CAT
Common Admission Test — Conducted by IIMs (rotational)
CAT is the main entrance test for MBA/PGP admissions at the IIMs and many other top management institutes in India.
Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD) or equivalent CGPA.
Final-year students can also apply.
Individual IIMs set their own additional shortlisting criteria.
Computer-based test of 2 hours with three sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability.
MCQs and non-MCQ (TITA) questions; wrong MCQ answers carry negative marking.
Section-wise time limits apply.
No official syllabus. Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, number system, reading comprehension, para-jumbles, data interpretation, and logical reasoning are commonly tested.
Register on the official CAT website with email and mobile.
Fill academic and personal details, choose test cities and IIM preferences.
Pay the fee, download the admit card, and appear in the test.
After results, apply to IIMs and other colleges for WAT/GD/PI rounds.
CAT score is accepted by IIMs and 1,200+ other B-schools and other participating institutes.
Dates change every year — always confirm on the official website.