2013 CAT Entrance Exam dates Application Form Eligibility Criteria Cut-off list marks Counselling dates Merit List syllabus exam pattern/scheme admit card exam centres

So you wish to be a high-flying corporate executive? Be prepared to take the CAT. The CAT or the Common Admission Test or CAT is one of the most prestigious exams conducted in the country today. The exam is the ticket to the haloed portals of learning – The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).

The successful candidates who pass the CAT have to appear for a Group Discussion and Personal Interview. Once students sail through both, they can pursue the post-graduate diploma in Management and thereby make an enviable career. The CAT is not only the doorway to the IIMs but also a score of other B-schools.

This year the CAT has gone online. This means the students can appear for the exam on any day between November 28 and December 7. It is expected that the Computer Based Test will make it easier for the IIMs to deal with the rising number of CAT aspirants. It may be noted that six years ago there were only 95,000 candidates taking the exam. Last year, the number rose by over 163 per cent to around 250,000. Naturally, the administration board is buckling under the strain of tremendous pressure of the spiraling number of CAT aspirants.

It is expected that with the exam going online, this pressure will definitely ease.

Remember CAT is one of the most difficult competitive exams and hence cracking it is no cakewalk. Although it will be a computer-based test from now on, the skills assessed will not be changed. You will be tested on the topics like Verbal and Quantitative Ability, General Knowledge and Data Interpretation. Hence, you should focus on building a strong concept in all the topics. Once you have done that, you should go on practicing.

By now, you should know what your weaknesses are. Plug the loopholes by learning the concepts anew. Yes, while gaining knowledge in the concepts, practice a few questions on the CBT mode. The online test requires the CAT aspirant to be knowledgeable about computer and mouse usage. An important CAT preparation tip is to take the CAT mock test three to four weeks before the exam. It would also be a nice idea to get a list of the test centers. The above preparation tips will help you sail through the CAT.