Latest Exam Updates

What is CAT Exam – Know Paper Timing, Date, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern

The Common Admission Test popularly known as the CAT is the gateway to make one’s way to the premier management institutes of the country. Those wanting to pursue MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, they are required to clear the CAT exam, meet the required cutoff of the IIM from where they want to pursue the course.

Know all about the changed CAT exam pattern?

Candidates who will appear for the CAT exam, they must be aware about the changed exam pattern. This year, CAT 2020 will be of less duration. In the past the CAT exam was of three hours. However, this year the exam will be of two hours and there has been no change in the sections from which the questions will be asked. Candidates will be required to answer the questions from the following sections

Total Number of Questions

Since the duration of the CAT exam has been reduced, candidates are speculating that it is likely that the total number of questions which will be asked in the CAT exam will also be reduced. However, the air about how many questions will be asked in the CAT exam was cleared by CAT 2020 convenor Prof Harshal Lowlakear who clearly said that since CAT is a competitive exam, revealing how many questions would be asked would not be correct.

What After the CAT exam?
Candidates who meet the required cutoff criteria for the IIMs, they would be called for the next round of the selection process which comprises group discussion, interview and the written ability test. Weightage is given to each stage of the selection process and depending on the performance of the candidate in all the stages, the final merit list is prepared and accordingly the candidate is offered admission to the IIM or any other top b-school which admits candidates on the basis of the CAT score.

CAT Paper Analysis – Check Slot Wise Analysis Here

CAT Paper Analysis: IIM Indore will conduct the CAT 2020 on November 29, 2020 in Computer Based Test (CBT). With just over a week to go before CAT 2020 takes place, one of the best ways to prepare for the upcoming exam is to refer to the previous year’s question papers and their analysis. CAT consists of 3 sections: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Aptitude. In this article, we clearly discussed the section wise CAT exam paper analysis. By referring to the previous year paper analysis of CAT can improve your knowledge in the weakest area. Here, we provide the past year’s paper analysis for CAT as section wise. After the examination gets over for the current year, we will release the CAT paper analysis 2020 on our Careers360. Solved sample question and the CAT paper analysis as follows:

CAT Paper Analysis of 2019

CAT 2019 was successfully hosted by IIM Kozhikode on November 24. Of the 2.44 lakh people registered, 209,926 wrote the exam. The exam was conducted at 376 test centers in two sessions in the morning and afternoon.
The 2019 session was considered a moderate draw by a majority of applicants. According to exam experts, English understanding has passed the normal league of comprehension because the language was so troublesome.
Apart from English, the Data Interpretation section is moderate and the Quantitative Aptitude is simple.

The level in English was much higher than expected. The questions were recorded in a passage that was difficult for many to understand as they were very tricky and troublesome. Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation sections are moderately easy. In the Quant section, the questions are mostly arithmetic. According to a previous year’s CAT paper analysis, the DILR and QA have been a tricky section to understand by candidates for the past two years.

Also Check: CAT Exam Analysis 2020 here

Past Year Question Papers for CAT analysis

Particulars	Links
CAT 2019 Slot 1 Question Paper	Download Here
CAT 2019 Slot 2 Question Paper	Download Here
CAT 2018 Question Paper	Download Here
CAT 2017 Question Paper	Download Here
Past Year Question Papers for Analysis	Download Here

CAT Paper Analysis for Section Wise 2019

Slot 2 difficulty level was similar to slot 1, there were a few additional tricky questions in the DILR section of CAT 2019. TheVerbal Ability and Reading Comprehension was once again the surprising part of the CAT paper with the difficulty level of the language raising quite some eyebrows. Verbal Ability as a segment is considered to be the most difficult over a 2-year period. The other 2 sections were relatively manageable over time, with the main focus placed on accuracy.

Also Check: Best Books for CAT Preparation

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

The section for VARC, as reported by the selectors, was much more difficult than the other two sections of the paper.
There were five paragraphs to read in slot-2. Each of the four columns had five individual issues, one of which consisted of four questions.
One of the RC sections was more complex and verbal; This is very difficult for some applicants to try.

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

Students’ slot 2 reactions were slightly different for the DILR section compared to slot 1.
The unit was reported to be throwing some more tricky questions but was able to manage it within 60 minutes.
The summary of this section consisted of 24 MCQs and eight non-MCQs. There were eight sets of four questions each, three of which were DI sets.

Quantitative Aptitude

According to student feedback, the Quantitative Aptitude division is one-third easier and even easier compared to the 2018 CAT.
The 15+ questions were very straightforward in terms of arithmetic and were relatively easy compared to the part that came up in the previous year’s papers.

CAT Exam Pattern 2020 – Check New Section Wise & Marking Scheme

CAT Exam Pattern 2020- For the year of CAT 2020, IIM Indore has come up with certain changes in the exam pattern of CAT 2020. This time CAT 2020 will be two hours instead of three hours. As per the modified examination pattern of CAT 2020, the test will be held in computer-based mode in three slots on November 29, 2020 as per CAT paper date. If we talk about the sectional time limit for CAT exam, candidates will be allotted a total of 40 minutes to solve a particular section. Check the detailed overview on CAT exam pattern 2020 in includes the total number of questions, total time duration, marking scheme as well as exam mode.

CAT 2020 Exam Pattern Overview

The changed exam pattern of CAT 2020 specifies that the exam will be held in three slots i.e. morning session (8:30 AM to 10:30 AM), afternoon session (12:30 PM to 2:30 PM) and evening session will be held between (4:30 PM to 6:30 PM). While taking CAT 2020 candidates are not allowed to switch from one section to another.

CAT Detailed Exam Pattern 2020

Particulars	Details
CAT 2020 exam time duration	2 hours
Sectional time duration for CAT 2020	40 minutes (for all categories)4 minutes and 20 seconds for PwD candidates
Total number of questions	100
Exam mode	Online (Computer based mode)

CAT 2020 Exam Pattern (Section wise)

Section name	Total number of questions	Total number of TITA questions	Total number of MCQs
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	34	7	27
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	32	8	24
Quantitative Ability (QA)	34	11	23

CAT Exam Pattern 2020- Marking Scheme

For every correct response, candidates will be awarded three marks
Candidates will lose one mark for every incorrect answer
No marks will be awarded for unattempted questions

How to navigate between sections while attempting CAT 2020?

Candidates will have to follow all the instructions which will be given on the computer screen while answering CAT 2020 questions. There are certain points which one needs to keep in mind while answering the CAT questions. Right after CAT login and start answering the question, the timer will start ticking. On the completion of the sectional time limit, the section will get locked and candidates will not be able to answer any more questions from a particular section.

CAT 2020

Indian Institute of Management, Indore has started the CAT 2020 registration window on August 5. Candidates can fill the CAT 2020 application form till September 16. IIM Indore will conduct CAT 2020 on November 29. While filling the application form of CAT 2020 one will have to pay the application fee amount of Rs 2000 (General category) and Rs 1000 (reserved category) candidates. As per CAT 2020 Important dates, the authorities will release the CAT 2020 admit card on October 28. IIM Indore will release the result of CAT 2020 tentatively in the second week of January 2021.

CAT 2020 Eligibility Criteria

As per the basic eligibility criteria of CAT 2020, one should have completed their bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution or university in any discipline. Those who are pursuing their final year of graduation are also eligible to apply for CAT 2020. There are no age restrictions to appear for CAT 2020.

CAT 2020 Application form

CAT 2020 online application form is available on its official website i.e. iimcat.ac.in. While filling the application form of CAT 2020, one will enter their past academic qualification details, personal details, pay the application fee and upload all the requisite documents. CAT 2020 application is a four step process.

Step 1- Create CAT login credentials (User ID and Password)

Step 2- Login by using CAT credentials and fill all the details

Step 3- Upload requisite documents (Photograph and Signature)

Step 4- Pay the CAT 2020 application fee via online mode

CAT 2020 Admit Card and Result

After filling the application form of CAT 2020 one will have to wait till the opening of the Admit card window, which will be open on October 28. After the conclusion of CAT 2020, authorities will release the CAT 2020 answer key prior to the result.

IIFT Exam Pattern

National Testing Agency, the conducting body, will prescribe the exam pattern of IIFT so that the candidates will get an idea of the pattern of the exam. Priorly, IIFT was conducted in pen-paper based mode. Now, the entrance exam will be conducted in computer-based mode. Check below to know details like the mode of exam, total exam duration, sectional timings, nature of questions, marking scheme and the related information of IIFT.

IIFT Exam Pattern in Table

Particulars	Details
Conducting Body	National Testing Agency
Duration	Two hours i.e. 120 minutes
Mode of Examination	Computer-based i.e. online mode
Time Allotment Section-wise	No sectional timing
Negative Marking	⅓ marks are deducted for each wrong answer
Type of Questions	Multiple-choice questions
Total Questions	Above 100
Correct Answer	1.5 to 3 marks per question for right answer

IIFT Sections

Sections	Total Number of Questions
General Knowledge & Current Affairs	20
Quantitative Ability	25
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning	30
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	35

Difference Between PGDM and MBA

After completing Bachelor’s, more than half of the candidate’s are attracted towards pursuing a higher degree. This is where the state of dilemma appears. Well whenever Post Graduation in management is there, MBA pops up in the mind of candidates. But wait, there is PGDM as well. What is the difference between PGDM and MBA? To help candidates become familiar with the two postgraduate programs and make a choice, in this article we will discuss the Difference Between PGDM and MBA. Although, both PGDM and MBA will bag great careers growth, better position as well as salary. Let us see the major difference between PGDM and MBA.

Major Differences Between PGDM and MBA

Basis	PGDM	MBA
Full-Form	Post Graduate Diploma in Management	Master in Business Administration
Duration of Course	One year to 2.5 years	Two years
Cost	More expensive as compared to MBA	Less expensive
Forgery	MBA degrees are granted by Universities	Since autonomous bodies offer PGDM, candidates are always careful in selecting institutes
Curriculum	Curriculum of PGDM is more flexible	MBA Curriculum is unchanged and unaltered by affiliated colleges

To take admission in either course, candidates can give any of the following MBA entrance exams-

Top institutes offering PGDM:

NMIMS- Hyderabad/Bangalore
XLRI, Jamshedpur
SPJIMR
Symbiosis International Deemed University

Top institutes offering MBA:

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
TA Pai Management Institute
JBIMS
FMS Delhi

IIM Entrance Exam

It is the dream of all management aspirants to take admission, study and graduate from any of the 20 Indian Institute of Managements. But in order to get admission in IIMs, candidates are required to go through the IIM admission criteria and can not turn a blind eye at any step. The first phase of getting a call from IIMs is to give IIM Entrance Exam. It is nothing but CAT. Yes, you got it right. CAT is the entrance exam of IIM. For the year 2020, IIM Indore will conduct the IIM Entrance Exam. As per the exam pattern of CAT, the exam will be conducted in computer based mode. Any changes with regard to mode will be updated once the CAT notification is out.

CAT Important Dates:

Events	Dates
Registration Commencement	First week of July, 2020
Release of CAT Admit Card	Last week of October, 2020
CAT 2020	November 22, 2020
Declaration of CAT Result	First week of January, 2021

CAT 2020 exam will be conducted on November 22 by IIM Indore. IIM Entrance Exam is usually conducted in two sessions because of wide audience engagement and participation. Every year more than two lakh candidates register themselves for the IIM Entrance Exam.

CAT registration 2020 will begin from the first week of July. IIM Entrance Exam can be given by those candidates only who fall with the CAT eligibility criteria. Hence, it is advisable to candidates to check the eligibility requirements related to 5 Checkpoints to Ensure Error-Free CAT Registration 2020.

What After IIM Entrance Exam?

Candidates who will qualify the IIM entrance exam will be called for further admission rounds of IIMs and other B-Schools. The selection procedure of IIMs include Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. On the basis of CAT result candidates will be shortlisted. Each IIM will release CAT cutoff for the purpose of further shortlisting. The final merit list is prepared on the basis of IIM entrance exam, Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI), work experience, academic profile etcetera.

CAT 2020 Guidelines

Common Admission Test which is commonly known as CAT amongst aspirants is considered as a National level MBA entrance exams in India. CAT is conducted on annual basis by IIMs. In 2019, CAT was conducted by IIM Kozhikode while CAT 2020 will be conducted by IIM Indore as per CAT 2020 Latest News and Updates. In India apart from IIMs, more than 1000 B-Schools other than IIMs accept the scores of CAT. Every year more than two lakh candidates do the CAT registration and appear in the exam with making in any of the 20 IIMs. CAT notification 2020 which will be released tentatively in the last week of July. CAT 2020 exam will be held on November 22 as per the CAT important dates.

CAT Eligibility Criteria

In order to appear for the CAT exam, candidates are requested to check the eligibility criteria. Details related to the minimum qualification, age limit, nationality etcetera are provided under the CAT eligibility criteria.

Age Limit- IIMs do not set any specific age limit requirement for candidates to appear for the CAT exam. Candidates of any age can register for the IIM entrance exam
Educational Qualification- To fill the application form of CAT, all candidates should have completed their bachelor’s in any specialization from recognized institute
Candidates who are in their final year can also appear for CAT

CAT Registration

IIM Indore will begin the registration process of CAT 2020 tentatively in the first week of July. Candidates can fill the application form of CAT by paying fees of Rs.900 for all other candidates and Rs. 950 for SC, ST and PwD candidates.

CAT Exam Pattern

Details pertaining to the mode of exam, duration, sections, number of questions, type of questions etcetera are provided under exam pattern of CAT. For the purpose of preparation, CAT syllabus should be checked by candidates.

CAT Exam Pattern- Overview:

Particulars	Details
Sections	Three-VARCDILRQA
Duration	60 minutes each section i.e. total 180 minutes
Sectional Duration	60 Minutes
Type of Questions	MCQs and TITA

Quick Links-

How to tackle TITA questions in CAT

CAT Preparation Strategy

NMAT

NMAT (NMIMS Management Aptitude Test) conducted by GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council), aka, NMAT by GMAC, is a national-level entrance exam conducted for admission to the postgraduate management programme offered by various institutes that participate in this entrance examination. NMAT is conducted once in a period of 75 days and a candidate can appear for the exam three times. Check the eligibility criteria, and application form filling procedure for information.

NMAT Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria of NMAT states that the candidates must have passed their graduation with at least 50 percent marks in aggregate.

Candidates who have at least two years of experience will be preferred.

Candidates who are in their final year of graduation are also eligible to apply for NMAT.

NMAT Application Process

The application form of NMAT can be filled only in only mode. Check the following steps to know how to fill the NMAT application form.

Step 1 – Visit the official website of NMAT

Step 2 – Click on the ‘test takers’ tab

Step 3 – Click on the ‘register’ tab

Step 4 – Enter the details as prescribed

Step 5 – The system will generate a login ID and password

Step 6 – Login by using the credentials created

Step 7 – Fill in the application form

Step 8 – Pay the requisite application fee

Step 9 – Take a printout of the admit card

CAT 2020

One of the most promising and competitive MBA entrance exam 2020 in India is CAT 2020. IIMs conduct CAT annually on a rotational basis. For the year 2020, IIM Indore will conduct CAT 2020. Common Admission Test comes under the category of National level entrance test. CAT is also known as IIM entrance exam. As per the exam dates, CAT 2020 exam will be conducted on November 22. The mode of exam is yet to be determined as the world is facing COVID 19 pandemic. Candidates who will qualify CAT will be called for IIM admission procedure for further admission rounds. CAT is considered to be the toughest of all MBA entrance exams and more than two lakhs candidates register themselves for it.

Registration of CAT 2020

As per the CAT 2020 exam dates the application form will be available from the first week of July. Before filling up the application form of CAT 2020 candidates are required to check the eligibility criteria of CAT 2020. The registration of CAT 2020 can be done in online mode from the official CAT 2020 website. Candidates must once go through 5 Checkpoints to Ensure Error-Free CAT Registration 2020.

IIM Indore will release the CAT 2020 notification soon.

As per the exam pattern of CAT 2020, both MCQs and non MCQs will be asked. Candidates who will appear in CAT 2020 for the first time must know How to tackle TITA questions in CAT.

For the purpose of preparation, IIM Indore will also provide the facility for CAT 2020 mock tests.

Quick Links-

Why, When and How to take CAT Mock Test

How To Crack CAT 2020