The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level management entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to their MBA/PGDM programs and other top B-Schools in India.
The CAT 2023 selection process is expected to consist of multiple stages, including the CAT exam, written ability test/group discussion, personal interview, and other factors such as academic background, work experience, and diversity factors. The selection process may vary slightly for different IIMs and participating institutes.
- The CAT exam assesses the candidate’s aptitude in various areas such as Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability.
- Candidates who meet the CAT cutoff criteria will be shortlisted for the subsequent rounds of the selection process.
- The final selection is based on the candidate’s overall performance in all the stages of the selection process.
- Candidates should regularly check the official website of the IIMs and participating institutes to stay updated on the latest information regarding CAT 2023 admission criteria.
IIM Admission Process: Important Dates
| Event | Date (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| CAT 2023 Exam | TBA |
| CAT 2023 Result | TBA |
| CAT 2023 Selection Process starts | TBA |
| IIM Shortlist Declaration | TBA |
| IIM WAT-PI Process | TBA |
| Receive Offer Letter from IIMs | TBA |
IIM Admission Criteria for IIMs
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will release their admission criteria and selection process for CAT 2023 individually, before the CAT 2023 exam. This will inform candidates of the minimum cut-off percentiles, selection criteria, parameters, and the process of shortlisting candidates for admission.
The IIM admission process for CAT 2023 will consider various factors, including CAT percentile, academic history, academic diversity, work experience, and gender diversity. In previous years, the IIMs conducted a Written Ability Test (WAT) and Group Discussion (GD) before the Personal Interview (PI) round, but due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many IIMs have scrapped the WAT and GD rounds and conducted the PI round through video calls for the 2021 and 2022 batches.
The IIM admission process through CAT 2023 can be divided into three stages:
Stage 1: Shortlisting of Candidates Based on CAT Scores
After the CAT 2023 result is announced, eligible candidates who meet the shortlist cut-off have to submit their name and CAT score by logging in through their CAT 2023 exam IDs on the official websites of IIMs. Candidates who qualify for the CAT 2023 cut-off will be eligible for stage 2 of the admission process.
Stage 2: Shortlisting of Candidates for WAT/GD-PI
In the second stage of the admission process, candidates who applied for WAT/GD-PI are shortlisted on the basis of their CAT score and academic record. The IIMs will send interview letters to the selected candidates to participate in the WAT/GD-PI round. The WAT and GD rounds are designed to assess the candidates’ ability to write essays on given topics and their group dynamics skills, respectively.
Stage 2-(a): Written Ability Test (WAT) and Group Discussion (GD)
Selected candidates will be called for either a WAT or GD round. In the WAT round, candidates have to write a brief essay on given topics within a given time frame of 15-45 minutes. In the GD round, a group of candidates will discuss a specific topic, and their group dynamics skills will be assessed.
Stage 2-(b): Personal Interview (PI)
Each IIM conducts a PI round before the final admission. In this round, candidates are evaluated on various parameters, such as communication skills, general knowledge, presence of mind, etc.
Stage 3: Calculation of Composite Score and Final Selection
In this stage, the institute calculates the composite score of each candidate based on various parameters to determine the final merit list. The final selection of the candidate is based on the composite score.
It is important to note that IIM Jammu and Sirmaur do not conduct WAT and PI rounds. Instead, candidates are shortlisted based on their CAT score, academic records, work experience, and diversity factors.
IIM Admission Process Parameters
The CAT 2023 IIM admission criteria include several parameters that will be considered while selecting candidates for admission. These parameters are as follows:
- CAT score: The candidates will be evaluated based on their sectional and overall percentile score obtained in the CAT exam.
- Academic records: The aggregate percentage obtained in Class 10, Class 12, and graduation course or equivalent will be taken into account.
- WAT-GD-PI: Each candidate’s performance in the WAT/GD-PI round will be evaluated, and marks will be allocated accordingly.
- Academic Diversity: Extra points will be given to candidates from non-engineering backgrounds to ensure fair representation of students from other streams.
- Gender Diversity: Additional points will be awarded to female/transgender candidates to promote gender diversity.
- Work Experience: Candidates with prior work experience will be given extra points, and the range of experience considered will vary for each institute.
Documents to Carry for WAT-GD-PI round
Candidates appearing for the WAT-GD-PI round must carry the following documents:
- IIM Interview call letter
- CAT scorecard
- Original and self-attested photocopies of Class 10, Class 12, and Graduation mark sheet and certificate
- Reservation category and/or disability certificate (if applicable)
- Candidates who will be appearing for their final year of bachelor’s degree examination are required to provide a certificate issued by the Principal/Registrar/Director of their university/institution stating that they have obtained a minimum of 50% aggregate (45% for reserved category candidates) in their latest available grades/marks.
- Disability certificate (if applicable)
List of IIMs Colleges accepting CAT Scores
The list of IIMs accepting CAT scores is as follows:
- Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM A)
- Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM B)
- Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM C)
- Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM L)
- Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM K)
- Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM I)
- Indian Institute of Management Shillong (IIM S)
- Indian Institute of Management Ranchi (IIM R)
- Indian Institute of Management Raipur (IIM Raipur)
- Indian Institute of Management Rohtak (IIM Rohtak)
- Indian Institute of Management Trichy (IIM T)
- Indian Institute of Management Udaipur (IIM U)
- Indian Institute of Management Nagpur (IIM Nagpur)
- Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam (IIM V)
- Indian Institute of Management Amritsar (IIM Amritsar)
- Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya (IIM BG)
- Indian Institute of Management Jammu (IIM Jammu)
- Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur (IIM Sirmaur)
- Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur (IIM Sambalpur)
- Indian Institute of Management Jharkhand (IIM Jharkhand)
CAT IIM Seat Intake
The number of seats available in the IIMs varies from institute to institute and from year to year. The intake capacity is determined based on factors such as the availability of faculty, infrastructure, and other resources. As such, the number of seats available for each program is subject to change. However, the IIMs do publish the number of seats available for each program before the commencement of the admission process. Candidates are advised to check the official websites of the IIMs for more details.
| IIMs | Number of Intake Seats |
|---|---|
| IIM Amritsar | 160 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 395 |
| IIM Bangalore | 400 |
| IIM Bodhgaya | 120 |
| IIM Calcutta | 460 |
| IIM Indore | 450 |
| IIM Jammu | 140 |
| IIM Kashipur | 240 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 480 |
| IIM Lucknow | 500 |
| IIM Nagpur | 130 |
| IIM Raipur | 260 |
| IIM Ranchi | 185 |
| IIM Rohtak | 240 |
| IIM Sambalpur | 120 |
| IIM Shillong | 180 |
| IIM Sirmaur | 120 |
| IIM Trichy | 240 |
| IIM Udaipur | 260 |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 120 |
CAT Admission Criteria for IIMs FAQs
Ques. Are there any minimum cut-off scores required to qualify for WAT-GD-PI rounds?
Ans: Yes, candidates need to meet the minimum cut-off scores set by each IIM to qualify for the WAT-GD-PI rounds.
Ques. What is the duration of the WAT-GD-PI rounds in IIM admission criteria?
Ans: The duration of the WAT-GD-PI rounds varies from one IIM to another, but generally, the entire process takes 20-40 minutes per candidate.
Ques. How is the composite score calculated in IIM admission criteria?
Ans: The composite score is calculated based on multiple parameters, including CAT scores, WAT-GD-PI performance, academic background, work experience, and diversity factors.
Ques. What is the weightage given to academic diversity in IIM admission criteria?
Ans: The weightage given to academic diversity varies from one IIM to another, but generally, candidates from non-engineering backgrounds are given extra points.
Ques. Is work experience a mandatory requirement for IIM admission criteria?
Ans: Work experience is not mandatory for IIM admission, but candidates with prior work experience are given extra points.
Ques. What is the weightage given to gender diversity in IIM admission criteria?
Ans: The weightage given to gender diversity varies from one IIM to another, but generally, female/transgender candidates are given extra points.
Ques. Is the WAT-GD-PI process conducted online or offline?
Ans: The WAT-GD-PI process can be conducted both online and offline, depending on the institute.
Ques. Can candidates apply for multiple IIMs simultaneously?
Ans: Yes, candidates can apply for multiple IIMs simultaneously by filling out separate application forms for each institute.
Ques. Is there any age limit for applying to IIMs through CAT?
Ans: No, there is no age limit for applying to IIMs through CAT. Candidates of any age can apply as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.