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CAT Exam 2024 Preparation in 6 months: Candidates who will appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT 2024) have a question like when to start preparing for the test. With six months left until the exam, it's time for you to plan how to start your preparation for CAT 2024. With the implementation of the tips and strategies provided in this article, candidates can easily ace the CAT exam with a significantly good score.
Free Study Material: VARC | DILR | Quant | Chapter-wise Practice MCQs
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CAT 2024 will be held on November 24 (Sunday). Assess your strengths and weakness and decide whether you like to take coaching or will self-prepare. The toppers suggest that candidates should be preparing at least six months in advance. It is better to start preparing as early as possible. This article from Careers360 will help you prepare for the CAT exam in six months by providing proven tips and strategies.
Wondering about the CAT 6 months study plan? Here are some things carved out for candidates to learn how to prepare for CAT while they still have six months on hand. You can also create a Google alert entitled "CAT and MBA" to receive news and events as they occur. Thorough research and selection criteria for colleges should also be done.
There are a lot of CAT preparation books that are available online. By going through CAT preparation books or CAT preparation tips from toppers, candidates can easily crack the exam with a good percentile.
Week | Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
1 | Basic Numbers, Classification, conversions (Decimal to Fraction), Base conversion | Bar Graph | Nouns |
2 | Unit Digit Last Two Digit of a number | Pie Chart | Pronouns |
3 | Divisibility Rules Remainder theorem | Line Graph | Verbs |
4 | Number of factors and number of trailing zeroes | Tables | Conjunctions |
5 | HCF and LCM | Spider | Articles |
6 | Percentage | Caselett | Prepositions |
7 | Profit and Loss | Data Interpretation | Reading |
8 | Simple Interest Compound Interest | Blood Relation | Tenses |
9 | Loans and Installment | Order and Ranking | Subject verb agreement |
10 | Linear Equations in Two Variables | Direction | Conditionals |
11 | Quadratic Equations | Cube | Sentence correction |
12 | Types of Polynomials | Linear Arrangement | RC and PYQs |
13 | Inequality | Circular Arrangement | Active and Passive Voice |
14 | Functions and Graph | Distribution | Direct and Indirect Speech |
15 | Maxima and Minima | Selection | Verbal Analogies |
16 | Logarithm and Modulus | Miscellaneous | Participles |
17 | Average | Decision Making | Parallelism |
18 | Problems involving Ages | Venn Diagram | Comparison |
19 | Mixture and Alligation | Syllogism | One word substitution |
20 | Ratio and Proportion | Logical Deductions and Connections Reasoning | Synonyms and Discussion on PYQs |
21 | Ratios in partnership | Data sufficiency in LR | Antonyms and Discussion on PYQs |
22 | Time and Work | Games and Tournaments | Parajumbles and PYQs |
23 | Time, Speed and Distance | Binary Logic | Idioms and Phrases and PYQs |
24 | Trains and Stream | Logical Deductions and Connections Reasoning | Critical Reasoning |
25 | Linear Races and Circular Races | Inequality | Misc Part-1 |
26 | Escalators | Mathematical Grid | Misc Part-2 |
When starting your journey to focus on resolving the query of CAT study plan for 6 months, make sure that you are fully aware of the CAT exam pattern to facilitate effective preparation planning.
Section name | Total Questions |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 |
Total | 66 |
Also know: CAT Sample Paper
Check out some tips to consider when only 6 months are in hand for CAT exam preparation. These provided tips are for both, who are going coaching to crack and those who are looking for how to prepare for cat without coaching in 6 months?
No matter how strongly motivated a person is when the exams approach tension, the complexity will follow. It does when you don’t know about your ideas. Therefore, develop confidence in the processing of our preparation by understanding, organizing, and remembering important information.
Candidates are often confused to choose between self-study or training. As many experts with an engineering background have suggested, there is a superior in the QA section, whereas students from non-engineering backgrounds may think to choose the training as it helps them to solve questions within a limited time frame. However, everything can be turned into cake pieces by self-examination, the main elements which are self-motivation and discipline.
CAT preparation in 6 months requires the candidates to set a weekly target for themselves and try to achieve it. Candidates shall also include giving CAT mock test once in 15 days and stick to it. While taking the mock test, try to get at least 5 questions correct in each section.
Knowing one’s strong and weak parts can help determine the level of preparation and the areas that require more attention. However, working in weak areas does not mean that you will not look towards strong areas. Always start with preparation and start with your strong areas so that you have the confidence to face your weaknesses.
The secret to aiming and achieving how to crack CAT 2024 in six months is to master the art of time management. There is always an over-emphasis on CAT preparation. So, you don’t have to put in 6-7 hours to prepare, but rather measure them into actionable targets. Set aside a standard time that suits your routine and stick to it. The best way is to create a schedule that helps to prepare well for CAT 2024.
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Now that you are with your basic concepts it is time to gear up. Attend various online classes regardless of whether you join a training company or not. You can continue reading it online or in newspapers like The Hindu. Practice 3-5 questions daily on para jumbles, RCs, para summaries, and other topics related to grammar. Finally, make sure each weak person takes a quiz and evaluates your vocabulary skills.
Initially solving DILR questions may seem tricky, however, once you start solving 3-5 sets daily, you will become more familiar with the method, speed up, and be able to solve it more accurately.
To get started preparing a QA section, it is imperative that you clear your basics topic-wise. Starting with the topics like profit and loss, a percentage, and arithmetic are the few topics around which questions are framed. Grind on the topic and look at all the different questions you can ask. If you have cleared your concepts in this section, you can do calculations in your mind while solving QA questions in CAT.
Update yourself with events happening around the world. In addition to improving your vocabulary and general awareness, you will also get different perspectives on an issue. Also, be aware that most GD titles are taken from recent events.
Once candidates know the basics, candidates can apply the tricks they learned to similar questions. Tricks help you solve questions in the shortest amount of time. For tips, candidates can visit Careers360 and get various useful shortcut tips.
One of the most crucial and important steps in the preparation is to carry out mock tests. Some students hope that once they finish the CAT preparation they will start offering mock tests. However, because the CAT syllabus is so broad, it is sometimes impossible to touch on every topic. As such, students should not wait until the end of the CAT 2024 syllabus. They should start taking the mock test for CAT in 4 months to examine the parts of the questions and their effectiveness.
Mock tests will help candidates to analyze their strengths and weaknesses in more depth, which will greatly help not only the CAT exam but also other desirable management entrance exams.
Be it section tests, unit tests, or overall CAT mock tests; Always analyze your performance. Especially in verbal skills which is a tricky topic, where people tend to make similar mistakes. Identify your mistakes and improve them. The lower the candidate score, the better the focus now.
Quant is something that has a time validity attached to it. With these tips, you are all ready for the CAT exam 2024. It is recommended that CAT take a lot of mock tests and be completely ready to deal with CAT questions efficiently. So, it can be said that it is not very difficult to prepare a CAT in 6 months if one prepares it in a smart and efficient way.
Also, read
While preparing for CAT make sure that you refer to good study materials. Many toppers consider that having good CAT preparation books and materials helped to clear the CAT and paved the way for the best B-schools in India. There are a lot of best CAT preparation books for the CAT 2024 exam which can allow the achievement of the task of how to crack CAT 2024 in 6 months.
On the e-commerce site, they also provide CAT preparation books for beginners. We show the table below some CAT preparation books and syllabus preferred by the last year’s CAT toppers. These books are the key to concluding the task of how to prepare for CAT exam.
CAT preparation materials and the best CAT books are essential in determining the success of a CAT aspirant. Now let us focus on a few CAT preparation books that has the potential to bring the best results in 6 months
Book Title | Author(s) | Features |
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for the CAT | Arun Sharma | Comprehensive coverage of DI topics, self-sufficient for preparation |
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT | Nishit K. Sinha | Strong concept building, practical application of problems, graded difficulty levels |
Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency | Ananta Ashisha | Focuses on interpretation of data and sufficiency of information, practical approach |
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT | Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay | Step-by-step approach to improve verbal ability and comprehension, includes practice questions |
30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary | Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/Simon & Schuster | Enhances vocabulary through practical exercises, quick learning strategies |
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT | Sharma and Upadhyay | Comprehensive coverage of verbal ability topics, practical exercises and mock tests |
High School English Grammar and Composition | Wren & Martin | Covers entire syllabus of English grammar, includes practice exercises and self-assessment sections |
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT | Arun Sharma | Detailed coverage of quantitative topics, includes shortcuts and tips for solving problems |
NCERT Mathematics Books (Class 6 to 10) | NCERT | Fundamental concepts of mathematics, clear explanations, essential for building a strong foundation in maths |
PSC for VA for CAT | Nishit Sinha | Covers verbal ability topics, practical approach with practice questions and previous year papers |
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT | Sarvesh Sharma | Comprehensive coverage of quantitative topics, includes advanced level problems and solutions |
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | Abhijit Guha | Detailed coverage of quantitative topics, includes numerous practice questions and solved examples |
CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | Gautam Puri | Practical approach to DI and LR topics, includes practice questions and mock tests |
Check out how one can divide their CAT 6-month preparation month-wise. These provided inputs will help candidates during their CAT preparation days.
Begin your journey to unfold the path to how to prepare for CAT exam in six months by analyzing where you stand. You can analyze this by providing multiple mock tests and evaluating your answers closely. You need to identify your weak and strong areas and gather good online MBA CAT preparation books or materials to fix those errors.
During these months students should focus on building speed and accuracy by becoming familiar with the techniques for solving quant questions, shortcuts for DI and LR, and the strategy for verbal skill. These months act as a foundation month for your CAT preparation and can give you more time.
During these important months, when you grade in November, you should focus only on training and speed. Solve as many questions as possible by selecting the CAT sample papers. Join various training institutes for their mock test series and get a pinch of salt through your result. Examine your performance after giving a mock test for CAT 2024 and check where you went wrong.
With the CAT 2024 just around the corner focus on your scoring. Work according to the CAT exam pattern and question papers. Make sure there is a good correction. This is surely going to assist the students to crack and unfold the question of how to crack CAT 2024 in six months.
Preparing for the CAT exam in six months requires a structured and disciplined approach. Here’s a detailed strategy focusing on the key areas:
Start by building a strong foundation in all the sections: Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. Use standard textbooks and online resources to grasp the fundamental concepts.
Stay updated on any changes in the CAT exam pattern, syllabus, and important dates. Regularly check official notifications and reliable websites for the latest information.
Effective time management is crucial for CAT. Practice solving questions within a set time limit. Gradually increase your speed while maintaining accuracy. Use timers during practice sessions to develop a sense of timing.
Mock tests are essential for simulating the exam environment and evaluating your preparation. Take full-length mock tests regularly, analyze your performance, and identify areas for improvement. Focus on minimizing errors and optimizing your strategy.
Preparing for the CAT exam can be challenging, and avoiding common mistakes can significantly improve your performance. Here are some mistakes to watch out for:
Overemphasizing one section while neglecting others can hurt your overall score. Ensure a balanced approach to all sections: Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.
Mock tests are crucial for understanding the exam pattern and improving time management. Avoid skipping them or not analyzing your performance thoroughly.
While shortcuts can save time, a strong grasp of fundamental concepts is essential. Relying only on shortcuts can be risky, especially for difficult questions.
Consistency is key in CAT preparation. Irregular study habits can lead to gaps in knowledge and inadequate practice.
Identify and work on your weak areas early in your preparation. Ignoring them can lead to low scores in specific sections.
Practical application of concepts through problem-solving is more important than just theoretical knowledge. Practice a variety of questions regularly.
Taking care of your mental and physical health is crucial. Avoid excessive stress by taking regular breaks and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
A structured study plan helps in covering all topics systematically. Without a plan, you may miss important areas or run out of preparation time.
Since CAT is scheduled for November 24, candidates have plenty of time to study consistently and regularly and prepare for the new CAT 2024. But the important thing is, get started today. Do not wait another day or month. Know when and how to start CAT preparation.
The time required to prepare for any exam will vary from person to person. Some learn fast, some learn slowly. The amount of time one has to devote to CAT preparation depends on how much work one has to do with its capabilities. The commerce students/ engineering students/ working professionals have to focus on their weakest areas.
You can definitely. Candidates joined the training to be disciplined and motivated throughout the preparation. However, this is a completely personal choice. This article also provides the details for CAT preparation strategy without coaching.
If candidates want to buy second-hand CAT books, then candidates can go to the online site. There is a nice collection of CAT preparation books online that is available free of cost.
There is no magic wand. The more you practice, the better you prepare for CAT 2024. So it is wise to start preparing for the CAT exam in advance so you have to time to cover all important topics properly. This is how candidates can achieve 99+ percentile. Also, take CAT mock tests as this will strengthen your preparation and grasp on topics.
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 .
To know about this please prefer our college predictor
Hello,
Yes, you can also join IIMs two years after graduation, depending upon the justification in interviews and your performance in entrance exams. If you are not sure about CAT, try those other management exams less hard:
Common Management Admission Test: Easier than CAT; 4-5 months of continuous preparation will suffice.
MAT : Much easier and takes place thrice a year.
SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test): A bit easier than CAT, apt for Symbiosis Institutes.
Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT : Hence, easier than CAT but the unique decision-making section.
Use exams like CMAT and MAT as a challenge to be competitively prepared. This can be given about 4-5 months, along with a few rounds of mock tests and smart studying.
A career as Marketing Director is also known as a marketing expert who is responsible for the overall marketing aspect of the company. He or she oversees plans and develops the company's budget. The marketing Director collaborates with the business team to plan and develop the marketing and branding strategies for the company's products or services.
A Business Development Executive (BDE) is a professional responsible for identifying growth opportunities and fostering strategic partnerships to enhance a company's market position. Typically, a BDE conducts market research, analyses industry trends, and identifies potential clients or business prospects. He or she plays a crucial role in developing and implementing sales strategies to achieve revenue targets.
A BDE often collaborates with cross-functional teams, including marketing and product development, to align business objectives. Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills are essential for success in this role. BDE strives to expand the company's customer base, drive sales, and contribute to overall organisational growth in a dynamic and competitive business environment.
Content Marketing Specialists are also known as Content Specialists. They are responsible for crafting content, editing and developing it to meet the requirements of digital marketing campaigns. To ensure that the material created is consistent with the overall aims of a digital marketing campaign, content marketing specialists work closely with SEO and digital marketing professionals.
A sales manager is a revenue-generating source for a company. Any organisation or company which sells a commodity or service requires sales to generate revenue. A Sales manager is a professional responsible for supervising the sales team. An Individual as a sales manager works closely with salespeople, assigns sales territories, sets quotas, mentors the members of the sales, assigns sales training, and builds a sales plan.
The Sales Manager work also includes hiring and laying off sales personnel after evaluating his or her work performance. In bigger entities, sales quotas and plans are usually set at the executive level. He or she is responsible for overseeing the set target or quotas met by salespeople or upholding any policy. He or she guides his or her fellow salespeople and allows them to sell.
Individuals who opt for a career as a business analyst look at how a company operates. He or she conducts research and analyses data to improve his or her knowledge about the company. This is required so that an individual can suggest the company strategies for improving their operations and processes.
In a business analyst job role a lot of analysis is done, things are learned from past mistakes and the successful strategies are enhanced further. A business analyst goes through real-world data in order to provide the most feasible solutions to an organisation. Students can pursue Business Analytics to become Business Analysts.
A marketing manager is a person who oversees a company or product marketing. He or she can be in charge of multiple programmes or goods or can be in charge of one product. He or she is enthusiastic, organised, and very diligent in meeting financial constraints. He or she works with other team members to produce advertising campaigns and decides if a new product or service is marketable.
A Marketing manager plans and executes marketing initiatives to create demand for goods and services and increase consumer awareness of them. A marketing manager prevents unauthorised statements and informs the public that the business is doing everything to investigate and fix the line of products. Students can pursue an MBA in Marketing Management courses to become marketing managers.
An SEO Analyst is a web professional who is proficient in the implementation of SEO strategies to target more keywords to improve the reach of the content on search engines. He or she provides support to acquire the goals and success of the client’s campaigns.
Digital marketing is growing, diverse, and is covering a wide variety of career paths. Each job function aids in the development of effective digital marketing strategies and techniques. The aims and objectives of the individuals who opt for a career as a digital marketing executive are similar to those of a marketing professional: to build brand awareness, promote company services or products, and increase conversions. Individuals who opt for a career as Digital Marketing Executives, unlike traditional marketing companies, communicate effectively through suitable technology platforms.
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