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IIM Lucknow has successfully conducted the CAT 2023 exams on Sunday, November 26, 2023. The exams were conducted in three slots across designated exam centres. This blog includes detailed insights into the exam, including the difficulty level of the questions, the number of good attempts, and a breakdown of questions from all the subjects. With this CAT Exam Analysis 2023, you will be able to assess your performance in the exam.
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CAT Exam Analysis 2023: Highlights
|
Name of the Exam |
Common Admission Test (CAT) |
|
Conducting body |
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow |
|
Total number of CAT test cities |
155 |
|
Total CAT exam centre |
400 |
|
Number of questions in CAT 2023 Slot 1 |
66 |
|
Total number of CAT registrations 2023 |
3.3 lakh |
|
CAT exam date 2023 |
November 26, 2023 |
|
Mode of CAT 2023 Exam |
CBT |
| CAT 2023 Exam Duration | 2 Hours |
| Website | iimcat.ac.in |
|
Section-wise CAT 2023 Exam Duration |
40 minutes for each section (VARC, DILR, QA) |
|
CAT 2023 Exam Schedule |
Slot 1 – 8:30 to 10:30 am, Slot 2 – 12:30 to 2:30 pm and slot 3 – 4:30 to 6:30 pm |
|
CAT 2023 Answer Key |
Expected within 3-4 days after exam (by December 3, 2023) |
|
CAT colleges |
CAT score 2023 to be accepted by IIMs, IITs, 500+ leading B Schools for PGDM/PGPM/MBA admission |
|
Total Score |
198 marks |
|
CAT 2023 Marking Scheme |
For every right answer, +3 will be awarded |
|
CAT 2023 Result Date |
Second week of January 2024 |
CAT 2023 Exam: Date and Details
The CAT 2023 exam was conducted on November 26, 2023 by the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Lucknow, one of the top business schools in India, in three separate slots. The first slot commenced at 8:30 am and concluded at 10:30 am, followed by the second slot which began at 12:30 pm and ended at 2:30 pm. Lastly, the third slot commenced at 4:30 pm and lasted until 6:30 pm. Students who appeared for the exam have reported that the difficulty level of the exam this year was moderate, with the quantitative ability section being tougher than last year. If you’re interested in knowing more about the exam, including exam timings, important guidelines, exam analysis, difficulty level, and cut-offs, please check the details provided.
CAT 2023 Exam Analysis
In the CAT exam, both slot 1 and slot 2 were similar to last year’s exam, and the overall difficulty level was moderate to difficult. The question paper in slot 1 and 2 had reportedly 66 questions, including both MCQs and non-MCQs. The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) section had 24 questions, the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section had 22 questions, and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) section had 20 questions. Candidates who appeared for the exam claimed that slot 3 was comparatively easier than slot 1 and 2. In slot 3, the VARC section consisted of four easy unseen passages, whereas the DILR section had tricky and time-consuming questions. The quantitative aptitude section was also lengthy. The exam pattern this year was the same as the previous year. The maximum number of questions in the Quants section were from Arithmetic and Algebra.
CAT 2023 Exam Analysis – Slot Wise
The CAT exam 2023 is held through 3 slots. The test form with Slot number 1 consisted of 66 questions, with 24 questions in the VARC section, 20 in the DILR section, and 22 in the Quantitative Aptitude section. Candidates had 120 minutes to complete the test. Across all the slots with plate number 1, the VARC section had 4 RC passages of 400-450 words each, with a total of 16 questions.
CAT 2023 Slot 1 Exam Analysis
| CAT Sections | Number of questions | Break up | Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 4 passages having 4 questions each, 2 parajumble questions, 2 para summary questions, 2 para completion questions and 2 odd one out questions | Moderate |
| DILR | 20 | 4 sets of 5 questions each | Moderate to difficult |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 7 Algebra questions,7 Arithmetic questions, 3 Geometry questions, 4 Number System questions, 1 Modern Maths questions
|
Difficult |
| Total | 66 | — | — |
CAT 2023 Slot 2 Exam Analysis
| CAT Sections | Number of questions | Break up | Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 4 passages having 4 questions each, 2 parajumble questions, 2 para summary questions, 2 para completion questions and 2 odd one out questions | Moderate |
| DILR | 20 | 4 sets of 5 questions each | Moderate to difficult |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 8 Algebra questions, 9 Arithmetic questions, 2 Geometry questions, 3 Number System questions, 0 Modern Maths questions
|
Difficult |
| Total | 66 | — | — |
CAT 2023 Slot 3 Exam Analysis
| CAT Sections | Number of questions | Break up | Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 4 passages having 4 questions each, 2 parajumble questions, 2 para summary questions, 2 para completion questions and 2 odd one out questions | Easy – Moderate |
| DILR | 20 | 4 sets of 5 questions each | Moderate to difficult |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 7 Algebra questions, 8 Arithmetic questions, 3 Geometry questions, 4 Number System questions, 0 Modern Maths questions
|
Difficult |
| Total | 66 | — | — |
CAT 2023 Answer Key
As per the latest update, the official answer key for CAT 2023 exam will be released on the iimcat.ac.in website within the next 3-4 days. Once the answer key is made available, the candidates who appeared for the exam will be able to download their response sheets along with the official answers by logging in to the portal. This will enable them to check their performance and evaluate their chances of clearing the exam.
In case the candidates find any discrepancies in the official CAT answer key 2023, they can challenge it by filling out an online form. However, it is important to note that they will have to provide evidence to support their claim of incorrect answers. The option to challenge the answer key will be available for a limited period of time, so the candidates are advised to act promptly.
Furthermore, it is expected that the overall cutoff for 99+ percentile will range around 82-83. This information will help the candidates to assess their chances of getting admission to the desired course in their preferred institute.
CAT 2023 Cut-off: Expected
The cut off for the CAT 2023 exam you have taken will be released soon. Based on the available data, it is expected that the overall cutoff for the top 1% percentile (99th+ percentile) will be approximately between 82-83 marks. Please note that this is just an estimate and the actual cutoff might vary slightly.
CAT 2023 Cut-off for MBA Admission 2024
| MBA Colleges | Expected Cut Off (percentile) |
|---|---|
| FMS, Delhi | 98-99 |
| IIFT Delhi | 95-99 |
| SPJIMR, Mumbai | 95-99 |
| IMT, Ghaziabad | 95-97 |
| JBIMS, Mumbai | 96 |
| MDI, Gurgaon | 97-99 |
| IMI, New Delhi | 90 |
| XIM, Bhubaneshwar | 91 |
| GIM Goa | 85 |
| K J Somaiya, Mumbai | 86 |
| TAPMI, Manipal | 80 |
| FORE, New Delhi | 85 |
| IFMR, Chennai | 80 |
| IRMA, Anand | 80 |
| MICA, Ahmedabad | 80 |
| LIBA, Chennai | 70 |
| XIME, Bangalore | 70 |
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CAT 2023 Cut Offs for IIM Udaipur
| Category | VARC percentile | DILR percentile | QA percentile | Overall percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 70 | 70 | 70 | 92 |
| EWS | 40 | 40 | 40 | 70 |
| NC-OBC | 45 | 45 | 45 | 74 |
| SC | 35 | 35 | 35 | 54 |
| ST | 25 | 25 | 32.5 | 40 |
| DAP | 25 | 25 | 32.5 | 40 |
CAT 2023 IIM Shillong Cut Off
| Category | VARC percentile | DILR percentile | QA percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| DA (D) | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| ST (T) | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| SC (C ) | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| EWS (E ) | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Others (General) | 75 | 75 | 75 |
CAT 2023 IIM Indore Cut Off
| Category | QA | DILR | VARC | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General/EWS | 80 | 80 | 80 | 90 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 | 60 |
| ST | 40 | 40 | 40 | 45 |
| PWD | 40 | 40 | 40 | 45 |
CAT 2023 IIM Kozhikode Cut Off
| Category | CAT 2023 percentile | Sectional percentiles ( VARC, DILR, QA) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 85 | 75 |
| NC-OBC/EWS | 75 | 65 |
| SC | 65 | 55 |
| ST/PwD | 55 | 45 |
CAT 2023 IIM Lucknow Cut Off
| Cut-off percentile for WAT- PI stage for MBA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
| General | 85 | 85 | 85 | 90 |
| EWS | 77 | 77 | 77 | 82 |
| NC-OBC | 77 | 77 | 77 | 82 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
| PWD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
| Cut-off percentile for WAT- PI stage for MBA-ABM | ||||
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
| General | 80 | 80 | 80 | 85 |
| EWS | 72 | 72 | 72 | 77 |
| NC-OBC | 72 | 72 | 72 | 77 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
| PWD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
| Cut-off percentile for WAT- PI stage for MBA-SM | ||||
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
| General | 80 | 80 | 80 | 85 |
| EWS | 72 | 72 | 72 | 77 |
| NC-OBC | 72 | 72 | 72 | 77 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 | 60 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
| PWD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
CAT 2023 IIM Calcutta Cut Off
| Category | QA percentile | DILR percentile | VARC percentile | Overall percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 75 | 80 | 80 | 85 |
| NC-OBC | 65 | 65 | 70 | 75 |
| EWS | 65 | 65 | 70 | 75 |
| SC | 60 | 60 | 65 | 70 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| PWD | 45 | 45 | 45 | 55 |
CAT 2023 IIM Bangalore Cut Off
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 80 | 75 | 75 | 85 |
| NC-OBC | 75 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| EWS | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| PWD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
CAT 2023 IIM Ahmedabad Cut Off
| Category | VARC percentile rank | DILR percentile rank | QA percentile rank | Overall percentile rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 70 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
| NC-OBC-Transgender | 65 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
| PwD (General, NCOBC-cum-transgender, SC) | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| PwD (ST) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
According to the students who appeared in the first slot of the CAT 2023 exams, the questions were repeated from the previous year’s CAT exams. Overall, the difficulty level of the exam this year was moderate but QA section was tougher than last year. There was no change in the exam pattern from last year. The CAT 2023 test form had 66 questions. VARC had 24 questions, DILR had 20 questions and Quantitative Aptitude had 22 questions. Candidates had to complete the test in 120 minutes. In all the CAT 2023 slots, VARC was dominated by 4 RC passages of 400-450 words each, having 16 questions in total. In Quants section, maximum questions were from Arithmetic and Algebra.
