Satarupa at 21:42, 6 February 2026

2026-02-06T21:42:59Z

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{{short description|Computer based test held in India}}
{{redirect-distinguish|CAT test|Computerized Achievement Levels Test|Computerized adaptive testing}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox examination
| name = Common Admission Test
| image_name =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| acronym = CAT
| type = Computer-based standardized test
| test_admin = [[Indian Institutes of Management]]
| skills_tested = Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
| purpose = Admission to post-graduate management programs
| year_started = January 1977
| duration = 2 hours(40 minutes for each section) [[Physical disability|PWD]] candidates get 160 minutes (53 minutes and 20 seconds for each section)
| score_range = varies annually
| score_validity = 1 year
| offered = Once a year (usually on the last [[Sunday]] of November).
| attempt_restriction = No restriction
| regions = 170 cities and towns all over [[India]].
| language = [[English language|English]]
| test_takers = {{Decrease}} 2.58 Lakhs (CAT 2025)
| prerequisite = Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least 50 % marks or equivalent GPA (45 % in case of [[Scheduled Castes|SC, ST]], [[Physical disability|PWD]] candidates). Final year undergraduate students are also eligible
| fee = {{INRConvert|2600}} for General/ [[Economically Weaker Section|EWS]]/NC-OBC category candidates.
{{INRConvert|1300}} for [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes|SC/ST]]/[[Physical disability|PWD]] category candidates
| score_users = Various business schools in India
| qualification_rate =
| free =
| website = {{URL|https://iimcat.ac.in}}
| footnotes =
}}

The '''Common Admission Test''' ('''CAT''')<ref>{{Cite web|title = CAT 2015|url = https://iimcat.ac.in/|website = iimcat.ac.in|access-date = 2015-12-09|archive-date = 28 July 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140728193234/http://www.iimcat.ac.in/|url-status = live}}</ref> is a [[computer based test]] for admission in graduate management programs. The test consists of three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. The exam was taken online over a period of three hours, with one hour per section. In 2020, due to the [[COVID-19]] precautions, [[Indian Institute of Management Indore]] decided to conduct the CAT Exam in 2 hours with 40 minutes devoted to each section.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CAT 2020 Media Release |url=https://cdn.digialm.com//per/g01/pub/756/ASM/WebPortal/17/PDF/CAT_2020_MediaRelease.pdf |access-date=8 January 2021 |archive-date=28 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928164156/https://cdn.digialm.com/per/g01/pub/756/ASM/WebPortal/17/PDF/CAT_2020_MediaRelease.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Indian Institutes of Management]] started this exam and use the test for selecting students for their business administration programs ([[MBA]] or PGDM). The test is conducted every year by one of the Indian Institutes of Managements(IIMs) based on a policy of rotation.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In August 2011, it was announced that [[Indian Institutes of Technology]] (IITs) and [[Indian Institute of Science]] (IISc) would also use the CAT scores, instead of the [[Joint Management Entrance Test]] (JMET), to select students for their management programmes starting with the 2012-15 batch.<ref>{{cite news|title=CAT replaces JMET in IIT, IISc |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/cat-replaces-jmet-iit-iisc-532 |access-date=10 February 2012 |newspaper=Deccan Chronicle |date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827134858/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/cat-replaces-jmet-iit-iisc-532 |archive-date=27 August 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref>

Before 2010, CAT was a paper based test conducted on a single day for all candidates. The pattern, number of questions and duration have seen considerable variations over the years.

On 1 May 2009, it was announced that CAT would be a [[Computer Based Test]] starting from 2009. The American firm [[Prometric]] was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the test from 2009 to 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=CAT to go online from this year|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-economy/article1050650.ece|access-date=10 February 2012|newspaper=Business Line|date=1 May 2009|archive-date=2 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102223601/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-economy/cat-to-go-online-from-this-year/article1050650.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The first computer based CAT was marred with technical snags.<ref>{{cite news|title=Snags hit 7,000 candidates at CAT|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article84368.ece|access-date=10 February 2012|newspaper=The Hindu|date=1 December 2009|archive-date=26 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626021545/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article84368.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The issue was so serious that it prompted the [[Government of India]] to seek a report from the convenor.<ref>{{cite news|title=Govt seeks report from CAT convener on exam disruption|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-seeks-report-from-CAT-convener-on-exam-disruption/articleshow/5285101.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923132343/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11-30/india/28087821_1_prometric-exam-centres-virus-attacks|url-status=live|archive-date=23 September 2012|access-date=10 February 2012|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=30 November 2009}}</ref> The trouble was diagnosed as '[[Conficker]]' and [[Nimda|'W32 Nimda']], the two [[Computer virus|viruses]] that attacked the system display of the test, causing server slow down.<ref>{{cite news|title=IIM-A names two viruses that caused CAT chaos|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-12-01/news/27640238_1_centres-satish-deodhar-cat-chaos|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523190503/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-12-01/news/27640238_1_centres-satish-deodhar-cat-chaos|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 May 2012|access-date=10 February 2012|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=1 December 2009}}</ref> Since 2014 onward, CAT has been conducted by [[Tata Consultancy Services|Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)]]. CAT 2015 and CAT 2016 were 180-minute tests consisting of 100 questions (34 from Quantitative Ability, 34 from Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, and 32 from Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iimcat.ac.in/per/g01/pub/756/ASM/WebPortal/1/PDF/Draft_Media_Release-CAT_2015.pdf|title=CAT 2015|access-date=7 April 2016|archive-date=22 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522173159/https://iimcat.ac.in/per/g01/pub/756/ASM/WebPortal/1/PDF/Draft_Media_Release-CAT_2015.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> CAT 2020 onwards, the exam duration has been reduced to two hours, with 40 minutes allotted per section.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CAT Exam Pattern 2021: Check Here - New Section Wise Pattern and Marking Scheme|url=https://www.mbauniverse.com/cat/exam-pattern|access-date=2021-09-17|website=www.mbauniverse.com}}</ref>

== Eligibility for CAT ==
The candidate must satisfy the below specified criteria:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digialm.com//EForms/configuredHtml/756/52967//CAT_2018_ELIGIBILITY.html|title=CAT Eligibility - IIM Ahmedabad|access-date=1 October 2018|archive-date=13 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613022408/https://www.digialm.com/EForms/configuredHtml/756/52967/CAT_2018_ELIGIBILITY.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

# Hold a [[bachelor's degree]], with not less than 50% or equal CGPA (45% for [[Scheduled Castes|Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST)]] and Persons with Disability (PWD)/Differently Able (DA) classification)
# The degree should be granted by any of the universities consolidated by an act of the central or state statutory body in India or other instructive organizations built up by an act of Parliament or pronounced to be considered as a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.
# Competitors appearing for the final year of bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification examination and the individuals who have finished degree prerequisites and are anticipating results can likewise apply. If selected, such applicants will be permitted to join the program temporarily, only if they present a certificate most recent by June of next year in which the exam is held, from the principal/registrar of their college/institute (issued at the latest 30 June of that year) expressing that the competitor has finished every one of the prerequisites for acquiring four-year or three-year college education/identical capability on the date of the issue of the certificate.

== Exam pattern ==
The Common Admission Test (CAT) uses different versions of the exam each year, so it reports two types of scores: a [[raw score]] and a scaled score.

The raw score is calculated for each section based on the number of questions one answered correctly, incorrectly, or left attempted. Candidates are given '''+'''3 points for each correct answer and -1 point for each incorrect answer, no negative marking for TITA (Type in the Answer) questions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MBA Entrance Exams in India - Check Exam Dates, Fees & Pattern |url=https://www.learningroutes.in/blog/mba-entrance-exams-india}}</ref>

Since different versions of the test may vary slightly in difficulty, the raw scores are adjusted using a method called '''equating'''. After that, the scores are '''scaled''' to ensure fairness, so that scores from different exam slots can be compared accurately.

The '''number of questions''' in CAT can change from year to year. Recently, the paper has had '''68 questions''' divided into three sections:<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=CAT Exam Pattern 2026 - Sections, Types of Questions, & Marks |url=https://www.imsindia.com/blog/cat/cat-exam-pattern/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=IMS India |language=en-US}}</ref>

* '''Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)''' – 24 questions
* '''Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)''' – 22 questions
* '''Quantitative Ability (QA)''' – 22 questions

CAT is held in three sessions in a single day: Morning, Afternoon, and Evening. Candidate can give exam in only on of the session.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All You Need to Know About Common Aptitude Test |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/competitive-exams/cat-2023-all-that-you-need-to-know-about-the-common-aptitude-test-101699952868348.html |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

===CAT Pattern and Duration===
The CAT 2024 exam will be conducted in three sessions, each of 40 minutes, for a total exam duration of 120 minutes (2 hours). The CAT exam pattern includes both [[Multiple Choice Question]] and non-MCQ or TITA (Type-In-The-Answer) questions. The test comprises the following three sections:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shrivastava |first=Vipra |date=4 Nov 2025 |title=CAT 2025 Exam Pattern |url=https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam-pattern |url-status=live |website=www.shiksha.com}}</ref>

# Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
#* 24 questions in total: 8 Verbal Ability questions and 4 [[Reading comprehension|Reading Comprehension]] passages, each containing 4 questions.
# [[Data Interpretation]] & [[Logical reasoning|Logical Reasoning]] (DILR)
#* 22 questions are asked across 5 sets, 2 sets having 5 questions each and 3 sets having 4 questions each.
# [[Quantitative analysis (finance)|Quantitative Ability]] (QA)
#* 22 questions covering topics such as [[Arithmetic]], [[Algebra]], [[Geometry]], [[Number system|Number System]], and Modern Math.

In total, the CAT 2025 exam consists of 68 questions, with a maximum score of 204 marks.<ref name=":0" />

Candidates can not switch between sections while answering; the order of sections is fixed as: VARC → DILR → QA.

==Controversy==

In 2003, CAT got leaked leading to re examination <ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031124/main2.htm |access-date=2025-12-14 |website=www.tribuneindia.com}}</ref>

In CAT 2024, a question of slot 2 in VARC was challenged by students and educators but [[Indian Institute of Management Calcutta|IIM C]] did not accept any changes. One candidate took the matter to the court still the challenge was not accepted.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-07 |title=CAT 2024: Delhi High Court dismisses plea challenging CAT 2024 results, says ‘we find no reason to interfere’ |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/competitive-exams/cat-2024-delhi-high-court-dismisses-plea-challenging-cat-2024-results-says-we-find-no-reason-to-interfere-101736240868726.html |access-date=2025-12-14 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

In CAT 2025, [[Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode|IIM K]] released provisional answer keys without releasing provisional answers for QA (TITA) questions.{{fact|date=January 2026}}

==CAT registrations in numbers over the years==

The number of registrations in the past years are shown in the following chart:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-29 |title=CAT Registration 2022, Start Date, Last Date and How to Apply |url=https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-registration |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=bschool.careers360.com |language=en |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716113021/https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-registration |url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!'''Year'''
!No. of candidates
Registered
!No. of candidates
Appeared<ref>{{Cite web |title=No Change in Percentage of CAT 2021 Test Takers: 1.92 Lakh including 35% Women took CAT 2021 |url=https://www.mbauniverse.com/articles/cat-registration-numbers |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=www.mbauniverse.com |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215133/https://www.mbauniverse.com/articles/cat-registration-numbers |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|2005<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-08-10 |title=CAT Registration Trends, Facts and Figures over the Years |url=https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-registration-facts-and-figures-over-years |access-date=2022-07-28 |website=bschool.careers360.com |language=en}}</ref>
|170,000
|155,000
|-
|2006
|191,000
|180,000
|-
|2007
|250,000
|230,000
|-
|2008
|290,000
|276,000
|-
|2009
|241,000
|230,000
|-
|2010
|204,000
|185,000
|-
|2011
|205,000
|186,000
|-
|2012
|214,000
|195,000
|-
|2013
|194,516
|173,714<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-15 |title=CAT 2013: Even with a blank sheet you can score in 55th percentile |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/cat-2013-even-with-a-blank-sheet-you-can-score-in-55th-percentile-1341407.html |access-date=2022-07-28 |website=Firstpost |language=en |archive-date=28 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728150553/https://www.firstpost.com/india/cat-2013-even-with-a-blank-sheet-you-can-score-in-55th-percentile-1341407.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|2014
|196,988
|170,000<ref>{{Cite news |title=CAT 2014 results to be declared on December 27; 1.7 lakh candidates eyeing outcome |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/cat-2014-results-to-be-declared-on-december-27-1-7-lakh-candidates-eyeing-outcome/articleshow/45616667.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2022-07-06 |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706120429/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/cat-2014-results-to-be-declared-on-december-27-1-7-lakh-candidates-eyeing-outcome/articleshow/45616667.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|2015
|218,664
|179,602<ref>{{Cite web |title=CAT 2015: 179602 candidates appeared in the exam; 58,270 comprising girls |url=https://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/9136/CAT-2015#:~:text=Out%20of%202,18,664%20registered,exam%20during%20last%206%20years. |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=www.mbauniverse.com |archive-date=29 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929110059/https://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/9136/CAT-2015#:~:text=Out%20of%202,18,664%20registered,exam%20during%20last%206%20years. |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|2016
|232,434
|195,679
|-
|2017<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 September 2017 |title=CAT 2017: About 2.31 lakh candidates register for exam this year |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/cat-2017-1052487-2017-09-26 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>
|231,067<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-26 |title=Over 1.99 lakh candidates appear for CAT conducted by IIM-Lucknow |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/over-1-99-lakh-candidates-appear-for-cat-conducted-by-iim-lucknow/story-j6Xmcc4xvFqJfDhmQzxSnM.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en |archive-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710052042/https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/over-1-99-lakh-candidates-appear-for-cat-conducted-by-iim-lucknow/story-j6Xmcc4xvFqJfDhmQzxSnM.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|199,632
|-
|2018<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-29 |title=CAT 2018: Number of test takers touches 2 lakh mark after a decade, 13 per cent skip the test |url=https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-2018-number-of-test-takers-touches-2-lakh-mark-after-decade-13-cent-skip-test |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=bschool.careers360.com |language=en |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215643/https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-2018-number-of-test-takers-touches-2-lakh-mark-after-decade-13-cent-skip-test |url-status=live }}</ref>
|240,338
|209,405
|-
|2019
|244,169
|209,926
|-
|2020
|227,835
|190,144
|-
|2021
|229,969
|191,660
|-
|2022<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-02 |title=CAT 2022 Media Release 01 Dec 2022 |url=https://cdn.digialm.com//per/g01/pub/756/ASM/WebPortal/19/PDF/CAT_2022_Media_Release_01_Dec_2022.pdf |access-date=2022-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202091935/https://cdn.digialm.com//per/g01/pub/756/ASM/WebPortal/19/PDF/CAT_2022_Media_Release_01_Dec_2022.pdf |archive-date=2 December 2022 }}</ref>
|255,501
|222,184
|-
|2023
|328,000<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=2.88 lakh candidates appeared for CAT 2023 {{!}} What's next? Details here |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/288-lakh-candidates-appeared-for-cat-2023-whats-next-details-here-2468624-2023-11-28 |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=India Today |language=en |archive-date=7 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107130905/https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/288-lakh-candidates-appeared-for-cat-2023-whats-next-details-here-2468624-2023-11-28 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|288,000
|-
|2024
|329,000<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 November 2024 |title=CAT 2024 Media Release 25 Nov 2024 Updated |url=https://cdn.digialm.com/per/g06/pub/32842/EForms/CAT24/CAT_2024_Media_Release_25_Nov_2024_V1.pdf |access-date=25 November 2024}}</ref>
|293,000
|-
|2025
|295,000<ref>{{Cite news |date= 1 Dec 2025 |title=CAT 2025 Media Release 01 Dec 2025|url=https://cdn.digialm.com/per/g06/pub/32842/EForms/image/CAT2025/CAT_2025_Media_Release_01_Dec_2025.pdf |access-date= 1 Dec 2025}}</ref>
|258,000
|}
''Note: Data of candidates registered till 2012 are approximate.''

==See also==
* [[Graduate Management Admission Test]]
* [[Graduate Record Examination]]
* [[Test of English as a Foreign Language]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|iimcat.ac.in}}

{{Standardized tests in India}}
{{Indian Institutes of Management}}
{{Indian Institutes of Technology}}

[[Category:Standardised tests in India]]
[[Category:Management education in India]]

Common Admission Test - Revision history

Satarupa at 21:42, 6 February 2026