Exam: The Common Admission Test (CAT)
Conducted by: Conducted jointly by the IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management -- Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Bangalore,
Lucknow, Indore, Calicut)
Eligibility criteria: Pretty much anyone who has a recognised bachelors degree from a recognised university is
eligible for the CAT examination. Students who are to graduate the following year can appear as well. Note, however,
that the CAT score is accepted by many institutes, and different institutes might have their own entrance
requirements. Many typically ask for a minimum of 50% marks at the graduation level.
Exam applicable to: There is no university that accepts the CAT scores. Since CAT is conducted by the IIM, which
is a set of autonomousinstitutes, only autonomous institutes accept CAT scores. Note that until very recently, the
exam was only for the IIMs. The list however, changes every year and there is no way of knowing the exhaustive list.
However, a good sample would include the following...
The Indian Institutes of Management
1. MICA (Mudra Insitute of Communication)
2. TA Pai, Manipal
3. IMT, Ghaziabad
4. MDI, Gurgaon
5. Goa Institute of Management
6. Institute of Technology and Management (multiple locations all over India).
7. Institute of Management Development & Research, Pune
Exam Dates: The CAT exam usually takes place on the second Sunday of December. This year also it falls on the
same day, i.e.; December 13 1998.
Pattern of the paper: Although slight changes could be observed every year, typically the pattern is as follows...
Maths - 50 marks (including the regular topics -- percentage, numbers, ratios, geometry, distance, interest and the
likes for 40 marks and Data Sufficiency for 10 marks)
Data Interpretation - 35 marks
English - 50 marks (including unjumbling of jumbled sentences, analogies, error spotting, finding the odd word and
the likes)
Reading Comprehension - 50 marks (typically 6 to 8 passages)
Pros:
On attempting the test, one feels that indeed the test was well-designed. The questions that are tough are not tough
simply because of mindless calculations, but because of the conceptual knowledge required.
The exam is designed such that memorisation, rote learning, endless hours of slogging and other such brute force
methods do not yield results all by themselves. Conceptual understanding is a must. The exam is fairly standardised
in format.
Cons:
Absolute lack of transperancy. No one knows how much they scored. No one knows how the institutes interpret/use
their scores. No one knows how much of the admission decision is dependant on the CAT score alone. Such lack of
transperancy is not expected from a managment institute.
Though many non-IIM institutes have started accepting CAT scores, the application fee of these institutes is still
inexplicably high.
The CAT is primarily an exam of Math and English. Logical and Analytical Reasoning is nearly absent (except for
some verbal reasoning).
Students who have not studied math at the graduation level stand little chance of scoring the bare-minimum marks
required in the quantative section.
Words from the wise...
On preparation: Ajeet Khurana, the Director of KITS, a Bombay based institute that has been coaching students for
MBA entrance exams in India feels that, "Like most exams, good study material, a study plan, a group of friends for
group-study, some coaching are all required. However, due to CAT being one of the older MBA entrance exams, a lot
of the study material is outdated. Then again, if you have even somewhat above average vocabulary, then spending
weeks learning a list of words and their synonyms shall be a very bad investment. But several students spend weeks,
often months learning synonyms. (This might make sense for the GRE, but will yield poorly for CAT). Also, one needs
to ensure that one indeed understood a particular question and topic before proceeding. Too often, students are
satisfied simply by getting the right answer. The idea is to focus on the right approach and speed building."
On coaching classes: According to Khurana, "As a medium, coaching classes do provide an opportunity to reduce the
ambiguity associated with the extent and scope of the syllabus. The biggest service they do is provide is to ensure
that the students is disciplined enough and keeps on preparing. The peer pressure also helps a lot. However,
coaching classes certainly are no magic pill and even the best amongst them can clain to only 25 per cent of the
credit for their student's success. The rest is the candidates own dedication and sincerity.
"It is also noteworthy to distinguish between one coaching class and another. Students should certainly check the
credentials, methodology and faculty of the coaching classes before enrolling. The CAT coaching class industry is
characterised by a lot of institutes that start with a big bang and are non-existent in a year or two.
If at all you do get a call: Different institutes have different procedures that follow. Most have a filteration process
before final selection on the basis of Group Discussions and Personal Interviews. Some institutes (e.g. MICA),
conduct a supplementary exam of their own.
Helpful tips for the Group Discussion and interview:
Keep up with the latest news by reading newspapers and magazines regularly. Prepare a career plan Improve
communication skills (Some coaching classes like KITS, for instance helps with this too.)
Note: Typically calls from the IIMs come during the end of February to the mid of AprilAs far as other institute are
concerned, they continue as long as July. Sometimes, the dates of the final exams of T.Y.B.Com. students clashes
with the dates of the G.D or the interview. Not too much can be done about the clashing of dates. However, if one is
prepared in advance, one just needs to invest half a day for the GD and interview sessions. If indeed you have an
exam at the same time as your GD and interview, you could try talking to the MBA institute about it. But past
instances reveal that this does not usually bear fruit.
COLLEGES ACCEPTING CAT SCORES
1. Bhavan's Royal Institute of Management
2. IIM Ahmedabad
3. • IIM Bangalore
4. • IIM Indore
5. • IIM Kozhikode
6. • IIM Lucknow
Top B-Schools in India for MBA, PGDM
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (JBIMS)
S. P. Jain Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (SPJIMR)
Schools of Management, IIT (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai)
Management Development Institute, Gurgaon (MDI)
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (NMIMS)
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIM B)
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune (SIBM)
Symbiosis Center for Management & Human Resources Development, Pune (SCMHRD)
Institute of Management & Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT)
International Management Institute, Delhi (IMI)
Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Trichy (BIM)
Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA)
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi (IIFT)
T. A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal (TAPMI)
Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai (LIBA)
Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA)
Institute of Management Development Research, Pune (IMDR)
Symbiosis (pune)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Residential MBA Programme
Specializations:
Finance, Human Resources, Marketing and Operations Management
Duration: Two years full time.
Eligibility:
A graduate from any statutory university with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST) at graduation
level. Candidates passing degree examination by part time or correspondence course are not eligible. Final
year appearing students can apply but their admission will be subject to obtaining a minimum of 50% marks
(45% for SC/ST) at qualifying examination.
Intake: 180
Reservation within intake:
• 15% and 7.5% of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates respectively
• 3% seats reserved for “Differently Abled" candidates (blind, hearing impaired
(Deaf/dumb) mentally retarded or those with orthopaedic disorders). The minimum degree
of disability should be 40% in order to be eligible under this category.
• 15% seats reserved for Management seats - applicant need to comply with all the
eligibility norms and apply separately only after the entire process is complete. Appearing
for SNAP test and filling of SIBM form is mandatory.
Reservation above intake:
• Kashmiri Migrants: 2 seats – children of migrants from J&K valley.
• 15% seats for International students.
Students can apply to one category only.
Fees :
Total fees – Rs. 3.5 lacs p.a. (total fees not including transportation)
Management Quota twice the total fees - per annum
Pre induction course fees as Rs. 25000/- (non-refundable)
Total hostel fees including deposit Rs. 1,00,000/- p.a
Selection Procedure : The selection of the students shall be on the basis of SNAP Test +
Group Task + Personal Interview.
The shortlist for Group Discussion / Task & Interview shall be based on sectional and overall
cutoff.