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Entrance exams

Strategy for CAT

Guides on the pattern, eligibility, percentiles and scaling, study plans, mocks, section strategy, IIM shortlisting and colleges beyond the IIMs. Question counts and the mix of MCQ and TITA questions have shifted between years, so confirm the pattern in each year’s bulletin.

14 guides·Conducted by Indian Institutes of ManagementOfficial website

Study in this order

  1. 1The CAT exam pattern explainedSixty-eight questions, three sections, forty minutes each, and no going back. How CAT is structured, how MCQ and TITA marking works, and what the pattern means for the way you prepare and attempt the paper. 6 min read
  2. 2CAT eligibility and the IIM selection processWho can take CAT, and how does a CAT score become an IIM admission? Eligibility rules, shortlisting, WAT and interviews, and the composite score, explained step by step. 6 min read
  3. 3How CAT scores, scaling and percentiles workRaw score, scaled score, percentile. Three numbers that confuse most CAT candidates. What each one means, why slots are normalised, and why your percentile depends on everyone else. 5 min read
  4. 4The CAT syllabus, section by sectionCAT publishes no official syllabus, but past papers show a clear pattern. What each section covers, how questions are asked, and a sensible order to study in. 5 min read
  5. 5A six-month CAT planSix months is enough for a serious CAT attempt if the time is used well. A month-by-month plan that builds foundations, adds practice and ends with a full mock season. 6 min read
  6. 6Preparing for CAT with a full-time jobMany strong CAT candidates prepare while working. How to find the hours, what to prioritise, how to handle bad weeks, and how to protect your energy for six months. 5 min read
  7. 7Mock tests and analysis for CATMocks are the heart of CAT preparation, but only if you analyse them well. When to start, how many to take, a step-by-step analysis method and how to track real improvement. 5 min read
  8. 8Forty-minute sections and TITA: exam-day strategyEach CAT section is a separate 40-minute race. How to plan VARC, DILR and QA, how to treat TITA questions, and when a guess is worth taking. 6 min read
  9. 9How IIMs shortlist: composite scores explainedIIM shortlists depend on more than your CAT percentile. How composite scores combine CAT, academics, work experience and diversity, with made-up worked examples you can adapt to your own profile. 5 min read
  10. 10Beyond the IIMs: other colleges that accept CATMany strong business schools use CAT scores. Which kinds of institutes accept CAT, what to check before applying, how to read placement reports, and how to build a balanced list. 5 min read
  11. 11CAT as a fresher or after work experience: how to decideShould you take CAT in final year or after a few years of work? The real trade-offs, how IIMs tend to treat work experience, and how each group should prepare and interview. 7 min read
  12. 12CAT for non-engineers: closing the maths gap and using your strengthsCommerce, arts and science graduates do very well in CAT. Where the real gap lies, how to rebuild QA from the basics, why DILR is learnable, and the strengths you already bring. 7 min read
  13. 13Common CAT mistakes, and how to fix each oneThe mistakes that cost CAT candidates the most, in preparation, in mocks and on exam day, with the arithmetic behind them and a fix for each. 6 min read
  14. 14The last month before CAT: a four-week planThe final month is for mocks, revision and routine, not new chapters. A week-by-week plan, how to use each mock, what to revise, and a checklist for the day before and exam day. 6 min read

New Strategy guides are added regularly. Back to all CAT guides