IIM Lucknow has released CAT 2023 Registration Guide at CAT official website iimcat.ac.in to understand how to apply for CAT Exam. However, CAT registration video which used to be released alongwith the registration guide has not been released till date. CAT 2023 Exam date is Nov 26 and the CAT Registration last date is September 13, 2023. You can register and apply for CAT exam at CAT official website iimcat.ac.in..

Conducted by older IIMs by rotation, Common Admission Test (CAT) is the mandatory exam for MBA admission in 21 IIMs including the recently announced IIM Mumbai. Check step by step process how to register and apply for CAT 2023 Error Free

Latest Updates

• CAT 2023 Registration Dates: August 2 to September 13, 2023
• CAT 2023 Exam Date: November 26, 2023 in three slots
• CAT Exam Cities: CAT 2023 will be conducted in around 155 cities.
• Choice of CAT Cities: Candidates can choose six CAT exam cities
• CAT Exam Duration: 2 Hours for Each Slot
• How to Prepare for CAT 2023? Best Books, Mocks, Previous Papers, Coaching
• Is CAT a Tough Exam for an Average Student? Check How to Crack
• IIM Mumbai Admission 2024: Check Fee, Placements, Selection Process

To answer all queries related to CAT 2023 key features, CAT 2023 Eligibility criteria, Step by Step registration process, exam pattern, syllabus, how to prepare, Top MBA Colleges accepting CAT for admission 2024 among other details, read following article prepared by MBAUniverse.com Team of CAT Experts with more than 30 years of experience:  

Table of Contents

1. What is CAT Exam?
2. Key Exam Features & Highlights
3. CAT Exam 2023 Eligibility Criteria
4. CAT 2023 Registration & Application Form Filling Process
5. Exam Pattern 2023: Revised Structure & Key Changes
6. CAT Exam Syllabus: Overall and Section wise syllabus
7. CAT Exam Preparation: How to Prepare in 3 to 6 Months with Books, Top Coaching Institutes
8. Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT 2023 for Admission 2024
9. Important Dates for CAT 2023
10. CAT Admit Card 2023
11. Exam Result & IIMs’ Admission Process
12. CAT Exam Trends: Important Changes in CAT over the Years
13. CAT Exam Notification: What, When, How Important  
14. Important Points about CAT 2023
15. FAQs: Answers by Experts 

1. What is CAT Exam?

Common Admission Test (CAT) is the mandatory entrance exam for MBA admission 2024 in all the 20 IIMs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur; NITIE Mumbai and hundreds of other top B-schools in India. More than two lakh candidates appear in CAT every year to explore admission opportunity in MBA programmes offered by IIMs and other top MBA colleges in India. Salient Points about the Exam are:

• A computer based test conducted at more than 150 test cities and 300 test venues
• Since 2020, the exam duration is reduced to two hours from earlier three hours
• The exam is divided into three sections of Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning; Quantitative Ability
• Each Section in the exam has to be attempted in a fixed individual time limit.
• Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will offer admission on the basis of CAT 2023 score only and will not accept any other test score

2. Key Exam Features & Highlights

Following are the key features of IIM CAT exam like CAT Full Form, Notification, exam dates, Eligibility, Exam Structure among other details

3. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2023

Below are the important points that determine the eligibility criteria 2023

• A candidate with minimum 50% marks in graduation can appear in the exam
• A final year student in graduation can also appear in the exam
• No age limit to apply and appear in the exam ​

Read More: CAT Eligibility Criteria 2023 

4. CAT 2023 Registration & Application Form Filling Process

• The Registration Date opens after release of CAT notification
• CAT 2023 registration process is open from Aug 2 to Sept 13, 2023
• The registration process is online
• You can fill Registration Form online only on the official CAT website
• CAT registration fee is Rs.2400/- for General candidates. The exam fee should be paid online only

5. CAT Exam Pattern 2023: Revised Structure & Key Changes

Since 2015, CAT exam has remained on similar pattern, except for last three years which may be  followed for 2023 also, in terms of time duration, number of questions and sections as under:

• 120 Minutes Exam: CAT is a computer delivered test of 2 hours duration but it is not an Online Exam
• 66 Questions: Like last year, this year exam will have 66 questions divided in 3 sections of VARC, DILR and Quantitative Ability. Earlier it used to have 100 questions divided in three sections
• 18-20 No Penalty Questions: Out of 66 questions, there will be 18 or more questions which will not have negative marking. The exam is divided into MCQ and Non-MCQ type of questions and the Non-MCQs do not carry negative marking. In case any non-MCQ has negative marking, a few MCQs are changed to no negative marking questions.
• 48-50 Questions with Negative Marking: More than 48 questions in CAT are of MCQ type and will carry penalty of 1/3 negative marking
• Cut off Requirement by IIMs: A Minimum qualifying score between 70 and 90 percentile in CAT exam is required by IIMs in each of the 3 sections to shortlist candidates for final admission round
• IIM Shortlisting Criteria: Apart from High score in each of the 3 sections in the exam, if you have good academic profile with diversity, work experience, you are a preferred candidate to get admission into IIMs.
  

   

6. CAT Exam Syllabus: Overall and Section wise syllabus

Although the exam Syllabus is not pre-defined by IIMs, it overall tests the candidate on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Quantitative Aptitude; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. During the last 5 years, the CAT exam syllabus has substantially changed. Major changes in Syllabus 2023 are:

• The Syllabus is changed and contains different type of questions with a combination of MCQs & Non-MCQs.
• 25-30% Questions are no penalty questions now
• Most of the changes in syllabus have taken place in the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Section as the share of Reading Comprehension based questions has increased as compared to Verbal Ability questions
• A few changes in syllabus have been introduced in Quantitative Ability section with more focus on Arithmetic questions