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CAT (Common Aptitude Test) 2022
CAT 2022 Registration process has started with many changes at 10 AM on Aug 3. Your choice of 6 test center’s exists but many cities like Greater Noida & Noida; Faridabad & Gurgaon have been clubbed into one city.
The CAT Notification contains all the details on eligibility criteria, registration and exam dates, registration fees, exam centers and other key changes. You should now get ready to apply for CAT well before the last date to avoid any technical glitches and start preparing for the exam. Check table of contents below and detailed explanation for each point regarding CAT exam and bookmark this page as it will give you all the latest information and updates.
CAT 2022 Notification contains all the details on eligibility criteria, registration and exam dates, registration fees, exam center’s and other key changes. You should now get ready to apply for CAT between August 3 and September 14 and start preparing for the exam. Check table of contents below and detailed explanation for each point regarding CAT exam and bookmark this page as it will give you all the latest information and updates.
What is CAT Exam?
Common Admission Test (CAT) 2022 is the mandatory entrance exam for MBA admission 2023 in all the 20 IIMs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur; NITIE Mumbai and hundreds of other top B-schools in India. More than two lakh candidates appear in CAT every year to explore admission opportunity in MBA programmes offered by IIMs and other top MBA colleges in India. Salient Points about the Exam are:
- A computer based test conducted at more than 155 test cities and 400+ test venues
- Since 2020, CAT exam duration is reduced to two hours from earlier three hours
- The exam is divided into three sections of Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning; Quantitative Ability
- Each Section in the exam has to be attempted in a fixed individual time limit.
- Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will offer admission on the basis of CAT 2022 score only and will not accept any other test score
CAT experts and toppers are of the view that CAT is not a very difficult exam but needs some smart and timely preparation to crack it with high score and as such to score 99 percentile in CAT, instead of cramming the heads with intensive knowledge based preparation, the need is to follow a smart IQ based preparation. More than 2 lakh candidates register and apply for CAT every year. Last year, more than 2.30 lakh candidates applied for CAT 2021 and 1.92 lakh candidates appeared in the exam.
With more aspirant friendly features expected in CAT 2022, the most important MBA entrance exam, CAT 2022 is scheduled on November 27, 2022. CAT 2022 Notification is expected to be released on July 31, 2022 and the registration process is likely to start from August first week.
Which IIM Conducts CAT Exam? Past CAT Conveners
Going by the tradition, one of the six older IIMs conducts CAT on behalf of 20 IIMs for admission to their flagship MBA and other management programs. In 2015, Common Admission Test (CAT) witnessed many changes when it was conducted by IIM Ahmedabad. Since then, the exam has seen various changes.
Why is CAT 2022 so Important for MBA Aspirants?
CAT 2022 is the largest MBA Entrance exam for MBA admission 2023 in 20 IIMs and more than 1000 other top MBA colleges including FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IITs among others who accept CAT score for admission. MBA admission opportunity at more than 20000 seats in top colleges, will be offered to the students for 2023-25 batch with CAT 2022 score.
So, if you are planning to pursue MBA from one of the top MBA colleges in India and also want to appear in only the best admission test for the best management institutes, Common Admission Test (CAT) 2022 is the answer. CAT is the largest and prestigious MBA entrance test and its score is accepted not only by all the IIMs but also almost all the best MBA colleges in India. It is the only MBA entrance exam which can lead you to MBA admission with your high as well as very low percentile. More than 3000 MBA colleges in India accept CAT score. These are high RoI low fee, moderate fee and high fee management institutes where you can explore MBA admission opportunity through CAT exam score. Besides, CAT exam over the years has become moderate difficulty exam with short duration and a graduate with only 50% marks can appear in the exam.
CAT 2022 Important Dates: CAT Notification Release & Other Key Activities
Following are the CAT 2022 important dates like CAT Notification date, CAT exam date, and for other different activities related to the CAT exam 2022:
| Events | CAT Important Dates |
| CAT Notification Date 2022 | July 31, 2022 |
| CAT 2022 Registration Start Date | August 5, 2022 |
| Last Date to Apply for CAT exam 2022 | September 15, 2022 |
| CAT 2022 Registration & Application Fee | Rs.2300/- |
| CAT 2022 Admit card Download Start date | October 25, 2022 |
| Last Date for CAT 2022 Admit Card Download | November 27, 2022 |
| CAT 2022 Exam date | November 27, 2022 |
| CAT 2022 Result date | January 5, 2023 |
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2022
Below are the important points that determine CAT eligibility criteria 2022
- A candidate with minimum 50% marks in graduation can appear in CAT 2022
- A final year student in graduation can also appear in CAT 2022 conducted by IIM
- There is no age limit to apply and appear in CAT 2022
CAT Registration Trends
More than 2.30 lakh candidates had registered last year for CAT exam despite Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, 2.27 lakh candidates applied for CAT and in 2019, more than 2.44 lakh candidates had applied for CAT. The rising number of CAT registrations signify that candidates have to compete with more candidates in CAT exam and need to score high to get shortlisted by top three IIMs and other top MBA colleges.
Although the trends in CAT registrations since 2010 show a downward journey initially, but from 2013 it has been showing a rising registration count reflecting the regaining trust of CAT aspirants and anticipation of better career opportunities after completing MBA/PGP from an IIM or other top B-school
| Year | No. of Applications Registered | No. Of Applicants Appeared |
| 2021 | 2.30,000 | 1,91,660 |
| 2020 | 2,28,000 | 1.90,000 |
| 2019 | 2,44,169 | 2,09,926 |
| 2018 | 2,40,338 | 2,09,405 |
| 2017 | 2,31,000 | 1,99,632 |
| 2016 | 2,32,434 | 1,95,000 |
| 2015 | 2,18,664 | 1,79,602 |
| 2014 | 1,96,988 | 1,67,829 |
| 2013 | 1,94,516 | 1,73,714 |
| 2012 | 2,14,000 | 1,95,000 |
| 2011 | 2,05,000 | 1,86,000 |
| 2010 | 2,04,000 | 1,85,000 |
| 2009 | 2,41,000 | 2,30,000 |
| 2008 | 2,90,000 | 2,76,000 |
| 2007 | 2,50,000 | 2,30,000 |
CAT 2022 Exam: Key Features & Highlights
Following are the key features of IIM CAT 2022 exam details like CAT Full Form, Notification, CAT 2022 exam dates, Eligibility, Exam Structure among other details
| CAT Full Form | Common Admission Test, conducted on yearly basis for MBA admission by one of the 6 older IIMs |
| CAT Exam Date 2022 | November 27, 2022 |
| CAT Entrance exam sessions | Likely to be Conducted in 3 sessions – Morning, Afternoon&Evening on same day |
| CAT 2022 Conducting Institutes | IIM Bangalore. IIMs are the CAT conducting Institutes |
| CAT Entrance Exam Mode | Computer-based exam but not an online exam |
| When to Check for CAT 2022 Notification | From July 31, 2022 onwards, at MBAUniverse.com and in Newspapers |
| Details in CAT Notification 2022 | CAT Exam details, Application fee, Registration dates, IIMs & their management programmes through CAT |
| Maximum Age Limit to appear in IIM CAT | No Age Limit, Graduates with 50% marks can apply |
| Number of Questions in CAT 2022 | 66 questions divided in 3 sections |
| CAT Exam Time Duration on CAT 2022 Exam Date | 2 hours for each Slot |
| Sectional Time limit | 40 minutes for 1 section |
| Name of sections and number of questions | VARC-24 Questions; DILR-20 questions; Quant-22 questions |
| Expected Difficulty level | Moderate to Difficult |
| Order of Sections | Pre-fixed, no change allowed |
| Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT 2022 for MBA admission 2023 | 20 IIMs, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IITs, IMI, IMT& 1000 other MBA colleges in India |
| CAT 2022 Fees | Rs.2300/- |
| How to Apply | Application process is online only |
| CAT Official Website for CAT 2022 Form Filling | IIMCAT.AC.IN |
| IIMs’ Application Fee | No Separate Application Fee to apply for IIM. Registration Fee covers application fee of all 20 IIMs |
CAT pattern
In terms of time duration, number of questions and sections the current CAT Pattern is as under:
- 120 Minutes Exam: CAT 2022 is a computer delivered test of 2 hours duration but it is not an Online Exam
- 66 Questions: Like last year, CAT 2022 exam will have 66 questions divided in 3 sections of VARC, DILR and Quantitative Ability. Earlier it used to have 100 questions divided in three sections
- 18-20 No Penalty Questions: Out of 66 questions, there will be 18 or more questions which will not have negative marking. CAT 2022 exam is divided into MCQ and Non-MCQ type of questions and the Non-MCQs do not carry negative marking. In case any non-MCQ has negative marking, a few MCQs are changed to no negative marking questions.
- 48-50 CAT Questions with Negative Marking: More than 48 questions in CAT 2022 are of MCQ type and will carry penalty of 1/3 negative marking
- CAT cut off Requirement by IIMs: A Minimum qualifying score between 70 and 90 percentile in CAT 2022 is required by IIMs in each of the 3 sections to shortlist candidates for final admission round
- IIM Shortlisting Criteria: Apart from High score in each of the 3 sections in the exam, if you have good academic profile with diversity, work experience, you are a preferred candidate to get admission into IIMs.
CAT Pattern 2022: Revised Structure of Question Paper
The table below shares the sectional order, number and type of questions in each section, questions with and without negative marking for each section for the 2 hours exam
| CAT 2022 exam components | MCQs (With negative marking) | Non-MCQs (TITA Qs Without negative marking) | Total Questions |
| Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)(Time limit: 40 Minutes) | 19 | 5 | 24 |
| Section-2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)(Time Limit: 40 Minutes) | 15 | 5 | 20 |
| Section-3: Quantitative Ability (QA)(Time Limit: 40 Minutes) | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| Total (Overall) (Time limit: 120 Minutes) | 48 | 18 | 66 |
CAT Syllabus Section-Wise
| Sectional Division | Overview of Topics in the CAT Syllabus 2022 | Weightage in exam |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | Arithmetic, Modern Math, Number SystemAlgebra, Mensuration, Trigonometry, Geometry | 34-36% |
| Data Interpretation& Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Data Charts, Data Tables, Bar Graphs,Venn Diagrams, Seating arrangement,Team formation, Clocks & Calendars | 30-32% |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Long & Short PassagesJumbled Paragraphs; Para-summaryPicking the Out of context sentence from a jumbled paragraph | 32-34% |
CAT 2022 Previous Year Exam Analysis
- CAT 2021 Exam was held on November 28, 2022 in 3 slots of 2 hours each at 400 test centers in 159 Cities in India.
- CAT 2021 Overall Exam Difficulty Level was Moderate
- Total Questions in CAT exam 2021 were Reduced to 66 from 76 last year
- Questions were split into 48 MCQs and 18 Non-MCQs
- CAT was divided into 3 sections – VARC, DILR and Quantitative Ability
- Section-1: VARC had Total No of 24 Questions with 19 MCQs and 5 Non-MCQs
- There were 4 RC Passages with 16 Questions in VARC Section
- Overall VARC Section had Moderate Difficulty Level
- Section-2: DILR had Total No of 20 Questions divided into 15 MCQs and 5 Non MCQs
- There were 2 LR Sets and each set was followed by 6 Questions
- There were 2 DI Sets and each set was followed by 4 Questions
- Section-3: Quantitative Ability had total No of 22 Questions divided into 14 MCQs and 8 Non MCQs
- Arithmetic had maximum number of 9 questions followed by Algebra & Geometry with 5 and 3 questions
- Difficulty Level was Moderate
- 99 percentile in the exam could be secured at a raw score of 90
CAT 2022 Cut offs for IIMs for Admission 2023 through CAT
All the 20 IIMs including the top IIMs namely, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore in which average salary in placement is more than Rs.20 lakhs per annum, offer MBA admission through high CAT exam score. The required CAT cut off percentile in all these IIMs for admission 2023 is shared below.
| Top IIMs | Minimum CAT Cut off percentile Required |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 80 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 |
| IIM Indore | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 90 |
| IIM Tiruchirappalli | 92 |
| IIM Shillong | 90 |
| IIM Udaipur | 92 |
| IIM Rohtak | 95 |
| IIM Kashipur | 92 |
| IIM Ranchi | 92 |
| IIM Raipur | 92 |
| IIM Bodhgaya | 92 |
| IIM Jammu | 92 |
| IIM Sambalpur | 92 |
| IIM Sirmaur | 92 |
| IIM Amritsar | 85 |
| IIM Nagpur | 85 |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 80 |
CAT 2022 Cut off for Non-IIMs: Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT other than IIMs
More than Top 500 MBA colleges in India will accept CAT 2022 score for MBA admission 2023. Apart from 20 IIMs, other top MBA colleges with CAT cut offs in non-IIM category, include FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, SJMSoM IIT Mumbai, DoMS IIT Delhi among others. Some of the top colleges accepting CAT 2022 with their expected cut offs are as below:
| Top MBA Colleges (Non-IIMs with CAT cut offs) | Expected CAT 2022 Cut Off Percentile |
| Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) New Delhi | 97 |
| Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon | 94 |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 85 |
| DMS-IIT Delhi | 90 |
| SJMSoM-IIT Bombay | 90 |
| International Management Institute (IMI) New Delhi | 90 |
| Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad | 90 |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai | 85 |
| T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal | 85 |
| FORE School of Management (FSM) New Delhi | 85+ |
| Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM) New Delhi | 85 |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) Chennai | 80 |
MBA Courses Offered by IIMs through CAT
Apart from being the most important entrance test for the flagship 2 years full time post graduate management program (MBA/PGDM), CAT 2022 is the gateway for one year MBA programmes in IIMs and other prominent management institutes. Following are the various MBA courses and other management programs at IIMs in which admission 2023 is available through Common Admission Test 2022
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) | MBA Courses Open for Admission 2023 through CAT 2022 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | PGP, PGP-FABM |
| IIM Amritsar | MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM |
| IIM Bangalore | PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | PGP |
| IIM Calcutta | MBA |
| IIM Indore | PGP, PGP-HRM |
| IIM Jammu | MBA |
| IIM Kashipur | MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA |
| IIM Kozhikode | PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP (At Kochi campus) |
| IIM Lucknow | PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM |
| IIM Nagpur | PGP |
| IIM Raipur | PGP |
| IIM Ranchi | PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics) |
| IIM Rohtak | PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM |
| IIM Sambalpur | MBA, Executive MBA |
| IIM Shillong | PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE |
| IIM Sirmaur | MBA, MBA (T&HM) |
| IIM Tiruchirappalli | PGP, PGPM-HR, PGPBM |
| IIM Udaipur | MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBAWE |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | PGP, PGPEX, PGPDGM |
8 Steps Admission Process to IIMs through CAT 2022
01. Register for CAT 2022 in August – September
02. Download CAT Admit Card in Mid October
03. Take CAT 2022 on November 27, 2022
04. Calculate Expected Percentile in December
05. Check CAT Exam Result in Jan First Week
06. Check IIMs Shortlist in Jan-Feb
07. Participate in PI-WAT at IIMs in Feb-Mar
08. Get Admission offer by IIMs in April-May
CAT 2022 Registration & Application: CAT 2022 Form Filling Process
- CAT 2022 Registration process is online
- You can register & apply for CAT 2022 online only on the CAT 2022 official website
- CAT 2022 registration fee is Rs.2300/- for General candidates. CAT exam fee should be paid online only
- The application process for CAT 2022 opens in August first week after release of CAT 2022 Notification
- You can complete CAT 2022 registration and application process in 3 major steps
1. Login to CAT 2022 official website iimcat.ac.in and Create Profile
2. Fill in the Registration & Application Form
3. Make Online payment of CAT 2022 Registration Fee
