What Happens After the CAT Exam 2025? Your Complete Post-Exam Roadmap

The Common Admission Test, commonly known as CAT, is the entry test into the elite management schools in India. Thousands of professionals and students try to get into reputed IIMs and other top B-schools every year. However, most of the candidates believe that passing the exam is the last step, whereas it is just the beginning.

A set of crucial processes goes on in continuation with the CAT exam: final admission offers, interviews, and shortlisting. You have to strategize your next step; you must know what's next. So, today, in this blog, you will get the full post-exam roadmap with Online Vidya on how your journey will look after the CAT examinations.

CAT Results: The First Milestone After the Exam

CAT results are normally declared in the month of January, six weeks after the test. A CAT scorecard with overall and section-wise scaled scores is issued to each candidate.

Percentile ranking of the participants

1. The score establishes eligibility for further phases in the admission process at IIMs and other leading management institutes.
2. Your percentile score is a critical component in the shortlisting process, but not the only one. The academic background, work experience, and diversity come into play in the selection procedure.

Shortlisting Process: Getting Calls from B-Schools

Soon after the CAT results are out, each of the IIMs and other participating institutes declares its shortlist of candidates for the next round. Each institute follows a somewhat different procedure for shortlisting candidates, but most include the following components:

• Weighting of the CAT Scores: 40–60%
• Academic Performance: 10th, 12th, Graduation
• Employment Experience (if applicable)
• Diversity-related factors: gender, educational background, etc.

If you meet the requirements, then you will be invited to the next step of the admission process, which may involve WAT, PI, or GD rounds in combination with each other.

WAT, GD, and PI Rounds: Where the Real Evaluation Begins

After shortlisting, institutions begin the processes for the Written Ability Test, Group Discussion, and Personal Interview.

Written Ability Test (WAT): Under this test, students will have to be given a written examination through writing essays within a time limit. This test will finalize your writing clarity, teamwork, reasoning ability, and communication skills.  

Group Discussion: Some non-IIMs also conduct GDs to assess communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.

Personal Interview (PI): It evaluates your personality, career goals, motivation to pursue an MBA, and general awareness.

These phases are very crucial in the final admission process. And finally, you can easily get selected based on your good score in the CAT exam and other stages. 

Final Admission Offer for MBA selected students.

Now, the final stage is issuing an admission offer letter to selected candidates. The list is prepared based on factors such as the CAT percentile.

• WAT/GD/PI rounds performance
• Academic coherence
• Work experience
• Diversity-related factors

Admission offers will be made anytime from April to June once the results are complete. You then confirm your seat and pay the initial entry cost to confirm the offer. Generally, the school year starts in June or July.

Didn’t Get the Expected Result? Here’s What You Can Do

It's okay that not everyone gets that dream IIM call in the very first attempt. Some of the important alternatives are:

Apply to Non-IIM Schools that accept CAT Results:

1. Participating schools: The participating business schools that offer competitive MBA programs based on CAT scores are institutions such as MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, IMT Ghaziabad, and TAPMI Manipal.
2. Explore Other MBA Entrance Exams: CMAT, SNAP, NMAT, and XAT are excellent options, too. They would provide access to equally renowned B-schools across India.
3. Retake the CAT with a Better Strategy: You can always take the test again the following year with a better strategy and more effort towards time management.

Timeline: Quick Glimpse at the Post-CAT Roadmap

How can you take help from Online Vidya after CAT?

We understand that taking admission in an MBA program can be hasty and confusing because there are lots of stages to clear, even after passing the CAT examination. Sometimes students may be stuck, in between colleges, majors, and career goals, and that’s what Online Vidya is here for.  

• We offer free career counseling sessions, whereby our professional counsellors consult with you towards your career goal and figure out where your interests lie. 
• Find out which online management or MBA programs best fit your profile.
• Check out the top UGC-approved online colleges that allow work and education together.
• After the CAT, you shall take a call regarding whether you want to take this test once again, look for options regarding online courses, or choose different specializations.

Conclusion

Passing the CAT exam is a big achievement, but getting an MBA involves many steps. Every stage plays its role-be it interviews or result analysis. Though this whole process may seem challenging, the right guidance and preparation can help you achieve your ambition to become an MBA.

Online Vidya helps you in selecting the best universities, making the right career choices, and confidently pursuing your education at every step. The first step to your next opportunity is clarity. Make an appointment for your free counseling consultation right now, and start down the path to your dream business school.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens after the CAT exam results are declared?

Based on the CAT score, IIMs and other elite B-schools will contact the shortlisted applicants for the WAT, GD, and PI rounds.

2. When are the results of CAT normally declared?

Results usually come out in January, one and a half months after the exam.

3. Can Online Vidya help me choose an MBA program?

In fact, Online Vidya offers free personalized counseling to help you choose the best management program online or on campus in terms of your goals and work experience.