Nationwide entrance exam known as the Common Admission Test (CAT) enables students to obtain admission into Master of Business Administration/Postgraduate programs at Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and select top business facilities. The CAT lets evaluators assess test-takers on their capabilities in mathematical reasoning alongside verbal comprehension and data interpretation skills and logical thought.
                    
                                                                                        
                            Courses Offered Through CAT at IIMs
                        
                                        
    - MBA/PGP (Post Graduate Program in Management)
- Executive MBA
- Fellow Program in Management (FPM)
- Specialized Management Programs
CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
                        
                                        
                        Indian students need to pass the CAT 2025 exam to enter elite MBA programs at Indian institutions. Its official release date falls on July 30, 2025. Registration will begin in August until July 2025 before the November 30 testing date. The registration process begins in August before the scheduled November 30, 2025 examination date. The following table presents the planned dates for reference.
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | Event | Tentative Date | 
    
    
        
            | CAT 2025 Notification | July 30, 2025 | 
        
            | Registration Start | Aug-25 | 
        
            | Registration End | Sep-25 | 
        
            | Admit Card Release | Nov-25 | 
        
            | CAT Exam Date | November 30, 2025 | 
        
            | Answer Key Release | Dec-25 | 
        
            | Result Declaration | Jan-26 | 
    
                                                                                        
                                        
    
        
            | Exam Particulars | Details | 
    
    
        
            | Full Form | Common Admission Test (CAT) | 
        
            | Conducting Body | To be announced | 
        
            | Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) | 
        
            | Exam Duration | 120 minutes (2 hours) | 
        
            | Exam Slots | 3 slots (Morning, Afternoon, Evening) | 
        
            | Number of Test Cities | 170+ | 
        
            | Exam Frequency | Once a year | 
        
            | Official Website | iimcat.ac.in | 
    
                                                                                        
                                        
                        Candidates can download the CAT admit card from November 2025 onwards.
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | Step to Follow | Description | 
    
    
        
            | Step 1 | Visit iimcat.ac.in. | 
        
            | Step 2 | Click on the login option. | 
        
            | Step 3 | Enter your CAT ID and Password. | 
        
            | Step 4 | Click on ""Download Admit Card"" and save it. | 
    
                                                                                        
                            CAT 2025 Exam Day Guidelines
                        
                                        
    - Take the CAT admit card along with a valid photo ID.
- Students need to reach their examination centers before the test time at least one hour in advance.
- The testing authority prevents candidates from using any smartphones or smartwatches along with calculators during examinations.
CAT 2025 will be held in three slots:
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | Slot | Time | 
    
    
        
            | Morning | 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM | 
        
            | Afternoon | 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM | 
        
            | Evening | 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM | 
    
                                                                                        
                            CAT Exam Pattern & Test Structure 2025
                        
                                        
                        The CAT exam contains three sections:
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | Section | Number of Questions | Time Limit | 
    
    
        
            | VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension) | 24 | 40 minutes | 
        
            | DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning) | 20 | 40 minutes | 
        
            | QA (Quantitative Aptitude) | 22 | 40 minutes | 
        
            | Total | 66 | 120 minutes | 
    
                                                                                        
                                        
                        The CAT syllabus includes the following topics:
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | Section | Topics | 
    
    
        
            | Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | Number System, Algebra, Geometry & Mensuration, Arithmetic | 
        
            | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Set Theory, Puzzles, Coding-Decoding, Series | 
        
            | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd Sentence Out, Reading Comprehension | 
    
                                                                                        
                            CAT 2025 Previous Year Papers Format
                        
                                        
    
        
            | Year | Number of Slots | Difficulty Level | 
    
    
        
            | 2024 | 3 | Moderate | 
        
            | 2023 | 3 | Moderate-Difficult | 
        
            | 2022 | 3 | Difficult | 
    
                                                                                        
                            Changes in the CAT Exam Pattern Over the Years
                        
                                        
    - The number of questions was reduced from 100 to 66 after 2020.
- Introduction to TITA (Type In The Answer) questions.
- Sectional time limit is 40 minutes for each section.
Students can learn about the CAT exam structure through official mock tests created by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) before the exam date. Candidates need to practice official mock tests on the iimcat.ac.in website together with past CAT question papers to develop their speed and accuracy and enhance their time management abilities. Students who practice mock quizzes frequently will discover their areas for improvement as well as develop stronger confidence in the real test. Stay tuned to the official website for the release date of the CAT 2025 sample test.
                    
                                                                                        
                            CAT Exam Preparation 2025
                        
                                        
    - Focus your understanding on QA, DILR, and VARC sections in the syllabus.
- Develop a study timetable that segments time according to your strengths and weaknesses.
- High-quality CAT preparation books along with online solution tools are your best study materials.
- Regular practice of mock tests and question papers from past years should be your main studying approach.
- Your time management skills will improve when you solve 66 questions within 120-minute time slots.
- Perform assessments to discover weak points, then choose important aspects for improvement.
- Schedule daily study periods and structured revisions.
CAT 2025 Result and Scorecard PDF
                        
                                        
                        Candidates can access their scorecards through iimcat.ac.in. A login process using CAT ID together with password enables candidates to access the scorecard. After logging in the user needs to access the ""Download Scorecard"" section to save the PDF file for later use. Scorecards issued by the official website at iimcat.ac.in will present both section-based and total percentiles alongside candidate-scaled scores. 
MBA candidates need this document since IIMs along with various premium business institutions use CAT results for conducting student selection before admission. Candidates should preserve multiple copies of their scorecards and confirm their validity throughout the admissions process. There will be no hard copies supplied, so download it as soon as possible. It is recommended that all facts on the scorecard be verified and that any anomalies be reported to the CAT authorities promptly.
                    
                                                                                        
                                        
                        Candidates should access the CAT 2025 Answer Key by visiting the official website iimcat.ac.in in December 2025. Applicants can check all correct answers in the CAT 2025 Answer Key available on iimcat.ac.in which enables them to predict their scores before official results are released. Along with the answer key, candidates will receive a response sheet with the answers they marked. If any anomalies are discovered, candidates can file objections within the window specified by paying a small charge per question. The final answer key will be released following a consideration of complaints.
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | Process | Details | 
    
    
        
            | Release Date | Dec-25 | 
        
            | Official Website | iimcat.ac.in | 
        
            | Login Credentials | CAT ID & Password | 
        
            | Available Documents | Answer Key & Response Sheet | 
        
            | Objection Fee | Nominal fee per question | 
        
            | Final Answer Key | Released before result declaration | 
    
                                                                                        
                            Top Colleges Accepting CAT Exam Score
                        
                                        
                        Apart from 21 IIMs, some of the top B-schools accepting CAT scores are:
                    
                                                                                    
    - FMS Delhi
- SPJIMR Mumbai
- MDI Gurgaon
- IITs (MBA programs)
- IMT Ghaziabad
List of IIMs for MBA/PGP Courses
                        
                                        
                        Leading business schools of India, Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), deliver MBA and PGP educational programs to their students. Aspirants need to pass the CAT examination to obtain admission to these institutes before earning entry through WAT and GD and PI assessments. This section includes the complete list of Indian Institutes of Management at present.
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | IIM | Location | Established Year | 
    
    
        
            | IIM Ahmedabad | Gujarat | 1961 | 
        
            | IIM Bangalore | Karnataka | 1973 | 
        
            | IIM Calcutta | West Bengal | 1961 | 
        
            | IIM Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 1984 | 
        
            | IIM Indore | Madhya Pradesh | 1996 | 
        
            | IIM Kozhikode | Kerala | 1996 | 
        
            | IIM Shillong | Meghalaya | 2007 | 
        
            | IIM Rohtak | Haryana | 2010 | 
        
            | IIM Ranchi | Jharkhand | 2010 | 
        
            | IIM Raipur | Chhattisgarh | 2010 | 
        
            | IIM Trichy | Tamil Nadu | 2011 | 
        
            | IIM Udaipur | Rajasthan | 2011 | 
        
            | IIM Kashipur | Uttarakhand | 2011 | 
        
            | IIM Nagpur | Maharashtra | 2015 | 
        
            | IIM Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 2015 | 
        
            | IIM Amritsar | Punjab | 2015 | 
        
            | IIM Bodh Gaya | Bihar | 2015 | 
        
            | IIM Sambalpur | Odisha | 2015 | 
        
            | IIM Sirmaur | Himachal Pradesh | 2015 | 
        
            | IIM Jammu | Jammu & Kashmir | 2016 | 
    
                                                                                        
                                        
                        The entrance for all business schools depends on CAT cut-offs for both IIMs along with non-IIMs since these represent their minimum required scores. The qualifying CAT cut-offs appear before the exam from all IIMs although the final cut-offs emerge after results become available. For reference, past year`s qualifying CAT cut-offs are listed here.
                    
                                                                                    
    
        
            | IIM | Qualifying CAT Cut Off (%) | 
    
    
        
            | IIM Ahmedabad | 85 | 
        
            | IIM Bangalore | 85 | 
        
            | IIM Calcutta | 85 | 
        
            | IIM Lucknow | 90 | 
        
            | IIM Indore | 90 | 
        
            | IIM Kozhikode | 85 | 
        
            | IIM Amritsar | 90 | 
        
            | IIM Nagpur | 85 | 
        
            | IIM Sambalpur | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Trichy | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Raipur | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Ranchi | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Kashipur | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Vizag | 80 | 
        
            | IIM Udaipur | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Bodhgaya | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Shillong | 75 | 
        
            | IIM Sirmaur | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Rohtak | 95 | 
        
            | IIM Jammu | 94 | 
        
            | IIM Mumbai | 94 | 
    
                                                                                        
                                        
    - Visit iimcat.ac.in.
- Click `New Registration` to create a login ID.
- Fill out personal and academic information.
- Upload a scanned photo and signature.
- Pay the CAT charge:
        - General: ₹2,500
- Reserved Categories: ₹1,250
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025
                        
                                        
    - Bachelor`s degree with 50% (45% for SC/ST/PWD).
- Final-year students may apply.
- Candidates holding CA/CS/ICWA degrees are also eligible.
CAT 2024 Official Contact Details
                        
                                        
                        Candidates are recommended to contact the helpdesk during working hours for prompt resolution of questions about exam registration, fee payment, admit card issues, and results updates.