CAT Exam 2022: Exam Dates,Registration, Eligibility, Preparation, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Result and Counselling

When should I apply for CAT 2022?

CAT 2022 exam date is November 27, 2022. CAT exam 2022 registration has started on August 3 and the last date to apply is September 14, 2022 (5:00 PM). You need a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ ST/ PwD) from a recognized university to register for CAT exam. CAT 2022 registration fees is increased to INR 2300 for GN/ EWS/ NC-OBC candidates and INR 1150 for SC/ ST/ PwD candidates.The link to CAT 2022 official website is also provided in this article. Read the article to know about CAT 2022 registration process, fees, documents required, eligibility, and exam pattern. CAT 2022 syllabus pdf, study notes, previous year CAT question papers, and preparation strategies are also provided here.

Is CAT 2022 Admit Card Out?

Yes, CAT 2022 Admit Card is out. CAT admit card 2022 download link is activated online on the official website- iimcat.ac.in. IIM Bangalore has issued CAT 2022 Admit Cards only for successfully registered candidates. CAT 2022 exam date is November 27, 2022. Read the article to get all the details of CAT 2022 admit card, syllabus, pattern, preparation, previous year papers, and cut off.

CAT 2022 exam is scheduled in 3 slots- forenoon (8:30 to 10:30 AM), afternoon (12:30 to 2:30 PM), and evening (4:30 to 6:30 PM). CAT 2022 Admit Card is available for download only at iimcat.ac.in. CAT Admit Card 2022 contains all the details of test center allotted to you. 

• Only 2 months remain for CAT 2022 exam, you must now focus on preparation as per the weightage of important topics in the syllabus.​
• CAT exam comprises 66 questions divided into 3 sections- VARC (24), DILR(20), and QA(22). 
• CAT exam time duration is 120 minutes. CAT total marks 2022 are 198.
• 3 marks are awarded for every correct answer. There is no negative marking for TITA questions.

What is CAT? CAT stands for Common Admission Test. It is a national-level MBA/ PGDM entrance test conducted for admission in 20 IIMs and 1000+ other CAT score accepting B-schools. Every year around 2,00,000 candidates apply for CAT exam to get admission to 5000+ MBA/ PGDM seats. 

CAT 2022 Exam Dates

CAT Exam News: Latest Updates and Notifications

CAT aspirants must stay updated with the latest information and updates regarding CAT 2022 exam. Provided in this section are CAT exam news 2022, latest updates and notifications so that you don’t miss out on any important information.

• CAT 2022 Admit Card released: IIM Bangalore has released CAT 2022 Admit Card on the official website- iimcat.ac.in. Check direct link to download hall ticket here
• IIM Bangalore Admission Criteria 2023-25 released: IIM Bangalore has released its qualifying CAT 2022 Cut off and MBA admission policy for the academic year 2023-25. Shortlist for WAT and PI will be done on the basis of CAT 2022 scores, class 10 & 12 scores, and work experience. Check IIM Bangalore CAT 2022 Cut off and Admission Criteria 
• CAT 2022 Registrations highest since 2008: As per a statement issued by IIM Bangalore, CAT registration this year has increased by 11% compared to last year. This year, approximately 2.56 lakh candidates have registered for the exam. It is the highest since the 2008 exam when 2.9 lakh candidates had registered for CAT exam. Check CAT Registration Statistics of Past Years
• IIM Calcutta Admission Criteria 2023-25 released: IIM Calcutta has released its MBA admission policy for the academic year 2023-25 based on CAT 2022 scores. Based on the qualifying CAT 2022 cut off and other parameters like gender diversity & academic scores, candidates will be shortlisted for the WAT and PI rounds. Check IIM Calcutta CAT 2022 Cut off and Admission Criteria 
• IIM Lucknow Admission Criteria 2023-25 released: IIM Lucknow has released the admission policy for the academic year 2023-25 based on CAT 2022 scores. Based on the qualifying CAT 2022 cut off, candidates will be shortlisted for the WAT and PI rounds. Check IIM Lucknow CAT 2022 Cut off and Admission Criteria 
• CAT 2022 Official website and notification released on July 31, 2022: The official website of CAT 2022 is now LIVE. IIM Bangalore has released CAT notification 2022 mentioning the IIMs, courses, eligibility, reservation, and more on July 31, 2022. 

CAT 2022 Exam Highlights

CAT Full Form

CAT Full Form is Common Admission Test. CAT is the only national level entrance exam for admission to MBA courses in IIMs. Till 2008, CAT was conducted in pen-paper mode. From 2009 onwards, CAT exam is being conducted as a computer-based test. Every year, CAT exam is conducted by one of the top 6 IIMs on a rotational basis. CAT (full form- Common Admission Test) was introduced by IIMs for admitting candidates to their MBA and PGDM courses. Now, CAT scores are accepted by more than 500 b-schools.

CAT 2022 Eligibility Criteria

To fill CAT 2022 application forms, candidates need to fulfill certain eligibility criteria defined by the exam conducting authorities.

• Graduation: It is mandatory to have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in any discipline from a recognized university.
• Minimum Marks: Candidates must have scored at least 50% in graduation. For reserved category candidates, the minimum aggregate marks are 45%.
• Age: There is no upper age limit criteria to appear for CAT 2022.
• Final Year Students: Final year students can also apply for the exam, however, they will be given admission only if they meet the minimum marks criteria of 50% (40% for SC/ ST/ PwD) after graduation. Furthermore, those who have completed their final examination and are awaiting results can also apply.
• Professional Degrees: Candidates with CA/CS/ICWA degrees are also eligible to fill CAT application form.
• Number of Attempts: There is no limit on the number of attempts for CAT exam.

CAT 2022 Login

CAT Login 2022 and password is generated after the basic registration for CAT exam is completed. To generate CAT login details, eligible candidates need to visit iimcat.ac.in and fill in the basic registration details like name, number, gender, nationality, date of birth, email id, etc. and submit the form. The generated CAT login details are displayed on the screen and also sent on the registered email id of the candidate. CAT Login user id is a unique 8-digit number and CAT login password is a 7-digit number. CAT 2022 login details are used to complete the application form, make form corrections, download admit card, answer key, and result.

CAT 2022 Login: Forgot User ID and Password

If you forget your CAT 2022 Login credentials, i.e. password and user ID, you can recover it by following the steps given below:

• Visit the official website and click on ‘Registered Candidate Login’.
• Click on the tab for “Forgot User ID/ password”.
• Enter your registered email address, mobile number, and captcha. 
• The user id and the password reset link will be sent on your registered email address and mobile number.
• Open this link to reset your CAT login password.

CAT 2022 Admit Card

CAT 2022 Admit Card has been released by the conducting IIM on October 27, 2022. It is now available for download on the official website-iimcat.ac.in.

• CAT Admit card contains the exam center address, exam time, reporting time, google map link to locate the test center, and exam day instructions.
• Candidates must carry a printout of the admit card along with a valid ID proof to the exam center on the day of CAT 2022 exam.

Steps to Download CAT Admit Card 2022?

• Visit the official CAT website- iimcat.ac.in.
• Enter your CAT id and Password to login.
• Click on ‘Download CAT 2022 Admit Card’
• Your hall ticket will be displayed on the screen. Download and take a printout.
• Save the soft copy of your admit card for future reference.

CAT Exam Day Schedule 2022

CAT exam date is November 27, 2022. The schedule is expected to remain the same as 2021 for all the 3 slots. Until then CAT Exam Day Schedule 2022 is given below based on the previous year’s exam schedule.

CAT 2022 Marking Scheme

Given below is the CAT exam marking scheme for MCQ and TITA-type questions:

CAT 2022 Syllabus

CAT Syllabus includes topics from 3 subjects- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Quantitative Aptitude (QA), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR).

• CAT VARC Syllabus includes topics like grammar, vocabulary, RC passages, and para jumbles.
• CAT DILR Syllabus comprises DI sets based on tables, graphs & charts, caselets, and LR sets based on analytical & non-verbal reasoning.
• CAT Quant Syllabus consists of class 10th and 12th standard topics of Mathematics like arithmetic, algebra, numbers, geometry, etc.

CAT Syllabus for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

CAT 2022 Preparation Strategy, Study Plan, and Topper Tips

CAT 2022 exam will be conducted on November 27, 2022, hence there is enough time to prepare for the exam. With more than 2 lakh candidates competing for around 5000 seats, it becomes essential to prepare well for the exam.

• To begin with CAT 2022 Preparation, one should solve & analyze previous year question papers, go through the detailed subject-wise exam analysis and focus on covering at least 70% of the syllabus in 2-3 months.
• Some of the most important aspects of CAT exam preparation include:
  • referring to CAT books by Arun Sharma and Nishit K Sinha
  • enrolling in online classes & test series offered by coaching institutes like Unacademy, Career Launcher, IMS India, T.I.M.E, etc.
  • solving overall & section-wise sample papers and mock tests.

For most aspirants, the first question that comes to mind is How to Prepare for CAT exam. Hence, candidates can go through the below-mentioned section-wise CAT 2022 preparation tips and strategies.

CAT Preparation for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Questions in DILR section are asked in the form of Sets of 4-5 questions and cracking one set accurately will fetch you 12-15 marks.

• For CAT DI preparation, solve at least 5-6 DI sets every week from different types of data sets- bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, tabular data, and caselets.
• To manage time while solving DI questions, be thorough with important ratio-percentage conversions, profit & loss, averages, and other arithmetic topics.
• For CAT LR preparation, practice is the key. Practice as many questions as possible every day. Pick one LR topic for a day and solve 20-30 questions of varying difficulty.
• Refer to Arun Sharma CAT Books to prepare for Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation to clear concepts and practice 500+ questions.
• Start by solving questions that have only 5 variables and then gradually move to questions that have 7-8 variables.
• Join online study groups on Facebook, Telegram, etc. and join online CAT mock test series provided by coaching institutes.

CAT Preparation for Quant (QA)

Arithmetic accounts for 50% of the questions asked in CAT Quant section. The least number of questions (around 2-3) are asked from Numbers and Modern Mathematics. Focus more on preparing for Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry.

• Be thorough with the basic calculation concepts- ratio-percentage conversion, squares and cubes till 30, square roots & cube roots, averages, exponential theorems, divisibility rules, concept of numbers, units digit, alligation, probability, P&C, and tables till 25.
• For Arithmetic, focus more on preparation for topics like Profit & Loss,TSD, Time & Work, Mixtures, Averages, and Percentages.
• For Geometry, the most important topics include Triangles, Circles, and Parallelograms. Learn all the important theorems and formulas on triangles and circles. 1 question can also be expected from Mensuration- both 2D and 3D.
• Pick 2 topics every day and solve 15 questions on each topic daily.
• Refer to youtube channels and online preparation channels like Unacademy, hitbullseye, CATking, etc to learn short tricks and formulas.
• Refer to Arun Sharma CAT books for CAT QA preparation. It is one of the most recommended for studying all the topics from start to finish and practicing 500+ questions of varying difficulty.
• Attempt sectional mock tests in the time limit of 40 minutes. Review your performance after every mock test and work on your errors.

CAT Preparation for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

RC accounts for more than 50% of the questions asked in CAT VARC. The important topics in Verbal Ability include para jumbles, odd one out, para summary, and error detection.

• To increase vocabulary, read newspapers, magazines, or online articles on a daily basis. Even while solving RC passages, note down the new words that you encounter. You can also refer to the book- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.
• To brush up on your grammar concepts and to practice questions on error detection, para jumbles, para summary, fill in the blanks, refer to the best books for CAT preparation- How to Prepare for VARC for CAT by Arun Sharma, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension by Nishit K Sinha.
• To increase your reading speed for RC passages, start with short passages (250-350 words) and then gradually move to 500+ word passages.
• Solve CAT previous year question papers, sample papers, and various online mock test series to get hold on a variety of questions.

CAT Preparation Tips by Toppers

Preparation tips from toppers are helpful in building the right preparation plan by learning from their experience. Given below are the section-wise preparation tips by CAT 2021 Toppers:

CAT 2022 Mock Test

• CAT 2022 Mock Test will be released on the official website a few weeks before the exam date.
• The total time duration of CAT 2022 Mock test will be 120 minutes with a sectional time limit of 40 minutes. The official links to take the mock tests will be released at iimcat.ac.in.
• CAT 2022 Mock Test Link will offer aspirants access to online tests to become familiar with computer based test instructions, procedures, and features.

CAT Coaching Centers 2022

CAT 2022 aspirants can also join a coaching institute to prepare for the exam. CAT Coaching Institutes provide best teachers having multiple years of experience.

• CAT coaching centers also provide specifically curated study notes, practice papers, overall & sectional mock tests, doubt clearing sessions, etc.
• CAT Coachings also provide a platform where many CAT aspirants can interact and share strategies and opinions.

While selecting the coaching center you can take one demo session with a few institutes. Some of the city-wise coaching centers are provided in the table below:

CAT 2022 Preparation: Online Coachings, Resources, and Study Materials

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a drastic shift to online coaching for various MBA exams like CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, NMAT, etc. There are numerous online coaching centers, study channels, youtube channels, and online study material for CAT preparation.

• Top CAT online coaching platforms include Unacademy, T.I.M.E, Career Launcher, IMS India, CATking, MBA Hitbullseye, etc.
• These online education platforms offer well-curated courses with live sessions, study materials, doubt sessions, short revisions, sample papers, and mock tests.
• There are numerous android apps for CAT preparation like MBA Exams Guide by CL, CATability, Unacademy, MBA Test Prep, etc.

How to Prepare for CAT exam in 3 months?

With only 3 months remaining for CAT exam 2022, candidates must go through the expert tips and strategies to prepare well. The most important tips to keep in mind are:

• On the first 2 days, go through CAT exam analysis of 2021 and 2020 to get hold of what the exam demands. The same is provided in this article.
• In QA, start preparing with arithmetic topics like profit and loss, mixtures, time speed and distance, etc.
• Devote 2 hours everyday to clear the concepts of a topic and then practice 15-20 questions for another 1-2 hours.
• Mandatorily refer to Arun Sharma CAT books to solve different levels and types of questions.
• Give 2 hours to VARC preparation every day. Solve Reading Comprehension passages from last 10 years’ CAT question papers provided here.
• Begin solving CAT sample papers and previous year papers during the second half of October 2022.
• In the last month focus on preparing for DILR for the first 15 days as it is mostly practice based. 
• For the last 15 days of CAT exam preparation, focus only on joining CAT mock test series offered by top coaching institutes like Career Launcher and T.I.M.E.

CAT Exam Study Plan to Score above 99 percentile	Number of Days for Preparation
Arithmetic	20-25
Algebra + Geometry	5 + 6
Reading Comprehension (mostly practice at least 3-4 passages every day)	15
Parajumbles + Vocabulary	4
LR Puzzles	8
DI sets based on bar graphs, tables, and pie charts (especially the combination questions)	8
Solving Sample Papers, Previous Year Papers, and Mock Tests	15
Total	55-60 days

CAT Exam 2022: How to Attempt CAT Question Paper to Score 99+ percentile?

Every candidate appearing for CAT exam aims to score above 99 percentile to get MBA admission in top IIMs. However, scoring a 99+ percentile in CAT exam requires more than just attempting maximum questions in CAT question paper. Scoring 99+ percentile requires a clear understanding of CAT exam pattern & marking scheme, developing speed and accuracy, and strategy to attempt CAT question paper. Given below are some of the important points on how to attempt CAT exam paper to score 99+ percentile:

Do not focus on attempting 100% of the paper

Focus more on accuracy than quantity. Attempt only those questions that you are sure about as giving wrong answers will lead to a negative marking of 1 mark per incorrect answer. As per experts, attempting 80% questions with 100% accuracy is enough to score above 99 percentile.

Choose CAT questions wisely

Choosing the right questions is extremely important to score well in CAT exam. Start with the easy questions and then move to the more time-consuming ones. Do not spare more than 2 minutes for any question. If unable to solve, mark it for later and move to the next question.

Know CAT score normalization process

Many candidates find the score normalization process in CAT exam a little confusing. Hence, it becomes extremely difficult to predict the scores they might obtain in CAT exam. As CAT exam is conducted in 3 slots, the difficulty level is not the same. CAT score normalization is basically the calculation of scaled scores to ensure that all candidates are judged on an equal level of difficulty irrespective of their CAT exam slot.

Time Management is the key in CAT exam

As CAT exam is time-based, time management holds 50% importance in clearing CAT exam with a 99+ percentile. Toppers and experts also agree that time management is the game changer in CAT exam. So, practice sectional and overall mock tests with a timer set as per the actual exam duration. Measure your progress and attempt more and more such sample papers to improve your time management.

Focus on meeting the sectional and overall CAT cut off

Candidates will be given 40 minutes to attempt each section in CAT 2022 exam. Candidates need to attempt a reasonable number of questions in all the sections to be able to clear the overall and sectional CAT Cut off.

CAT Exam Section	Number of Questions	Good Attempts to score 99+ percentile
VARC	24	17-18
DILR	20	14-15
Quant	22	15-16
Overall	66	46-49

CAT 2022 Exam Analysis

CAT 2022 Exam Analysis will be provided here after the exam concludes for all the shifts on November 27. To help candidates in devising a clear and strategic plan of preparation for CAT exam 2022, last year’s CAT exam analysis has been provided below for slot 1, slot 2, and slot 3. The overall difficulty level of CAT exam 2021 was moderate. Going through CAT 2021 exam analysis will help in knowing the difficulty level of questions, important topics with maximum weightage, and the expected type of questions. 

CAT Exam Analysis 2021 Slot 1

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CAT 2022 Result

CAT 2022 Result will be released in the form of a scorecard in the first week of January 2023.

• CAT Result 2022 will be released only on the official website-iimcat.ac.in. Candidates will have to log in using their registration id and password to check the same.
• CAT Result 2022 will be valid for 1 year from the date of its release.
• The scorecard will be available for download till Dec 31, 2023.
• CAT Scorecard will mention the overall and sectional scores & percentile.
• Along with the result, IIM will also display the list of CAT Toppers 2022.

CAT Score vs Percentile

CAT Score vs Percentile analysis is useful in providing an idea of the score needed to get a desired percentile. CAT Score is the total score obtained in the exam based on the marking scheme. Scaled CAT scores are different from the raw scores. CAT Scaled scores are calculated by IIM after normalizing raw scores for all 3 CAT slots. CAT Percentile is calculated based on the scaled scores of the candidates.

Tabulated below is the expected score vs percentile of CAT 2022 based on the previous year exams.

CAT 2022 Cut off and MBA Admission 2023-25

CAT Cut off is the minimum CAT percentile required to participate in the MBA admission process of IIMs, IITs, and other CAT score accepting colleges.

• Candidates have to clear both the sectional and overall cut offs to be eligible for admission.
• The qualifying CAT 2022 cut off for admission to the 2023-25 batch will be released by the respective IIMs for shortlisting candidates for GD/ PI rounds.

CAT 2022 Admission Criteria & Process for IIMs

• Each IIM has its own selection criteria and process for MBA/ PGDM admissions. The 3 stages that form a part of the selection process are:
  • Clear the qualifying CAT cut offs and fill out the application form on the official website of the respective institute.
  • GD/ PI shortlist is released on the basis of CAT score, past academic performance, work experience, gender diversity, and academic diversity.
  • Appearance for GD/ PI rounds and preparation of final merit list.

CAT Cut off and Admission Criteria for IIMs

Given below are the qualifying CAT cut offs and admission criteria for top IIMs to be eligible for admission: