CAT 2022
CAT exam or Common Admission Test is designed for MBA aspirants who want to get into IIMs and other business schools across the globe. If you are an MBA aspirant looking for information about the CAT examination 2021, you are at the right place. Here in this post, we have mentioned all the details about the CAT exam for MBA, CAT exam fees, CAT exam syllabus, CAT exam eligibility, CAT question paper, and more.
The CAT 2021 registration process began on August 4, 2021, and the last date for registration is September 15, 2021. Candidates appearing for the CAT examination can register on the official website. The announced CAT exam date 2021 is 28 November 2021. The IIM Ahmedabad will conduct the CAT 2021 exam in three different slots.
Table of Contents
- What is CAT Exam 2021?
- CAT 2021: Major Changes You Need To Know
- Why is the CAT Exam important?
- Importance of CAT Exam Preparation
- CAT Exam 2021 Highlights
- CAT Registration Dates 2021
- CAT Registration Fees 2021
- CAT Exam Dates 2021
- CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria
- Documents Required for CAT Exam 2021
- How to apply for CAT 2021?
- CAT 2021 Exam Pattern and test structure
- CAT Examination 2021 and CAT Exam Test Structure
- CAT Exam 2021 Syllabus: Important topics
- CAT Exam 2021 Preparation Tips
- Study Material for CAT Exam
- CAT Previous Year Question Paper
- CAT 2021 Admit Card
- CAT Examination Centers for 2021
- CAT Exam 2021 Cut-off
- FAQs for CAT Exam
What is CAT Exam 2021?
CAT exam or Common Admission Test is a famous computer-based MBA entrance exam for getting admissions in the most famous business and management schools like IIMs in the country.
CAT exam for MBA is conducted annually by many IIMs rotationally, and CAT Exam 2020 was conducted in IIM Indore on 29th November in three different shifts.
The Common Admission Test exam has three sections: Quantitative Ability (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC). The duration of the exam is 120 minutes.
In August 2011, it was officially declared that the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) would use the CAT examination marks instead of the JMET examination, which offers admissions to students for different management programs starting from 2012-2015?
The results for the CAT examination 2020 were declared in January 2021. The CAT 2021 exam dates and CAT exam registration details were released at the end of July.
CAT 2021: Major Changes You Need To Know
- Revised IIM CAT exam 2021 eligibility criteria: IIM has revised the CAT eligibility criteria for the past two-year (COVID year) passed-out students. Students with “promotion” instead of “award of marks” in any of the last two academic years of the UG program can fill the “pass/promotion” in the CAT application form.
- CAT 2021 application fees have increased: The CAT registration fees have increased by Rs. 100 for SC/ST (1,100) and PwD candidates increased by Rs. 200 (Rs. 2,200).
- CAT test cities 2021 has increased: The number of CAT exam test cities has increased to 158 this year compared to 156 in 2020. CAT 2021 is likely to take place in over 40 CAT test centers in these cities.
- CAT 2021 exam date: CAT 2021 exam will be held on November 28, 2021, in three different slots Morning, Afternoon, and Evening.
- The CAT examination duration will be 2 hours (120 minutes).
- CAT sectional time limit is 40 minutes to solve each section.
- Six test cities to be filled in the CAT application: CAT 2021 exam candidates need to choose six test cities as per their needs.
Why is the CAT Exam important?
As mentioned, the CAT entrance exam is for MBA aspirants and is conducted by the Indian Institute of Management on a rotational basis.
Apart from IIMs, the CAT examination score is also used for getting admissions into any business school across the globe.
Here are some of the reasons why you should opt for CAT examinations:
- The students graduating from these top-notch management and business schools get hired with lucrative salary packages.
- It offers various job opportunities, the extent of roles and responsibilities you get in a job after an MBA is worthy. You get to choose from a wide range of specializations in your business school. The specializations include Marketing, Advertising, Finance, Strategy, Consultation, HR, and more.
- If you want to grow ahead in your career and opt for high-level jobs, you need an additional degree. Choosing a career in MBA is the best option for higher education in India.
- With an MBA, you can even start your own business and become an entrepreneur, making it easy to raise seed capital for your new business.
- An MBA degree will offer recognition, opportunities to network, and offer credibility.
Importance of CAT Exam Preparation
CAT entrance exam evaluates the capabilities of the candidate and helps them decide if the student is correct for the management job.
If you are close to graduating or have a few years of work experience and want to pursue MBA from one of the best business schools in India, then CAT exam preparation is very important.
CAT Exam 2021 Highlights
| CAT exam full form | Common Admission Test |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM, Indore) once a year. |
| CAT official website | iimcat.ac.in |
| Examination Level | National Level Examination |
| Mode of examination | Online |
| Exam duration | 2 hours The time limit for each section is 40 minutes. |
| Age limit | No age limit. |
| CAT Helpdesk | cathelpdesk@iimcat.ac.in; 1800-2090-830. |
| Total number of questions in the CAT exam question paper | 76 questions. Section 1, or the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), consists of 26 questions. Section 2, or Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), consists of 24 questions. Section 3, or Quantitative Ability (QA), consists of 26 questions. |
| Marking scheme | The CAT examination question paper has 50-55 MCQs. For each correct answer, you get +3 marks, and for each incorrect answer, you get -1 marks. The other questions in the CAT examination are Non-MCQ type without any negative marking. |
CAT Registration Dates 2021
The notification for CAT examination 2021 was released on August 1, 2021.
The CAT exam 2021 registration started on August 4, 2021, at 10:00 AM. The last CAT exam date for registration is September 15, 2021, till 5:00 PM. The CAT exam admit card 2021 will be released on 27th October 2021 at 5:00 PM.
According to the reports, the CAT exam 2021 date is November 28, 2021, and the CAT answer key 2021 will be released on December 2021. However, the dates are not yet confirmed. The CAT exam 2021 results will be released in January 2022.
CAT Registration Fees 2021
The CAT registration 2021 fees are Rs. 2200 for general and OBC-NC and Rs.1100 for reserved category. As mentioned, The CAT registration fees have increased by Rs. 100 for SC/ST (1,100) and PwD candidates increased by Rs. 200 (Rs. 2,200).
| General/ NC-OBC | INR 2200 |
|---|---|
| SC/ST | INR 1100 |
| PwD/DA | INR 1100 |
CAT Exam Dates 2021
According to the reports, the CAT 2021 examination date is November 28, 2021, and the CAT answer key 2021 will be released on December 2021. However, the dates are not yet confirmed. The CAT exam 2021 results will be released in January 2022.
CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria
- CAT 2021 eligibility is 50% in graduation for general candidates, and CA, CS, ICWA degrees are also eligible to take the CAT examination. So there are no restrictions for taking up the CAT exam.
- Many students were awarded “promotion/pass” certification in place of mark sheets in the last two years. So the CAT examination conducting body has allowed the candidates to fill and submit the CAT 2021 application form despite the requirements of minimum eligibility criteria by choosing the Promotion or Pass option available in the CAT application form.
- Candidates who have completed their undergraduate in 2020 and 2021 or are in the final year and will be completing their UG in 2021 and 2022 are eligible for the CAT examination.
- Reservation in the CAT examination is provided to the reserved quota students as per the Government of India guidelines.
- There is a relaxation of 5% in the qualifying percentage. Moreover, the quantifying percentage has been reduced.
Documents Required for CAT Exam 2021
The documents you need to submit while filling the CAT 2021 application form:
- Class 10 mark sheet
- Class 12 mark sheet
- Graduation mark sheet/certificate
- Birth certificate
- Address proof
- Caste certificate, if applicable
- PwD category certificate, if applicable
- Scribe certificate, if applicable
- Credit/Debit card or net banking credentials
- Previous job experience proof
How to apply for CAT 2021?
CAT 2021 registration process began on 4th August 2021 and will end on September 15, 2021, at 5:00 PM. the CAT 2021 application form will be available on the IIMCAT official website. The CAT aspirants have to fill the CAT 2021 registration cum application form. Follow the steps given below:
Step 1: Register for CAT 2021 on the IIMCAT official website.
Step 2: Fill the CAT application form 2021 by entering your details.
Step 3: After filling in all your details, click on the “save and continue” button to proceed and make the payment.
CAT 2021 Exam Pattern and test structure
The CAT exam question paper is divided into three different sections: VARC, DILR, and QA. You need to solve both MCQ and non-MCQ questions. The CAT exam 2021 question paper is a little difficult when solving the section QA. Here in this section, we have mentioned the highlights for CAT 2021 exam pattern:
CAT Examination 2021 and CAT Exam Test Structure
| Time duration | CAT time duration 120 minutes. |
|---|---|
| Total Sections | VARC, DILR, and QA |
| Exam duration | 120 minutes (40 minutes per section) |
| Total number of questions | 76 questions |
| Section-wise number of questions | VARC: 26 DILR: 24 QA: 26 |
| Total marks | 228 |
| Language of question paper | English |
| Number of answer choices | Four |
| Question types | MCQ and Non-MCQ |
| Marking scheme | Three marks for every correct response and a negative marking for every wrong MCQ response. There is no negative marking for wrong detailed answers. |
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CAT Exam 2021 Syllabus: Important topics
The CAT syllabus 2021 will be based on 10th-12th standard chapters, depending on the previous year’s CAT question paper. However, it is not properly defined.
To help the CAT 2021 aspirants in CAT 2021 exam preparation, IIM will release the CAT mock test 2021, highlighting the different types of questions and syllabus.
Here is a list of important topics based on the three sections in the CAT examination:
| Quantitative aptitude | Number, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Mensuration, Modern Maths, and more. |
|---|---|
| VARC | Fact Inference Judgement, Passages, Sentence Correction, Para Jumble, Para Completion, Fill in the blanks, etc. |
| DILR | Blood Relations, Tables, Seating Arrangement, Logical Deduction, Cause and Effect, Pie Charts, Clocks, Calendars, Venn Diagrams, etc. |
CAT Exam 2021 Preparation Tips
CAT 2021 aspirants need to start preparing for their exams on time. You need to start preparing at least six months before the exam. There are three main elements in the CAT 2021 exam preparation- conceptual clarity, practice, and revision.
Those taking CAT exams for the first time need to start preparing much earlier. First, you need to get familiar with the syllabus and the exam pattern and then create a timetable. Here are some of the CAT exam 2021 preparation tips:
- Make a list of the topics and analyze your strengths and weaknesses.
- Join different online study groups to stay updated on the latest updates on the subject.
- Collect relevant CAT exam study material and CAT 2021 books for CAT exam preparation.
- Make a day-wise plan and allot one topic each from different sections.
- Practice two to three questions from each topic you studied. Make sure you do it on the same day to assess how much you have learned.
- Increase the speed of covering the number of topics each day.
Study Material for CAT Exam
While preparing for your CAT examination, you need to have some CAT exam 2021 study material. Here is a list of CAT study material you can refer to while preparing for CAT exams 2021:
- List of CAT Study Material For Quantitative Ability
| NCERT Mathematics textbook Class 6-10 |
|---|
| How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma |
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha |
| Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Verma |
| Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit Sinha |
- List of CAT Study Material For Verbal Ability
| How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay |
|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension For The CAT by Nishit Sinh |
| Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis |
| High School Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin |
| Read novels and books from different genres |
- List of CAT Study Material For Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
| 1) A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by R.S. Agarwal. |
|---|
| 2) How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma |
| 3) How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma |
| 4) Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha |
| 5) Data Interpretation by Nishit Sinha |
CAT Previous Year Question Paper
There are several advantages for those who solve CAT’s previous year question paper before their exams. They get familiar with the topics and feel confident. Previous year papers are the best for those who self-study.
Here are some of the advantages of solving the CAT examination previous year’s question papers.
- It helps in time management.
- Helps to understand the CAT exam pattern
- Helps in understanding the trends followed by the CAT paper setter.
- Helps to understand important topics.
- It helps to devise new problem-solving techniques.
The CAT 2020 question paper and CAT exam five to ten previous year question papers are available online on the CAT official website.
CAT 2021 Admit Card
The CAT exam admit card 2021 will be released on 27th October 2021. You need to download it from the official website, and it is available in PDF format. Follow the steps given below to download the CAT admit card.
- Go to the official CAT website.
- Use your login credentials to log in to your dashboard and click on the “Download CAT 2021 Admit Card.”
- Now Download your admit card and save it.
CAT Examination Centers for 2021
CAT 2021 examination will be conducted in 425 different test centers in 156 different exam cities. The list of exam centers will be released with the CAT 2021 official brochure.
- Candidates have the opportunity to select up to six different exam centers while filling the CAT application form.
- You will not be able to change your CAT exam center after the CAT admit card is released.
- The center will also send a Google Map Link, which will help you reach the right exam center.
CAT Exam 2021 Cut-off
The minimum mark required to get a call for the MBA selection process is called CAT cutoff 2021. The CAT cut-off for IIM business school is 99%-100% for general category students. On the other hand, for the reserved category students, the cutoff for CAT 2021 is 97%-98%.
FAQs for CAT Exam
1. What is the CAT 2021 exam date?
CAT 2021 exam date is November 28, 2021. IIM Ahmedabad announced the exam date on July 31, 2021. The CAT exam will be held in three different slots: morning, afternoon, and evening.
2. Which IIM will conduct the CAT 2021 exam?
As mentioned, CAT exams are conducted annually in one of the IIMs. A CAT convener is responsible for conducting the exams. IIM Ahmedabad will conduct CAT 2021 exam. Prof M P Ram Mohan, Faculty in Business Policy, IIM Ahmedabad, is the CAT 2021 exam convener.
3. Is there any age limit for attending the CAT 2021 exam?
No, there is no age limit to appear for the CAT examination. Any graduate candidate or is in the final year of college can apply for the CAT exam. Moreover, working professionals can also appear for the CAT exam.
4. Can I select my preference for shift and test date?
The CAT exam is conducted in a single day in three different shifts. The exam slot is allotted by the exam convener depending on seats at a particular exam center. However, a candidate cannot choose the exam shift.
5. Can I appear for more than one slot for CAT 2021 exam?
No, you cannot appear in more than one exam slot. Each candidate can appear for the CAT examination in one slot only. The test slot is allotted to the candidate by the examination authority. To ensure every candidate attends the exam in one slot, all the documents like admit card, photo ID, candidate photo, and a biometric record are verified every year.
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