Choosing the right coaching for CAT preparation is as significant, if not more, than choosing the right B-school for your MBA. One wrong decision with the CAT coaching and it might not just cost you your money, but also precious time. You might even have to go for a second attempt which would eventually lead to a drop.
So, to save two of your most valuable assets – time and money, we’ve brought about a detailed overview of all the information you shall need in regard to the various coaching institutes across the country. We’ve evaluated them on factors such as fees, Location, study material, batch strength and so on.
So, sit back, go through the analysis and make your first and most important decision in your management journey. Also, there’s a survey poll at the end for comparing these institutes below, which has been taken by their alumni. DON’T miss it!
Career Launcher
Career Launcher (CL) is carries forward a legacy of 21 years in CAT coaching. Not only that, it has also been founded by an IIT-IIM graduate. There are various programs offered by CL that you can choose from depending on your requirements.
Study material
Each program mentioned in the table below offers various levels of study material with a special program called Test Gym offering 7500+ practice questions. However, students have complained about sub optimal teaching style and value learning in return of their money.
Non-CAT exams
CL also prepares students for non-CAT exams like XAT, IIFT, TISSNET, SNAP etc.
Fees
The fees for the programs offered by CL vary according to the various courses as mentioned in the table below-
| Program | Key Features | Fees |
| The Classroom Program | Personal mentoring, preparation for CAT, non-CAT exams and GDPI, study material | INR 38000 to 60000 |
| CAT online classes program | available in day (7 to 9 a.m.) and night (9:30 to 11:30 p.m.) batches | INR 36000 to 60000 |
| CAT Night Classes Comprehensive Plus | 75+ live sessions, mock tests, 275+ recorded sessions, 21 PDP sessions | INR 25000 |
Location
CL has almost 130 branches spanning across various cities India.
Uniqueness
The best part about CL is the excellent question banks as well as test series. There are also personality development sessions which are beyond the scope of academic or GDPI preparation, which focus on the overall growth of an individual.
Bottom line
CL can come across as a little expensive for some students but they also offer scholarships according to one’s marks in 10th and 12th standards. Additionally, while the teaching may differ from centre to centre, overall, it is a worth it experience.
IMS Learning
IMS is one of the most renowned coaching platforms with a legacy of 40+ years in the field of management education.
Study Material
It has an excellent CAT training program with 5+ learning modules – both in textbook as well as e-book format, 150+ hours of video learning, and 110+ full length mocks. There are module specific tests as well as 5000+ topic specific practice questions with different difficulty levels for comprehensive learning.
Non-CAT exams
It provides training for almost all the non-CAT exams like SNAP, NMAT, TISSNET, CMAT, XAT, IIFT to name a few.
Fees
There are three different programs offered by IMS as described in the table below.
| Name | e-CATapult | CATapult Classroom Program | CATapult Live Online Program |
| Fee | Rs. 25949/- (incl GST) | City Specific | Rs. 43950/- (incl GST) |
| Ideal for | Aspirants looking to prepare for CAT at their own pace & convenient time with recorded content & online mocks | Aspirants looking for a comprehensive classroom program for CAT & other MBA entrance exams | Aspirants looking for a comprehensive online program for CAT & other MBA entrance exams with live online sessions |
Location
IMS has more than 90 centers across 44 cities of India.
Uniqueness
IMS has alumni from the top B-schools as their faculty. The student portal is extremely well designed, it gives you various concept builder as well as application-based tests, it also evaluates your time taken along with the time taken by a student who got it correct and various other factors. Apart from that, the classes are conducted almost every day and you can reach out to the faculties at any moment of the day for assistance.
Bottom line
A great student portal as well as study material. The faculties are sometimes unable to give attention to all students in the class as the batch strength is slightly on the higher side but with a bit of self-preparation this course is absolutely worth it.
TIME
While TIME has been one of the most prominent CAT preparation coaching platforms in India with a team of 40 IIT/IIM graduates. It has generated the highest number of 100 percentilers till date.
Study Material
There is a classroom program as well as an online program. TIME provides the following to the enrolled students – study material booklets, hand out papers, doubt clearing sessions, B-school counselling, test taking strategies, achievers meet. Additionally, there are various full-length tests, GWPI briefcase, sectional tests and 9000+ questions as well as foundation tests, intermediate tests and advanced tests.
Non-CAT exams
The course prepares you for XAT, SNAP, IIFT, NMAT, MAT etc. There are about 34 tests for these non-CAT exams.
Fees
The fee for the Classroom course ranges between INR 55,000 to INR 70,0000 depending upon the batch and center location. Live Online course costs around INR 35,000
Locations
TIME has centers in about 119 cities spread across India.
Uniqueness
TIME has a very experienced faculty who are alumni from top B-schools. Hence, they are very well aware of the strategies and the type of question patterns. The student portal is also really good and there are a vast number of questions of each category to get a good hang of every topic.
Bottom line
The questions are sometimes repetitive which might be good for some students but time consuming for others. Also, the difficulty level is slightly higher than what is asked in the actual CAT exam. TIME has a very renowned name and it has earned it, but it has been losing its sheen since a few years. It is also positively pricey and has a huge batch strength but you should try out a few demo classes before making a decision.
Elites Grid
A rather new addition in the coaching precinct but nonetheless Elites Grid has shown that it is here to stay. A pioneer in online CAT coaching, it is run by top CAT percentilers.
Study Material
Includes live webinar classes, recorded sessions, 140 sessions on quant, 90 sessions on LRDI, 90 sessions on VARC, 200+ topic tests, exam specific approaches, shortcuts and options usage. There’s also a free booster course for intensive practice in the last phase of preparation which will partake 60 to 80 classes.
Non-CAT exams
Also prepares students for non-CAT exams like SNAP, CMAT, IIFT etc. It has a YouTube channel which offers plenty of free material for everyone.
Fees
The fee for the courses is 20000 on average.
Locations
It is available in the online mode.
Uniqueness
EG is one of the best coaching platforms not only in terms of the way the concepts are discussed and the types of questions conferred but also the student-teacher bonding it has had. The number of unique practice questions is more than any other institute and the concepts are also cleared to the core. It also has its fees on the lower side.
Bottom line
The CAT course of EG is definitely recommended and it has converted many top tier B-schools in the years it has been in the management education field. Students wouldn’t regret taking up this course.
Unacademy
Unacademy is one of the most prevalent names in India and offers 200+ batches & courses for CAT preparation.
Fees
There are two subscriptions that the students can choose from. The first being the Plus course and the second being the Expert Iconic course. The fee for them is INR 1367 and INR 2500 per month respectively.
Study Material
Students get expert guidance, live interactive learning sessions, and pdfs of well-designed study notes. Moreover, they get access to daily live classes, live mock tests and regular doubt solving sessions in Iconic as well as Plus subscription; and a personal coach, personalised doubt clearing session and mock test analysis in Iconic subscription.
Non-CAT exams
Unacademy also prepares students for non-CAT exams like SNAP, TISSNET, CMAT etc. in the Iconic subscription and a lot of free material is available to everyone.
Location
The coaching for Unacademy is in the online mode.
Uniqueness
Unacademy has some of the lowest CAT pricing i.e., their courses start at 10k to 15k for a whole year which is very less as compared to other institutes. Moreover, if you are able to find the right teacher, your CAT journey would be a smooth road.
Bottom line
There are many teachers for each subject and all of them will be vying for your attention. All in all, it depends upon the teacher you study from, some of which are brilliant and some of which are not as good.
BYJU’s
It’s a well-known name and a part of the education legacy since 2011. The courses include sessions with top CAT educators and online study material.
Study Material
BYJU’s study material includes various CAT preparation books for each subject and video material with 3D animations & in-air projections to help students visualize better and retain the concepts longer. There are also plenty of CAT mock tests and sample papers available. Additionally, there are practice questions with detailed solutions and test booklets for each subject.
Non-CAT exams
BYJU’s also helps prepare students for SNAP, IIFT and XAT.
Fees
The fees for BYJU’s courses ranges from INR 30000 to INR 40000 on average.
Locations
BYJU’s is an online coaching platform.
Uniqueness
Since the course is in online mode, students can study at their own pace and also save the time spent traveling. The videos are made with 3D animations and in-air projections that helps students understand concepts better.
Bottom line
The courses are a little pricey but justify the amount of study material which they provide. However many students claim that it is overhyped and the videos too are not up to date.
Poll Results
Conclusion
CAT is one of the toughest exams to get through but it also becomes your ticket to your dream B-school. You need not just a vision to crack CAT but a lot of determination, patience, critical thinking and a never-ending resolve.
CAT assesses your speed, time management, thinking abilities, accuracy as well as verbal skills and it is going to need some serious preparation and hard work to eventually crack it. Therefore, it is crucial that you leave no stone unturned and enroll only in the best CAT coaching to pave your way to your dream B-school.
We wish you all the very best for CAT!
Frequently Asked Questions
The average fees of CAT coaching can range anything from INR 10000 to INR 70000 depending on the courses you take
The online coaching has lower fees, lesser travel time and more convenience as compared to offline classes
CAT is a tough exam, which requires continuous guidance and mentorship. It’s better to take a professional coaching for this exam.