CAT Full Form - Explained

What is CAT Full Form?

The CAT full form in English is the Common Admission Test. An entrance test conducted at All India level, the test is carried out in India. In the present day, this is one of the most reputed exams conducted in India. The CAT is one of the entrance exams carried out for the admission of students to the prestigious MBA/PGDM courses offered by the Indian Institute of Management.

History Of CAT

Along with CAT full form, it is beneficial for students to also know its history. In 1950, the IIMs introduced a test called the Common Admission Test (CAT abbreviation) to select candidates with the potential for taking management education. In earlier times, the test was executed on paper. In 2009, it converted to a computerized test to make the test accessible to more candidates. With time, there have been additions and modifications in the CAT to see that the skills required with the changing trend in management education are assessed properly.

Eligibility Criteria to Attend CAT Examination

Eligibility: The eligibility criteria for appearing and applying for the CAT examination are as under:

Educational qualifications of a candidate: A candidate must have passed a bachelor's degree from a university recognized with a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent based on the grading system for general, EWS (Economically Weaker Section), and OBC (Other Backward Class) category candidates. For reserved candidates, the percentage required in the bachelor's degree is reduced to 45% marks in total. Such equalization should be certified by the candidate.

Age Limit: No boundaries have been stated for taking the CAT examination.

Nationality: Indian nationals, as well as foreign national candidates, can apply for this test. For foreign candidates, certain conditions may have to be fulfilled as specified by individual IIMs.

Attempts: Number of attempts is not limited for the CAT examination. One can take the CAT exam any number of times but individual institutions may have some set criteria in this regard.

You are supposed to satisfy some of the rules in order to give the CAT exam, which is quite a premier exam for getting into India's top business schools. These rules are established to ensure that any candidate appearing for the CAT exam must have fully prepared to answer the challenging questions in the exam. The test gauges your skills in various subjects like mathematics, English, and reasoning, so a minimum background of studies must be attained through you before you attempt it.

With rules like these coming into effect, you can find out whether you are all set for taking an exam like CAT and beginning your journey into the top business schools.

Primary Objectives of CAT

CAT has basically two main intentions:

Aim 1

CAT simply purports to assess a candidate's quantitative ability, verbal ability, and logical reasoning, since these, according to CAT, are success parameters in the management and business administration domain.

Appropriate People: The test actually collates a prospective list of candidates who have applied for admission to the various management programs at IIMs along with other participating institutions. It is an academic and an intellectual test and is based on a standard method of assessment.

Promote Excellence: CAT tests its candidates through a rigorous testing process for excellence in management education, so that only the finest among the lot can secure admission to top business schools. A business school would admit students who are hardworking and capable, in addition to being smart and also meeting the challenge levels presented during the studies. CAT enables schools to do this through the testing of these students in a competitive testing environment. In other words, the examination tests some of the most important paramount skills that a student will need in order to succeed in business school.

The CAT measures the ability in areas like math, English, and logical thinking, important for any student who wishes to study company management. Such an exam helps in prudent decision-making and problem resolution. By focusing on such areas, the CAT exam ensures that those students indulged in such a practice really have the right abilities to score effectively in business school.

Aim 2

The second point is that the exam, by design, tries to be fair and equal for everybody. No matter what type of background the student belongs to, the exam is testing everyone in an equal way. This literally means that results are based mainly on how well the students know the material and how good they are at solving problems.

CAT caters to providing excellence in management education in India. A high standard would mean that the student tries and prepares with the best possible preparation, and that helps to raise the level of quality of students as a whole coming into the business schools. In turn, that can help increase the quality of management education within the country.

In a nutshell, the prime objectives of the CAT exam are to seek students with apt business school skills, ensure fair practices, help schools recruit their best candidates, and encourage excellence in management education.

CAT Regional Office

The examination procedure is furnished with many regional offices located at different ends of the country. Regional Offices are established across the country holding the test of their respective regions and helping the candidates with their questions and problems that come up during the progress of the examination. These regional offices have been put at different major cities in the country so that the aspirants can have easy access to all.

Examinations Conducted by CAT

There are three major sections under CAT:

Quantitative Ability: It tests up the mathematics portion and solving quantitative problems of the candidate. This paper checks one's skill in math, ranging from basic arithmetic to algebra and geometry, along with some general and high-level mathematical concepts. It is associated with the checking of how well one can solve problems dealing with numbers and associated mathematical concepts, as the needs are quite common in dealing with business and management-related decisions.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension: It tests the candidate on the relational use of prepositions, logical usage of verbs, completing sentences, the candidate's ability to understand and use the English language etc. The section shall contain questions on grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension. You will be questioned on passages and asked to answer questions based on them. This section is therefore extremely important, for a good communicator is the key to being a manager; very often, one can be called upon to understand fairly complex texts and ideas and make them look simpler.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning: In this section, the candidate will be grounded in simple fundamentals regarding his analysis and interpretation skills apart from developing a flair for problem-solving through logical reasoning. It contains MCQ and SAQ patterns. This pattern is a kind of test that gives the capacity of an individual in problem-solving and critical reasoning. This test reflects the way you would handle data and solve puzzles. You may receive charts, graphs, or tables in which you may be asked to make inferences. These would be questions of the type that would test the way in which someone might think through a problem and be able to develop a solution. These are skills of really very high importance when performing a good management job, for in this position one always finds oneself having to analyze data and make some sort of decision based on those findings.

Basically, three areas are tested in the CAT: Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. These MCQs and non-MCQs with answers to be filled have to be tackled in the exam. The exam is time bound, and hence, you have to use your time in the best possible manner so that you can attempt as many questions as possible.

Quite literally, the CAT tests such a wide spectrum of abilities that almost any management course would require an individual to possess in order to be effective. The candidates demonstrate overall potential for meeting the challenges at the business school and finally in the business sector by doing well in all three sections.

Conclusion

CAT full form and the clearance of this test marks the beginning of students aspiring for the IIM’s. Common Admission Test is a touchstone, career-defining exhibition for all aspirants working towards a managerial profession that lies within the fabric of the system in India. It is a test of toughness, for only the very able to manage to pass through to the top-most management programs because of the high standards of testing quantitative, verbal, and logical reasoning abilities. So, in a position to offer knowledge in regards to the history of CAT, its goals as well as the eligibility criteria towards this onerous test that propels one to a shining career in management is this course.

FAQ

1. Can a 12th Pass Apply for CAT?

No, one needs to be a graduate to attempt the CAT. The students who are in the final year of their programme can apply, but they have to submit proof of attainment of that degree by the time of finalization of admission.

2. What is the qualification for CAT?

The candidate should hold a bachelor degree in any stream at the graduate level with at least 50% marks scored in the examination from a recognised university; the minimum percentage of marks is relaxed to 45% for SC/ST/PWD candidates. Secondly, there does not include a specific area of study qualification; any candidate from any academic discipline can apply.

3. How Many Subjects are in CAT?

The CAT is mainly divided into three sections:

Quantitative Ability

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

Analysis of Data and Sufficiency.

Each section has been designed to examine a few sets of management skills.

4. Is the “CAT full form” asked in any examination?

Yes. In competitive examinations, General Knowledge Tests, Quiz Contests, Objective tests, the “CAT full form” is asked.

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