Common Admission Test
The entrance test for the IIMs and many other management schools. The test is only the first half of the admission process.
What it is for
CAT is used for admission to the postgraduate management programmes at the IIMs, and its score is accepted by a large number of other business schools. A strong score earns you a call, not a seat — the second half of the process is run by each institute separately.
Conducted by The Indian Institutes of Management, on rotation.
How it is structured
The test
A computer-based test in three sections: verbal ability and reading comprehension, data interpretation and logical reasoning, and quantitative ability. Sections are individually timed, so you cannot move time between them.
Shortlisting
Institutes shortlist on their own criteria, which typically weigh academic record, work experience and diversity alongside the CAT score. Two candidates with the same score can receive very different calls.
Selection process
Written ability tests, group discussions and personal interviews, conducted by each institute. Final offers weight these alongside the test score.
Who it is for
Graduates in any discipline, including final-year students. Eligibility requirements, category relaxations and the exact weighting each institute applies are published by the conducting body and by individual institutes — read those directly.
What preparation involves
Most candidates prepare over six months to a year. The test rewards accuracy under time pressure more than breadth of knowledge; the mathematics is not advanced, but the pace is punishing. Because sections are separately timed, a weak section cannot be compensated by strength elsewhere, which makes shoring up your worst area more valuable than perfecting your best. Reading comprehension improves slowly, so start it first.
The most common strategic error is treating CAT as the whole admission process. It is a shortlisting instrument. Institutes weigh academic consistency, work experience and interview performance heavily, and candidates with excellent percentiles are regularly turned down on the strength of the rest.
Working out early which institutes weight what — and whether your profile fits them — is worth as much as several percentile points.
Structure last reviewed 6 August 2026.
Exam patterns are revised between years, and eligibility rules differ by category. Treat this page as background and the official notification as authoritative.