The candidate must satisfy the below specified criteria’s:

Hold a Bachelor’s Degree, with no less than 50% or equal CGPA (45% if there should arise an occurrence of the aspirants having a place with Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disability (PWD)/Differently Able (DA) classification)

2. 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.

3. 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 she/he presents a certificate most recent by June 30, 2018 from the Principal/Registrar of her/his College/Institute (issued at the latest June 30, 2018) expressing that the competitor has finished every one of the prerequisites for acquiring the four year college education/identical capability on the date of the issue of the certificate

Different Sections of CAT

The CAT examination is divided into three sections

Syllabus

The Quantitative Aptitude section comprises of fundamental mathematics, based on 10 + 2 difficulty level. Problems are found to appear from various topics like Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Commercial Mathematics (Word Problems). The questions are largely based on application of mathematics to solve real-time problems.

The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section comprises of questions which are asked based on the given data. The data given might be in the form of graphs, charts, tables and paragraphs. Data Interpretation problems test the candidate’s understanding of the data and the ability to solve problems accurately. Logical Reasoning questions check the candidate’s ability to ratiocinate and evaluate problems.

The Verbal Ability section comprises of questions on comprehension and usage of standard English grammar. Verbal Logic questions test the candidate’s knowledge of arranging paragraphs in a logical order, determining the type of statements, completing the paragraphs in an appropriate way. In general, it is found that all the sections share an equal weight except CAT 2008 and CAT 2004 papers, which have a higher percentage of Verbal Ability problems.

It has to be noted that the CAT does not predefine any specific chapters or content upon which questions can occur. However, any intricate term would be well defined, if the problem requires such knowledge.

Allocation of marks

In general, every correct answer gains 4 marks whereas every wrong answer results in one negative mark.

Cut-offs for each section

Candidates must secure a minimum mark in each section to qualify for that section and eventually for the CAT. The minimum marks required to qualify varies upon the relative difficulty level of that section compared to other sections of the test. Sectional cut-offs varies mostly on the basis of the performance who appear for the exam in that year. A candidate must also secure a minimum total cut off for the entire paper to earn GD/PI calls from IIMs. It has been observed that different IIMs use different cut-offs to offer calls to selected candidates.

Selection for Group Discussion and Personal Interview

Candidates who secure the sectional cut-offs as well as the overall cut-offs in the written test are called for GD/PI by IIMs. This is the ultimate step of the selection-process.

🎯Key Benefits

🎓 1. Gateway to Top B-Schools

CAT is the primary entrance exam for admission to all IIMs and many top MBA institutes like FMS, MDI, IITs, SPJIMR, IMT, etc.

💼 2. High Career Growth & Placement Opportunities

Graduates from IIMs and other CAT-accepting institutes often secure premium job roles in:

• Consulting (e.g., McKinsey, BCG)
• Investment Banking
• Marketing (FMCG, Tech)
• Product Management
• Start-ups & Entrepreneurship

💰 3. Lucrative Salary Packages

Average salary packages at top IIMs range from ₹20 to ₹35 LPA

Even newer IIMs and Tier-2 B-Schools offer ₹8 to ₹15 LPA

🌍 4. Global Recognition

IIMs and premier B-Schools have a strong global alumni network

Some institutes are internationally accredited (AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS)

🧠 5. Personal & Professional Development

B-Schools offer holistic development:

• Leadership skills
• Teamwork
• Decision-making
• Communication skills
• Strategic thinking

🧳 6. Career Switch Made Easy

Ideal for engineers, science grads, and professionals who want to switch to management roles in:

• Finance
• HR
• Marketing
• Operations

📈 7. Higher ROI (Return on Investment)

Many top B-schools offer excellent ROI: relatively low fees and high placements

🔄 8. Multiple Admission Opportunities

A good CAT score is accepted by more than 1000 institutes, giving wide options for admission

🕒 9. Flexible Preparation

With the right plan, CAT preparation is possible alongside:

• A full-time job
• Graduation
• Other exams (XAT, SNAP, NMAT)