CDAC C-CAT Exam – Syllabus, Cities, Fees & Book List
What is C-CAT? What is the Full Form of C-CAT?
C-DAC’s Common Admission Test (C-CAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) for admission into its Post Graduate Diploma Programs in advanced computing technologies.
It is a mandatory qualifying exam for all candidates seeking admission to C-DAC’s PG Diploma courses.
Why is CDAC C-CAT Exam Conducted?
C-CAT ensures:
- A fair, merit-based admission process to C-DAC’s highly sought-after PG Diploma courses.
- Standardised evaluation of candidate aptitude and technical readiness.
- Allocation of courses and centres based on C-CAT rank and candidate preferences during online counselling.
Only those who qualify in C-CAT and appear in the rank list are eligible for seat allocation and admission.
Who Should Take C-CAT?
Candidates who wish to pursue 24-week intensive PG Diploma programs in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Big Data, VLSI, Mobile Computing, FinTech, and more must take this exam.
There is no age limit, and even final-year students graduating in the same year (2025) are eligible to apply.
When is CDAC C-CAT Exam Held?
C-CAT is typically conducted twice a year, for the:
- March batch (exam usually held in January)
- August batch (exam held in July)
For the August 2025 batch:
- Exam dates: 5 & 6 July 2025
Mode of Exam
- Conducted in computerised mode at physical C-DAC test centres across India.
- Candidates must appear in person; no remote/online exam option is available.
Exam Structure
C-CAT comprises up to three sections – A, B, and C. Each section is 1 hour long and has 50 multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
| Section | Topics | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| A | English, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, Computer Fundamentals & Programming Concepts | 1 hour |
| B | C Programming, Data Structures, OOPs in C++, OS & Networking, Basics of Big Data & AI | 1 hour |
| C | Computer Architecture, Digital Electronics, Microprocessors | 1 hour |
Marking Scheme:
- +3 for each correct answer
- –1 for each incorrect answer
- 0 for unattempted
Maximum Marks per Section: 150
Course Categories & Required Test Sections
| Course Category | Courses | Required Sections |
|---|---|---|
| Category II | PG-DAC, PG-DBDA, PG-DAI, PG-DITISS, PG-DMC, PG-DASSD, PG-DHPCSA, PG-DFBD, PG-DCSF, PG-DRAT, PG-DUASP | Sections A + B |
| Category III | PG-DESD, PG-DVLSI | Sections A + B + C |
Candidates must choose the course category while applying and will appear for the corresponding sections only.
Reference Books for CDAC C-CAT Exam
| SECTION | TOPIC | REFERENCE BOOK |
|---|---|---|
| A | English | Any High School Grammar Book (e.g. Wren & Martin) |
| A | Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning | Quantitative Aptitude Fully Solved (R. S. Aggrawal), Quantitative Aptitude (M Tyara), Barron’s New GRE |
| A | Computer Fundamentals & Programming | Foundations of Computing (Pradeep Sinha & Priti Sinha) |
| B | C Programming | C Programming Language (Kernighan & Ritchie), Let Us C (Yashavant Kanetkar) |
| B | Data Structures | Data Structures Through C in Depth (S. K. Srivastava) |
| B | OS & Networking | Operating System Principles (Silberschatz, Galvin, Gagne), Data Communication & Networking (Forouzan) |
| B | OOPs using C++ | Test Your C++ Skills (Yashavant Kanetkar) |
| B | Basics of Big Data & AI | Fundamentals of Data Engineering (Joe Reis, Matt Housley), Artificial Intelligence for Dummies (John Paul Mueller, Luca Massaron) |
| C | Computer Architecture | Computer Organization & Architecture (William Stallings) |
| C | Digital Electronics | Digital Design (Morris Mano), Digital Design: Principles & Practices (John Wakerly), Modern Digital Electronics (R. P. Jain) |
| C | Microprocessors | Microprocessor Architecture, Programming & Applications with 8085 (Ramesh Gaonkar), The Intel Microprocessor (Barry Brey) |
CDAC C-CAT Exam Fee
| Category | Sections | Fee (incl. GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Category II | A + B | ₹1,550 |
| Category III | A + B + C | ₹1,750 |
Mode of Payment: Online (Net Banking, UPI, Credit/Debit Card)
Note: Fee once paid is non-refundable.
List of C-CAT Cities
(Changes every Year, Check Website for the current status)
C-CAT is conducted across 35+ cities:
Ahmedabad, Aurangabad (MH), Bengaluru, Bhilai, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Indore, Jaipur, Karad, Kochi, Kolhapur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mohali, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, New Delhi, Noida, Patna, Prayagraj, Pune, Ranchi, Silchar, Solapur, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, Varanasi, Vijayawada
Candidates must select 3 preferences during application. Final allotment depends on seat availability and logistics.
Important Notes
CDAC C-CAT Exam
- C-CAT admit cards must be downloaded online and carried to the exam centre.
- Candidates without admit cards or a valid photo ID will not be allowed to appear.
- Performance in C-CAT determines the candidate’s rank, which is used during seat allocation.
- Top 90% scorers in each section are ranked; the bottom 10% and those with zero or negative scores are not ranked.
- C-DAC reserves the right to cancel or reassign any exam city based on logistics or low registrations.
Analysis of the Past Question Papers of the CDAC C-CAT Exam
Section A: English, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, Computer Fundamentals & Concepts of Programming
English
- Identify the synonym of “aberration”.
- Choose the correct preposition: “She is proficient ___ French.”
- Fill in the blank: “Despite the heavy rain, they __________ to the stadium.”
- Select the correct form: “Neither the teacher nor the students __________ present.”
- Identify the error in the sentence: “Each of the players have a unique skill set.”
Quantitative Aptitude
- If 5x – 3 = 2x + 12, find the value of x.
- A train travels 60 km in 1.5 hours. What is its average speed?
- Simplify: (√49 + √25) × (√16).
- Calculate the compound interest on ₹10,000 at 5% per annum for 2 years.
- If the ratio of boys to girls in a class is 3:2 and there are 30 students, how many girls are there?
Reasoning
- Find the next number in the series: 2, 6, 12, 20, ?
- If ‘APPLE’ is coded as ‘ELPPA’, how is ‘ORANGE’ coded?
- In a certain code, ‘DOG’ is written as ‘EHP’. How is ‘CAT’ written in that code?
- Which word does not belong to the group: Apple, Banana, Carrot, Mango?
- If all roses are flowers and some flowers fade quickly, can we conclude that some roses fade quickly?
Computer Fundamentals & Concepts of Programming
- What is the primary function of an operating system?
- Define the term ‘algorithm’.
- What does ‘HTTP’ stand for?
- Explain the difference between RAM and ROM.
- What is the purpose of a compiler in programming?
Section B: C Programming, Data Structures, Object Oriented Programming Concepts using C++, Operating Systems & Networking, Basics of Big Data & Artificial Intelligence
C Programming
- What is the output of the following code snippet? cCopyEdit
int a = 5; printf("%d", a++); - Explain the difference between ‘call by value’ and ‘call by reference’.
- What is a pointer in C?
- How do you declare a function in C that returns an integer and takes two float arguments?
- What is the purpose of the ‘static’ keyword in C?
Data Structures
- Define a stack and its primary operations.
- What is the difference between a linked list and an array?
- Explain the concept of a binary search tree.
- What is the time complexity of quicksort in the average case?
- Describe how a queue operates and provide a real-world example.
Object Oriented Programming Concepts using C++
- What is inheritance in C++?
- Define polymorphism with an example.
- What is the purpose of a constructor in C++?
- Explain the concept of operator overloading.
- What is the difference between ‘public’, ‘private’, and ‘protected’ access specifiers?
Operating Systems & Networking
- What is a deadlock in operating systems?
- Explain the difference between TCP and UDP.
- What is virtual memory?
- Define the term ‘context switching’.
- What is the purpose of the OSI model in networking?
Basics of Big Data & Artificial Intelligence
- What is Big Data?
- Explain the 3 V’s of Big Data.
- Define Artificial Intelligence.
- What is machine learning?
- Differentiate between supervised and unsupervised learning.
Section C: Computer Architecture, Digital Electronics, Microprocessors
Computer Architecture
- What is the function of the control unit in a CPU?
- Define pipelining in computer architecture.
- What is the difference between RISC and CISC architectures?
- Explain the concept of cache memory.
- What is a bus in computer systems?
Digital Electronics
- What is a flip-flop?
- Define the term ‘multiplexer’.
- What is the difference between combinational and sequential circuits?
- Explain the function of a decoder.
- What is a truth table?
Microprocessors
- What is the function of the ALU in a microprocessor?
- Define the term ‘opcode’.
- What is the purpose of the program counter?
- Explain the difference between microprocessor and microcontroller.
- What is an interrupt in microprocessors?
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