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How to Improve Accuracy in CAT Mock Tests 2025: Proven Tips for Higher Percentile
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Accuracy is a very important parameter that decides the CAT success of a candidate. The negative marking policy of the CAT examination makes it difficult for the candidates to go for educated guesses while taking the CAT examination. Increasing the accuracy of the CAT mock test directly means increasing the CAT percentile. Accuracy is the rate at which the candidates provide the correct answers. In short, the greater the accuracy, the better the score. Accuracy, along with the speed of the candidates while answering the questions, together determine the overall CAT score of the candidates. Having a high accuracy of more than 90% is always beneficial for the candidates who are pursuing their management degrees from the best B schools of the country. In spite of this, a lot of candidates overlook accuracy and focus solely on speed, which will result in the accumulation of negative marks. To ensure CAT success, the candidate should couple speed and accuracy. In this article, we will discuss the various factors that the candidates should follow to enhance their accuracy in both mock tests as well as on the CAT exam day.
This Story also Contains
- Why Accuracy Matters in CAT
- Common Reasons for Low Accuracy in CAT Mocks
- Section-wise Tips to Improve Accuracy
- How to Train for Better Accuracy
- Best Books for CAT Preparation
- CAT Preparation Resources from Careers360
Why Accuracy Matters in CAT
According to the CAT exam pattern, the candidate loses one mark for the wrong responses they give. This is applicable to all the questions apart from the CAT TITA questions. Suppose a candidate attempts 40 questions out of the total 68 questions in the CAT question paper. He answered 24 questions correctly, and 16 were wrong. This means that while the candidate should have gotten 72 marks, due to the incorrect answers, he will lose 16 marks, making his final score 56. In a highly competitive exam such as CAT, where a 1 mark difference results in a dip of rank by hundreds, this is a very significant disadvantage to the candidate. In CAT terms, the accuracy is calculated by the following formula.
\[
\text{Accuracy (\%)} = \left( \frac{\text{Number of Correct Answers Given by the Candidate}}{\text{Total Number of Responses Made by the Candidate}} \right) \times 100
\]
Accuracy is important, especially for the CAT DILR questions and CAT Reading Comprehension passage, because these areas tend to have the most confusing questions and options, and the chances of the candidates making a mistake in this section are relatively higher.
Common Reasons for Low Accuracy in CAT Mocks
It is beneficial to know the common reasons why a lot of candidates score less in the CAT mock tests due to low accuracy levels. A few of the most common mistakes that the candidates make while attempting the CAT mock tests are provided below for the reference of the candidates.
Lack of Concept Clarity
A management entrance examination, such as the CAT exam, tests the conceptual clarity of the candidates the most. Memorising the concepts will not be helpful in an examination such as CAT, as there are no one-word questions. CAT tests the understanding of the candidates in a topic which is essential for scoring well in the examination. Hence, conceptual clarity plays a very important role in determining the CAT success of the candidates. Not understanding the basics of a concept can affect the candidates negatively and lead to lack of conceptual clarity, which will ultimately lead to lower scores in the CAT mock tests.
Rushing Through Questions
As discussed before, speed alone will not help the candidates to score well in the CAT examination. Accuracy is as important as speed when it comes to scoring well in the CAT exam. When a candidate rushes through a question, they tend to either miss the important information related to the topics or the key points which are crucial for scoring well in the CAT examination. Also, rushing through questions may also result in the candidates not understanding the questions, which will ultimately lead to a waste of time.
Poor Question Selection
According to the CAT toppers, selecting the correct question set while attending the CAT question paper plays a very important role in improving the CAT score of the candidate. In the CAT exam, there will be questions from various difficulty levels. Some candidates, unfortunately, choose the difficult set and try to solve it. This is particularly seen in the CAT DILR section. This poor selection of questions leads to wastage of time and low scores in both the CAT mock tests and the examination.
Inadequate Mock Analysis’
When it comes to the analysis of the CAT mock tests, it is essential for the candidates to analyse their results and understand the areas where they made mistakes. But the major issue seen today is that a lot of candidates do not perform the mock test analysis, and due to this, there is very little learning from mistakes in previous mocks, which reduces the scores of the candidates.
Section-wise Tips to Improve Accuracy
Accuracy is not just limited to a single section of the CAT examination. It plays an important role in shaping the CAT score of the candidates, which is an accumulation of marks gained from all the CAT sections. A few of the best CAT strategies that the candidates can follow to improve their performance are discussed in this section for the reference of the candidates.
How to Improve Accuracy in CAT VARC Section
While attempting the CAT VARC questions and in particular the questions, it is important to avoid assumptions. This is a common mistake made by candidates. If not explicitly mentioned, assuming a context is wrong and should be avoided.
An effective CAT reading comprehension strategy is to read the questions carefully first before moving to the passage. This will easily help the candidates to spot the sections of the CAT passage where the information might lie.
While the elimination method is very useful when attempting the CAT questions, this must be done by using logic only, not on instinct.
The candidates are also advised to read a lot of materials to ensure that they have inculcated the reading habits which is necessary for performing well in the CAT RC section. This will help the candidates to enhance their vocabulary and ensure a better CAT score.
How to Improve Accuracy in the CAT DILR Section
The candidates should first go through the CAT DILR questions and find out which is doable for them. This is critical because choosing the right and easy sets will help the candidates to save time and use it effectively for the other sections. Instead of choosing lengthy and confusing CAT DILR sets, the candidates must go for the easy and doable sets first. Always remember that accuracy outweighs the number of confused attempts.
Assumptions can also be a negative factor under the CAT DILR section because this may invite unwanted negative marks. The candidates must use logic to solve the CAT DILR questions instead of simply using guesswork.
Candidates are also advised to use tables and visual aids to avoid calculation errors.
CAT 2025: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages
Comprehensive CAT prep guide with focused practice on Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
Download NowHow to Improve Accuracy in the CAT QA Section
The CAT quantitative aptitude section is one of the sections in which the candidates face the most issues when it comes to accuracy. The best strategy to enhance the accuracy in the mock test is by avoiding silly mistakes. This includes missing a value, using a different value for computing, misreading the questions, etc. The candidates should be very careful when it comes to reading the questions and ensure that their calculations are correct.
Candidates are also encouraged to study techniques such as mental maths and quick answering techniques, such as Vedic maths, to improve the speed of answering. Also, they can use approximation techniques to improve the speed of calculation.
If a candidate is not getting the right answer despite the number of attempts, it is better to leave them without making any guesses, as wrong answers might invite negative marking.
The candidates are strongly advised to regularly revise the CAT formulas throughout their CAT 2025 preparation and k so that they do not forget them when required.
How to Train for Better Accuracy
Now, let us discuss a few general CAT preparation tips that will help candidates to enhance their CAT preparation by improving their overall accuracy.
Use Options Intelligently
The option elimination method is one of the best strategies to prepare for the CAT examination. This helps the candidates in solving the questions quickly. The candidates should always check if there is a provision for them to remove any wrong options before solving a question. But this should be based on logic and not on instincts.
Attempt in Rounds
Another effective strategy that the candidates can follow is to answer the questions in rounds. This will help the candidates save time while taking the CAT exam. An example of answering the questions in a format is provided below for the reference of the candidates.
Round | Type of Questions |
Round 1 | Easy and Familiar Questions |
Round 2 | Medium and Manageable (Time-Taking) |
Round 3 | Tricky, Doubtful, or Leftover Ones |
Avoid Random Guessing
Random guessing is one of the biggest mistakes made by candidates. This is primarily because of the idea that they may get some questions right. But the accuracy of the candidates reduces significantly due to this and eventually reduces the chances of the candidates to secure a good CAT score. The candidates should always keep in mind that strategic skipping helps improve the net score. There should not be any blind guessing in hopes of getting a few answers right.
Focused Practice on Weak Areas
The candidates should focus on practising the weak areas after analysing their CAT mock test performance. This will help the candidates to improve their weak areas with dedicated practice and eventually master those sections which once affected them. It is also important that the candidates prioritise the most important CAT topics to help them improve their performance by going through the CAT previous year question papers.
Best Books for CAT Preparation
To enhance the accuracy of answering the questions in the CAT 2025 examination, the candidates must practice a variety of questions. From a lot of selected CAT books, they will be able to receive immense CAT practice through a large number of questions. The candidates must go through these books to improve their CAT performance and enhance their CAT preparation. A list of the best CAT books available for the candidates is provided in the table below.
CAT Section | Book Name | Author Name |
Quantitative Aptitude | Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R.S. Aggarwal |
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT | Sarvesh Verma | |
NCERT Mathematics Books (Class 9–10) | NCERT | |
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT | Arun Sharma | |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT | Arun Sharma |
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT | Nishit K. Sinha | |
A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal | |
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | Ananta Ashisha | |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT | Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay |
Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis | |
PSC for VA for CAT | Nishit Sinha | |
High School English Grammar & Composition | Wren & Martin |
CAT Preparation Resources from Careers360
Careers360 has designed a set of resources which are extremely helpful for guiding the candidate’s CAT performance. This includes ebooks, CAT sample papers and other CAT resources, which are written by experts of Careers360. The candidates can access the materials using the links provided in the table below.
eBook Title | Download Links |
3000+ Most Important Words - Vocabulary Builder | |
500+ Most Important Idioms and Phrases | |
300+ Most Important Phrasal Verbs | |
Permutation & Combination - Video Lectures and Practice Questions | |
Mastering DILR Questions with Expert Solutions | |
CAT 2025 Exam's High Scoring Chapters and Topics | |
Mastering CAT Exam: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages | |
CAT 2025 Mastery: Chapter-wise MCQs for Success for VARC, DILR, Quant | |
CAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Answers | |
CAT DILR Questions with Solution, Download LRDI Questions for CAT | |
CAT 2025 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Study Material |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How do I boost accuracy in the CAT Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section?
A:
Accuracy in QA improves by carefully reading questions, avoiding silly calculation mistakes, and regularly revising important formulas. Techniques such as mental math and approximations also aid in increasing accuracy.
Q: Why is accuracy crucial in the CAT exam?
A:
Accuracy significantly impacts your CAT percentile due to negative marking. Each wrong answer reduces your overall score, lowering your rank by hundreds, especially in competitive sections like DILR and VARC.
Q: What are the common reasons for low accuracy in CAT mock tests?
A:
Low accuracy often arises from unclear concepts, rushing through questions, selecting difficult question sets, and inadequate mock test analysis. Improving in these areas greatly enhances test performance.
Q: How can I improve my accuracy in the CAT VARC section?
A:
To improve accuracy in VARC, read questions first before passages, avoid assumptions, and practice logical elimination of incorrect answers. Building a consistent reading habit also enhances comprehension skills.
Q: What strategies help in the CAT DILR section?
A:
Choose manageable question sets to avoid confusion, use logical reasoning rather than guesswork, and rely on visual aids like tables. Prioritising accuracy over the number of attempts reduces negative marks.
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Have a question related to CAT ?
Hello,
To get admitted to the Institute of Management Studies (IMS), BHU, for an MBA in 2026, you must clear the CAT entrance exam. For that you need to fill out the application form of the CAT in August 2026, which you can get on the Official CAT website
I hope it will clear your query!!
Hello
You can get all the papers on the Careers360 website. To access the paper and download it for practice, just visit here:
https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-cat-2024-question-paper-with-solutions
Hope it will help you!!
Hello dear candidate,
Yes, you have a very good chance of getting a BPT seat with 488 out of 600 and TS EAMCET rank of 14,000 under the ST category.
As the cut off of BPT for ST category students are generally between 25,000 to 45,000 ranks, depending upon the college and you have TS EAMCET rank of 14,000.
Thank you.
If you got 802 marks in Telangana Intermediate and belong to the ST category, you have a fair chance to get admission in a BPT course in 2025, but it depends on the college and cut-off. Most BPT colleges in Telangana ask for 12th marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and some also use the TS EAMCET rank for admission. The cut-off for ST students is usually lower than for general students, but it changes every year. It is better to check the previous year’s cut-offs of the colleges you want to apply to.
Hello, Getting shortlisted for IIM Lucknow or IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) with your profile is challenging, primarily due to your 58% in Class 10th, which significantly impacts the composite score calculation for both institutes. While your 98 percentile CAT score is excellent, and your 24 months of work experience, B.Com (Hons) background (providing academic diversity, especially for IIM-L), and KVS National player status are valuable additions, top IIMs and IITs heavily weigh consistent academic performance. Your 74% in 12th is also on the lower side. IIM Lucknow places substantial weight on 10th and 12th marks, making a call quite difficult despite your strengths. You likely have a relatively better, though still uncertain, chance at IIT Bombay, as their weighting might be slightly less penalizing for past academics compared to IIM-L, and your high CAT score is a major factor. However, the low 10th score remains a significant hurdle for both prestigious institutions.
I hope you found this information helpful and for study related queries you can ask in careers360 app, Have a great day and!
Popular CAT Questions
Directions for question :
M/s Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, one of the top four audit and accounting firms in the world with headquarters at London, UK, and with an operational presence in 153 countries, hires Management Trainees (MT) from all the premier management institutes of India thrice every year, in the months of January, May and September.
Each new group of Management Trainees (MT) have to go through a four month rigorous training schedule, after which they have to pass through a test consisting of a written assessment and a case-analysis. The top hundred ranked Management Trainees (MT) based on the performance in the test are confirmed as Management Executives (ME). The rest are given the opportunity of undergoing the training for four months one more time along with the next batch of Management Trainees (MT) and then passing through the subsequent test consisting of the written assessment and case-analysis. The Management Trainee (MT) who fails to get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the second time is fired.
The scatter-graph below depicts the number of Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte taking the tests from January 2020 till May 2022, and the vis-à-vis hired Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte who were fired :
It is also known that for the month of September 2019 at Deloitte, 96 hired Management Trainees (MT) failed to be confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the first time, and that 36 hired Management Trainees (MT) were fired.
Question :
In which test did the minimum number of Management Trainees (MT) get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) in the second attempt ?
Option: 1
September 2020
Option: 2
May 2021
Option: 3
January 2021
Option: 4
January 2022
Directions for question:
The bar-graph given below shows the foreign exchange reserves of Nepal (in million Rupees) from 2014 to 2021. Answer the following questions based on the graph :
Question:
What was the percentage increase (rounded to the nearest integer, if deemed necessary) in the foreign exchange reserves in 2020 over 2016 ?
Option: 1 None
Option: 2 None
Option: 3 None
Option: 4 None
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