CAT
Common Admission Test
Important dates
Eligibility criteria
Bachelor's degree with minimum 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC/ST/PwD). Final-year students can also apply provisionally, subject to producing proof of graduation within the deadline specified by the IIM CAT notification.
Exam pattern
3 sections — VARC (24 Qs, 40 min), DILR (22 Qs, 40 min), QA (22 Qs, 40 min). Total: 68 questions, 120 minutes. Sectional time limits.
Syllabus overview
VARC: Reading Comprehension, Para-Jumbles, Para-Summary, Odd Sentence Out
DILR: Data Interpretation (tables, graphs), Logical Reasoning (puzzles, sets)
QA: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number Systems, Modern Maths
Accepted colleges
Cutoff trends
IIM A/B/C shortlist: 99–99.5 percentile. IIM L/K/I: 95–98 percentile. Good MBA: 85+ percentile. Score varies each year with difficulty.
Preparation tip
6–12 months of consistent preparation of dedicated preparation is recommended. Start with the official syllabus and previous year papers.
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