The Common Admission Test (CAT): The Common Admission Test (CAT) is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and is the first step in the process of seeking admission to the IIMs. The CAT is considered as one of the most important national standard. Apart from the Indian Institutes of Management over 40 other Management Institutes use the CAT for short listing candidates.

Pattern:

CAT has the widest coverage in:

• Quantitative
• Verbal
• Reasoning areas of testing.
  Duration is generally of 2 hours
  Questions: with number of questions normally ranging from 120 to 150.
  

CAT 2006 PATTERN:

CAT 2006 Pattern:CAT 2006 witnessed a drastic change in pattern with 75 questions and increase in the exam time by half an hour.

Negative Marking: Wrong answers carried 1 mark as penalty whereas correct answers carried 4 marks. Proficiency in all the sections is essential for getting a call from any of the IIMs.

There was a talk that CAT 2006 may have Four Sections instead of 3 Sections. However CAT notification as well as the CAT 2006 bulletin, you will find CAT is a three-section paper this year too. CAT is divided into three sections: English Usage, Quantitative Ability (Maths) and Data Interpretation & Logical Ability.

MBA CAT Pattern:

The pattern of this test has often been changed in the past. 2005 test included the following: three sections - data interpretation / reasoning, quantitative analysis, and reading, comprehension/verbal ability.

Duration: 2 hours

Total number of questions: 90

Total marks: 150

Negative marking: 1/3 of the marks allotted to a question is docked if the answer is wrong

DI/Reasoning

Number of questions: 30

Marks: 50

Quantitative Analysis

Number of questions: 30

Marks: 50

Reading Comprehension/Verbal ability

Number of questions: 30

Marks: 50