CAT 2009 FAQ

SCHEDULING & REGISTRATION

1. Who is eligible to take the test.
   The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree, with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA [45% in case of the candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Differently Abled (DA) categories], awarded by any of the Universities incorporated by an act of the central or state legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India. The percentage of marks obtained by the candidate in the bachelor’s degree would be calculated based on the practice followed by the university/ institution from where the candidate has obtained the degree. In case the candidates are awarded grades/CGPA instead of marks, the conversion of grades/CGPA to percentage of marks would be based on the procedure certified by the university/ institution from where they have obtained the bachelor’s degree. In case the university/ institution does not have any scheme for converting CGPA into equivalent marks, the equivalence would be established by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying the result with 100. Candidates appearing for the final year of bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification examination and those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results can also apply. IIMs may verify eligibility at various stages of the selection process, the details of which are provided at Selection Process of IIMs.
   Prospective candidates must maintain a valid email account throughout the selection process.
   
   
2. Is there any age restriction for appearing in CAT?
   No, there is no age restriction for appearing in CAT.
   
   
3. What is the fee for the test?
   The fee is Rs.1400. If you belong to the SC/ST category then you can pay a discounted fee of Rs.700
   
   
4. Where do I pay my fees?
   For 2009, candidates are required to make the fee payment at selected Axis Bank Outlets
   
   once the registration for CAT 2009 begins.
5. When will the CAT 2009 advertisement appear in newspapers?
   Advertisement for CAT 2009 will appear on Sunday, August 30, 2009 in leading national newspapers.
   
   
6. Once the advertisement appears, is one expected to buy CAT bulletin from designated banks?
   No. One does not have to buy a bulky CAT bulletin. We want to go paperless. A prospective candidate buys a voucher from the designated bank branches, and later registers online for CAT 2009.
   
   
7. When does the sale of voucher start and end?
   Sale of vouchers starts on Wednesday, 9 September 2009 at selected Axis Bank branches and associated outlets. The sale ends on Thursday, 1 October 2009.
   
   
8. How can I purchase a voucher?
   You are required to fill a pay-in-slip at the selected Axis Bank Outlets to obtain the voucher. There will be two copies of the pay-in-slip. The bank will retain one copy of the filled pay-in-slip and the other will be stamped and given back to you. Please retain your copy of the pay-in-slip with you during the entire selection process.
   Note: The name on the pay-in-slip should match with the name appearing on the school-leaving certificate.
   
   
9. When and how do I register for CAT 2009 after buying the voucher?
   Online registration for CAT 2009 will also begin on Wednesday, 9 September 2009 and end on Thursday, 1 October 2009. Instructions for the online registration process will be available at CAT Registration Instructions.
   
   
10. Where can I find the voucher number required for registration?
    You can find the voucher number under the scratch-off area of the voucher you purchased at an Axis Bank outlet. Please ensure that you scratch off gently so the voucher number does not become illegible.
    
    
11. When will CAT be held and can I choose a test date?
    CAT will be held during the period Saturday, 28 November 2009 – Monday, 7 December 2009. Yes, you can choose a test date, test time, and venue across thirty cities all over India, subject to availability.
    
    
12. From where can I get the list of test centres?
    A list of test centres will be available on the website from 9th September 2009.
    
    
13. When will I get my Admit Card?
    Soon after you fill-in, review, and submit your personal information during online registration, an automated confirmation email, which will contain your Candidate Profile, will be sent to you at the email address provided.
    After submitting your personal information, you are expected to continue registration by scheduling your test date, test time, and venue. Once you have submitted this scheduling information, a 2nd automated confirmation email, which will contain your CAT 2009 Admit Card, will be sent to you at the email address provided. Only at this stage your CAT 2009 registration is complete
    
    
14. What details will be mentioned in the Admit Card?
    The admit card will contain the name of the candidate, test date, time, venue, confirmation no, CAT registration number and instructions for the candidate.
    
    
15. Will the Admit Card be sent to me as a hard copy by mail?
    No. The admit card will be sent to you as an email on your email address, provided by you, only when you filled in your online application and scheduled a test. It is therefore, mandatory for you to have a valid email account throughout the selection process.
    Note: You are required to take a print out of the Admit Card to bring with you to the test centre.
    
    
16. Are there any special provisions for Differently Abled candidates?
    Yes. Please refer to information provided for DA Candidates on the CAT website.
    
    
17. What are the different time slots for scheduling the test for a typical testing day?
    A typical testing day for CAT will have 2 exam sessions. Candidates are allowed to schedule for any one of the sessions, subject to availability. Session timings are as follows:
    Session 1: Testing will begin at 10 AM and end at 12:30 PM. Candidate check-in will commence from 8 AM. Candidates are required to arrive at the test center no later than 8:30 AM.
    Session 2: Testing will begin at 3:30 PM and end at 6 PM. Candidate check-in will commence from 1:30 PM. Candidates are required to arrive at the test center no later than 2:00 PM.
    
    
18. Can I appear for CAT 2009 more than once during the 10 day testing window.
    No. You can appear for CAT 2009 only once. It will be deemed a fraudulent activity if one attempts to appear for CAT 2009 more than once. Admit cards and picture ids of the candidates will be checked, and candidate pictures and biometric information will also be captured at the test venue.
    
    
19. If I have made any mistakes while registering for CAT 2009, can I make changes later to rectify?
    Changes to your Personal Data and Application Data shall be allowed beginning evening of September 18 2009. Please read the announcement on the registration page.
    
    
20. What are the timings to contact the Candidate Care helpline.
    The FAQs, IVRS and online instructions are designed to enable self-service. You are requested to use these tools which can guide you through the entire process and help answer most of your queries. In case you are still facing issues, then CAT Candidate Care Support is available by phone and email.
    Phone: 1-800-103-9293
    Webmail: http://www.prometric.com/IIM-CAT/contactus
    Phone support availability:
    September 9 to October 1, 2009 - 9AM to 6:00 PM from Monday to Saturday
    Webmail support availability:
    Webmail support will be available from the beginning of registration till candidates receive their score reports.
    Queries, received by webmail, will be responded to within 48 business hours.