The CAT (Common Admission Test) conducted by the IIMs is a very competitive test conducted for admission to around 1250 graduate programs in management at the seven campuses, and is usually considered one of the most competitive exams in the world, with a supposed success rate of about one in two hundred. Each institute conducts group discussions and personal interviews to evaluate the students shortlisted after the test.
Some claim that since around 300,000 students compete for less than 1350 general seats (out of 1700 total seats) in the IIMs (2008 figures), IIMs are even more selective than all the top US business schools put together. The remaining 23% of seats are reserved for candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes and PWD. The average percentile of students admitted through these reserved categories is lesser than the percentile scores of the General class students, which generally hovers around 99 percentile.
The Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) have announced the dates for online Common Admission Test (CAT) 2009. The first computer-based CAT exam will be held between November 28 and December 7, 2009. The test will be held twice — once in the morning and the other in the evening.
A candidate can choose a test date, session (morning/afternoon), and venue across thirty centres (cities) all over India, subject to availability.
However, IIMs have not yet clarified whether the online CAT exam would be available for candidates abroad.
The CAT scores not only determine admission into the IIMs, but also to several other reputed management institutes. While about 95,000 candidates took the CAT in 2003, the number rose to about 250,000 in 2008, indicating a whopping 163 percent rise.
According to the IIMs, this has resulted in severe strain on the administrative system of the institutes to conduct the CAT in its existing format.
The computer based CAT will be candidate-friendly, flexible in the selection of test date, ease registration process, provide better physical environment and test experience, and enhanced security in terms of biometric identification of candidates and video monitoring.
The IIMs have been conducting CAT in paper-and-pencil format for the last 33 years. Ninety percent of those who appear for the CAT are estimated to be proficient in working on computers.
The advertisement for CAT will be announced on Sunday, 30 August 2009. A prospective candidate can buy a scratch-voucher from the designated bank branches, and, later registers online for CAT 2009. Sale of vouchers starts on Wednesday, 9 September 2009 at designated bank branches and their associate outlets. The sale ends on Thursday, 1 October 2009. Online registration for CAT 2009 will also begin on Wednesday, 9 September 2009 and end on Thursday, 1 October 2009. Instructions on access to online registration will be given in the voucher, and, detailed registration instructions will be on the CAT website www.catiim.in
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