Associate Content Manager | Updated On - Jun 28, 2024
CAT registration figures have seen significant changes over the years. Registrations for CAT 2023 have increased by a record 30% with 3.3 lakh total applicants, highest since 1977. Out of these, 38% or 1.17 lakh are female applicants, 3% more than last year.
The number of CAT registrations back in 2022 increased by 11%, while the average rise over the past 10 years has been less than 1% per annum.
A large number of candidates register for the exam every year. CAT 2022 exam conducted on November 27, 2022, had a registration pool of 2.55 lakh students. In contrast, 2.30 lakh students had registered for CAT 2021. This corresponds to a growth of 11% in terms of overall registrations. Last year, category-wise CAT exam registration also witnessed a 6% rise. As per CAT registration analysis of past years, the number of candidates who appear for the exam is lower than the number of applicants. Among the 2.55 lakh applicants in CAT exam last year, only 2.22 lakh candidates actually appeared for the test.
CAT Registration Trends Last 10 Years
CAT registrations gradually increase or decrease depending on various circumstances. From 2015 onwards, more than 2 lakh candidates registered for the exam. The table below shows the number of CAT registrations and their growth each year from the year 2013 to 2023.
| CAT Exam Year | Number of Candidates Registered | Increase/ Decrease (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1.95 lakh | -8.9% |
| 2014 | 1.97 lakh | 1.0% |
| 2015 | 2.19 lakh | 11.2% |
| 2016 | 2.32 lakh | 5.9% |
| 2017 | 2.31 lakh | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 2.41 lakh | 4.3% |
| 2019 | 2.44 lakh | 1.2% |
| 2020 | 2.28 lakh | -6.6% |
| 2021 | 2.30 lakh | 0.9% |
| 2022 | 2.55 lakh | 11% |
| 2023 | 3.3 lakh | 30% |
As seen in the above table, except for CAT 2015, there has been a relative rise in exam registrations. CAT registration trends also witnessed a downfall in the years 2013, 2017, and 2020.
CAT Registration Last 10 Years: Growth Rate
As you can see from the above table, the number of CAT Registration is unpredictable and fluctuates each year. See calculations of compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over the span of 10 years in the table below.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| CAT Registrations in 2012 | 2,15,000 |
| CAT Registrations in 2022 | 2,55,501 |
| Total Years of CAT Exams | 10 |
| Annual Growth in CAT Registrations | ≈6.06% |
Number of Candidates Registered vs Number of Candidates Appeared for CAT
Every year, the number of test takers who actually appear for the examination is always lower than the number of registrations done. Check out the table below to get an idea about CAT registrations and test takers over the years.
| CAT Exam Year | Number of Candidates Registered | Number of Candidates Appeared |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3.3 lakh | To be updated |
| 2022 | 2,55,501 | 2,22,184 |
| 2021 | 2,29,969 | 1,91,660 |
| 2020 | 2,27,835 | 1,90,144 |
| 2019 | 2,44,169 | 2,09,926 |
| 2018 | 2,41,000 | 2,09,405 |
| 2017 | 2,31,067 | 199,632 |
| 2016 | 2,32,436 | 195,679 |
| 2015 | 2,18,664 | 1,79,602 |
| 2014 | 1,96,951 | 1,70,000 |
| 2013 | 1,94,516 | 1,73,714 |
Gender Wise CAT Registration Trends
In CAT registration, the number of male candidates is always higher than the number of female candidates. However, the situation is gradually getting better with time. The percentage of female candidates in CAT is increasing. This year also, it has increased by 3%. The table below shows the number of male, female, and transgender test takers over the past 10 years.
| CAT Exam Year | Total Number of Registered Candidates | Number of Male Candidates | Number of Female Candidates | Number of Transgender Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3.3 lakh | 2.23 lakh | 1.17 lakh | To be updated |
| 2022 | 2,55,501 | 1,44,417 | 77,763 | 4 |
| 2021 | 2,29,969 | 1,24,808 | 66,850 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2,27,835 | 1,15,143 | 75,000 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2,44,169 | 1,34,917 | 75,004 | 5 |
| 2018 | 2,41,000 | 1,36,075 | 73,326 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2,31,067 | 1,53,027 | 78,009 | 31 |
| 2016 | 2,32,436 | 1,30,839 | 64,503 | 26 |
| 2015 | 2,18,664 | 1,21,291 | 58,270 | 41 |
| 2014 | 1,96,951 | 1,37,740 | 59,211 | N/A |
| 2013 | 1,94,516 | 1,38,107 | 56,409 | N/A |
From the above analysis, it can be seen that the number of CAT registrations has seen a positive increment over the years. The fluctuations in the number of registrations may have happened due to various reasons, such as the pandemic, changes in CAT exam pattern, and other strategies implemented by the conveners of CAT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques. How many students apply for CAT every year?
Ans. CAT exam is a national-level competitive exam for admission to MBA programmes in IIMs and other top B-schools in India. More than 2 lakh students apply for CAT every year. For the 2023 exam, 3.3 lakh candidates have registered, highest till date. In 2022, CAT had a registration pool of about 2.55 lakh students and 2.30 lakh in CAT 2021.
Ques. How many students appeared for CAT 2023?
Ans. Out of the 3.3 lakh candidates, more than 3,00,000 students are expected to appear for CAT 2023. CAT 2023 exam is going to be conducted on November 26, 2023, across various test centres across the nation.
Ques. How many female candidates appeared for CAT 2022?
Ans. In CAT 2022, 35% of females and 65% of males appeared for the test out of the 2.2 lakh candidates who took the test. A total of 77,763 female candidates appeared for CAT 202, which is the highest number over the past years.
Ques. How many people appeared for CAT 21?
Ans. In CAT 2021, out of a total of 2.30 lakh candidates who registered for the exam, 1,91,660 candidates were present in the test.
Ques. What percentage of CAT takers are engineers?
Ans. The percentage of CAT takers from engineering backgrounds is always higher than the candidates from non-engineering backgrounds. According to last year’s data, almost 90% of test takers were engineers in CAT.
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