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CAT 2024 exam pattern is presribed by the IIM. As per the CAT exam pattern 2024, the question paper has 3 sections; VARC, DILR, and QA. This year a total of question has been increased from 66 to 68. The VARC section has 22 questions instead of 20. So, the total marks in CAT exam is 204. The total duration of CAT exam is 120 minutes. Each section will take 40 minutes to solve and 53 minutes, 20 seconds for PwD candidates. As per the CAT slot 1 paper pattern, 22 questions were asked in the DILR section (3-DI, 2-LR). There was a sum based on LR. The questions in the VARC section were in a jumbled order. RC came before VA and there is no parajumbles questions in the CAT slot 1 paper, students found questions were from odd one out, summary, fill in the blanks. In Quant, more questions were asked from Arithmetic and Algebra, 2 questions were in geometry, 1 from sets, and 1 from AP.
Latest: There is a changes in the CAT exam pattern. VARC has 22 questions. A total question in CAT slot 1 is 68. No Para-Jumble questions.
New: CAT 2024 Percentile Predictor
Latest: CAT 2024 Question Paper (Slot-wise)
CAT 2024: Slot 1 Analysis | Slot 2 Analysis | All Slots Analysis
Suggested: CAT 2024 Score vs Percentile
In past few years, the CAT exam pattern has been modified several time by the conducting IIMs. However, since 2015, the CAT paper pattern has remain unchanged in terms of total marks, and total time duration. But this year there is a changes in the CAT 2024 exam pattern. The CAT exam 2024 is being held on November 24, 2024 in three different shifts. The CAT exam paper pattern is a mind-driven exam designed to test a candidate's ability to solve reasoning and mathematical questions accurately in the least amount of time.
The CAT exam 2024 is all about using logical reasoning and aptitude skills. Those who are going to take CAT 2024 must familiarise themselves with the updated CAT entrance pattern. It will help them understand the CAT exam structure and the marking scheme. The total marks of the exam is about 204. Read this article to know all about CAT exam pattern and syllabus 2024, including CAT paper timing, sectional time limit, total CAT marks, etc.
What is the pattern of a CAT exam? CAT 2024 is a computer-based entrance exam divided into 3 sections with a total of 68 questions: VARC, DILR, and QA. Each section will have a duration of 40 minutes. What is the total score of the CAT exam? For the CAT 2024 exam, the total marks will be 204. As per the CAT marking scheme, each question is worth 3 marks. |
The CAT exam paper pdf will help with better CAT exam preparation. Before going to appear for this national-level MBA entrance exam, one should know what the CAT 2024 pattern is. The CAT pattern and the test procedure will be announced, along with the CAT exam 2024 date and the notification. Candidates planning to opt for CAT 2024 must familiarise themselves with the latest CAT entrance exam pattern along with the CAT syllabus 2024. For the past two years, the CAT exam pattern for MBA include 66 questions. But, this year, it has 68 questions.
Check out the best CAT Study Material
As per the previous year's CAT question paper pattern, the exam will be held in three slots, that is, in the morning, afternoon, and evening on the same day, as the computer-based test (CBT). The CAT exam paper pattern for MBA is summarised in table below.
Particulars | CAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus |
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CAT exam time duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
Name of the Section |
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Section-wise CAT exam time duration |
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CAT slot timings |
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How many questions in CAT exam |
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Total marks of CAT exam |
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Mode of the CAT 2024 exam | Computer-Based Mode (CBT) |
CAT Marking Scheme |
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Click here to download the CAT test pattern pdf
The CAT 2024 exam will be held in three different shifts with a duration of 120 minutes (2 hours) for each CAT slot. CAT 2024 entrance exam is being held today, i.e. November 24. The CAT exam will be administered in the morning, afternoon, and evening sessions as per the norms. Check out more details about CAT exam 2024 slots.
As per trends and CAT paper patterns, candidates have to solve every section in 40 minutes. After the conclusion of 40 minutes (sectional time limit), no changes or corrections will be allowed after that. Checkout section-wise number of CAT questions and the sectional time limit is listed in the below table.
CAT Exam Sections | Number of questions | Time limit | Time limit for PwD students |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds | |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Total | 120 minutes | 160 minutes |
CAT Exam Slots | CAT Exam Time |
CAT Slot 1 | 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM |
CAT Slot 2 | 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM |
CAT Slot 3 | 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM |
The CAT 2024 exam will be conducted in three slots of 2 hours (120 minutes) each on a single day. The CAT total marks will be 204 in total. However, candidates cannot switch between the CAT exam sections. The onscreen clock will help candidates to keep a check on the time during the CAT exam.
CAT 2024 qualifying marks will be available with the release of the CAT cutoff for the next academic session. The CAT qualifying marks will be released by the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and by other top MBA colleges that accept CAT scores for MBA/ PGDM admissions. In order to appear for the selection rounds of MBA admission the first criterion is to satisfy the qualifying CAT marks criteria.
How many total marks are in the CAT exam? The total marks for the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam will be 204 marks in total. How many questions in CAT exam? The total number of CAT total questions will be 68. The entire CAT question paper will be divided into three sections (VARC, DILR, and QA). As per the CAT MBA pattern, VARC will have 24 questions, DILR will have 22 questions, and QA will have 22 questions. |
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As per the CAT 2024 question paper given below are the section-wise questions covered in the CAT 2024 test pattern.
QA: High on Arithmetic and Algebra. 2 questions on Geometry, 1 sets, 1 AP, etc.
How many times CAT exam is conducted in a year? Indian Institute of Management (IIM) conducts Common Admission Test (CAT) exam once a year. Which slot is easy in CAT? When compared to CAT 2024 slot 1, slot 2 found somehow difficulty. CAT 2024 slot 1 was bit easy. |
CAT test pattern 2024 includes the answer to the searched question "Is there negative marking in CAT?" Under the CAT marking scheme, candidates get to know the CAT exam total marks awarded for each correct answer and how many marks will be deducted if the candidate answers the question incorrectly.
For unanswered CAT questions, no marks will be deducted. Also for Non-MCQs, no marks will be deducted.
The following table summarizes the marking scheme for CAT 2024:
CAT exam section name | Number of questions | Marks per question | CAT Negative Marking (Only MCQs) |
VARC | 24 | 3 | -1 |
DILR | 22 | 3 | -1 |
Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 3 | -1 |
Year | Number of Questions | Sections | Marking Scheme | Duration | Conducting Body | Other Element |
2023 | Total 66 questions (24 in VARC, 20 in DILR, 22 in QA) | Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude | 3 positive marks for each correct answer and minus 1 mark for each wrong answer | 2 hours | IIM Lucknow | - |
2022 | Total 66 questions (24 in VARC, 20 in DILR, 22 in QA) | Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude | 3 positive marks for each correct answer and minus 1 mark for each wrong answer | 2 hours | IIM Bangalore | - |
2021 | Total 66 questions (24 in VARC, 20 in DILR, 22 in QA) | Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude | 3 positive marks for each correct answer and minus 1 mark for each wrong answer | 120 minutes | IIM Ahmedabad | - |
2020 | Total 76 questions (24 in one section and 26 in the other two sections) | Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude | 3 positive marks for each correct answer and minus 1 mark for each wrong answer | 120 Minutes | IIM Indore | |
2019 | Total 100 questions (32 in one section and 34 in the other two sections) | Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude | 3 positive marks for each correct answer and minus 1 mark for each wrong answer | 180 Minutes | - |
How many levels are there in CAT exam? As per the CAT MBA test pattern, there are three exam sections including VARC, DILR, and QA. The CAT VARC section includes 24 questions with a weightage of 72 marks. CAT DILR section comprise 20 questions with a weightage of 60 marks and the QA section will have 22 questions with a weightage of 66 marks. Do questions get repeated in CAT? According to CAT 2024 examinees, they found that some questions were asked repeatedly in both slot 1 and slot 2, the data was changed. |
Other Relevant Topics:
CAT Participating Institutes | CAT Cutoff |
CAT Result | How to fill out CAT application form |
CAT notification | CAT quantitative aptitude syllabus |
In last few year's CAT question paper pattern has been changed multiple times. By referring to the below table the candidates will be able to know a clear idea of how the CAT 2024 paper pattern evolved over the years.
Paper pattern of CAT contains three sections such as,
There is no difference in the sections for each year. Also, there is no difference in the CAT question paper pattern for MBA marking scheme.
CAT Exam Pattern - Previous Years
Year | Number of Question | Difficulty Level | CAT exam time duration | Conducting Body |
2023 | 66 | Difficult | 2 hour | IIM Lucknow |
2022 | 66 | Moderate | 2 hours | IIM Bangalore |
2021 | 66 | Moderate to High (Expected) | 2 hours | |
2020 | 76 | Moderate to High | 2 hours | |
2019 | 100 | Moderate to High | 3 hours | |
2018 | 100 | Moderate to High | 3 hours | |
2017 | 100 | Moderate | 3 hours | |
2016 | 100 | Moderate to difficult | 3 hours | IIM Bangalore |
2015 | 100 | Moderate to difficult | 3 hours | |
2014 | 100 | Moderate to Easy | 2.50 hours | |
2013 | 60 | Moderate to Easy | 2:20 hours | IIM Indore |
2012 | 60 | Moderate to Easy | 2.20 hours | IIM Indore |
2011 | 60 | Moderate | 2.20 hours | IIM Calcutta |
Check out How to Prepare for CAT
CAT conducting body will not release the official CAT exam syllabus. However, based on the CAT MBA exam pattern, candidates can check the topics on which the questions are asked.
Section | Topics |
Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
|
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) |
|
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) |
|
The candidates can take the official CAT Mock Test. CAT conducting body will release the official CAT 2024 mock test on iimcat.ac.in. It will help to face the actual exam without any fear and also help to attend to the questions within the given time.
By appearing in the mock test, the aspirants can get an idea of how to move between different sections. Before appearing in the CAT exam mock test, students must know the CAT test pattern 2024 and they must also go through the CAT sample papers.
Before going to start the CAT exam, the students should have to know how to answer questions. Candidates should use the following options when answering questions:
NOTE: When answering CAT questions, one should use the mouse provided. Using the system keyboard will lock the computer screen.
Panel Colour | What it Indicates |
Red | The question was not answered and is not marked for review. |
Green | The question was answered and not reviewed. |
Grey | Question not viewed or visited. |
Violet | The question is marked for review and not yet answered. |
Violet with Green tick | The question was marked and answered for review. |
As per the CAT paper analysis, the exam was moderate to difficult in terms of difficulty level but the VARC and QA section was moderate in all three slots. QA section was difficult as compared to VARC and DILR. Check below question wise break of the CAT 2024 paper pattern:
CAT Section | Number of Questions | Type | Difficulty Level |
---|---|---|---|
VARC | 24 | 4 Para summary, 4 Passages of 4 Questions each, 2 Para completion, 2 Odd one out | Moderate |
DILR | 22 | 2 Sets of 5 Questions, 3 Sets of 4 Questions | Easy-Moderate |
QA | 22 | Algebra - 5-6, Arithmetic- 10-11, Geometry- 3, Number System- 2, Modern Maths- 1 | Moderate |
Overall CAT Difficulty Level | Moderate |
As per experts, the CAT 2024 was moderate, check out below the CAT score vs percentile 2024 on the basis of CAT cutoff marks vs percentile.
CAT 2024 Slot 1 | ||||
Percentile | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
99 | 39-40 | 31-32 | 30-31 | 90 |
95 | 31-32 | 24-25 | 23-24 | 66 |
90 | 25-26 | 19-21 | 17-18 | 56-57 |
85 | 22-23 | 16-18 | 14-15 | 45-46 |
80 | 20-21 | 13-14 | 12-13 | 40-41 |
70 | 16-17 | 11-12 | 10-11 | 35-36 |
CAT 2024 Slot 2 | ||||
Percentile | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
99 | 41-42 | 27-28 | 28-29 | 87 |
95 | 33-34 | 22-23 | 22-23 | 63 |
90 | 26-27 | 18-19 | 16-17 | 55-56 |
85 | 23-24 | 15-17 | 13-14 | 44-45 |
80 | 21-22 | 12-14 | 11-12 | 39-40 |
70 | 17-18 | 11-12 | 10-11 | 35-36 |
People also search for;
The CAT exam will be held in computer-based mode (CBT), and the CAT question paper will be divided into 3 sections and a total of 68 questions asked from VARC, DILR, and QA.
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) is conducting CAT exam 2024 on November 24, 2024.
Paper pattern of CAT 2024 will consist of three sections:
Section III: Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
When it comes to managing time in the CAT exam, aim to spend a limited amount of time on each and every question. If a question is taking too long, just move on.
Yes, a -1 mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer. CAT pattern is similar to the last year and there is no such change.
CAT is considered to be the most difficult MBA entrance exam in India. The difficulty of CAT 2024 is expected to be moderate to high. The CAT total mark is 204.
No, IIMs do not officially announce the syllabus of the Common Admission Test. The subjects of the CAT exam include topics of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
CAT is normally conducted as a computer-based test. CAT is a challenging exam undoubtedly but candidates can crack the same with hard work and effective strategy.
No, there is no such provision to choose a CAT slot. The CAT slot will be allotted by the exam conducting body on a first come first serve basis. Candidates will have to appear for the CAT 2024 in only the slot allotted.
The overall score for the 99 percentile in CAT 2024 will around 86+ marks.
As per the CAT exam pattern, there will be a total of 66 questions. CAT exam paper has both MCQs and TITA questions- MCQs have about 75% weightage in the question paper.
There is no deduction of marks for skipped or unattended questions.
Hello aspirant,
As the score is accepted by 21 IIMs, other prestigious B-schools, and 1,300 MBA colleges in India, CAT 2025, a business aptitude test that evaluates candidates on quantitative aptitude, data interpretation, logical reasoning, verbal ability, and reading comprehension, will most likely take place on November 30, 2025, with an official announcement making the announcement by July 30, 2025.
For more information, you can visit our site through the following link:
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-2025
Thank you
Hope it helps you
The student cannot join the postgraduate MA program directly in the second year of the MA after completing the MBA.
Universities generally expect students to begin the first year of a masters' program even though they had qualifications at the level of a bachelor's degree. The university's curriculum along with the courses are planned to give an in-depth knowledge of the subjects.
But you could opt for:
Postgraduate Studies:
Research Career: In case research interests you, then you can pursue a Ph.D. in your specific interest.
Specialized Master's Programs: Find any specific master's course that supports the career goal.
Professional Certifications:
Make a professional certification in CFA, CA, or FRM to enhance the professional skills and better opportunities in the career field.
Job Entry via MBA
After gaining an MBA from a renowned institution, it's possible to get entry into the corporate world where the diversity in the career field is assured.
In the end, it would depend on what you would like and what you are particularly interested in. It will be better if you take a suggestion from your academic advisor or career counselor.
Hello Pratik,
If your family income exceeds 8 LPA, it will affect your eligibility for the NC-OBC category under the CAT reservation rules. The NC-OBC category requires that the family income should be below 8 LPA to qualify. If you anticipate that your income will exceed this threshold, you should update your status and notify the CAT authorities .
Here's what you can do:
Email the CAT authorities
: Inform them about the potential change in your income status and request to be considered under the
General
category, if applicable. You should do this before the examination or any further processing, as your eligibility for the OBC category depends on the income criteria.
Documents and Proof
: Make sure you have a valid
OBC certificate
and any relevant documentation regarding your family income, in case they require verification. Also, be aware that if your income exceeds 8 LPA, you might need to apply under the
General
category, as the OBC-NC reservation is no longer applicable.
General Category Consideration : If your application is accepted as General, you will be evaluated based on the General category criteria, including cutoffs and ranking.
To summarize, notifying the CAT authorities is the correct approach to avoid discrepancies later, and if your income is above the threshold, you will be treated as a General candidate for the admissions process.
For more details about CAT exam you can check out an article by Careers360 whose link is given below:
Link: https://bschool.careers360.com/exams/cat
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Hi Shreya ,
Having a tattoo on your wrist should not create a problem during the CAT exam as long as it does not contain any content that violates exam rules , such as communication-related symbols , unauthorised messages or any text resembling formulas or answers .
For a safe side , it is recommended :
1. Inform the Invigilators : Let them know about your tattoo during the identification check , so there are no misunderstandings .
2. Follow the Guidelines : Ensure you follow all instructions regarding permissible items and dress code on the exam day .
Hope this helps you .
ALL THE BEST .
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