The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) conducted the CAT 2024 exam to facilitate admissions into prestigious management programs across all IIMs. Following the official notification released at www.iimcat.ac.in, this guide provides a comprehensive overview of the computer-based test, including the exam structure, admit card details, and paper pattern. The CAT 2024 examination was successfully held on 24th November 2024 across three distinct sessions.
CAT Entrance Exam 2024
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the premier national-level, computer-based entrance exam for postgraduate and doctoral management programs at IIMs and other leading business schools in India. CAT 2024 was administered across 156 cities, with over 2.5 lakh candidates participating. A valid CAT score is a mandatory requirement for admission to 21 IIMs and numerous top-tier B-schools. Please note that the validity of your CAT scorecard is restricted to one year only.
CAT Exam 2024 Notification
The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) officially published the CAT 2024 notification via their portal, www.iimcat.ac.in. Candidates aspiring for postgraduate or Fellow/Doctorate programs at IIMs and participating non-IIM institutions can review this article for all essential exam updates. We have provided a direct link to the official notification PDF below.
Download CAT Exam 2024 Official Notification PDF
CAT 2024 Exam Summary
The responsibility for conducting the CAT exam rotates annually among the top six IIMs. IIM Calcutta served as the organizing institute for the CAT 2024 examination. Aspiring candidates should review the exam summary for key highlights regarding the testing process.
| CAT 2024 Examination | |
| Exam Conducting Body | Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta |
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test (CAT 2024) |
| Courses Offered | Post Graduate and Fellow/Doctorate programmes |
| Type of Exam | Entrance Test |
| Frequency | Once in a year |
| Eligibility | Graduate |
| Examination Mode | Online Computer-Based Test |
| Sessions | 3 Sessions |
| Duration of Exam | 2 hours |
| CAT Exam Date 2024 | 24th November 2024 |
| Validity of CAT score | 1 year |
| No. of Test Centres | 150 cities |
| Official website | www.iimcat.ac.in |
CAT 2024- Important Dates
The timeline for the CAT 2024 entrance exam was released alongside the official notification. The Common Admission Test was successfully conducted on Sunday, 24th November 2024, across three slots. Refer to the table below for a detailed recap of the important dates.
| CAT 2024 Events | Dates |
| CAT Exam 2024 Registration Start | 01st August 2024 (10 am) |
| CAT 2024 Registration Deadline | 13th September 2024 (5 pm) |
| CAT Admit Card 2024 | 5th November 2024 |
| CAT Exam Date 2024 | 24th November 2024 (Sunday) [Session 1: 8:30 am - 10:30 am Session 2: 12:30 pm - 02:30 pm Session 3: 04:30 pm - 06:30 pm] |
| CAT Result 2024 | 19th December 2024 |
CAT 2024 Result Out
The results for the Common Admission Test (CAT 2024) were declared on 19th December 2024 on the official website, www.iimcat.ac.in. Candidates who appeared for the test can now access their scorecards using the direct link provided below.
Check CAT 2024 Results & Download Scorecard
CAT Exam 2024 Registration
Candidates seeking admission to top B-schools were required to submit their registrations through the official IIM portal. The registration window for CAT 2024 opened on 1st August 2024 and concluded on 13th September 2024. All applications were processed exclusively through the online portal; no offline submissions were permitted. Access the direct registration link below.
CAT Exam 2024 Registration Link (Currently Inactive)
CAT Exam Fees 2024
The application fee for CAT 2024 was set at ₹2,500 for General category candidates and ₹1,250 for SC, ST, and PwD candidates. All payments were processed securely online via credit/debit cards or net banking during the registration period.
| Category | Application fee |
| General Category | Rs. 2500/- |
| SC/ST/PWD Category | Rs. 1250/- |
How to Register for CAT 2024 Exam?
- Login to the IIM CAT official website @iimcat.ac.in or register from the above link.
- Click on “Register” mentioned under New Candidate Registration and create a user ID by entering details such as name, date of birth, email ID and phone number.
- Click on ‘Generate OTP’ and the OTP will be sent to the registered mobile number.
- Enter the OTP and verify your CAT registration.
- Now click on ‘Login’ as mentioned under Registered Candidate Login and enter the registration number generated in the previous step.
- Enter all the information in the application form including personal, academic details, work experience (if any).
- Upload scanned signature and photograph in the prescribed format.
- Select a minimum of test cities and preferred IIM campuses for WAT-PI shortlisting
- Pay CAT application fees online via debit/credit card or net banking and click on “Submit”.
- Download your CAT 2024 Application Form for future reference.
CAT Exam Eligibility 2024
Eligibility for CAT 2024 requires candidates to hold a valid bachelor's degree, as the exam qualifies students for postgraduate and doctoral programs. Review the detailed CAT Eligibility Criteria below for specific academic requirements.
IIM CAT Academic Qualification
1. Candidates must have secured a minimum of 50% marks (or equivalent CGPA) in their bachelor's degree. A relaxation to 45% is provided for SC, ST, and PwD category candidates.
2. Final-year undergraduate students or those awaiting their final semester results are fully eligible to appear for the CAT entrance examination.
3. Professionals holding degrees in CA, CS, or ICWA with at least 50% marks (45% for reserved categories) are also eligible to apply for CAT 2024.
Note: Applicants currently in the final year of their bachelor’s degree or those who have completed degree requirements but are awaiting results remain eligible to participate in the selection process.
CAT 2024 Exam Pattern
Understanding the CAT exam pattern is crucial for effective preparation. The IIM-conducted test follows a specific structure that every candidate must master. Below are the key highlights for the IIM CAT 2024 exam.
1. The CAT 2024 was held as a computer-based test, with a revised total exam duration of 2 hours.
2. The exam is divided into three distinct sections.
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
- Data Interpretation and logical reasoning
- Quantitative Ability
3. The paper comprises a total of 66 questions worth 198 marks, distributed across three specified sections.
- VARC - 24 Questions
- DILR - 20 Questions
- QA - 22 Questions
4. The marking scheme awards +3 marks for every correct answer and applies a penalty of 1 mark for each incorrect response.
| CAT 2024 Exam Pattern | |||
| Sections | No. of Questions | Marks | Time Duration |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 66 | 40 minutes |
| Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation (LRDI) | 20 | 60 | 40 minutes |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 72 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 66 | 198 | 120 minutes |
View Detailed CAT 2024 Exam Pattern
CAT 2024 Syllabus
While the exam pattern has undergone periodic updates, the core CAT syllabus remains consistent. The CAT 2024 curriculum covers the following core areas:
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): Includes Reading Comprehension, Para jumbles, Para summary, Sentence Correction, and Inferences.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR): Covers Data Tables, Graphs, Caselets, Blood Relations, Seating Arrangements, and Syllogisms.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA): Focuses on Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Number Systems, and Mensuration.
View Detailed CAT 2024 Syllabus
CAT 2024 Cut Off
The CAT 2024 cutoff marks were released following the conclusion of the exam. Candidates can reference historical cutoff data from 2016 through 2020 in the section below to gauge competitive benchmarks.
| CAT Percentile | Marks in CAT 2020 | Marks in CAT 2019 | Marks in CAT 2018 | Marks in CAT 2017 | Marks in CAT 2016 |
| 99.9 | 131 | 196 | 192 | 208 | 191 |
| 99.5 | 115 | 170 | 170 | 183 | 168 |
| 99 | 102 | 157 | 155 | 173 | 153 |
| 95 | 77 | 120 | 125 | 139 | 123 |
| 90 | 63 | 90 | 110 | 121 | 108 |
| 85 | 55 | 87 | 90 | 103 | 93 |
| 80 | 49 | 75 | 80 | 98 | 84 |
Universities Accepting CAT Scores
Numerous IIM and non-IIM institutions utilize CAT scores for their postgraduate and doctorate admissions.
IIM Universities Accepting CAT Scores
Review the complete list of IIM universities accepting CAT scores for management admissions.
- IIM Calcutta
- IIM Ahmedabad
- IIM Bangalore
- IIM Lucknow
- IIM Kozhikode
- IIM Indore
- IIM Shillong
- IIM Rohtak
- IIM Ranchi
- IIM Raipur
- IIM Udaipur
- IIM Nagpur
- IIM Tiruchirappalli
- IIM Kashipur
- IIM Visakhapatnam
- IIM Bodh Gaya
- IIM Amritsar
- IIM Sambalpur
- IIM Sirmaur
- IIM Jammu
Non-IIM Universities Accepting CAT Scores
Explore the list of prestigious non-IIM business schools that accept CAT scores for their MBA and PhD programs.
- FMS, Delhi University
- SPJIMR, Mumbai
- MDI, Gurgaon
- IMT, Ghaziabad
- IIT Kanpur-IME
- IMI, Delhi
- IIT Delhi - DoMs
- IIT Bombay-SJMSOM
- IIT Madras-DoMs
- IIT Roorkee-DoMs
- IIT Kharagpur-VGoSM
- IIT Dhanbad-ISM
- Great Lakes Institute of Management
- IMT, Nagpur
- IMI, Kolkata
- IPE, Hyderabad
- ITM, University
- Institute of Management, Nirma University
- IIITM, Gwalior
- Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa
CAT 2024 Exam Centre
Candidates were permitted to select up to six preferred test cities. The CAT 2024 notification indicated a consolidation of exam centres to 150 cities across India to streamline the testing process. Check the list of official exam centres below.
| Port Blair | Hamirpur | Mumbai |
| Guntur | Jammu | Nashik |
| Nellore | Bokaro | Satara |
| Vijayawada | Dhanbad | Palghar |
| Kakinada | Hazaribagh | Ulhasnagar |
| Rajahmundry | Jamshedpur | Shillong |
| Visakhapatnam | Ranchi | Aizawl |
| Kurnool | Belagavi (Belgaum) | Kohima |
| Tirupathi | Bengaluru | Balasore |
| Vizianagaram | Hubballi(Hubli) | Cuttack |
| Itanagar | Mysuru(Mysore) | Sambalpur |
| Dibrugarh | Kalaburagi(Gulbarga) | Berhampur |
| Silchar | Shivamogga(Shimoga) | Dhenkanal |
| Guwahati | Dharwad | Bhubaneswar |
| Tezpur | Mangaluru(Mangalore) | Rourkela |
| Jorhat | Udupi | Puducherry |
| Aurangabad-Bihar | Kannur | Pathankot |
| Darbhanga | Ernakulam | Ludhiana |
| Arrah | Kollam | Amritsar |
| Muzaffarpur | Kottayam | Bhatinda |
| Bhagalpur | Kozhikode | Patiala |
| Patna | Thrissur | Jalandhar |
| Mohali | Trivandrum | Sangrur |
| Chandigarh | Bhopal | Ajmer |
| Bhilai Nagar | Jabalpur | Jaipur |
| Bilaspur | Ujjain | Sikar |
| Raipur | Gwalior | Alwar |
| Delhi | Sagar | Jodhpur |
| Faridabad | Indore | Udaipur |
| Gurugram | Satna | Bikaner |
| Ghaziabad | Bhopal | Kota |
| New Delhi | Jabalpur | Madurai |
| Greater Noida | Ujjain | Chennai |
| Noida | Gwalior | Salem |
| Meerut | Sagar | Trichy |
| Panaji | Indore | Coimbatore |
| Ahmedabad | Satna | Vellore |
| Mehsana | Amravati | Tirunelveli |
| Vadodara | Jalgaon | Hyderabad |
| Anand | Nagpur | Karimnagar |
| Rajkot | Pune | Warangal |
| Gandhinagar | Solapur | Allahabad |
| Surat | Navi Mumbai | Bareilly |
| Ambala | Ahmednagar | Kanpur |
| Hisar | Kolhapur | Muzaffarnagar |
| Karnal | Nanded | Agra |
| Kurushetra | Raigad | Gorakhpur |
| Panipat | Thane | Lucknow |
| Rohtak | Vasai | Varanasi |
| Shimla | Aurangabad | Aligarh |
| Jhansi | Moradabad | Dehradun |
| Haldwani | Roorkee | Asansol |
| Durgapur | Bankura | Burdwan |
| Kolkata | Hooghly | Kalyani |
| Siliguri |
CAT 2024: FAQs
Ans. The acronym CAT stands for Common Admission Test.
Ans. CAT 2024 scorecards are valid for one year from the date of issuance.
Ans. The CAT 2024 exam was held on 24th November 2024 across three sessions.
Ans. IIM Calcutta served as the coordinating body for the CAT 2024 exam.
The registration window for the CAT 2024 examination was open from 1st August to 13th September 2024.
Applications for CAT 2024 were submitted exclusively via the official IIM CAT website or through the provided direct application links.
The CAT 2024 exam structure consists of three core sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).
To be eligible for CAT 2024, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD/DA candidates).
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