UXL Exams
UXL Exams
CAT
Common Admission Test
India's most competitive national-level management entrance exam — your gateway to the IIMs and 1,000+ B-schools.
CAT
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's most competitive national-level management entrance examination, conducted on a rotational basis by one IIM once a year, in computer-based mode. It is the primary gateway for admission into Post Graduate Programmes in Management (MBA/PGP) at all 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and is also accepted by over 1,000 other premier B-schools across India, including FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, and the management schools of IITs. CAT does not certify or award a credential on its own, it qualifies candidates for admission into postgraduate management programmes at participating institutions.
- Any graduate or final-year graduation student seeking admission to postgraduate management education in India. Also open to working professionals targeting Executive MBA or Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) at IIMs.
One of the most accessible certifications in India.
Nationality: Open to Indian nationals. Foreign nationals and NRIs may also appear subject to individual IIM admission policies.
- 1CAT does not mandate prior work experience for the application itself. Lateral placement processes at IIMs typically favour candidates with 18+ months of work experience.
- 2No prior certifications are required to appear for CAT. The only prerequisite is a recognised undergraduate degree (or being in the final year of one)
- 3Professional Degrees: Holders of CA, CS, ICWA, or equivalent professional qualifications are eligible if they meet the minimum percentage criterion
There are no paper wise or subject wise exemptions. You have to attempt all the three sections in the examination.
No cross-course exemptions are applicable for CAT.
CAT is an entrance examination, not a course or qualification that grants exemptions from other academic or professional programs.
A CAT score may be used for admission to an MBA/PGDM program, but it does not provide any exemption in another course’s subjects, papers, or modules.
In practice, institutes may have their own admission policies, but CAT itself does not create any exemption entitlement.
Pattern, marking & cut-offs.
Computer-based mode
Total Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours). Per Section: 40 minutes each (VARC, DILR, QA). PwD Candidates: 160 minutes total (53 min 20 sec per section). Exam Slots: 3 slots on the same day — Morning (8:30–10:30 AM), Afternoon (12:30–2:30 PM), Evening (4:30–6:30 PM)
- Each IIM and accepting institution sets its own percentile-based cut-off. Scores are normalised across slots before percentile calculation.
- IIM Ahmedabad / Bangalore / Calcutta — General: 95–99+
- IIM Ahmedabad / Bangalore / Calcutta — SC / ST / PwD: 65–85
- IIM Lucknow / Indore / Kozhikode — General: 90–99
- Newer IIMs (Nagpur, Amritsar, etc.) — General: 90–95
- FMS Delhi / MDI Gurgaon — General: 95–99
- Non-IIM Premier Colleges — General: 80–90
- Maximum Attempts: No cap — candidates can appear every year as long as they remain eligible
- Cooling Period: None. A candidate may appear in successive years without restriction.
- Score Validity: The CAT scorecard is valid for one year from the date of result declaration. A new CAT must be taken each admission cycle.
How to register for CAT.
Note: IIM advises using a document scanner, not a mobile camera, when uploading photos, signatures, and certificates.
Source: Direct from IIM CAT portal
What you get & how to stay current.
- No pass certificate is issued for CAT, because CAT is not a qualifying professional examination or a course completion exam.
- The exam only produces a scorecard/result used for MBA/PGDM admissions; the test does not award any institutional certificate, diploma, or membership credential.
- Since CAT is an entrance exam, there is no “merit certificate” equivalent like the one issued in CA Foundation.
CAT is an admissions test, not a professional certification. It does not expire in the sense of a professional licence, nor does it require CPE/CPD hours or periodic renewal. However, since the scorecard is valid for only one year, candidates who wish to attempt multiple admission cycles must re-appear for CAT each year. There is no lifetime score or standing certification associated with CAT.
Single sitting of 2 hours. Results declared approximately 3-4 weeks after the exam.
1 year from the date of result declaration. CAT is not a qualification in itself, admission must be secured within the same cycle.
Full-time MBA/PGP at IIMs: 2 years. FPM / PhD: 3–5 years. EPGP: 1 year (post-CAT admission; some IIMs accept GMAT instead).
Where this certification takes you.
How it stacks up against alternatives.
A factual side-by-side against the certifications people most often compare it to.
Yes. CAT preparation can be pursued alongside regular studies or full-time work. Since CAT is an entrance examination, candidates commonly prepare while attending college or working, and many manage it through a structured study plan using weekdays for practice and weekends for mock tests and revision.
Official resources & links.
Key update categories to track via IIM CAT Updates:
The most recent update was in 2024 when the number of questions was raised from a total of 66 to 68. Other than that no new updates.
Crack CAT for the IIMs.
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's most competitive national-level management entrance examination, conducted on a rotational basis by one IIM once a year, in computer-based mode.