MBA CAT Syllabus 2023
Saurav Anand
|
November 1, 2022
The CAT exam is a computer-based test that is given by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in India. It is offered to MBA students who have completed their course in any of the IITs, IIMs and other higher education institutes across India. The exam consists of two papers: Objective Type and Subject Type. The objective type paper has 120 questions while the subject type paper has 120 questions. Each question carries four marks (one mark for each correct answer).
The CAT exam was first introduced in 1973 by IIM Calcutta, and has since been administered at various times by different IIMs. The CAT Exam is conducted every year in July or August depending on the academic calendar of your institute.
The CAT 2023 exam will most likely be held on November 26. The exam will be held in three sessions across India, in approximately 156 cities. The dates for the CAT 2023 exam will be announced in July 2023, and registration will begin in August 2023.
Candidates who want to pursue an MBA from a top-tier B-School in India must take the CAT because approximately 1,200 MBA colleges accept the scores for admission to their PG management programs. The IIMs, MDI, SPJIMR, IMT, FMS, IM, IITs, GIM, GLIM, LIBA, NITIE, MICA, IRMA, KIIT SOM, BIMTech, AMU, JMI, and BHU are among the top MBA colleges that accept CAT scores for admission.
CAT Exam 2023 Highlights:
The CAT is a common aptitude test used to assess a candidate's business aptitude, reasoning, analytical, and English skills. Check out the key highlights of CAT 2023 below.
| Particulars | CAT 2023 Exam Details |
| CAT Full Form | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
| Exam schedule | November 26, 2023 (tentative) |
| CAT exam fees | INR 2,200 (General category) and INR 1,100 (Reserved category) |
| Eligibility criteria | Graduation with 50 % aggregate (45 % for SC/ST students) |
| Application mode | Online |
| Application fees | INR 2,200 for General categoryINR 1,100 for SC/ST/PwD |
| CAT syllabus | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)Quantitative Ability (QA) |
| CAT exam website | https://iimcat.ac.in |
CAT Exam 2023 Dates-
| CAT Exam Events | CAT 2023 Exam Dates (tentative) |
| Notification release | 31-July-2023 |
| CAT 2023 registrations start | First week of August, 2023 |
| Registrations end | Third week of September, 2023 |
| CAT form correction | Last week of September, 2023 |
| CAT 2023 admit card release | Last week of October, 2023 |
| CAT mock test link activation | Fourth week of October, 2022 |
| CAT 2023 exam date | 26-Nov-2023 |
| CAT 2023 answer key release | First week of December 2023 |
| Answer key challenge process | First week of December 2023 |
| CAT 2023 result declaration | First week of January 2024 |
CAT Exam 2023 Eligibility Criteria-
The applicant must have a graduation grade point average of at least 50%. Students in their final year can also take the CAT exam. The CAT exam can be taken as many times as you want, and there is no age limit to apply.
| QUALIFICATION | PERCENTAGE/CGPA |
| Bachelor's Degree from any institute (Recognized by UGC) | 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD) |
| Engineering Degree- B.Tech/ B.E from any university (Recognized by AICTE/MHRD) | 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD) |
| Students pursuing final year of degree examination | 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD |
- The Reserved seats for OBC: 27%
- The Reserved seats for SC Candidates: 15%
- The Reserved seats for ST candidates: 7.5%
- The Reserved seats for the person with disabilities: 3%
CAT 2023 Registration-
- CAT application forms will only be available online at iimcat.ac.in.
- The first step in applying for the exam is to register for the CAT.
- Only candidates who meet the eligibility requirements will be permitted to apply.
- Candidates must have a working email address and password in order to register for CAT 2023.
- Candidates will need their Class 10, 12, bachelor’s degree, personal ID number (Aadhaar, Voter ID, Passport number, etc.), scanned photograph, scanned signature, and net banking details to fill out the CAT application form 2023.
- Candidates must select IIMs and courses only on the CAT application form. They are not required to fill out separate IIMs forms for MBA admission.
- The CAT application fee is non-refundable, and form correction will be available for only certain fields of the form.
Documents Required-
While filling out the application form, the candidate must also upload the required documents in the given format-
| Document | Format |
| Photo | .jpg/.jpeg |
| Signature | .jpg/.jpeg |
| EWS/NC-OBC/SC/ST Certificate | |
| PwD Certificate |
Application Fee-
After filling all the details in the application form, the candidate must make the payment to complete the registration process.
- For General, EWS and NC-OBC, the application fee is INR 2,200/-
- For SC, ST and PwD, the application fee is INR 1,100/-
- The fee can be paid through online mode only.
- Before submitting the application form and making the payment, the candidate will be able to preview the complete form.
- After successful payment, the candidates will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes.
CAT Exam 2023 Centres
| Andhra Pradesh | Tirupati |
| Visakhapatnam | |
| Kurnool | |
| Nellore | |
| Kakinada | |
| Guntur | |
| Rajahmundry | |
| Vizianagaram | |
| Vijayawada | |
| Assam | Silchar |
| Guwahati | |
| Jorhat | |
| Tezpur | |
| Dibrugarh | |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
| Bihar | Patna |
| Muzaffarpur | |
| Darbhanga | |
| Aurangabad | |
| Arrah | |
| Bhagalpur | |
| Chattisgarh | Raipur |
| Bhillai | |
| Bilaspur | |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| Mohali | |
| Delhi-NCR | Delhi |
| Faridabad | |
| Gurugram | |
| Ghaziabad | |
| Greater Noida | |
| Meerut | |
| New Delhi | |
| Noida | |
| Haryana | Ambala |
| Hisar | |
| Karnal | |
| Kurushetra | |
| Panipat | |
| Rohtak | |
| Gujarat | Surat |
| Rajkot | |
| Vadodara | |
| Gandhinagar | |
| Ahmedabad | |
| Mehsana | |
| Anand | |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Hamirpur | |
| Jharkhand | Bokaro |
| Ranchi | |
| Jamshedpur | |
| Dhanbad | |
| Hazaribagh | |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu |
| Karnataka | Belagav |
| Bengaluru | |
| Dharwad | |
| Hubbali | |
| Kalaburagi | |
| Mangaluru | |
| Mysuru | |
| Shivamogga | |
| Udupi | |
| Kerala | Trivandrum |
| Kannur | |
| Kollam | |
| Ernakulam | |
| Kottayam | |
| Kozhikode | |
| Thrissur | |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Gwalior | |
| Indore | |
| Jabalpur | |
| Sagar | |
| Satna | |
| Ujjain |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| Nagpur | |
| Amravati | |
| Pune | |
| Ahmednagar | |
| Aurangabad-Maharashtra | |
| Jalgaon | |
| Kolhapur | |
| Nanded | |
| Nashik | |
| Satara | |
| Solapur | |
| Ulhasnagar | |
| Raigad | |
| Thane | |
| Palghar | |
| Navi Mumbai | |
| Vasai | |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Meghalaya | Shillong |
| Nagaland | Kohima |
| Odisha | Sambalpur |
| Cuttack | |
| Balasore | |
| Berhampur | |
| Bhubaneswar | |
| Dhenkanal | |
| Rourkela | |
| Puducherry | Puducherry |
| Punjab | Amritsar |
| Bhatinda | |
| Jalandhar | |
| Patiala | |
| Ludhiana | |
| Pathankot | |
| Sangrur | |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Udaipur | |
| Ajmer | |
| Alwar | |
| Bikaner | |
| Jodhpur | |
| Sikar | |
| Kota | |
| Telangana | Hyderabad |
| Karim Nagar | |
| Warangal | |
| Tamil Nadu | Madurai |
| Chennai | |
| Coimbatore | |
| Trichy | |
| Salem | |
| Tirunelveli | |
| Vellore | |
| Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi |
| Agra | |
| Jhansi | |
| Lucknow | |
| Aligarh | |
| Allahabad | |
| Bareilly | |
| Gorakhpur | |
| Kanpur | |
| Moradabad | |
| Muzaffarnagar | |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| Haldwani | |
| Roorkee | |
| West Bengal | Siliguri |
| Asansol | |
| Bankura | |
| Burdwan | |
| Kolkata | |
| Durgapur | |
| Hooghly | |
| Kalyani |
CAT 2023 Exam Pattern
CAT 2023 exam pattern will be as follows:
| Mode of Examination | Online (Computer-based) |
| Medium of Examination | English |
| Total Questions | 66 |
| Time Allotted | 120 minutes |
| Questions Per Section | VARC: 24DILR: 20QA: 22 |
| Time Allotted per Section | 40 minutes each |
| Type of Questions | MCQs and TITA (Type in the Answer) |
| Marks Awarded for Correct Answer | +3 for every right answer |
| Marks Deducted for Wrong Answer | -1 for every wrong answer, TITA has no negative marking |
CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus-
The CAT 2023 exam, like all previous CAT exams, is divided into three sections. While there is no set syllabus for the CAT exam, it is heavily focused on school-based mathematics and English. The three sections of the exam are divided as follows:
| Section | No. of Questions | Time Allotted | Main Topics |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 minutes | Reading comprehension, parajumbles, parasummary, verbal reasoning, etc. |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 40 minutes | Charts, graphs, arrangements, blood relations, puzzles, etc. |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 minutes | Algebra, arithmetic, number systems, geometry, etc. |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Reading Comprehension, Sentence Correction, Fill in the blanks, Cloze Test, Sentence Completion, Word Usage, Error Spotting, Jumbled Words, etc.
- Reading comprehension and verbal ability are the two main components of the VARC section. The reading comprehension section of the VARC is important because it includes paragraphs of varying lengths with MCQ and TITA questions. The verbal ability section includes parajumbles, odd sentences, and so on.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Coding & Decoding, Venn Diagram, Seating Arrangement, Logical Sequence, Graphs, Tables, Puzzles, Blood Relations, Data Sufficiency, Charts, Tables, Binary Logic.
- Data Interpretation is a collection of questions based on various charts, graphs, and other forms of data presentation. The data for the answers must be extracted directly from the provided charts. The logical reasoning section also includes sets of questions about seating arrangements, blood relations, puzzles, and so on.
Quantitative Ability (QA)
- Algebra, Probability & Statistics, Mensuration, Profit & Loss, Geometry, Simple & Compound Interest, Permutation & Combination, Number System, Sequence & Series, etc.
- This section focuses on mathematics because the QA syllabus is entirely based on school math. LCM and HCF, trigonometry, mensuration, probability, and other topics are covered. The IIMs have reduced the difficulty of this section in recent years.
CAT Syllabus 2022 Revisions and Changes
The CAT 2022 Exam Syllabus has been updated to reflect changes in the CAT pattern and structure. Given IIMs' reputation for introducing changes to the CAT exam every year, a few changes are introduced in the CAT syllabus 2022 as the exam pattern for CAT is also changed. The CAT syllabus has been changed again this year, with fewer questions in the exam.
Changes to the CAT Syllabus in 2022
The CAT 2022 syllabus has been revised and now follows a different pattern and structure. There have been significant changes to the CAT syllabus.
i) The CAT will be divided into three sections with fewer questions
ii) Sectional weightage in the CAT syllabus is as follows:
- Section-1: VARC - 34% weightage
- Section-2: DILR – 32% wightage
- Section-3: Quant – 34% weightage
iii) Questions on topics such as sentence correction, fill in the blanks, and sentence completion are no longer included in the CAT exam.
iv) The number of sections is increased from two to three, and DILR is now a single section. It is given a lot of weight in the IIM shortlisting process, and you must clear the cut offs in this section as well as the other two.
v) The CAT exam now includes 25% to 28% questions with no negative marking. The topics for non-MCQ questions are the same as for MCQ questions with negative marking.
Best CAT Preparation Books-
There are numerous books available on the market for CAT preparation. Candidates must exercise caution when selecting books to read. Experts advise that CAT syllabus preparation books be comprehensive, have up-to-date exam patterns, and include question banks. Take a look at the list of best books for CAT exam, which has been carefully curated after reviewing all available options and consulting our CAT experts.
1) CAT Books for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning- Gautam Puri
- Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT-Nishit K Sinha
- Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency- Ananta Ashisha
- How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT- Arun Sharma
2) CAT Books for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT- Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay/Arihant
- How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT- Sharma and Upadhyay
- 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback- Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster
- High School English Grammar & Composition- Wren & Martin
3) CAT Books for Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
- NCERT Mathematics Books (Class 9 to 10)- NCERT
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT- Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations- Abhijit Guha
- Quantitative Aptitude for CAT- Nishit Sinha
- Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT- Sarvesh Sharma
How and when to start preparing for CAT Exam 2023?
According to previous years, over 2 lakh candidates register for the CAT exam each year, and nearly 2 lakh take it. As a result, admission to the top B-schools is extremely competitive. As a result, preparations for the CAT exam must be relentless, with a study plan in place. Here are some pointers to help you prepare for the CAT 2023 exam:
- Prepare a Study Strategy: Divide the syllabus into sections and phases based on the amount of time you have for preparation. Set aside time each day for CAT preparation and stick to it. You must ensure that each section of the paper receives adequate attention.
- Establish the Fundamentals: Identify the concepts that you are unfamiliar with or struggle with the most. Devote time to each section's various topics and establish your understanding at the start of your CAT preparations.
- Select the Preparation Mode: You can study independently or enroll in a CAT coaching program. A coaching program will walk you through the entire preparation process. Remember to consult the appropriate books and materials for your preparation if you choose to self-study.
- Mock Exams: As your preparation improves, consider administering mock exams. Mock exams will assist you in identifying your weaknesses and strengths. It will allow you to improve on your weaker areas.
When to start preparing for CAT 2023?
The tentative CAT 2023 exam date is in November, and if you plan to take the exam, you should begin CAT preparation in March-April. However, if you begin preparing now, you will be able to pass. All you have to do is make four-month plans from August to November.
CAT Exam 2023 Admit Card-
The CAT 2023 admit card will be available in October 2023. Here are a few details to remember in this regard:
- Candidates who have successfully registered for the exam can download their admit cards.
- Candidates can obtain their admit cards by visiting the official website and entering their registration ID and password. The admit card would then be available for download.
- The admit card will include the test location, date, and other exam information.
- On the day of the examination, candidates must bring their admit cards with them.
CAT Exam 2023 Results-
The CAT results will be posted on the official website in December. The results of the CAT 2023 will be valid until December 2024.
Cut-offs for the 2024-26 batch will also be released by the IIMs. There is no centralized counseling for the CAT exam because each IIM has its own procedure for interviews and subsequent admission rounds.
Frequently Asked Questions-
Q) What are the subjects for CAT exam?
Ans. The syllabus of CAT 2022 exam includes all the important topics from these four subjects: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. The candidates need to focus mainly on Algebra, Geometry, Arithmetic, Tables, Graphs, Venn Diagram, Blood Relation, Number Series, Coding-Decoding, Reading Comprehension, Parajumbles and Verbal Ability.
Q) Does CAT syllabus change every year?
Ans. The CAT syllabus remains the same every year. In fact, the syllabus has remained the same since the inception of the exam. However, the distribution of questions within each section of the question paper changes every year. For example, if in one year Algebra dominates the QA section then the next year, Arithmetic dominates it.
Q) Is CAT exam tough for MBA?
Ans. Common Admission Test, abbreviated as CAT, is a national-level MBA Entrance Test conducted by IIMs for admission into various MBA specializations. The CAT exam's competition level is a little more challenging than the other MBA exam, as more than 2 Lakhs (approx) candidates appear for this exam every year.
Q) Which section of CAT exam is the toughest?
Ans. Although CAT exam is tough overall, it has been seen over the years that most test takers find VARC tough, as the Reading Comprehension passages are long and tricky. At times, reasoning questions also turn out to be lengthy and time consuming.
Q) What is the duration of CAT exam?
Ans. The duration of CAT exam is 120 minutes (two hours). For each section, 40 minutes have been allotted. For PwD candidates the total time allotted is 180 minutes, with sectional time-limit of 53 minutes.
Q) What are the fees of the CAT exam?
Ans. Fees for the general category are Rs. 2000/- and Rs. 1000/- for SC/ST/PWD applicants.
Q) Is there any age limit for taking the CAT exam?
Ans. No, there is no age limit for taking the CAT exam.
Q) Can I bring my own calculator to the test center?
Ans. No, physical calculators are strictly prohibited. Rather you can use an on-screen calculator.
Q) Is 3 months enough for CAT?
Ans. The aspirants must attempt a decent number of CAT mock tests to analyze their mistakes. If the candidates follow an effective study plan, then 3 months would be enough to prepare for the CAT exam.
Q) How can I get 99 percentile in CAT?
Ans. How to Get a CAT 2022 Score of 99+ Percentile
- Find Out Your Strengths and Weaknesses.
- Practice Solving Questions.
- Work on Time Management.
- Check CAT Exam Analysis.
- Check CAT Toppers Tips.
- Check Our CAT Preparation Tips.
Q) Is 600 hours enough for CAT?
Ans. CAT preparation requires roughly around 300 to 500 hours of serious preparation time.