The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer-based,
national-level entrance exam in India for admission into graduate management programs. It's a highly
competitive exam used for shortlisting candidates for MBA and other management programs offered
by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and over 1,300 other business schools across the
country.
Exam Structure and Syllabus
The CAT exam is typically a 2-hour test with three sections. The exam pattern and the number of
questions can vary slightly from year to year.
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): This section tests your command of
the English language, including grammar, vocabulary, and the ability to understand and
analyse passages.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR): This section assesses your ability to
interpret data presented in various formats (tables, charts, graphs) and solve problems using
logical reasoning skills.
Quantitative Ability (QA): This section focuses on your mathematical skills, covering topics
like arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and number systems.
The exam has a marking scheme where correct answers are awarded 3 marks, while incorrect
answers for multiple-choice questions (MCQs) have a negative marking of 1 mark. Non-MCQs (often
called TITA or Type in the Answer questions) usually don't have negative marking.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the CAT exam, a candidate must meet the following criteria:
Educational Qualification: You must hold a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or an
equivalent CGPA. This percentage is relaxed to 45% for candidates from the Scheduled
Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PWD)
categories.
Final Year Students: Students in their final year of a bachelor's degree program are also
eligible to apply, but their admission will be provisional.
Age Limit: There's no age restriction for the CAT exam.
IIMs and Other Participating B-Schools
The CAT score is the primary criterion for admission to the prestigious IIMs. Each IIM has its own
minimum qualifying and final cutoff percentile. The cutoff percentile for older, more established IIMs
like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta is typically much higher (often above 99%) than for the
newer IIMs.
In addition to the IIMs, over 1,300 other top B-schools in India, including IITs, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR
Mumbai, and FMS Delhi, also use the CAT score for their admissions process. These schools also
have their own specific cutoff scores and selection criteria.
OBC CUTOFF
The cutoffs for OBC candidates in the Common Admission Test (CAT) vary
significantly by IIM, but they are generally lower than the cutoffs for the General
category. The Government of India mandates a 27% reservation of seats for OBC
(Non-Creamy Layer) candidates in IIMs and other public institutions.
IIM Cutoff Percentiles for OBC Candidates
The CAT cutoff is not a single number; it's a percentile score, and it can be a
"qualifying cutoff" to be considered for the next stage (Written Ability Test and
Personal Interview), or the "final cutoff" for admission. The final cutoff for OBC
candidates is typically much higher than the qualifying cutoff.
Here's an overview of the expected qualifying cutoff percentiles for OBC candidates
at various IIMs:
Top IIMs (IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta): The qualifying cutoff is
generally in the range of 75-80 percentile for OBC candidates.
Newer IIMs (IIM Jammu, IIM Sambalpur, etc.): For these IIMs, the qualifying
cutoff for OBC candidates can be as low as 63-75 percentile.
Other Top B-Schools: Many top non-IIMs like FMS Delhi and SPJIMR
Mumbai also have lower cutoffs for OBC candidates compared to the General
category.
It's important to remember that these are just minimum qualifying cutoffs. To actually
secure an interview call and a final admission offer, an OBC candidate's percentile
needs to be much higher, often in the 80-90+ percentile range, especially for the
older and more prestigious IIMs.
Key Factors to Consider
Sectional Cutoffs: Besides the overall cutoff, each IIM also has a separate
sectional cutoff for each of the three CAT sections (VARC, DILR, QA). A
candidate must clear all three sectional cutoffs as well as the overall cutoff to
be shortlisted.
Final Selection Criteria: The CAT percentile is just one part of the final
admission decision. IIMs also consider other factors like academic record
(10th, 12th, and graduation marks), work experience, and performance in the
Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).
