Will CAT 2024 Registration Last Date be Extended Beyond Sept 13? Historical Data Says – Yes; Check 5 key Reasons & Action Points

With only one day left for the CAT 2024 registration to close, many candidates are raising the query whether the last date for CAT 2024 registration will be extended. The candidates who have not been able to register for IIM CAT 2024 till now due to one or other reason are especially worried. So, will IIM Calcutta extend the last date for CAT 2024 registration which is closing on September 13 at 5 PM? Since the last minute rush may also cause the CAT server to run slow and may cause technical glitches due to which many of the candidates are worried whether they would complete their registration for CAT 2024 exam in time. MBAUniverse.com has analysed the situation and shares insights on the key reasons why the CAT registration 2024 last date is likely to be extended. But before we discuss the possibility of extension in CAT registration last date, let’s know how important is CAT exam for MBA aspirants. 

Conducted by IIMs, CAT 2024 is the largest MBA entrance exam for MBA admission 2025 in 21 IIMs and 100+ top MBA colleges in India including FMS, IIFT, TISS, SPJIMR, MDI. This year IIM Calcutta is conducting Common Admission Test (CAT) on November 24, 2024 in three slots of 2 hours duration each.  The first step to get admission 2025 into any CAT accepting college is to successfully complete the CAT 2024 registration process carefully without mistakes.  It is anticipated that CAT 2024 registration last date may be extended due to various reasons as reflected including past trends:

Why CAT 2024 Registration Likely to be Extended? 5 Reasons
Hundreds of CAT aspirants have not been able to complete their CAT registration form due to problems being faced in filling the CAT registration form. As such the issues in completing CAT registration form, application form, increased number of small cities as CAT centres with poor net connectivity, past trends are some of the key reasons that may call for extension in CAT registration last date as below:

1. Unable to Enter OTP: This year candidates are receiving two OTPs in the process of filling the CAT registration form. One on completion of registration and other for validation. While entering the received OTP in the relevant space, many candidates have encountered the message again and again “Fill valid OTP.” The problem remained unsolved despite starting afresh to complete CAT registration form as well as changing the Mobile number. 
Suggested Solution: Some of the successfully registered candidates have advised not to copy the OTP and enter it by checking the Capital, Small, Upper Case and Lower case letters. Hopefully this might solve the issue

2. Problem in Getting ID & Password: Candidates who have completed CAT registration form received a very different password carrying different letters which is like a question on Logical Reasoning as it carries multiple Upper case Lower case letters and signs. It is very difficult to remember the same and even if on tries to diarise it, somewhere one or other thing is missed causing to begin the process again.  

3. Asterisk (*) Compliance: It indicates a mandatory field. It is not so boldly marked and candidates after filling the form and trying to move to next page realize that entire page has become blank and has to be filled again. It is causing delay in completion of the form.

4. More Small & Remote Cities as Test Centres with Poor Net Connectivity: CAT 2024 will be conducted in 170 cities in place of 155/160 test cities earlier. Most of the newly added CAT centres are tier 2-3 cities, that too in remote areas. These cities do not have strong net connectivity as in tier one cities apart from electricity outage issues. The registration process remains incomplete and gets timed out before completion. This is also a key reason due to which many candidates are not able to complete the CAT registration form in time.

5. Historical Data in CAT Registration Last Date Extension: During the previous 8-9 years CAT registration last date was extended between 5 to 7 days as below. It is expected that IIM Calcutta will extend the last date for CAT 2024 registration by the same period.

5 Action Points Before CAT Registration Last Date is Extended
Instead of waiting for the last date of CAT registration or the announcement for extended last date to apply for CAT 2024, you should adhere to following five action points to become free from any problem arising in CAT registration process

1. New or Already Registered for CAT 2024? Make Payment Now
If you are an already registered candidate but have not made payment as yet for CAT 2024 registration fee, the work can be completed now without any delay, even if the CAT 2024 exam convener extends the CAT 2024 registration last date. Although the CAT convener may accede to the request of thousands of such candidates who have not completed their CAT registration process and despite filling up the registration details, have not made the CAT 2024 registration/application fee payment till date, all such CAT aspirants should make sure that they make the fee payment in time.

If you are a new candidate and plan to appear in CAT 2024, you should check the internet connectivity of your computer, gather the required documents, fee payment instruments and spend 30-40 minutes to complete the registration process and pay the fee.

2. Avoid petty mistakes
It is very much necessary that you are clear on what you have to fill in the CAT 2024 registration form and how to complete it. Petty mistakes can lead you to go for re-registration as your earlier registration will become invalid and you may have to shell out another chunk of Rs.2500/-.

3. Be Careful to insert Date of Birth
As per the registration instructions for CAT 2024, no amendment is possible in Date of Birth after making the payment for registration and clicking the submit button. Format for filling up the date of birth is DD/MM/YYYY in CAT 2024 registration form and a candidate is not required to write it since the calendar icon has to be used to select the correct date.  

4. Upload the Photograph & Signature in Required Format
Upload the photograph and signature of required size and style in personal details section of CAT 2024 registration form.  Scan the photograph and signature and then upload them. Check for the required photo resolution. CAT 2024 registration form wants you to upload your recent passport size photograph in .JPEG, .JPG formats.

5. Apply early
CAT aspirants should register early without waiting for the last date. In past also, CAT conveners had advised the candidates to adhere to following don’ts while going to finalize their CAT registrations-

• Don’t wait till last day and register in advance
• Don’t rule out the last day technical glitches 
• Don’t let your money stuck in transit on last day due to more response time
• Don’t invite last minute inconvenience due to heavy rush that may increase load on servers

Going by the trends of previous years, there will be a huge surge in the number of registrations on last day which increases the load on the servers, and can potentially impact the server response time. Therefore, candidates are advised to register early and avoid last minute inconvenience.
The CAT registration window whenever extended, the thought behind providing this facility is to accede to the candidates’ genuine request and help those who are serious on taking CAT exam and not for the candidates who are always late and are fond of getting into technical glitches at the last moment registration instead of finalizing the things well in time. 
In case CAT 2024 registration date is extended, one thing CAT 2024 aspirants have to make sure is that they must not expect any further extension and should finalize their registration preferably before the extended last date and avoid the deadline as the last minute rush can again put them into technical glitches and they may miss the chance to get admission into any IIM or other top B-schools like FMS, IMI, IMT, MDI, NITIE, SPJIMR, TAPMI among others

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2024