The Common Admission Test (CAT), conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), is an entrance exam to qualify as an eligible student to take admission in the management programs, offered by the seven esteemed IIMs.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must have at least 50 percent marks or equivalent CGPA in graduation [45 percent marks for candidates of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), or Persons with Disability (PWD)] from any university recognized by Central or State Government, any other educational institutions laid down by an act of Parliament, a deemed university under section 3 of UGC Act, 1956, or an equivalent qualification acknowledged by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.
CGPA scores will be calculated based on the equivalence endorsed by the university/institution from where the candidates have attained their graduation degree. In absence of any such scheme being offered, IIMs calculate equivalence by dividing obtained CGPA scores with the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying the outcome with 100.
Candidates appearing for the final exam in their graduation can also apply for CAT; provided they submit the required documents and scores proving that they have obtained at least 50 percent marks (45 percent for candidates of SC/ST/PWD categories) in the last exam.
Structure of the Exam
CAT is 2.5 hours’ duration exam and has multiple choice answers with negative marking scheme. The test examines the candidates in logical reasoning, geometry, data interpretation, arithmetical problem solving, verbal ability, and English language skills.
CAT is usually held on the third Sunday in the month of November every year. The shortlisted candidates of the exam are called for Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI).
Conclusion
Though CAT is conducted jointly by all IIMs, each IIM has its own filtration process to select the students for admissions. CAT is one of the parameters in selection process, used by IIMs to evaluate the potential of a candidate. In addition, each IIM has individual criteria to attribute different share of weight ages to different parameters of selection.
Now CAT would be a computer-based test from this year i.e. 2009 onwards. The exam has gained the reputation of being one of the world’s most challenging and competitive exams, considering that 3 lac students are expected to attempt the exam this year.
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