CAT

CAT (Common Admission Test) is India's premier MBA entrance examination, conducted annually by one of the IIMs on rotation basis. A high CAT percentile is the primary eligibility criterion for admission to IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, and all other IIMs, as well as hundreds of other top B-schools including FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, and IMT Ghaziabad.

CAT is a 2-hour computer-based test divided into three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC, 40 minutes), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR, 40 minutes), and Quantitative Ability (QA, 40 minutes). Candidates cannot switch between sections during the allotted time. The marking scheme has +3 for correct MCQ answers, -1 for wrong MCQ answers, and no negative marking for non-MCQ questions.

CAT scores alone do not guarantee IIM admission — shortlisting also considers academic record (Class 10, 12, and graduation percentages), work experience, gender diversity, and academic diversity. After shortlisting, candidates go through Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). For working professionals targeting IIM executive programmes, GMAT is an alternative to CAT. Our editorial team reviews CAT notifications and IIM admission criteria annually from iimcat.ac.in, last updated July 2026.