CAT Exam 2019: All You Need To Know About Date, Syllabus, Preparation, Admit Card

What is CAT Exam?

The Common Admission Test, popularly known as CAT, is an aptitude exam conducted for getting admission into any of the branches of the Indian Institute of Management. There are 13 IIM institutes, and getting into them is difficult. CAT entrance exam is also considered by over 1200 management institutes across the country. Therefore, it is not necessary that you take the CAT exam only if you are looking for admission in any of the IIMs. You can get admission to many other good B-schools.

Getting admission in a good B-school makes a world of a difference to one’s career as most B-schools associated with CAT are highly rated. Therefore, doing well in the CAT exams is important. Students dedicate a lot of time just to study for this exam. They attend special classes and take mock tests.

The exam is conducted by one of the IIMs representing the IIMCAT. This is an online exam and is conducted in 156 cities in many exam centres across those cities. It is one of the well-organised aptitude tests. This years CAT exam is being organised by IIM Kozhikode. So, are you preparing for CAT 2019? Then you should know about all important information like date, syllabus, preparation tips, and admit card. Read on to find out all you need to know about the CAT.

CAT 2019 Exam Highlights and Important Dates

Here are some important highlights and dates you need to know if you are preparing for CAT.

• This is a national-level exam conducted only once a year. This year, more than 2.44 lakh students are appearing for this test.
• This is an online exam that will be held across 156 cities.
• CAT is an English exam with duration of 180 minutes only, in which, you will face 100 questions in multiple-choice and non-multiple choice formats.
• General category students have to pay INR 1900/- and reserved category students have to pay INR 950/- as exam fees.
• 0495-2809219 is the exam helpdesk number.
• 7th August the registrations opened, and were closed on 25th September.
• 17th September the Percentile Calculation Method was released.
• 28th September to 30th September was the time for error corrections like photo and signature.
• On 16th October, an official Mock Test will be conducted on the CAT website, whose address is – https://iimcat.ac.in
• From 23rd October onwards, students will be able to download their admit cards from the website.
• The CAT exam will be held on 24th November 2019. The exam has morning and afternoon slots.
• 29th November is when the answer keys will be released.
• The results will be out on 7th January 2020.

CAT 2019 Eligibility Criteria

CAT is not an exam that anyone can appear for on a whim. A lot of mental and academic preparation is required on your behalf. Also, there are certain criteria that you need to be eligible to appear for CAT. Here are the criteria:-

• You need to have a bachelor’s degree with 50% or more as your aggregate percentage.
• Reserved category students need to have 45% or more as an aggregate percentage.
• The degree must be from an approved college or university.
• Students who have appeared for their final year but don’t have the results yet may also apply for CAT.

Click Here to Know More About CAT Exam 2019 Eligibility Criteria

CAT 2019 Application Process

Once you know you fit the criteria to appear for CAT, next you have to know about the whole application process. It is a three-part process that you have to complete successfully if you want to be able to sit for the entrance test.

• You have to visit the official website and register (Registration opened on 7th Aug, and closed on 25th September)
• After registration, you get a user id and password through the mail and a text on the registered phone number.
• Use user id and password to login to the website, pay online fees, and download the application form. (INR 1900/- for general category students and INR 950/- for reserved category students).
• Fill and upload the application form along with the fees.
• Theres a small window period to make corrections to the form (this year, it was from 28th September to 30th September).

Your application process is complete. Now you can appear for the online mock test, which is to be held on 16th October, and admit cards will be available for download from 23rd October.

CAT 2019 Exam Centres

As mentioned before, CAT 2019 is being held in 156 cities spread over all the country. Most of these centres are located in other educational institutes, which are conveniently located. The exam centres are fully equipped to ensure the examination goes smoothly.

You will be allotted the centre closest to you. A day or two before the exam, it is advised for you to go and check the location of your centre. This way, you can plan your commute, and there will be no last-minute efforts to find the location. Make sure you reach a good hour before your exam starts.

Click here to know about the centres according to the city and their locations

CAT 2019 Exam Pattern And Syllabus

The CAT exam pattern has been the same for many years. There are 100 questions that you have to attempt in 3 hours. A correct answer will bring you 3 marks, while a wrong answer will take away 1 mark. So, be careful of negative marking. Heres how the exam pattern and syllabus is:-

• The subjects are:-

• • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
  • Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
  • Quantitative Ability
• You have 60 minutes for each section.
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning has 32 questions, while others have 34 each, totalling up to 100 questions.
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning carries 96 marks, while the others carry 102 marks each, totalling up to 300 marks.

CAT 2019 Preparation Tips

Preparing for the CAT is a lot more than just reading books and attempting mock exams. The exam is designed to test the students’ mental abilities to think logically and clearly, under the pressure of time. Of course, your theoretical knowledge is also tested, but the practical application of your theoretical is also put to trial. There are a few things you can do that will help you face the CAT exam.

1. Time Management

This is the foremost thing you have to prepare for as most students complain about not having enough time. Though 100 questions in 3 hours may sound doable, the truth is that it is not going to be enough. Time management will help you get the maximum from the 3 hours. Stick to your strengths, and answer maximum questions from that section in a short time. This way, you can dedicate more time to the more difficult questions.

2. Mock Tests

Mock tests are an excellent way to get a feel for the actual CAT exams. The questions you get in the mock tests are a mix of previous CAT exams. Therefore, you will be facing tough questions that will prepare you well. An official mock test will be conducted on the CAT website (16th October). Make sure you take this test.

3. Revise the Syllabus

Revise the CAT syllabus as much as you can. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability are the three subjects and you will find a lot of material on them. Dedicate more time to revise the subjects you are weak in.

4. Online Videos

If you search online, there are many websites with videos dedicated to CAT preparations. These tips are provided by experts and will help you out in preparing for CAT. However, be sure to only look at videos by industry experts, academicians, and former CAT toppers.

5. Coach

You can join special CAT preparation coaching centres. These centres do yield good results and many students benefit from them. However, you have to do some research on which are the best centres as there are too many to choose from, and not all of them are good. However, if you are confident in your ability, you can study on your own.

Related blog you will like CAT 2019 Preparation: How To Prepare For CAT 2019 Exam

Dos and Donts for CAT 2019 Test Takers

CAT is one of the most important exams in your life. This is held only once a year, so everything has to go right or else you will have to wait another year. To help you out, here are a few dos and donts for CAT 2019 test-takers.

• Do Revise Well – Revision is the key to tackling the complicated questions. Spend more time on subjects you find difficult.
• Do Reach Before Time – Reach at least an hour before your exam to the exam centre. This will give you some extra time to cram in more revision.
• Do Carry Only Required Things – Review your admit card and make a checklist of the things you have to carry. Do not carry unnecessary equipment as the invigilators may stop you from taking the exam.
• Do Fill in Your Name Properly – Youd be surprised at how many students make this silly mistake. This just shows how nervous each one is. Therefore, do it one step at a time. Fill in your name properly.
• Do the Subjects you Know Well – Theres never enough time in a CAT exam, therefore, go for the questions you are confident about. Answer them fast so you have more time for the difficult ones.
• Do Not Waste Time – 100 questions in 3 hours is difficult but not impossible. The key is to get cracking immediately and not wasting any time looking around, or chatting with other students.
• Do Not Attempt Unknown Questions – Theres negative marking for a wrong answer, so unless you are confident of your answer, dont attempt. You can take an educated guess, but that can be risky.
• Do Not Get Flustered – It is easy to get overwhelmed during the exam, but just concentrate on getting the task at hand done. If you get flustered, you will end up making mistakes in the exam.
• Do Not Worry About Admissions – Taking the CAT exam is just the first step. The admission is still far away. Therefore, dont worry about that now. Just think about doing your best in the exam.

Click here for CAT 2019 Related Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

CAT E-Books And Sample Papers

One of the best ways to prepare for CAT is by doing a few sample papers and reading a few CAT e-books. Some former CAT exam toppers have also written books full of methods to prepare for CAT. These books have been extremely helpful for many students.

Related link you will like E-Books and Sample Papers

How To Download CAT 2019 Admit Card?

Your admit card, also known as hall ticket, is what gets you admission into the CAT exam, centre on the day of the exam. It contains your name, registration number and other important information pertaining to the exam. You have to download the admit card from the CAT exams official website. You have to download it and get it printed as a hard copy. Heres how to download CAT 2019 admit card?

• Visit Cat 2019s official website.
• Locate CAT 2019 admit card button and click on it.
• Enter your unique registration id and password.
• The admit card window will expand with a download button
• Click on the download button to get the file onto your computer.
• You can now get admit card file printed

For CAT 2019, the admit cards will be available for download from 23rd October.

Click Here for Step to Download CAT Admit Card 2019

For those who are interested in doing management studies, the CAT exam is one of the most important entrance exams. Make use of all the information given above, and ensure that you do your best to get admission into the college of your dreams. Just a few days away from CAT 2019 can be a tough time. If you required more information on CAT 2019 Exam, you can visit below more source links.

Sources For More Details On CAT 2019 Exam:

• CAT 2019 – Common Admission Test
• CAT 2019 – Exam Date, Syllabus, Preparation, Admit Card
• CAT 2019 Admit Card, Mock Test, Exam Pattern, Syllabus and Preparation
• About CAT 2019