Is the CAT Entrance Exam a Prerequisite for MBA Courses?

Candidates seeking admission to IIMs and top management institutes need to appear for the CAT Exam, the Common Admission Test. It is a computer-based test, a prerequisite for admission to MBA/PGDM programs in IIMs.The CAT Exam evaluates a candidate based on their Aptitude, Reasoning, and Language skills. 

The Exam is conducted in the month of November every year. The difficulty level of the exam has remained between moderate-difficult levels. Over the years there have been notable variations in the number of questions, pattern, and duration of the CAT Entrance Exam. Each year, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) convene the CAT exam rotationally. Read through the entire article to know more about the CAT exam Question paper pattern and eligibility requirements.

Who is eligible for the CAT Exam 2022? 

Candidates must meet the following requirements to appear for the CAT Exam.

• To be eligible for the candidates to sit for the CAT Exam, they must hold at least 50% in their Bachelor’s degree and 45% for SC/ST and Differently Abled candidates.
• An applicant who is appearing for the last semester of their Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and who has completed the degree requirements, but has not yet received results, may also take the CAT Exam.

The CAT Exam is divided into three sections with a total time duration of 120 minutes:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning 
• Quantitative Aptitude

Aspirants should pay attention to the time limit for each section. They must complete each section within the specified time limit of 40 minutes; once they finish, the screen will time out and move onto the next page. In addition to most MCQ-type questions, there are a few TITA (Non-MCQ) questions where the answers have to be typed in the space given. There are 66 questions in the exam. For every correct answer, the candidate will be awarded three points. A question incorrectly answered will result in a deduction of 1 mark. There is no negative marking for Unanswered questions and Non-MCQ questions. Candidates can familiarise themselves with the Exam pattern and type of questions asked by solving CAT Question Papers from the previous years. Solving previous years’ question papers and taking as many mock tests as possible is a key strategy to ace the CAT Exam. 

How important is it to solve previous years’ questions in the CAT exam?

• Practising previous years’ papers helps candidates improve their accuracy in attempting questions.
• By solving CAT question papers from the previous years, candidates can evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and adapt the necessary strategies to improve.
• Through the practise of previous years’ papers, candidates find simpler and faster methods to answer questions. 
• Aspirants will understand the exam structure and devise time management strategies as they solve more papers.

Which is the best time to start solving the CAT Question papers?

Before you start solving the question papers, ensure your concepts are strengthened. As candidates complete the syllabus for each part of the exam, they can solve question papers. The best time to solve past year papers is two to three months prior to the CAT exam.