CAT Counselling 2024: Dates, Admission Process, Documents

CAT selection process 2024 consists of three stages - Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT), and Personal Interview (PI). CAT counselling process also known as IIM CAP counselling 2024 is conducted for all 9 IIMs i.e IIM Jammu, Raipur, Bodh Gaya, Kashipur, Sirmaur, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Trichy, and Udaipur. In addition, the CAT 2024 exam gets 30% weightage, as per the MBA admission policy announced by IIM Calcutta.

As part of the admission process, the candidates who clear the CAT cut off 2024 will be selected for the counselling round. Candidates will be able to check their CAT CAP Counselling process status by entering the CAT Registration number on the official portal. The CAT selection process for IIMs and other management institutes will start in January 2025. The CAT Result 2024 was announced on Dec 19, 2024.

Candidates must post their CAT scores on the official website of the IIM they want to attend. The institutes then compile a list of eligible students to participate in WAT-PI by comparing each applicant's CAT score to the final cut off and their academic background. The IIM CAT admission process takes three to four months for all 20 institutes, and sessions will start in Jun or Jul 2025.

CAT 2024 IIM Common Admission Process for 2024-26 Batch

The IIMs will shortlist applicants based on CAT 2024 and the selection procedure such as the Group Discussions (GD), Written Ability Tests (WAT), and Personal Interviews (PI). In the COVID-19 situation as it stands. Some institutions exclusively interview shortlisted candidates online.

Three rounds make up the CAT 2024 selection process for IIMs, including:

• Round 1: IIM Shortlist and CAT 2024 Results
• Round 2: Personal interview
• Round 3: Final selection and eligibility verification

What is A Good CAT Score 2024?

MBA Admission Process 2024

IIM CAP Counselling through CAT 2024 Dates

IIM CAT Counselling Dates

Events	Dates
CAP Registration Starts	Jan 2025
Last date for CAP Registration	Feb 2025
Intimation for Personal Interview	Feb 2025
Personal Interview Phase I	Feb 2025
Personal Interview Phase II	Feb 2025
Personal Interview Phase III	Mar 2025

Did You Know?

Indian Institutes of Management are the primary association of CAT (IIMs). That's not true, though. In addition to the IIMs, more than 1200 B-Schools in India accept CAT scores. These include highly regarded institutions like MDI-Gurgaon, FMS-Delhi, SPJIMR-Mumbai, and IMT-Ghaziabad.

Also Read: CAT Percentile Wise Colleges

CAT Stage wise Selection Process 2024

CAT 2024 admission policy for the MBA program remains the same as last year. Candidates can check the following stage-wise academic requirements for IIM Calcutta's MBA program.

IIM CAT Stage 1

In stage 1, cut-offs for the minimum CAT 2024 percentile must be considered. As IIM Calcutta stated "candidates who meet the minimum requirements for both section-wise and overall percentiles in CAT 2024 as outlined in the table will be shortlisted for consideration in stage 2, subject to obtaining non-negative raw scores in all areas of CAT 2024"

Category	Section I (VARC)	Section II (DILR)	Section III (QA)	Overall Percentile
OPEN	Less than or equal to 80	Less than or equal to 80	Less than or equal to 75	Less than or equal to 85
EWS	Less than or equal to 70	Less than or equal to 65	Less than or equal to 65	Less than or equal to 75
NC-OBC	Less than or equal to 70	Less than or equal to 65	Less than or equal to 65	Less than or equal to 75
SC	Less than or equal to 65	Less than or equal to 60	Less than or equal to 60	Less than or equal to 70
ST	Less than or equal to 55	Less than or equal to 55	Less than or equal to 55	Less than or equal to 65
PwD	Less than or equal to 45	Less than or equal to 45	Less than or equal to 45	Less than or equal to 55

IIM CAT Stage 2

Candidates will be chosen for the Personal Interview (PI) rounds and Written Ability Test (WAT) based on their CAT result 2024 and other factors, which are mentioned in the tabular below. 

Parameter	Weightage
CAT 2024 score	56
Class 10th marks	10
Class 12th marks	15
Gender diversity factor	4
Total	85

IIM CAT Stage 3

Candidate's performance in CAT 2024, PI, and WAT rounds will taken into consideration along with other factors while creating the final category-by-category merit list. Candidates can check the tabular below for the factors and their weightage. 

Parameter	Weight
CAT 2024 score	30
PI	48
WAT	8
Academic diversity	6
Work experience	8
Total	100

Note: The parameters and weightage for IIM Bangalore for the CAT exam are listed in the above table. Each IIM's weighting of each characteristic will change from year to year.

Top MBA Colleges in Delhi Without CAT 2024

Top MBA Colleges with Low Fees without CAT 2024

CAT IIM Counselling Dates 2024

A shortlist of applicants who will move on to the next step of the CAT admission process 2024 will be published by various IIMs. This shortlist is made public on the relevant IIM's official website. The table below will be updated with information about the shortlist according to the IIMs.

The dates listed below are tentative based on last year's procedure. View the New IIMs CAP Shortlist & Admission Requirements.

CAT IIM Counselling 2024

IIMs	IIM Shortlist Start Date (Tentative)
IIM Ahmedabad Shortlist & Admission Criteria	PI Shortlist Release Date - Feb 2025
IIM Indore Shortlist & Admission Criteria	PI Shortlist Release Date- Jan 2025
IIM Jammu Shortlist & Admission Criteria	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Kozhikode Shortlist & Admission Criteria	Stage 1 Registration Start Date – Jan 2025
IIM Amritsar Shortlist & Selection Process	Stage 1 Registration Start Date – Jan 2025
IIM Visakhapatnam Shortlist & Admission Criteria	Stage 1 Registration – Jan to Mar 2025
IIM Bodhgaya Shortlist & Selection Process	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Raipur Shortlist & Selection Process	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Udaipur Shortlist & Admission Criteria	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Kashipur Shortlist & Selection Process	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Trichy Shortlist & Admission Criteria	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Banglore Shortlist & Admission Criteria	Release of Shortlist for PI- Jan 2025
IIM Calcutta Shortlist & Admission Criteria	Release of Shortlist- Jan 2025
IIM Lucknow Shortlist & Admission Criteria	Release of Shortlist- Jan 2025
IIM Shillong Shortlist & Admission Criteria	PI Shortlist Release Date- Jan 2025
IIM Rohtak Shortlist & Selection Process	Stage 1 Registration Last Date – Jan 2025
IIM Ranchi Shortlist & Admission Criteria	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Nagpur Shortlist & Selection Process	Last Date of Stage 1 Registration- Mar 2025
IIM Sambalpur Shortlist & Selection Process	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025
IIM Sirmaur Shortlist & Selection Process	CAP Registration Last Date – Feb 2025

Common Admission Process (CAP) for New IIMs

Common Admission Process (CAP) will be conducted at the newer IIMs, including those in Ranchi, Raipur, Trichy, Udaipur, and Kashipur, among others (CAP). There will be a shortlist of candidates; they will all need to show up for the rounds of the standard written ability exam and personal interviews. Each of these IIMs will disclose a candidate's performance based on a unique merit list.

The following new IIMs will follow CAP-Based CAT Result 2024 for admission: 

IIMs following CAP 

IIM Jammu	IIM Ranchi
IIM Sirmaur	IIM Kashipur
IIM Sambalpur	IIM Bodhgaya
IIM Trichy	IIM Udaipur
IIM Raipur

Key Points of IIM CAP

The shortlisted applicants for WAT-PI will be sent by all participating Indian Institutes of Management to the IIM conducting CAP.

• All CAP participating IIMs will have their WAT-PI round conducted by that IIM.
• Following the CAP, the participating IIMs will assess each candidate's performance in the WAT, PI, CAT score, profile, etc., and compile their merit list for admission.
• The relevant IIM website will make a final list of the chosen candidates' availability. Candidates who have a CAT ID or institute login are the only ones who can access this.

 All CAP participating institutions should be aware that the weightage of the eligible CAT cut-off and CAT admission criteria will be the same

CAP Important Instructions for Attending Online Personal Interview

Requirements for Online Personal Interview

• Laptop or desktop with a camera
• Headphone
• Microphone
• Dependable and quick internet connection
• Pens, pencils, blank sheets, and other stationery supplies
• Install the Zoom program.
• For greater visibility, use a background that is clear or white and lighter in colour.
• A legitimate ID with a photo

Instructions for Online Personal Interview

• Click the provided link to participate in the online personal interview using the Zoom platform on the specified date and time.
• Candidates must arrive by 9:30 am for the morning session and 1:30 pm for the afternoon slot.
• The candidate should be the only one in the room during the PI process.
• Throughout the PI session, the audio and video should be on. Any use of recording equipment is forbidden.

CAP Counselling Documents Required

Candidates for CAP counselling registration must keep the following documentation on file.

• A digital image of the photo (Less than 100 KB).
• Digital version of the signature (Less than 100 KB).
• Picture ID Card Document
• 10th and 12th-grade mark sheets, together with a pass certificate for CAT 2024
• Certificates relevant to graduation
• Marksheet for graduation for all semesters and years.
• For individuals who graduated before 2021, a degree certificate is necessary.
• A provisional certificate is needed for those who graduated in 2024 but have not yet received their degree certificates.
• Any other degree, master's degree, or professional qualification listed on the CAP Registration form must be supported by a certificate and mark sheets.
• Certifications about the experience:
• Please don't think of apprenticeships and training as experiences.
• Please submit a caste certificate in the appropriate format (NC-OBC/SC/ST).

CAT Cut Off for CAP Counseling 

CAT and CAP Counselling

Student Category	Quantitative Aptitude	Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	Verbal & Reading Comprehension	Total (Overall Percentile)
General	70	70	70	92
EWS	40	40	40	70
NC-OBC	45	45	45	74
SC	35	35	35	54
ST	32.5	25	25	40
DAP	32.5	25	25	40

CAT Counselling Process 2024

CAT Counseling or Selection Process consists of three stages, which are as follows:

• Stage 1: Candidate Shortlisting - Candidates will be selected for stage 2 based on the CAT qualifying cut off published by the institute.
• Stage 2: WAT, GD, or PI - Candidates must show up for WAT, GD, or PI rounds in this stage.
• Stage 3: Calculation of Composite Score. The final composite score is generated depending on several factors, and candidates will receive admission offers.

CAT Written Ability Test 2024

Most IIMs favour the Written Ability Test (WAT) over the Group Discussion. Due to COVID-19, the WAT round was not held at most IIMs last year. But this year, some IIMs might hold WAT. The following are the significant highlights of WAT:

• WAT evaluates a candidate's communication and critical thinking abilities.
• The following criteria are used to score the test:
• Writing Ability Test Clarity of Thought
• Clearness of Expression
• Dimensionality of Viewpoint
• Reasoning Robustness
• Depending on the IIM, the WAT often accounts for 10% to 30% of the final score.
• WAT Duration: Depending on the IIM, different amounts of time are allotted for WAT.
• It can take between 15 and 30 minutes.
• Questions:  Essay Format

The following are some of the critical WAT topics:

CAT WAT Topics

WAT Important Topics
Media Influence	Corruption in India
Women’s Reservation Bill	Should Petroleum Subsidy go away?
Social Activism is necessary for the survival of a democratic society	GST: Aim to take the economy on a faster growth path
Demonetization in India: Decision is more appreciated than criticized	Ethics and morals cannot be taught in classrooms only
Browsing at the Workplace affects productivity	RERA should win the trust of home buyers
Aadhar -Utility is more than perceived	Beti Bachao Beti Padhao will change the orthodox mindset?
Global economic slowdown	COVID-19 Pandemic
Article 370 Abrogation	Farm Bills 2020: Protests and more
Digital India	Make in India
Union Budget of India	Privatization of the Indian Economy

CAT WAT Duration

Depending on the IIM of choice, WAT takes a different time. They are essay tests and can last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. The time allotted for the Written Ability Test and the word limit are listed below based on previous patterns:

CAT WAT Duration

B-School	Time Limit (in minutes)	Suggested Word Limit
IIM Ahmedabad	20-25	300+
IIM Bangalore	30	400
IIM Calcutta	20-25	400
IIM Lucknow	15-20	200+
IIM Indore	20-25	250
IIM Kozhikode	25	300
IIM Shillong	20-25	300
New IIMs	25-30	300
FMS	20-30	300
IIFT	20	300+

CAT Personal Interview 2024

• It is a significant phase of the selection process and is held in the majority of IIMs.
• The PI selection panel typically consists of 2-4 experts.
• Being confident and presenting yourself are the keys to success in this step of the selection process.
• In an IIM interview, you may be asked questions regarding your personal life, academic history, extracurricular activities, employment history, perspective on current events, etc.

CAT PI Things to Remember

While attending the CAT PI, there are a few key points to keep in mind. The following are some essential reminders:

• Keep in mind to portray yourself effectively by dressing and grooming appropriately.
• Improve your communication and presenting abilities.
• Aim to speak in public more often.
• The interviewers may occasionally make general inquiries about anything in your call letter. Interviewers have questioned candidates about why their email contains the year 1990 rather than their real birth year, for example.
• Don't ramble on and stick to the subject.
• Avoid giving trite or obvious responses.
• Your body language and nonverbal indicators while replying will be observed by interviewers.

Read More: How to Calculate CAT Percentile 2024?

What Documents Will Be Taken at WAT/ GD and PI Time?

During the CAT selection process, candidates will have to submit the required documents to be selected. Here is the list of required documents for general and reserved categories: 

Verification of Degree Certificates and Mark Sheets

During the IIM CAT selection process, which entails a personal interview, candidates must present original and attested copies of credentials and mark sheets. The original degree mark sheets for every semester must be submitted with attested copies if chosen at the time of joining.

Required Documents at the Time of WAT/ GD and PI

• IIM Interview call letter
• CAT 2024 scorecard
• Class 10 mark sheet and certificate
• Class 12 mark sheet and certificate
• The graduation mark sheet and certificate
• Reservation category proof of certificate (if applicable)
• Work experience certificate (if any)

Reserved Category

During the in-person interview, candidates must present both an authenticated copy and the original ST/ SC/ NC-OBC/ DA certificates. If chosen, the reservation category's original certificates and attested copies must be submitted when joining.

Final Year Undergraduate Students

The chosen candidates will be required to produce both the original and an attested copy of the certificate from the Registrar, Principal, or Director of the institute or university stating that the student received 50% marks (45% for the reserved category).

Their admission will be provisional until the original mark sheet and the qualifying undergraduate degree are provided before Dec 31, 2024. A candidate's admission will be automatically revoked if the necessary paperwork is not submitted on time or at all.

CAT PI Frequently Asked Questions

The following are some of the most typical queries in CAT PI:

• Inform us a little bit about yourself.
• How did you decide to get an MBA? Why?
• In five years, where do you see yourself?
• Tell us why we should choose you.
• Do you regret anything? (Related to schoolwork, daily life, etc.)
• Past Questions.
• What made you decide to enrol at IIM (city)?
• Discuss your advantages and disadvantages.
• Inquiries from the GD.
• Have you got any inquiries for us?

Admission to Non-IIMs Through CAT 2024

In India, more than 1000 MBA colleges accept CAT 2024 scores. The best colleges in India outside of IIMs include the procedure for choosing Non-IIMs also entails:

• Liberating CAT Cutoff and Candidate Shortlisting Based on CAT Scores: Following the announcement of CAT results, the institutes publish their own CAT cut offs and shortlist candidates for GD-PI rounds based on CAT scores & percentile.
• GD-WAT-PI rounds: Some institutions hold all three, whilst others might only hold the GD or PI round.
• Final Merit List: The final merit list is created by giving various criteria, such as CAT scores, GD-WAT-PI scores, academic records, prior work experience, varying weights.

Top non-IIM universities in India that accept CAT results include:

CAT Non-IIM Cut Off

College	CAT 2024 Expected Percentile
FMS, Delhi	98
IMT, Ghaziabad	90
K J Somaiya, Mumbai	86
JBIMS, Mumbai	96
GIM Goa	85
TAPMI, Manipal	80
LIBA, Chennai	70
IMI, New Delhi	90
SPJIMR, Mumbai	95
XIM, Bhubaneshwar	91
FORE, New Delhi	85
IFMR, Chennai	80
IRMA, Anand	80
MICA, Ahmedabad	80
XIME, Bangalore	70
MDI, Gurgaon	94

CAT Reservation Criteria 2024

IIMs allocate specific seats for SC, ST, OBC, or PWD applicants. An outline of the same is provided in the table below:

CAT Reservation 2024

CAT Category	CAT Reservation (%)
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5
Non-Creamy – Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC)	27
People with Disability (PWD)	5
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)	Up to 10

CAT Seat Intake 2024

20 IIMs in India grant admission to MBA course programs with various specialities. The total number of seats accepted by various IIMs is listed below:

CAT IIMs Seat Intake

IIMs	Number of Seats	IIMs	Number of Seats
IIM Ahmedabad	395	IIM Ranchi	185
IIM Bangalore	400	IIM Rohtak	264
IIM Calcutta	460	IIM Raipur	90
IIM Lucknow	500	IIM Trichy	240
IIM Indore	450	IIM Udaipur	325
IIM Kozhikode	480	IIM Kashipur	240
IIM Shillong	92	IIM Nagpur	130
IIM Visakhapatnam	120	IIM Sambalpur	90
IIM Bodhgaya	120	IIM Jammu	90
IIM Sirmaur	120	IIM Amritsar	160

CAT Admission Eligibility Verification Procedure

• If any IIM selects a candidate for interviews, they must undergo eligibility verification: Mark sheets and a degree certificate must be produced at the time of the interview to demonstrate the applicant's eligibility. The original degree certificate and all semester/year-level mark sheets, along with their attested copies, must be given for verification at the time of admission if a candidate is chosen for a program.
• Reservation Category: At the time of the interview, candidates from the category must present both the original caste, class, or handicap certificate and a photocopy. The original certificate of qualifying degree and an attested copy of it must also be submitted for verification when attending the program if a candidate is chosen for it.
• Graduates in their final year: Candidates for bachelor's degrees or comparable degrees must present an authentic certificate from the principal, registrar, or director of the university or institution attesting that they received 50% or equivalent marks (45% in the case of reserved categories). At the time of the interview, they must present an attested copy of the original certificate.
• For the Post Graduate Programs: If selected candidates must present a certificate from the Principal/Registrar of their University/institution, they will be permitted to enter the program on a provisional basis. The official mark sheet and qualifying degree certificate of completing the bachelor's degree must be submitted to receive the final admission.

IIM Admission Process 2024-26 Through CAT

There are 88 institutions registered with CAT exam procedure 2024 that do not come under the IIM category. In 2024, these institutes will run their own CAT selection process. Although the WAT, GD/PI and CAT 2024 counselling rounds are the same. However, not all of these steps are necessary for admission in the end. Instead of holding group discussions, other institutions, like IMT Ghaziabad, undertake group activities or group training.

IIM Shortlist Status 2024-2026 based on CAT 2024 Score

CAT IIM Admission Process 2024

IIMs	Shortlist Release Date	Number of Seats in MBA/PGP
IIM Ahmedabad	Second week of Jan 2025	395
IIM Kozhikode	First week of Jan 2025	375
IIM Jammu	First week of Mar 2025	240
IIM Visakhapatnam	Last week of Jan 2025	120
IIM Rohtak	Last week of Jan 2025	240
IIM Calcutta	Third week of Jan 2025	460
IIM Lucknow	Third week of Jan 2025	500
IIM Sambalpur	First week of Mar 2025	120
IIM Bangalore	Third week of Jan 2025	400
IIM Amritsar	First week of Mar, 2025	160
IIM Raipur	Last week of Jan 2025	260
IIM Ranchi	Last week of Jan 2025	185
IIM Kashipur	First week of Mar 2025	240
IIM Udaipur	Last week of Jan 2025	260
IIM Trichy	Last week of Jan 2025	240
IIM Shillong	Last week of Jan 2025	180
IIM Indore	Third week of Jan 2025	450
IIM Sirmaur	First week of Mar 2025	120
IIM Nagpur	First week of Mar 2025	130
IIM Bodhgaya	First week of Mar 2025	120

CAT Admission Process 2024 Parameters for Final Selection Process

CAT admission process 2024 tentative parameters have been concluded for the final selection process in IIMs.

CAT 2024 Admission Process Parameters

CAT Parameters	Details
CAT 2024	Overall percentile score obtained in CAT 2024 exam.
Class 10	The aggregate percentage marks in class 10
Class 12	The aggregate percentage marks in class 12
Graduation	The aggregate percentage in 3 or 4 year’s degree course
WAT/ GD-PI	In WAT / GD-PI, each candidate's performance is evaluated, and marks are allotted accordingly.
Academic Diversity	To guarantee a fair representation of students from various streams, candidates with backgrounds outside of engineering are given bonus points. Each campus awards different points for academic diversity.
Gender Diversity	To encourage equal representation of each gender, IIMs award additional points to women and transgender people. Each campus has different points for gender diversity.
Work Experience	Candidates with prior employment are given more credit. For these purposes, the limit of experience ranges from lowest to maximum. Each college awards different points for work experience.