CAT 2024

The CAT exam 2024, short for Common Admission Test, is a computer-based standardized test conducted in India. It is widely used as an entrance exam for admission into various postgraduate management programs, primarily offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other prestigious business schools in India. The CAT exam assesses candidates’ aptitude in areas such as Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR). Scores obtained in the CAT exam are used by participating institutions as a crucial criterion for selecting candidates for their management programs.

Tentative Dates:

Notification: July 30-31, 2024 (expected)
Registration: August (first week), 2024 (expected)
Exam: November 24, 2024 (tentative, last Sunday of November)
Result Declaration: December 2024 (tentative)

Eligibility:

Graduate with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline recognized by the UGC with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PWD candidates).
Must appear in the final year exams if results haven’t been declared.
Work experience is not mandatory but can be beneficial.

Registration:

Expected to open in August 2024 (first week) and remain open for 45+ days. Official announcement will be made in July.
Registration fee:
- General candidates: ₹2500
- SC/ST/PWD candidates: ₹1250

Exam Pattern:

Computer-based test (CBT)
Three sections:
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
Each section will be 40 minutes long
Total duration: 2 hours

Additional Points:

While there have been murmurs about potential changes in the exam content and structure, nothing is confirmed yet. Stay updated through official sources like the IIM Calcutta website for accurate information.
Registration will likely be online only on the official CAT website: https://iimcat.ac.in
Consider starting your preparation early, as competition is fierce and securing a good percentile is crucial for admission into top B-schools.
You can find various preparation resources online and offline, including coaching institutes, mock tests, study materials, and previous year papers.