CAT exam has witnessed an increase in registrations over the past five years. In CAT 2020, approximately 2.27 lakh candidates registered for the exam. This number rose marginally to 2.31 lakh in 2021, followed by a significant jump to 2.55 lakh in 2022. In CAT 2023, registrations crossed the 3.28 lakh mark. The upward trend continued in CAT 2024, which recorded over 3.35 lakh registrations, the highest ever in CAT history.
This consistent rise highlights growing interest in management as a career and increases competition for limited seats at top institutions, such as the IIMs, FMS, IIT Delhi and Bombay, SP Jain, and other top B Schools. With only few seats across all top B Schools, the registration spike means that percentile cut-offs are rising, and candidates must now target higher scores to stay in the competition for top B schools. Understanding how these trends affect selection chances is crucial for effective preparation. Check CAT Application Process 2025
Year-Wise CAT Registration & Attendance (2019–2024)
CAT 2024 witnessed the highest-ever registration count, with over 3.29 lakh candidates applying for the exam. This marks a 0.3% rise from 2023 (3.28 lakh) and a significant 28.9% increase over 2022, when only 2.55 lakh had registered. The surge reflects the growing interest in MBA programs, driven by career stability, strong placement trends, and extensive network outreach by IIMs and top Business Schools. With the highest-ever attendance rate of 89%,
Category-Wise Registration Breakdown (CAT 2024)
Competition has increased not only overall, but also within specific categories.
- General category holds the largest share at 67.5%, followed by NC‑OBC at 16.9%.
- Reserved categories: SC 8.5%, ST 2.3%, and EWS 4.8%.
- The gender ratio shows 36% female participation, indicating gradual growth in women candidates.
How do Higher Registrations Affect Competition?
CAT has witnessed a consistent increase in the number of candidates. With CAT 2024 registering a record 3.29 lakh+ candidates, the competition has intensified:
- Lower Selection Ratio: Top IIMs (such as Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta) offer a combined 5,500–6,000 seats for their flagship PGP programs. When compared to 3.29 lakh+ CAT 2024 applicants, this results in a seat-to-applicant ratio of roughly 1:55. Even after including Tier-1 non-IIMs like FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, and IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur), the total number of high-quality MBA seats does not cross 12,000–13,000, keeping the selection ratio extremely competitive.
- Rising Cut-Off Benchmarks: As the number of serious test-takers increases, cut-offs for both IIMs and top non-IIMs are steadily climbing. In CAT 2022 and 2024, the raw score needed for the 99 percentile reached 95+ marks, indicating that even a few marks can significantly affect a candidate's B-School options.
- Normalization Sensitivity: With three slots and varying section difficulties each year, percentile scores depend heavily on normalization. A small raw score gap—sometimes as little as 2–3 marks—can result in major percentile drops, especially in the 98–99.5 percentile range, which is critical for calls from IIMs, FMS, IITs, and other elite institutes.
Safe Raw Score Needed for Top IIMs and B-Schools (General Category)
With over 3.3 lakh CAT 2024 registrations and increasing candidates with quality profiles, getting a call from top MBA institutes now demands higher scores along with strong 10th, 12th, and graduation performance and also good work experience
Category-Wise Safe Raw Score Range for Top B-Schools (NC-OBC, SC, ST, EWS)
While exact scores may vary, here’s an approximate score bracket for reserved categories to receive shortlists from top B schools:
Check CAT Cutoff 2025
What Aspirants Must Do Differently in High Competition?
Increased CAT registrations raise the competition, but the key to selection remains good preparation. Candidates must focus on good attempt strategy and very good syllabus coverage.
- Accuracy beats high attempts: In CAT 2024, aspirants who attempted 40–42 questions with over 85% accuracy scored 99 percentile. Random guessing lowers the percentile due to negative marking.
- Section-wise focus:
- VARC typically has lower accuracy. Attempt 16–18 questions with care to secure 34+ marks.
- In DILR, attempt the easiest set first. Solving 2 complete sets with 85% accuracy is enough for 99 percentile.
- In Quant, maintain 2–3 minutes per question. Prioritise speed and cut losses early.
- Mock test frequency: High scorers in CAT 2023–2024 took 25–40 full-length mocks before the exam. Analysing the mocks and noting weaknesses and strengths is more important than just mock numbers.
- Slot-wise calibration: Slot-level variations affect final percentiles. Understand historical trends for each slot to plan more effectively during mocks and the actual exam.
