what is tha CAT exam?

What is CAT 2018 Exam for MBA?

Latest Updates: CAT 2018 exam will be held on Sunday, November 25, 2018. Detailed notification for CAT 2018 may be released in July / August 2018. (IIMs reserve the right to change the CAT exam date in case of exceptional circumstances)

Common Admission Test (CAT) is a competitive management entrance exam conducted at the national level.

CAT 2018 is conducted for admissions in Postgraduate Business Administration Programme and other programs in various IIMs and other B-Schools accepting CAT 2018.

CAT Syllabus 2018

CAT 2018 shall include 3 sections, namely, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). CAT does not have a predefined syllabus. However, questions are expected from the topics given below.

• Quantitative Ability (QA) : -CAT 2018 the forthcoming exam will have Quantitative Ability (QA) as one of its main sections which give the impression to be the favourite of the exam setters. It seems as if over 50% of paper setting efforts is devoted to Quant sections.
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) : -To prepare for this section, here are some general test-taking tips that should help you with the Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.
• Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VARC) : -Try and solve what sort of questions you can expect in Verbal Ability section, and then analyse how preparation can be taken up for the next few months.
• Section A: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
  Topics covered under this section include: Critical Reasoning; Paragraph Forming; Grammar; Vocabulary- Synonyms, Antonyms, Odd Man Out, Analogies; Reading Comprehension etc.
  Section B: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)
  Topics covered under this section include: Tables; Graphical Representations; Charts and any diagrammatical Representation- Bar Charts, Pie Charts, Cases, X-Y Charts involving Line Series etc.
  Section C: Quantitative Ability (QA)
  This section includes topics like: Geometry; Trigonometry; Probability; Number System- GCD, LCM, Divisibility, Base System, The Remainder Theorem; Permutation & Combination; Speed; Time and Distance; etc.

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• CAT 2018 Registration/Application Process

• CAT 2018 Registration form and process will be online, and there shall be no CAT 2018 offline Registration facility available. The Online Registration for CAT 2018 shall start by the 1st week of August. The CAT 2018 Application Form will be a part of the CAT 2018 Registration form. The candidate shall apply for CAT 2018 online. After the completion of CAT 2018 exam online, the IIMs shall send the candidates their respective registration IDs. With these unique Registration IDs, the candidates will need to log in to the CAT exam online Registration Form, which shall also contain the CAT 2018 Online Application Form. Hence, it will be a combined CAT 2018 Online Registration and Application Form.
  CAT exam 2017 was conducted on November 26, 2017. The result for CAT 2017 was declared on January 8, 2018. CAT 2018 will be held in the 4th week of November .

  The Registration/Application Form for CAT 2018 will require the candidates to fill up their Academic Details, upload their Photograph, their scanned Signature, and category certificates, as per the formats for CAT 2018, prescribed by the IIMs. The Online Application Form for CAT 2018, shall consist of Programme details on all the 20 IIMs. The candidates filling up the CAT 2018 Online Application, shall have to check mark the relevant Programmes of the IIMs, that they are interested in.

  The Registration Fee for the General Category was INR 1800, and for the Reserved Category was INR 900. There shall be no provision for any offline mode of application for CAT 2018.

  In case the candidate makes some errors in filling the Application Form, once submitted, the errors cannot be rectified. Hence, the candidate will have to Re-register.

  According to the data given below, the number of candidates registered for CAT 2017 was 2.31 Lakh. With the growing popularity of CAT Exam, this number is much likely to increase for CAT 2018.

  

• Steps to Apply for CAT 2018 Online

  • The candidate must log on to the official website for CAT 2018: https://iimcat.ac.in
  • The candidate shall then register himself/herself with a valid Email ID and Phone Number.
  • In Foreign Countries: $125 + Bank charges as applicable
  • The IIMs will then send the Login Credentials to the candidates, through mail or SMS.
  • On receiving the Login credentials, the candidates must log in the Application window and fill up the Online Application Form, which has the following areas to be filled up:
  • Personal Details
  • Contact Details
  • Academic Details
  • Work Experience
  • Selection of IIMs to apply for
  • Selecting the Test Centers and the Interview Cities
  • • It is advisable for the candidates to review the Application Form, once it is filled up, and then upload the necessary documents, with the form, which include:
      • A scanned copy of the Candidate’s Photograph, in the jpeg format
      • A scanned copy of the Candidate’s Signature, in the jpeg format (The candidates should make sure that the Photograph and the Signature are clear and appropriate.)

    CAT 2018 Application Fee

    After the completion of the Application Form, the candidates need to pay the application fee online. On completion of the Application Form, the candidates shall click on the PAY tab, after saving the filled Application Form. The Application Fee has to be settled through Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking/ATM-cum-Debit Cards/Cash Card & Wallet.

    The Registration Fee for the General Category was INR 1800, and for the Reserved Category was INR 900. The final amount also included certain applicable additional charges.

    CAT Exam Pattern 2018

    CAT 2018 will be a computer-based exam, judging the candidates across three sections, namely, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The total test duration will be 3 hours, with a total of 100 questions, while each section will have 34, 32, and 34 questions, respectively.

    There will be 3 Sections in CAT 2018

    The Sectional Marks and Time distribution, for CAT 2018 is given in the Table below:

    Sections	Questions	Time Allotted (In Minutes)	Maximum Marks Allotted
    Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	34	60	102
    Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)	32	60	96
    Quantitative Ability (QA)	34	60	102
    Total	100	180	300

    CAT 2018 Exam Format

    Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

    34

    Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

    32

    Quantitative ability (QA)

    34

    Total No. of Questions

    100

    • Duration of the examination will be 180 minutes.
    • Some questions in each section (Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Verbal and Reading Comprehension) may not be of multiple choice type. Instead, direct answers are to be typed on the screen. Also, use of a basic on-screen calculator will be allowed for computation.
    • Candidates will be allotted exactly 60 minutes for answering questions in each section and they cannot switch from one section to another while answering questions in a section.
    • The on-screen timer will mark remaining minutes for the test.
      • The questions will be both in the form of MCQs and Non-MCQs. According to CAT Exam 2017, there shall be 28 Non MCQs and 72 MCQs in the exam. The answers to the Non MCQs will be typed in the given space, on the computer-screens, as they will not have any answer options. The Non MCQs will have no-negative penalty. The candidate is not allowed to leave the examination in between.
    • Three (3) points will be awarded for each correct answer; one (1) point will be deducted for each wrong answer.
    • There is no penalty for questions that are left unanswered.

    The Pattern for the MCQ and Non-MCQ type questions is represented through the graph below:

    CAT 2018 Exam Details

    Duration of Exam

    180 Minutes

    No. Of Sections

    3

    Exam Sections

    Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), Quantitative ability (QA)

    Marking Scheme

    • Each correct answer is awarded 3 marks.
    • An incorrect answer fetches -1.
    • No marks are given or deducted for unattempted questions.

    Eligibility for CAT Exam 2018

    CAT 2018 Eligibility

    The Candidates wanting to appear for CAT Exam 2018, must fulfil the following Eligibility Criteria:

    • The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline, securing a minimum of 50% marks, or equivalent CGPA. The candidates belonging to the categories of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Differently Abled (DA), need only 45% marks. Even if the candidate has done his/her graduation in the old system of the 2 years graduation, is allowed to appear for CAT 2018, provided that the degree is UGC recognized. Final year Graduation students can also apply for CAT 2018. If selected, these students shall be allowed to join the Programme provisionally, provided, he/she submits a certificate from the Principal/Registrar of the College, stating that the candidate has fulfilled all the requirements of obtaining the Bachelor’s Degree, or equivalent qualification on the date of the issue of the certificate.
    • Alternatively, the candidate must hold a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA), securing the required percentage.
    • The percentage of marks obtained by the candidate, shall be calculated based on the practice followed by the respective University/Institution.
    • In case of the CGPA/Grading System, the conversion to the percentage of marks, shall be based on the procedure certified by the respective University/Institution, in accordance with the CAT 2018 Eligibility Criteria. In case of the absence of a conversion system, the equivalence will be established by dividing the CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA, and then multiplying the result with 100, as per CAT 2018 Eligibility.
    • The candidate must also maintain and declare a valid and unique email ID and a phone number, throughout the selection process.

    List of Equivalent Qualifications for Eligibility for CAT 2018:

    • Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Technology (4 years after 10+2/Post B.Sc./Post Diploma) or B.E/B.Tech equivalent examinations, of Professional Societies, recognized by MHRD/UPSC/AICTE (e.g. AMIE by Institution of Engineers- India, AMICE by the Institute of Civil Engineers- India).
    • Any Qualification recognized by Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi, which is equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree, awarded by UGC recognized University/Institutions.
    • Cases not covered above equivalency certificate to be produced by Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi.

    Reservations of Seats

    As per the Government of India:

    • 15% - Seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC)
    • 7.5% - Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates
    • 27% - Seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes candidates belonging to the non - creamy layer (NC - OBC)
    • 3% - Seats are reserved for Differently Abled (DA) candidates

    

    
    

    Steps to Apply for CAT Exam 2018 Online

    • The candidate must log on to the official website for CAT 2018: 
    • The candidate shall then register himself/herself with a valid Email ID and Phone Number.
    • The IIMs will then send the Login Credentials to the candidates, through mail or SMS.
    • On receiving the Login credentials, the candidates must log in the Application window and fill up the Online Application Form, which has the following areas to be filled up:
      • Personal Details
      • Contact Details
      • Academic Details
      • Work Experience
      • Selection of IIMs to apply for
      • Selecting the Test Centers and the Interview Cities
    • It is advisable for the candidates to review the Application Form, once it is filled up, and then upload the necessary documents, with the form, which include:
      • A scanned copy of the Candidate’s Photograph, in the jpeg format
      • A scanned copy of the Candidate’s Signature, in the jpeg format (The candidates should make sure that the Photograph and the Signature are clear and appropriate.)

    In case the candidate makes some errors in filling the Application Form, once submitted, the errors cannot be rectified. Hence, the candidate will have to Re-register.

  
  

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