Table of Contents
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive and popular entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission into their management programs. It is a computer-based test that evaluates a candidate’s aptitude and skills in various areas such as Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR).
Apart from the IIMs, many other prestigious management institutes and business schools in India also accept CAT scores for admission into their programs. The competition for CAT is very high, and candidates need to prepare thoroughly to excel in the exam. The CAT syllabus is vast, and it requires consistent and focused preparation for several months.
What is CAT Exam?
Common Admission Test (CAT) is the mandatory entrance exam for MBA admission 2024 in all the 20 IIMs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur; NITIE Mumbai and hundreds of other top B-schools in India. More than two lakh candidates appear in CAT every year to explore admission opportunity in MBA programmes offered by IIMs and other top MBA colleges in India. Salient Points about the Exam are:
- A computer based test conducted at more than 150 test cities and 300 test venues
- Since 2020, the exam duration is reduced to two hours from earlier three hours
- The exam is divided into three sections of Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning; Quantitative Ability
- Each Section in the exam has to be attempted in a fixed individual time limit.
- Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will offer admission on the basis of CAT 2023 score only and will not accept any other test score.
About CAT 2024
The Common Admission Test held annually by the IIMs is the most common entrance exam for MBA admissions to top-notch B-schools. CAT 2024 will allow students to apply for admission to IIMs among other top institutes for the batch of 2024-26.
Students aiming for admission to MBA programs must clear this exam and make the cut-offs before being selected for further rounds conducted by the institutions.
Given below are the CAT 2024 highlights-
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test |
| Official Website | www.iimcat.ac.in |
| Conducting Body | The Indian Institute of Management |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Registration Mode | Online |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| No. of Questions | 66 |
| Time Allotted | 120 minutes |
| Types of Questions | MCQs and TITA |
| Sections in the Exam | 3 Sections VARC, DILR and QA |
| Medium of Exam | English |
CAT 2024 Important Dates
| CAT 2024 Important Dates | |
|---|---|
| CAT Exam Events | CAT Exam Date 2024 |
| CAT 2024 notification date | 29 July 2024 |
| Beginning of CAT 2024 registration | 1 August 2024 |
| CAT 2024 registration last date | 15 September 2024 |
| CAT 2024 exam date | 24 November 2024 |
| CAT 2024 result date | 6 January 2025 |
CAT Exam Pattern 2024
The CAT 2024 Exam Pattern will constitute 3 sections:
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
The table below provides a comprehensive breakdown of the question distribution for the CAT exam pattern 2024:
| CAT Exam Pattern 2024 Details | |||
| Section | TITA Questions | MCQs | Total No. of Questions |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR) | 6 | 14 | 20 |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 3 | 21 | 24 |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| Total | 17 | 49 | 66 |
CAT Exam Pattern 2024: Marking Scheme
Understanding the CAT marking scheme is crucial for candidates to formulate an effective exam strategy, determining which questions to attempt and which ones to skip.
The total marks for CAT 2024 will be 198, with each question carrying 3 marks. A negative marking of -1 will be applied for every incorrect answer in the multiple-choice questions (MCQs). However, the TITA-based questions do not carry negative markings. Additionally, there is no penalty for skipping questions.
The CAT marking scheme, outlined by the Indian Institute of Management, is summarized in the table below:
| CAT Exam Pattern 2024 Marking Scheme | |||
| CAT Sections | Number of Questions | Marks Per Correct Question | CAT Negative Marking (Only MCQ) |
| DILR | 20 | 3 | -1 |
| VARC | 24 | 3 | -1 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 3 | -1 |
| CAT Exam Total Marks | 66 | 198 | – |
CAT Exam Pattern 2024: Time Allotment
In accordance with the official CAT exam pattern, candidates are required to finish each section within the allocated time. Once the time limit expires, the screen will automatically progress to the next section. Subsequent to this, no modifications, corrections, or submissions will be permitted in the previous CAT section. Therefore, it is essential for CAT aspirants to improve their time management skills during the preparation phase.
The number of CAT questions and time constraints for each section are provided in the table below:
| CAT Exam Pattern 2024 Time Allotment | |||
| CAT Exam Sections | No. of Questions | Time Limit for General Candidates | Time Limit for PwD Students |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 20 | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | 24 | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
| Total | 66 | 120 minutes | 160 minutes |
- Candidates cannot choose the order of the sections or move back and forth between sections. The fixed order of the exam is- VARC, followed by DILR and then Quant.
- CAT has two types of questions- MCQ-based and TITA (type in the answer). The MCQ type has a negative marking of 1 for every wrong answer. The TITA questions have no negative marking.
- In the MCQs, candidates will be given 4 options and in the Non-MCQs, the answer must be typed.
- An on-screen calculator will be provided to the candidates during the exam.
- Candidates can check the time with the help of the on-screen clock provided.
- A sheet will be provided to the candidates for rough work. Candidates must submit the sheet upon the completion of the exam.
CAT Exam Pattern: Slot-Based Division
CAT 2023 is divided across three slots throughout the day. Candidates will have the slot they must appear for mentioned on their admit cards. Here is the tentative slot-based division of the paper-
- Morning: 8:30 am to 10:30 am
- Afternoon: 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm
- Evening: 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Exam Pattern: CAT Marking Scheme
Similar to the previous year’s exam pattern, the marking scheme for the MCQ and TITA questions is different. Here is an overview of the marking scheme for CAT 2024-
| Type of Question | Correct Response | Incorrect Response |
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | +3 | -1 |
| Type in the Answer (TITA) | +3 | 0 |
Marking the Answers: CAT 2024
As mentioned before, the CAT 2024 exam is computer-based. Therefore candidates will be required to input their responses into the computer. Candidates will have to select one of the given options when putting in the answers-
- Save and Next: Candidates will select the answer, save it and then move to the next question.
- Clear Response: Candidates can delete the response to the question they answered.
- Mark for Review and Next: For answers that candidates are unsure about, they can mark it for review, answer it and then go to the next question.
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CAT Exam Pattern Analysis: Changes Over the Years
CAT exam pattern is reviewed every year by the conducting IIM to ensure its conformity with the needs of the IIMs. As expected, this year, no changes have been introduced in the test pattern. Tabulated below is the year-wise list of CAT exam conducting IIMs along with the trends of the changes introduced in CAT question paper pattern:
| CAT Exam Year | CAT Exam Conducting IIM | CAT Question Paper Pattern over the years | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Sections | Exam Duration | Number of Slots | Numer of Questions | Remarks | ||
| 2022 | IIM Bangalore | 3- VARC, DILR, QA | 120 minutes | 3 | 66 | No surprise changes in the paper pattern. QA toughest in 2 years. Para Completion questions came as a surprise in VARC. |
| 2021 | IIM Ahmedabad | 3- VARC, DILR, Quant | 120 minutes | 3 | 66 | No prior information of revision in exam pattern. CAT question paper came as a surprise for the candidates. |
| 2020 | IIM Indore | 3- VARC, DILR, Quant | 120 minutes | 3 | 76 | Number of questions reduced to 76 and exam conducted in 3 slots instead of 2. |
| 2019 | IIM Kozhikode | 3- VARC, DILR, Quant | 180 minutes | 2 | 100 | – |
| 2018 | IIM Calcutta | 3- VARC, DILR, Quant | 180 minutes | 2 | 100 | CAT Quant section was rated to be the toughest of the last 10 years. |
| 2017 | IIM Lucknow | 3- VARC, DILR, Quant | 180 minutes | 2 | 100 | – |
| 2016 | IIM Bangalore | 3- VARC, DILR, Quant | 180 minutes | 2 | 100 | For the first time, CAT exam was conducted in the first week of December instead of the last week of November |
| 2015 | IIM Ahmedabad | 3- VARC, DILR, Quant | 180 minutes | 2 | 100 |
|
| 2014 | IIM Indore | 2- VALR, QADI | 170 minutes | 4 | 100 | Drastic change in the number of questions from the years 2011-13. Number of questions increased from 60 to 100. |
Previous Years CAT Exam Analysis
CAT 2022 Analysis
The CAT 2022 paper was moderate to tough in terms of difficulty level but the VARC section was tough in all three slots. DILR and QA sections were easy as compared to VARC. QA section of the third slot was slightly tougher than slot 1 and 2. Check below question wise break up of the CAT 2022 paper:
| Sections | Number of Questions | Type | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 16 RC questions, 8 VA questions | Tough |
| DILR | 20 | Two DI sets ( 4 and 6 questions)
Two LR set ( 4 and 6 questions) |
Moderate to Tough |
| QA | 22 | Dominated by Arithmetic (11 questions) and Algebra (5 questions) | Moderate |
CAT 2020 Exam Analysis
The CAT 2020 paper was moderate overall in terms of difficulty, but the VARC section was difficult in all three shifts. The DILR and QA sections were easier compared to VARC.
| Sections | Number of MCQs | Number of Non-MCQs |
| VARC | 27 | 7 |
| DILR | 24 | 8 |
| QA | 23 | 11 |
CAT Total Marks vs Percentile
|
Percentile |
Score-VARC |
Score-DILR |
Score-QA |
Overall score |
|
99.5%ile |
45 |
33 |
48 |
104 |
|
99%ile |
41 |
29 |
42 |
97 |
|
98%ile |
37 |
26 |
37 |
86 |
|
95%ile |
32 |
21 |
28 |
72 |
|
90%ile |
27 |
17 |
23 |
59 |
|
85%ile |
23 |
15 |
19 |
52 |
|
80%ile |
21 |
13 |
16 |
44 |
CAT Syllabus 2024
To effectively strategise one’s preparation for the CAT exam 2024, it is crucial to know the syllabus topics along with the exam structure. Every year, the CAT conducting IIM releases the official syllabus online through the website.
| CAT Sections | CAT Syllabus |
| VARC |
|
| DILR |
|
| QA |
|
CAT Mock Test PDF: Download Link
Candidates preparing for the upcoming CAT Exam can refer to the mock test PDF below.
| CAT Mock Test 2022 | |
| CAT 2022 Slot 1 DILR | |
| CAT 2022 Slot 1 VARC | |
| CAT 2022 Slot 1 QA |
The CAT Mock Test PDF for 2020 is available here for download. Eligible candidates can use this PDF for reference
| CAT Mock Test 2020 | |
| CAT 2020 Slot 1 DILR | |
| CAT 2020 Slot 1 VARC | |
| CAT 2020 Slot 1 QA |
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the duration of the CAT exam in 2024?
2. How many sections are there in the CAT exam?
Ans: The CAT exam comprises three sections: VARC, DILR, and Quant.
3. What is the format of the CAT 2024 exam?
Ans: CAT 2024 is a computer-based test conducted in three slots. Each slot continues for 120 minutes.
