About CAT
The Common Admission Test (CAT)[2] is a computer based test for admission in a graduate management program. The test scores a candidate on the bases of Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability (VA) and Reading Comprehension (RC), Data Interpretation (DI) and Logical Reasoning (LR). The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) started this exam and use the test for selecting students for their business administration programs. The test is conducted every year by one of the IIMs based on a policy of rotation.
Common Admission Test
Acronym
CAT
Type
Computer-based standardized test
Developer / administrator
Indian Institutes of Management
Knowledge / skills tested
Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, and Analytical Reasoning
Purpose
Admission to post-graduate management programs
Duration
3 hours
Score / grade range
-100 to 300
Score / grade validity
1 year
Offered
Once a year (usually in November/December).
Countries / regions
354 centres in 99 cities and towns all over India.
Languages
English
Annual number of test takers
Increase 232,434 in 2016
Prerequisites / eligibility criteria
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least 50 % marks or equivalent GPA (45 % in case of SC, ST, PWD candidates). Final year undergraduate students also eligible
Fee
?1,800 (US$25) for general category candidates.[1]
?900 (US$13) for SC / ST / DA (PWD) category candidates
Scores / grades used by
Various business schools in India
The CAT Syllabus is divided into three Sections
Quantitative Ability(QA) - Geometry, Number System, Modern Math, Arithmetic, Mensuration, Algebra - 34% Weighatge
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning - Seating Arrangement, Clicks, Calendars, Venn Diagrams, Bar Graphs, Line Graphs etc - 32% Weightage
Verbal Reasoning & Reading Comprehension - Vocabulary, Para Jumbling, Long and Short Passages etc - 34% Weighatge