CAT
CAT is the most popular management entrance exam in India, conducted by one of the older IIM’s on a rotational basis. It is a gateway to all 20 IIMs and other top B-schools in India. With high paying management and entrepreneurship job opportunities, the number of CAT aspirants have also been increasing over the years. Long term preparation will give an edge to the candidates over others. A strong preparation ensures conceptual clarity and accurate problem-solving approach.
● With CAT aspirants on the rise every year, more than 2.5 lac candidates are expected to appear for CAT 2020.
● CAT tests a candidate’s Quantitative, Verbal/reading, Data Interpretation and Reasoning Skills.
● The paper has 100 MCQ & Non-MCQ questions that are to be completed in 3 hours.
● With growing demand for management courses, there are several top colleges offering admissions to their MBA programs.
CAT 2020 Eligibility
In order to be eligible for the CAT Exam, an aspirant must be a graduate degree holder in any stream. Candidates appearing in the final year/semester of their degree program can also apply for CAT 2020.
● Candidates with CA/CS/ICWA degree (Gen: 50% & SC/ST/ PWD: 45%) are also eligible.
● As for CAT Age Limit, there is no minimum/ maximum limit defined. There is also no restriction on the number of attempts.
● The percentage requirement for the exam is different for different categories.
CAT 2020 Application Form
CAT 2020 Application Form is expected to start from August 8 – September 26, 2020.The entire procedure will be conducted in online mode only at iimcat.ac.in.
Quick Facts:
● CAT Registration Form: 5-page documents
● Registration Window: Minimum for 45 days
● CAT Application form is a part of Registration form only.
● IIMs sends unique CAT registration ID and Password to login into the online portal of the Common Admission Test.
● Applying online will mean that you have to opt for the relevant management programs in all the 20 IIMs mentioned in the registration form.
CAT 2020 Exam Pattern
CAT exam pattern is unpredictable and undergoes some changes each year. For now, no change in the paper pattern has been notified by the IIMs. However, modification in the level of difficulty of the exam is expected. Continuing on the lines of the previous year exam pattern, CAT 2020 will consist of 3 sections with a total of 100 questions. You need to ensure a high score in each of the sections as there is also a sectional score cut off in IIMs for shortlisting.
Quick Highlights of CAT Exam Pattern are discussed below:
● Mode of Exam: Computer-based test
● Total Questions: 100
● Number of Sections: Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
● Exam duration: 3-hour duration exam, where one hour is assigned to each section.
● Questions with negative marking (MCQs): 75
● Questions without negative marking (non-MCQs): 25
● Marking Scheme: +3 marks for correct answer; -1 mark for wrong answers.
CAT 2020 Syllabus
IIM’s do not release an official CAT Syllabus. However, based on previous year question papers, we have curated below the most frequently occurring topics. An in-depth knowledge of CAT 2020 Syllabus forms the basis of your preparation journey. It is designed to assess the prospective admission-seekers' suitability for MBA education.
Check below the most important topics for CAT Exam Preparation:
Quantitative Ability
● Geometry
● Arithmetic Progression
● Instalment Payments
● Ratios and Proportions
● Arithmetic Mean
● Logarithm
● Work and Time
Data Analysis & Sufficiency
● Graphs
● Column Graphs
● Bar Graphs
● Line Charts
● Pie Charts
● Graphs representing Area
● Venn Diagram
Logical Reasoning
● Critical Reasoning
● Visual Reasoning
● Assumption-Premise-Conclusion
● Assertion and reasons
● Statements and assumptions
● Matrix arrangements
● Coding and Decoding
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
● Verbal Reasoning
● Syllogisms
● Contextual usage
● Analogies
● Sentence completion
● Idioms
● Sentence Correction