Indian Institute of Management (IIM) has announced the much-awaited answer keys of the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024. The provisional answer keys shall be available for download from December 3, 2024, onwards, on the official IIM CAT website, iimcat.ac.in.

CAT 2024 Exam: A Record Attendance

The CAT 2024 examination, conducted on 24 November 2024, set a new record for candidates to appear for the exam. From a total of 3.29 lakh registered candidates, it is estimated that about 2.93 lakh appeared for the exam. As a result, the attendance for the exam was 89%, which is quite appreciable. The attendance, gender-wise, was also very interesting. There were 1.07 lakh female candidates, 1.86 lakh male candidates, and 5 transgender candidates attending the exam. The overall turnout reflects high demand and growing interest in grabbing a seat in one of India’s prestigious management institutions.

How to Check the CAT 2024 Answer Key

The release of the provisional answer key is one of the most significant events for the CAT aspirant, because it offers him the scope to crosscheck the answers. He may, therefore, check his performance with the simple steps that have been listed below for accessing and downloading the answer key.

1. Access the Official Website: To access the official website for CAT at iimcat.ac.in.
2. Login: Use your registration ID and password in the login form to log in to your account.
3. Submit: Now, click on the ‘Submit’ button to reach the next page.
4. Download the Answer Key: After successful login, the answer key in PDF will be available for download using the appropriate link.

This will enable candidates to check their answers for correctness and get an estimate of their scores, using an answer key available in downloadable PDF format.

Objections and Processing Fee

The answer key that is provisional in nature is to be objected if any candidate can find discrepancies or has problems with the provisional answer key. Objection windows will also be opened after the issuance of the answer key that will remain open for some time. A processing fee will be payable by a candidate for every objection raised.

Once this objection window closes, IIM will consider the grievance and publication of final answer key would be done which includes all necessary corrections based on the valid objections. The final answer to CAT 2024 is published on the basis of final answer key.

Information Regarding CAT 2024 Exam

The CAT 2024 exam was held in three shifts on November 24, starting from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, followed by the shift from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and the third shift in the evening from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. A total of 389 test centers were established across India’s 170 cities as a large number of people appeared for the exam.

CAT is one of the most competitive management entrance exams in India. It is conducted annually by the IIMs. The exam tests skills in areas such as Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning, which are all important for entry into the country’s premier MBA programs.

Examining Gender Representation in CAT 2024

Gender-wise, it is quite notable that female candidates showed a participation of 1.07 lakh in the CAT 2024 exam. The number of male candidates was more as 1.86 lakh candidates. Thus, the participation of female candidates is a reflection of women showing interest in getting into the management education streams offered at IIMs. As for the transgender category, five candidates appeared for the examination.

Board Exams Dates for Next Year

The CBSE and ICSE board exams for the year 2025 have also been scheduled. The ICSE Class 10 exams will start from February 18, 2025, and end on March 27, 2025, while the Class 12 exams will start from February 13 and end on April 5, 2025. The CBSE exams for both Class 10 and Class 12 will begin from February 15, 2025, and the Class 12 exams will end on April 4, 2025.

With the release of the CAT 2024 provisional answer key on December 3, candidates can now start evaluating their performance and raise objections if needed. The high turnout and the significant gender diversity seen in the CAT 2024 exam reflect the growing demand for management education and the accessibility of the exam for a wide range of candidates. With the IIMs continuing to mould the future of Indian management education, announcing the answer key is an important step in securing a seat in India’s best business schools.