
- Strengthen their basics.
- Practice Regularly
- Focus on Time Management
- Appear for a mock test.
8. Conclusion –
CAT 2024 is a national level entrance exam for admission to top B schools in India. By staying focused and motivated, candidates can achieve their desired scores and secure admission to their preferred business schools. The journey requires dedication and perseverance.
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