Written BySachin Gupta Content Writer
CAT 2023 exam will be conducted in 3 slots on November 26, 2023 likely by either IIM Lucknow or IIM Calcutta. CAT 2023 Registration will begin in the first week of August 2023 with the release of the official notification. As per CAT eligibility criteria, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks.
Candidates planning to take CAT 2023 must download and solve CAT question papers of previous years. As per the latest CAT Exam Pattern, the question paper comprises 66 questions divided into three sections- VARC (24), DILR(20), and QA(22). Check CAT Syllabus
Like previous years, CAT 2023 will have 2 types of questions- MCQs and TITA. As per CAT exam marking scheme, 3 marks are awarded for the correct answer. For incorrect MCQs, 1 mark is deducted and there is no negative marking for TITA questions. Check CAT 2023 Exam Pattern
CAT Cut off (qualifying) for IIMs ranges from 80-95 percentile. To get 95+ percentile in CAT 2023, once must attempt at least 60% of the questions with 95% accuracy. Check CAT Score Vs Percentile
CAT 2023 Exam Dates
| Events | Dates (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| CAT 2023 Official Notification | July 31, 2023 |
| CAT 2023 Application form release date | August 3, 2023 |
| Last date to apply for the application form | September 14, 2023 |
| Last date to submit the fees for the Application Form | September 14, 2023 |
| CAT 2023 Form Correction Window shall open | 3rd week of September 2023 |
| CAT 2023 Admit Card Release date | October 27, 2023 |
| CAT 2023 Exam date | November 26, 2023 |
| CAT 2023 Result announcement date | January 2024 |
CAT 2023 Exam Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of Exam | CAT 2023 |
| CAT Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
| Frequency of CAT exam | Annually |
| CAT Registration Process | Online |
| Duration of the Exam | 120 minutes |
| CAT Exam Sections |
|
| Number of Questions | 66 |
| Medium of CAT Exam | English |
| Courses Offered | MBA/ PGDM in various streams at 20 IIMs, 8 IITs, and other top management colleges |
CAT 2023 Notification
CAT 2023 Notification will be released by the exam conducting IIM on July 31, 2023. CAT 2023 Notification will mention all the important details that the candidates require. CAT Notification PDF will be uploaded on the official IIM CAT website- iimcat.ac.in. The details mentioned in the official notification of CAT 2023 will include:
| List of IIMs, their official websites, and PGP/ MBA courses offered by each | Eligibility Criteria |
| CAT 2023 Exam Date and Slots | Reservation Criteria |
| CAT registration dates, time, and category-wise fees | IIM Selection Process in brief |
| Number of CAT Test Cities | CAT 2023 official website |
CAT Notification PDF Sample
Previous year’s CAT notification pdf is provided here to give you an idea of how CAT 2023 Notification PDF will look like:
CAT 2023 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates need to fulfill the below-mentioned eligibility criteria to fill CAT Application form:
- Graduation: Bachelor's degree or its equivalent in any discipline from a recognized university.
- Minimum Marks: Minimum aggregate of 50% in graduation (45% for the reserved category candidates).
- Age: No age limit criteria has been defined by the authorities.
- Final Year Students: Final year students can also apply for the exam provided they complete their graduation before the admission date and meet the graduation marks eligibility.
- Candidates with professional degrees like CA/CS/ICWA are also eligible to apply for CAT exam.
CAT 2023 Registration
CAT 2023 Registration has to be done online on the official website- iimcat.ac.in. Given below are the details on CAT registration process and fees.
New Registration
- Visit the official website for CAT 2023.
- Click on New Candidate Registration and fill in all the basic details- name, DOB, email address, phone number, and country of origin..
- A unique user ID and password will be sent to your registered email address and mobile number after verification.
Fill CAT 2023 Application Form
- Fill up the personal, academic, and work experience details such as father’s name, mother’s name, date of birth, gender, nationality, category, address, graduation percentage, class 10th & 12th marks, and full-time work experience.
- Choose the IIMs as per your preference and the course you want to take admission in.
- You can select up to six cities as CAT examination centers.
Upload Documents for CAT 2023 Registration
You need to upload the below-mentioned documents while filling up the application form:
| Document | Format | File Size |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | .JPG/ .JPEG | <= 80 Kb |
| Signature | .JPG/ .JPEG | <= 80 Kb |
| NC-OBC/SC/ST Certificate | <=200 Kb | |
| PwD/DA Certificate | <=200 Kb |
Payment of CAT 2023 Application Fee
- Payment of CAT application fee can be done via online mode only.
- After making the payment, submit the online application form and download it for future reference.
| Category | CAT Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General/ EWS/ NC-OBC | INR 2,300 |
| SC/ST/PwD | INR 1,150 |
CAT 2023 Exam Pattern
CAT 2023 will be conducted in 3 slots. The question paper will be as per the below-mentioned CAT exam pattern defined by the authorities.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of Examination | Online |
| Total Duration | 120 minutes |
| Type of Questions | MCQs and TITA-type questions |
| Number of MCQs | 75% |
| Number of TITA Questions | 25% |
| Sectional Duration | 40 minutes |
| Sections | 3- VARC, QA, DILR |
| No. of Questions | 66 |
| Section-wise Distribution of Questions |
|
| Total Marks | 198 |
| Marks Awarded for Correct Answer | 3 |
| Negative Marking | -1 for every wrong MCQ answer; No Negative Marks for TITA type Questions |
| Medium | English |
Quick Links:
CAT 2023 Syllabus
CAT Exam Syllabus 2023 is divided into 3 sections- VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension), QA (Quantitative Aptitude), and DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning).
| CAT Exam Section | CAT Syllabus Topics |
|---|---|
| CAT VARC | Reading Comprehension- Passages of 400-500 words based on various fields like Management, Business, Science & Tech, Economy, Abstract, Literature, Art & Culture Verbal Ability- Para Jumbles, Summary, Sentence Completion, Odd Sentence Out, Antonyms & Synonyms, Error Detection |
| CAT QA | Arithmetic- Profit & Loss, Time & Work, Time Speed & Distance, Mixtures, Ratio & Proportion, Percentage, Averages Geometry & Mensuration- Lines & Angles, Circles, Triangles, Polygons, Area & Volume of 2D and 3D figures Algebra- Quadratic Equations, Series, Inequalities, Functions, Surds & Indices Numbers and Modern Math (P&C, Probability) |
| CAT DILR | Data Interpretation- Caselets, Tabular DI, DI sets based on Charts and Graphs Logical Reasoning- Syllogisms, Puzzles, Critical Reasoning, Blood Relations, Coding-Decoding, Statement & Assumption, Inference, Seating Arrangement, Ranking, Direction sense test |
CAT 2023 Preparation
With over 2 lakh candidates applying for CAT exam, it becomes extremely important to ensure comprehensive and timely preparation to score above 95 percentile.
- Go through previous year papers and identify the topics with maximum weightage and start preparing with these.
- To prepare for CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, you need daily practice and continuous review.
- Work on your weak areas and solve 10-15 questions daily.
- Read previous year CAT Topper interviews to gain insights on how to get 99+ percentile in CAT exam.
- Refer to study material available on online study groups, online coaching institutes like Unacademy, CATking, Career Launcher, etc.
- Candidates must refer to CAT books by Arun Sharma and Nishit K Sinha to to get familiar with the pattern, syllabus, type of questions, and difficulty level of the paper.
Given below are the section-wise preparation tips for CAT 2023:
| CAT Section | CAT Preparation Tips |
|---|---|
| CAT DILR Preparation |
|
| CAT VARC Preparation |
|
| CAT Quant Preparation |
|
CAT Preparation 2023: Study Notes
| CAT DILR Study Notes | CAT QA Study Notes | CAT VARC Study Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seating Arrangement | Number System | Reading Comprehension |
| Logical Reasoning | Arithmetic | Para Completion |
| Venn Diagrams | Mensuration | Fill in the Blanks |
| Bar Graphs | Modern Math | Para Jumbles |
| DILR Solved Questions | QA Solved Questions | VARC Solved Questions |
CAT 2023 Preparation Books
| CAT Section | CAT Book Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R S Aggarwal |
| How to Prepare for QA for CAT | Arun Sharma | |
| Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Exams | Abhijit Guha | |
| Quantum CAT | S K Verma | |
| CAT VARC | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Ajay Singh |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT | Nishit K Sinha | |
| Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis | |
| How to Prepare for VARC for CAT | Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay | |
| CAT DILR | A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R S Aggarwal |
| Data Interpretation for CAT | Nishit K Sinha | |
| How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT | Arun Sharma |
Check:
CAT Previous Year Papers
Solving CAT Previous Year Papers is extremely important to get an idea of the exam pattern, important topics, difficulty level, and to improve time management.
| CAT 2022 Question Paper | CAT 2021 Question Paper | CAT 2020 Question Paper |
| CAT 2019 Question Paper | CAT 2018 Question Paper | CAT 2017 Question Paper |
CAT 2023 Mock Test
- CAT 2023 Mock Test will be released by IIM in the week before the exam date.
- The official mock tests will be released on the official website- iimcat.ac.in and can be accessed by using the application id and password.
- CAT mock exam will be in line with the actual paper pattern and syllabus.
CAT 2023 Admit Card
CAT 2023 Admit Card will be released in the last week of October 2023 on the official website- iimcat.ac.in.
- Successfully registered candidates will be able to download their CAT admit card by logging in with their registration id and password.
- CAT Admit Card is an important document that contains the details of test center, time & date of exam, and the important instructions for exam day.
- It is mandatory to carry CAT admit card to the allotted test center on the exam day.
CAT 2023 Exam Centers
CAT 2023 is expected to be held in CBT mode in 400+ test centers located in 153+ test cities.
- Candidates can choose 6 test center preferences while filling CAT 2023 application form.
- CAT exam center will be allotted to the candidates depending on their preference filled in the application form.
- CAT exam center allotted in the admit card cannot be changed under any circumstances.
CAT 2023 Answer Key
IIM will release CAT 2023 Answer Key 7-10 days after the conclusion of the exam. IIM will also release the response sheet for CAT 2023 exam along with the official answer sheet.
- Based on the tentative dates, CAT 2023 Answer Key will likely be released on or before December 7, 2023.
- Candidates will be able to calculate their scores using CAT 2023 answer keys.
- IIM will also open the answer key objection window for CAT exam 2023 for 3-4 days.
How to Check CAT 2023 Answer Key?
To check CAT 2023 Answer Key and Response Sheet, the step-by-step procedure is provided below:
- Login on the official CAT 2023 website using your user id and password.
- Click on the link for CAT 2023 Answer Key for downloading the PDF.
- Save CAT 2023 answer key pdf for your reference.
CAT 2023 Result
IIM will release CAT 2023 Result in the first week of January 2024. CAT Result 2023 will be released online only on the official website of IIM CAT 2023. Candidates who take CAT 2023 have to use their user id and password to check the result.
- The validity of CAT Result is 1 year from the date of its release.
- If, based on CAT 2023 result, you do not take admission to the 2024-26 batch, then you will have to take CAT exam again in 2024.
- You can download CAT scorecard on the official website till December 31, 2024
- CAT 2023 result cum scorecard will mention your overall and sectional scores & percentile.
How to Check CAT 2023 Result?
To check CAT 2023 Result, you must follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Visit the official CAT website- iimcat.ac.in 2023.
- Click on the link for CAT 2023 Score Card Download.
- Login using your CAT 2023 user id and password.
- Download your CAT score card from the redirected page.
- Save CAT 2023 result pdf for all future correspondence.
CAT 2023 Cut off
Qualifying CAT 2023 Cut off will be released by all IIMs for admission to 2024-26 MBA batch. It is mandatory to qualify both overall and sectional CAT cut offs to be eligible for participating in GD-PI rounds. Based on previous year cut off trends, the minimum qualifying cut off for top IIMs is tabulated below:
| IIM | CAT Cut off DILR | CAT Cut off VARC | CAT Cut off QA | Overall CAT Cut off Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Bangalore | 75 | 80 | 75 | 85 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 70 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
| IIM Lucknow | 85 | 85 | 85 | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 75 | 75 | 75 | 80 |
| IIM Calcutta | 80 | 80 | 75 | 85 |
| IIM Indore | 80 | 80 | 80 | 90 |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 70 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
| IIM Nagpur | 72 | 72 | 72 | 85 |
| IIM Amritsar | 75 | 75 | 80 | 85 |
| IIM Rohtak | - | - | - | 95 |
| IIM Shillong | 75 | 75 | 75 | - |
CAT 2023 Cut off for IIM CAP Participating IIMs
IIM CAP (Common Admission Process) counselling process is conducted by one of the 9 participating IIMs. The qualifying CAT Cut off for these IIMs is available below:
| CAP Participating IIM | Overall CAT Cut off Percentile |
|---|---|
| IIM Udaipur | 92 |
| IIM Sirmaur | 92 |
| IIM Raipur | 92 |
| IIM Kashipur | 92 |
| IIM Ranchi | 92 |
| IIM Trichy | 92 |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 92 |
| IIM Jammu |
|
| IIM Sambalpur |
|
Top Non-IIMs Accepting CAT Scores for MBA/ PGDM Admission
Candidates must also check the list of top non-IIM colleges that accept CAT scores and their expected cut offs based on previous year trends.
| Non-IIM College | CAT Cut-Off Percentile |
|---|---|
| Department of Management Studies (DMS), IIT Delhi | 98 |
| IIT Madras | 96 |
| IIT Kharagpur | 90 |
| IIT Bombay | 98.5 |
| IIT Kanpur | 95 |
| FMS, Delhi | 98.54 |
| Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa | 90 |
| IBS, Hyderabad | 85 |
| Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur | 50 |
| Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai | 95 |
| K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR), Mumbai | 90 |
| Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon | 97 |
| National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai | 97 |
| National Institute of Technology (NIT Trichy) | 89.65 |
| Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool), Mumbai | 85 |
| S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai | 85 |
| Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), Mumbai | 97.5 |
| T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal | 80 |
| XIMB - Xavier University, Bhubaneswar | 80 |
| Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, Bangalore (XIME),Bangalore | 70 |
Also Check:
CAT 2023 FAQs
Ques. Who will conduct CAT 2023?
Ans. CAT 2023 will be conducted by one of the 6 top IIMs. Based on trends, it is very likely that CAT 2023 will be conducted by either IIM Lucknow or IIM Calcutta on the last Sunday of November 2023.
Ques. When should I start preparing for CAT 2023?
Ans. Ideally, 4-6 months are required to prepare for CAT 2023 depending on your previous attempts and level of knowledge. If you are preparing for the first time, then it is advised to start early. CAT 2023 will take place in the last week of November 2023, so you should start preparing from April or May 2023. If you have already prepared for CAT and other MBA exams previously, then 2-3 months will suffice, so you can begin preparation for CAT 2023 in July or August 2022.
Ques. How can I start CAT preparation for 2023?
Ans. You can start preparation for CAT 2023 by going through the syllabus and exam pattern of CAT. It is extremely important to start preparing with the topics that carry more weightage in the CAT exam syllabus. Candidates preparing for the first time may join a coaching institute for expert guidance. Solving CAT previous year question papers is a must to prepare for and score well in CAT exam.
Ques. How do I apply for CAT 2023?
Ans. To apply for CAT 2023, candidates have to visit the official IIM CAT 2023 website to fill the application form. The stepwise process to apply for CAT 2023 is provided here:
- Step 1: Visit the official CAT 2023 website- iimcat.ac.in
- Step 2: Generate CAT 2023 login credentials, i.e. User ID and password
- Step 3: Fill CAT 2023 Application Form for personal details, academic details, work experience, and test city preferences.
- Step 4: Upload the documents required for CAT 2023 registration (photograph, signature, category and PwD certificates)
- Step 5: Pay CAT registration fee 2023 via online mode of payments.
- Step 6: Confirmation of application submission on your registered email id.
Ques. Is CAT Syllabus same every year?
Ans. CAT Syllabus remains the same every year with only a few variations in the weightage of topics. CAT Syllabus 2023 is divided into three sections- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
Ques. When will CAT 2023 official notification be released?
Ans. CAT 2023 official notification will tentatively be released by the conducting IIM in the 4th week of July 2023.
Ques. Which IIM will conduct CAT 2023?
Ans. Every year 1 of the top 5 IIMs conducts CAT exam. In 2021, the exam was conducted by IIM Ahmedabad. CAT 2023 exam conducting IIM will be announced in the last week of May 2023.
Ques. Will CAT 2023 Application Forms be available offline?
Ans. No, CAT 2023 Application Forms will not be available via any offline mode. The entire registration process will be online on the official website- iimcat.ac.in.
Ques. Is there any negative marking in CAT exam?
Ans. Yes, there is a negative marking of 33% for MCQs, i.e. 1 mark is deducted for each wrong attempt. For TITA questions, there is no negative marking.
Ques. Will XLRI Jamshedpur accept CAT 2023 scores?
Ans. No, XLRI does not accept CAT scores for admission to its PGDM programs. Admission to XLRI Jamshedpur is only granted on the basis of XAT scores. However, CAT scores are accepted by 20 IIMs, 8 IITs, and 200+ other top MBA colleges.
Ques. Is there a form correction facility in CAT?
Ans. Yes, CAT form correction window will be open for 2-3 days after the closure of the registration window. Candidates will be able to edit the following details:
- Photograph
- Signature
- Test City Preferences
Ques. In which mode will CAT 2023 be conducted?
Ans. CAT 2023 exam will be conducted only in online CBT mode at 400+ test centers located in 150+ major cities in India. CAT exam is neither conducted in pen-paper mode nor internet-based test mode.
Ques. What is the minimum overall and sectional CAT cut offs for admission to IIM Ahmedabad?
Ans. Based on previous year trends, The qualifying CAT Cut off is expected to be 80 for the general category, 75 for NC-OBC, 70 for SC/ PwD, and 60 for ST. However, the final CAT cut off for MBA admission in IIM Ahmedabad is expected to be above 99 percentile.
Ques. Is there any age limit to take CAT exam?
Ans. No, there is no age limit to take CAT exam. However, you must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Also, there is no limit on the number of attempts.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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