CAT 2020

CAT 2020 Notification, Eligibility, Exam Pattern

As we know that IIM Indore is expected to conduct CAT 2020. IIM Indore has released the CAT Exam Notification on 5 August 2020. Then, CAT Registration will start from 5 Aug 2020. CAT 2020 Notification is a comprehensive information document about the CAT exam 2020 and contains details about the MBA admission 2020 in various management programs offered by IIMs.

CAT 2020 Exam Dates

CAT 2020 Eligibility Criteria

If a candidate belongs to the SC or ST categories, the respective caste/tribe must be listed in the Government of India schedule. The caste certificate that the candidate submits to IIM should be in the Government approved format and should clearly state:

1. Name of the caste/tribe;
2. Whether the candidate belongs to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
3. District and State or Union Territory of the candidate’s ordinary residence; and
4. The appropriate Government of India schedule under which the candidate’s caste/tribe is approved by it as Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.

Click here to download Bank, SSC and Government Exams Preparation App

Educational Qualification General  & NC-OBC Candidates

Note: Candidates appearing for the final year of Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification examination and those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results can also apply.

Resevation Of Seats :

IIM Selection Process

You will be selected on the basis of:

• CAT 2019 Score
• Group Discussion or/and Writing Ability Test
• Personal Interview
• Academic Records

CAT Score

After the completion of the entrance exam, various IIMs and other institutes will release their individual cut-offs.

Group Discussion or/and Writing Ability Test

You will be called for Writing Ability Test and/or a Group Discussion on the basis of your performance in CAT and several other factors

Personal Interview

This is the final round where you will be judged on several factors such as communication skills, your academic performance, General Awareness, performance in the previous round and more.

Individual Final Merit List

All the IIMs then release the final merit list based on one or more of a few factors such as CAT score, your performance in WAT/AWA, Group Discussion and Personal Interview, 10th, 12th, Graduation marks, Gender Diversity, Work Experience and Reservations.

CAT 2020 Exam Pattern

• Total marks will be 300.
• Total time for the exam will be 180 minutes (60 minutes for each section).
• The questions will be asked in English language only.
• Candidates will be awarded 3 marks for each right answer while 1 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.

CAT 2020 Marking Scheme :

CAT paper will have two types of question MCQs and Non-MCQs. Both types of questions will carry equal marks. There will be a total of 100 questions.
The table given below provides a brief of the marking scheme, expected to be followed for CAT 2019.

CAT 2020 Syllabus

CAT 2020 Exam Pattern: Section-wise Exam Pattern :

1.Verbal and Reading Comprehension

• This section will have questions from the English language and grammar. It tests a candidate’s language and comprehension skills. A total of 34 questions will be asked from this section, which will be further divided into 24 MCQ and 10 Non-MCQs.
• The comprehension questions will test the ability to comprehend the meaning from a given passage.
• Questions about language usage and their rules are also expected to appear in the exam. Testing the understanding of basic grammar is also part of the exam.
• Candidates reading and verbal ability will be examined in this section.
• Candidates will have to complete this section in 60 minutes.

Important Topics for Verbal and Reading Comprehension :

Expected Topic-wise Weightage for VA section in CAT

Section will have around 34 Questions and RC will have Heavy weightage and is the most important top.

2. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

• This section will focus on two aspects-Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.
• Subjects from Data Interpretation (DI) focus on a candidate’s ability to derive conclusions from a given set of data.
• There will be a total of 32 questions from this section. They will be further divided into 24 MCQ & 8 Non-MCQs.

Important Topics in Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

Expected Topic-wise Weightage for DI-LR section in CAT

3.Quantitative Aptitude

• This section focuses on numerical problems and will test a candidate’s mathematical knowledge.
• It is a test of speed, accuracy, and precision.
• There is a total of 34 questions in this section.
• They will be further divided into 24 MCQ and 10 Non-MCQs. Candidates will have to complete this section in 60 minutes.

Important Topics in Quantitative Aptitude:

Expected Topic-wise Weightage for QA (Quant) Section in CAT

CAT 2020 Application Fees

Given below is the CAT application fee for students belonging to the General and Reserved categories:

CAT Admit Card & Other Info  

CAT admit card 2020 will be issued to the candidates in November 2020. They can download their respective admit cards from IIM CAT website by using their CAT login ID from 5:00 pm onwards. CAT 2020 admit card will be available for download till November 2020. The aspirants must download their admit cards before the exam as a hard copy of the same will not be issued.

How to Download CAT Admit Card 2020?

To download the CAT 2020 admit card, you will be required to follow the steps given below:

• Visit the official CAT 2020 website
• Click on CAT 2020 admit card tab 
• Enter registration ID and password
• The admit card window will open
• Click on download and save on desktop
• Take a print out your CAT 2020 admit card

CAT 2020 Result  

CAT 2020 result will be announced by IIMCAT in the second week of January 2021 (tentatively on January 6, 2021). The exact date of the result declaration has not been announced by IIMCAT. CAT results are declared online on the official website of IIMCAT. The candidates can download their CAT scorecard by using their login ID and username. 

How to Download CAT Result 2020?

The CAT result 2020 will be available on the official website of IIMCAT for download. Registered candidates can check their CAT 2020 results and download the scorecard by using their CAT login IDs. To check the CAT result 2020, the candidates need to follow the below-mentioned steps:

• Visit the official website of IIMCAT
• Click on "CAT login"
• Enter CAT 2020 ID and password
• Click on scorecard tab
• Download your CAT scorecard

CAT Previous year Exam Analysis

CAT 2018 – Exam Analysis

CAT 2018 was conducted by IIM Calcutta on November 25. More than two lakhs candidates appeared to take the test.

• The overall difficulty level of the exam was high. 
• DILR was difficult and the quant section was intensively calculative. 
• RC passages were very lengthy. 

CAT 2018 Section-wise Analysis

Check the table given below to get an idea about the section-wise analysis of CAT 2018 exam.

CAT Previous year Exam Cut off

Previous Year CAT Cut off for IIMs 

Read more:

• Click here to check Upcoming SSC Exams details
• Click here to check Upcoming Bank Exams details
• Click here to check Upcoming Government Exams details

CAT 2020 Exam FAQ’s

Q. I have completed my Bachelor’s Degree. Do I need to submit the overall percentage of marks or as per my University standards?

Q. Is there any age restriction for taking the CAT exam?

Ans: No, there is no age restriction for taking the CAT exam.

Q. What is the fee for the CAT exam?

Ans: The fee is Rs. 2000 for General and NC-OBC Candidates. However, if you belong to the SC/ST/PWD category, the applicable fee is Rs. 1000.

A candidate needs to pay registration fee only once, irrespective of the number of institutes he/she is applying for SC, ST and PwD test takers must upload a copy of their SC/ST/PwD certificates at the time of registration. Fee once paid cannot be refunded under any circumstances.

Q. Where can I pay the CAT exam fee?

Ans: You can pay the CAT exam fee during online registration. The payment of application fee should be done payment gateway. Use a valid credit card, debit card, or net banking facility.

Q. When and how do I register for CAT 2020?

Ans: Online registration for CAT 2020 began on August 2020 (10:00 a.m), onwards, and will close on September 2020, 5:00 p.m. Additional instructions for online registration and the application process are available in the Registration Guide and Registration video published on the website.

Q. Can I use my coaching institute’s or a friend’s email address when registering for CAT?

Ans: No. You must provide a valid and unique email address. All correspondence pertaining to CAT 2020 and subsequent information during the selection stages of the respective IIMs will be communicated to the registered email address.

Q. I have done 5 years integrated course of B.Tech and MBA. As per my university norms first 3.5 years is considered to be B.Tech and the remaining 1.5 years is considered to be MBA. How do I enter my marks?

Ans: As per your University norms, you will enter the aggregate percentage of first 3.5 years under Bachelor’s Degree and remaining 1.5 years under a Master’s degree.

Q. When will CAT 2020 be held and can I choose an exam date?

Ans: The CAT exam will be held on Sunday, 29 November 2020, with two sessions (forenoon and afternoon). Based on your selection of preferred test city, you will be allotted the session slot, test city, and test center, subject to availability.

Q. Can I appear for more than one slot for CAT 2020?

Ans: You cannot appear for more than one slot. It will be deemed as a fraudulent activity if you attempt to appear more than once for CAT 2020. To ensure that candidates have only one attempt, Admit Cards, photo IDs, candidate pictures, and biometric information will be verified. Candidates who attempt to take the test more than once will be eliminated anytime during the selection process.

Q. I have an SC/ST certificate in the format uploaded on the CAT 2020 website. Can I use the same certificate or do I have to download the certificate template from the CAT website and fill it again?

Ans: If your certificate fulfils the following conditions; you can upload the same certificate:

• The certificate should have been issued by a competent authority.
• The name of the caste and caste number should appear in the certificate.
• The Ministry's resolution/order number should be available.
• The certificate should be in Hindi or English only.

Q. I have changed my name with the due procedure after completing my degree. Should I enter my name as per the degree certificate or the changed name?

Ans: You must enter your changed name and provide the supporting documents for change of name at the time of examination, interview, and admission.

Q. Which screen appears after I log into the website post registration?

Ans: After successful registration, you can use the system generated User ID and Password to log in to the website. Upon logging in, you will first see the Registration Summary page. Click on Go to Application Form. This will direct you to the application form page.

Q. What should I do if I have not received the password or have lost the SMS?

Ans: If you have not received the password or have lost the SMS, click the Forgot Password option on the Existing User login page. You will be prompted to enter a Captcha string. The new password will be sent to your registered email address.

Q. I have received multiple passwords. Which password should I enter to login?

Ans: You need to use the password contained in the most recent SMS you have received. In case you are not able to login, you can simply use your user id and click ‘forgot password’. You will receive a new password through email on your registered email id.

Q. How many sections are there in CAT 2020?

Ans: CAT 2020 will have three sections:

• Section I: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

• Section II: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

• Section III: Quantitative Ability

Q. Can I bring a calculator to the testing center?

Ans: Candidates are prohibited from bringing calculators to the testing center. You may use the on-screen calculator that will be available throughout the exam.

Q. How many non-MCQs are there in each section?

Ans: The number of questions varies and cannot be disclosed.

Q. Are there negative marks for questions other than MCQs?

Ans: No, there are no negative marks for non-MCQ type questions.

Q. What is the marking/grading scheme for CAT? Is there negative marking for a wrong answer?

Ans: For questions other than MCQs, 3 marks are assigned for ‘correct answer’ and no marks for ‘incorrect answer or no attempt'.

The scoring scheme for Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) is as follows:

• Each correct answer is awarded 3 marks.

• An incorrect answer fetches -1.

• No marks are given or deducted for unattempted questions.

Q. Does CAT 2020 have a syllabus for exam preparation?

Ans: No, the CAT exam does not have a defined syllabus for CAT preparation. However, you can attempt the mock test to understand the pattern of exam and types of questions. Check the CAT website regularly for the announcement of mock tests.

Q. Under which categories can I apply for CAT?

Ans: You can apply under the following categories:

• General
• Scheduled Caste (SC)
• Scheduled Tribe (ST)
• Non-Creamy Other Backward Class (NC-OBC)

Q. Who is eligible to take the test under the PWD category?

Ans: As per the “Persons with Disability Act, 1995”, a candidate qualifies to be a PWD candidate if he/she suffers from any of the listed disabilities to the extent of not less than 40 percent as certified by a competent medical authority in the prescribed format. The certificate format is available on www.iimcat.ac.in under the section Certificates. The following categories are defined by IIMs for PWD candidates:

• Low Vision/Blindness

• Hearing Impairment

• Locomotive Disability/ Cerebral Palsy

Q. Will the extra one hour be distributed among three sections?