Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most competitive MBA entrance exams in India, conducted annually by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Every year, lakhs of aspirants register for CAT with the dream of securing a seat in prestigious B-Schools. Analyzing CAT registration trends over the years helps candidates understand the competition, growth in participation, and changes in demographics.
- Number of Students Registered and Appeared for CAT 2024
- CAT Registration Trends: Last 10 Years
- CAT Registration Growth and Decline Percentage
- CAT Gender-Wise Registration Trends
- Category-Wise Registration in CAT 2024
- Number of Students Registered vs Appeared for CAT (2020–2024)
- Difficulty Level of CAT Exam Over the Years
- CAT Exam Success Rate in India
- Expected CAT 2025 Registration Numbers
- Conclusion
Number of Students Registered and Appeared for CAT 2024
In CAT 2024, around 3.29 lakh students registered and approximately 2.93 lakh appeared, marking an 89% attendance rate. This shows consistent participation levels compared to previous years.
This indicates that the competition ratio remains extremely high, with only a fraction making it to IIMs.
CAT Registration Trends: Last 10 Years
The table below shows how CAT Registrations have changed over the last decade. Notably, CAT registrations crossed 2 lakh in 2015 and 3 lakh in 2023, showing how the exam’s popularity has grown.
The highest growth was observed in CAT 2023, which saw a 28–30% jump in registrations compared to 2022.
CAT Registration Growth and Decline Percentage
Each year, the number of students registering for CAT fluctuates. Here’s the year-wise increase/decrease in CAT registration:
This clearly shows that CAT 2023 witnessed the highest-ever growth in participation.
CAT Gender-Wise Registration Trends
Another important aspect of CAT registration trends is the gender distribution. In recent years, there has been a positive rise in female participation.
The percentage of female candidates has steadily increased, signaling greater diversity in CAT aspirants.
Category-Wise Registration in CAT 2024
CAT 2024 registration data also shows how candidates applied across categories:
This indicates that a majority of CAT takers belong to the General category, followed by OBC and SC candidates.
Number of Students Registered vs Appeared for CAT (2020–2024)
The gap between registered and appeared students is an important metric for understanding seriousness among aspirants.
The data shows a consistent rise in attendance rate, proving that more students are seriously attempting CAT after registering.
Difficulty Level of CAT Exam Over the Years
CAT is known for its unpredictability. Here’s how the difficulty level has been perceived in recent years:
This trend shows that aspirants must prepare thoroughly, as difficulty varies each year.
CAT Exam Success Rate in India
Despite lakhs of registrations, only a small fraction secure admission in IIMs and top B-schools.
This means only 2 out of every 100 aspirants make it to premier IIMs.
Expected CAT 2025 Registration Numbers
The official CAT 2025 registration statistics are yet to be released. However, based on the growth pattern of the last five years, it is expected that around 3.40–3.50 lakh candidates may register, with over 3 lakh appearing for the exam.
Conclusion
The CAT registration trends from 2020 to 2024 highlight an increasing interest among management aspirants, with participation crossing the 3-lakh mark consistently in recent years. The rise in female and category-wise participation indicates improved inclusivity. With the competition growing every year and success rates staying as low as 2%, CAT remains one of the toughest management entrance exams in India.
