What is CAT?

PUNE: The Common Admission Test CAT) is an all-India entrance test for admission to the Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs) at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikhode, and other reputed institutes such as the Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad; S.P.Jain Institute, Mumbai; Management Development Institute, Gurgaon; and TAPAI, Manipal.
It was started in the 1960s and was initially the preserve of the IIMs alone.
Around 1.5 lakh students write the exam every year in India, for what is considered the management equivalent of the IITs. Held on the last Sunday of November, it is the first in the series of management entrances held in the country.
The test is designed to evaluate the management aptitude of a student by testing his analytical and communication skills. It demands up to three to four months of intense preparation. The test is open to all graduates.