There is no change in the CAT exam pattern or CAT syllabus, but the fee amount and number of test cities have increased. Check other changes in CAT 2021 exam.
CAT 2021 notification was released on July 31 with all the relevant information related to exam events and dates. The CAT 2021 exam will be conducted on November 28 and the registration process will begin from August 4 (10 AM). The deadline to apply for CAT exam 2021 is September 15 (5 PM).
Candidates planning to appear in the exam, must adhere to the timeline filling the form as CAT is the only chance of getting admission into IIMs for MBA. Any candidate, who is a graduate or in final year bachelor’s degree course, can apply for CAT 2021. The minimum score required in 50 per cent aggregate for General category and 45 per cent for Reserved category.
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There is no change in the CAT exam pattern or CAT syllabus. Like last year, CAT 2021 will be conducted in three slots of 2 hours each - Slot 1- 8:30 AM to 10:30 PM, slot 2 - 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, slot 3 - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The question paper will have three sections – VARC, DILR and QA. Each section will be of 40 minutes time limit. VARC will have 26 questions, DILR will have 24 questions and QA will have 26 questions. However, there are a few other changes in CAT exam. Check below:
Changes in CAT 2021
CAT 2021 application fee increased: The CAT application fee has been increased by 10 per cent from last year. CAT fee for General/OBC category students has been hiked Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,200 and for SC/SC/PwD category students it has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,100. This is the third time in a row, that the CAT exam fee has been hiked.
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Number of CAT test cities increased: This year, CAT exam will be conducted in 158 cities across India. Last year, the total number of cities was 156. It is expected that the exam will be conducted at over 400 CAT test centres in these 158 cities.
CAT test city preference increased: The total number of cities one can select in the application form for allotment of CAT test centre has been increased to six. This is done to prevent any inconvenience for the students in appearing for the exam amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Also Read:
- CAT 2021 preparation tips
- Best books for CAT and other study material
- Previous years CAT question papers
- CAT mock test for practice
CAT Application Fee Hike
In the last three years, CAT application fee has been increased every year. Check the table below for year wise comparison.
| Year | General Category | SC/ST/PwD Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Rs 2,200 | Rs 1,100 |
| 2020 | Rs 2,000 | Rs 1,000 |
| 2019 | Rs 1,900 | Rs 950 |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
No, CAT is not required to get admission to Masters' Union. The college offers admission based on the last qualifying score to BBM/BMS. Further, for PGP TBM, college conduct MUBAAT entrance exam for admission. Applicants are required to apply to the official website of the college to fill out the
D
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
The leading entrance examinations for MBA programs comprise CAT and MAT, both of which are recognised by nearly all MBA colleges across India. While there are slight variations in the exam formats for CAT and MAT, it's important to note that only CAT scores are accepted by IIMs.
| Parameter | CAT | MAT |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Sections | Three | Five |
| Duration | 180 minutes | 150 minutes |
| No. of Questions | 100 | 200 (40 from each section) |
| No. Of Papers | 1 | 1 |
| Test Centre | Candidates can choose four cities as per the choices | Candidates can choose three cities |
| Level of Difficulty | High | Moderate |
| Marking Scheme | Correct Answer: +4 Incorrect Answer: -1 | Correct Answer: +1 Incorrect: -.25 |
| No. of Exams conducted yearly | Once a Year | Four times a year |
| Major Colleges | All IIMs, IITs, FMS, MDI, IMT | Christ College Institute of Management, IMS, BIMTECH (Noida) |
P
Beginner-Level 4
Answered Yesterday
No. The authorities will not accept soft copies of the CDAC C-CAT admit card at the exam centre. All candidates will have to download and print out the CDAC C-CAT hall ticket. The print out has to be presented at the examination centre along with a valid identity proof. If the documents are not pres
N
Beginner-Level 3
Answered Yesterday
While reporting at the exam centre, the candidates will have to present their CDAC C-CAT admit card along with a valid identity proof. Any one of the following original identity proofs will be accepted at the centre along with the admit card - Aadhaar Card/Voter ID/PAN Card/Passport/School ID or any
S
Beginner-Level 3
Answered Yesterday
No. The candidates will not be able to access the CDAC C-CAT admit card through email. To download the CDAC C-CAT admit card, the candidates will have to visit the official website i.e., cdac.in and log in using their application form number and password. No other mode will be used to release the CD
N
Beginner-Level 3
Answered Yesterday
To download the CDAC C-CAT admit card, the candidates will have to visit the official website at cdac.in. The login credentials required to access the CDAC C-CAT admit card are the candidate's application form number and password. During the registration process, the candidates should check their ap
N
Beginner-Level 3
Answered Yesterday
Yes. CDAC C-CAT admit card is released online. The candidates will be able to access the CDAC C-CAT admit card download link online at cdac.in. No other mode will be used by the authorities to release the CDAC C-CAT admit card. To log in, the candidates will have to provide the required credentials.
N
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 2 days ago
No, SKILL-CAT exam is not compulsory to get into MBA at Symbiosis Skills and Professional University. Candidates can also apply with a valid score of national-level examinations. The accepted entrance exams are CAT/MAT/SNAP/GMAT, etc. After shortlisting candidates based on exam scores, the universit
S
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 4 days ago
LEAD college og management ofers admissions based on entrance and merit. The institute offers courses such as MBA AND MCA for duration 2 year full timemode.
Candidates must have minimum marks of 50% in graduation from a recognised university or college. Apart from this, candidates must obtained vali
A
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 5 days ago
Hi Sanjana,
MDI Gurgaon primarily accepts CAT scores for admission to its PGDM programs. For Indian students, a valid CAT score is required. However, for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Foreign Nationals, and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), a GMAT score is accepted.
The last date to apply for the PGDM,
A
Contributor-Level 9
Is CAT compulsory for admission to Masters' Union?