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CAT 2024 exam pattern has been released by IIM Calcutta along with an official CAT notification. The CAT paper pattern remains the same as in last year's CAT. The CAT 2024 question paper will have a total of 66 multiple-choice questions with a time limit of 120 minutes. Each section (VARC, QA, and DILR) of the CAT exam will last 40 minutes. As per the CAT exam pattern, the total marks of the exam is about 198. Read this article to know all about CAT exam pattern and syllabus 2024, including CAT paper timing, sectional time limit, total CAT marks, etc.
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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. The CAT exam 2024 will be held on November 24, 2024. 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 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 has had 66 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 Pattern 2024 and Syllabus |
---|---|
CAT exam time duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
Name of the Section |
|
Section-wise CAT exam duration |
|
CAT slot timings |
|
How many questions in CAT exam | 66 Questions |
CAT total marks | 198 CAT marks |
Mode of the CAT 2024 exam | Computer-Based Mode (CBT) |
CAT Marking Scheme |
|
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 will be held on 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) | 20 | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 minutes | 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Total | 66 | 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 198 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 198 marks in total.
How many questions in CAT exam?
The total number of CAT total questions will be 66. 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 20 questions, and QA will have 22 questions.
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As per the previous year's CAT question paper given below are the section-wise questions covered in the CAT 2024 test pattern.
QA: High on Arithmetic, Other on Geometry, Log, Algebra, Roots, etc.
How many times CAT exam is conducted in a year?
Which slot is easy in CAT?
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 | 20 | 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?
As of now VARC and DILR questions have not been repeated ever. Every year, candidate find a new set of questions that have not come before. But there are some rare instances where QA questions were repeated.
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 last year's CAT paper analysis, the exam was tough in terms of difficulty level but the VARC and QA section was tough in all three slots. DILR section was moderate as compared to VARC and QA. Check below question wise break of the previous year paper pattern of CAT:
Sections | Number of Questions | Type | Difficulty Level |
---|---|---|---|
VARC | 24 | 16 RC questions, 8 VA questions | Tough |
DILR | 20 |
| Moderate to Tough |
QA | 22 | Dominated by Arithmetic (11 questions) and Algebra (5 questions) | Moderate |
As per experts, last year's CAT exam was difficult, so going by that trend here we have provided the CAT expected score vs percentile 2024 on the basis of CAT cutoff marks vs percentile.
Percentile | Score VARC | Score DILR | Score QA | Overall Score |
99.5 | 42 | 30 | 30 | 86 |
99 | 36 | 25 | 25 | 74 |
95 | 30 | 20 | 22 | 52 |
90 | 24 | 14 | 13 | 42 |
80 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 35 |
70 | 18 | 9 | 7 | 30 |
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CAT exam will be held in computer-based mode (CBT) and CAT question paper will be divided into 3 sections and a total of 66 questions will be asked from VARC, DILR, and QA.
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) will conduct CAT exam 2024 on November 24, 2024.
Paper pattern of CAT 2024 will consist of three sections:
Section III: Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
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 198.
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.
It just indicates that you have a provisional allocation and that registration for the general category is now open without reservation.If you meet the prerequisites to be enrolled in that specific course at your college, you can be admitted to the designated college.
Hello,
No, you cannot select the NC-OBC (Non-Creamy Layer Other Backward Classes) section in the CAT registration form if you belong to the RBA (Reserved Backward Area) category, even if your family income is less than Rs. 8 lakhs.
The NC-OBC category in the CAT registration form is specifically for candidates who belong to the Non-Creamy Layer of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) as per the central government’s list of OBCs. The RBA category is a separate category applicable mainly in states like Jammu & Kashmir, and it does not fall under the central OBC category.
If you belong to the RBA category, you should select the appropriate category you qualify for in the CAT registration form (General, SC, ST, EWS, or any other applicable category based on state or central government recognition).
Hope it helps !
If you don't get confirmation email you should check your email id once again including junk spam folder sometimes confirmation email are delayed yo may get in 24-48 hours.
Also,you can log in to your cat registration account to verify your form
Lastly,reach out cat helpline via phone and email cathelpdesk@Iimcat.ac.in.
you need to fill number of months for which you have work ex and may be domain of work ex as well in cat form.write the industry within which you are currently working or which is the closest option you have.basically Forensic science is a multidisciplinary field so you can add this also, you must have salary slip, joining letter,work experience letter if you are claiming it.
BEST OF LUCK!!!
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