BIMTECH PGDM Admissions 2025
AACSB Accredited | Highest CTC: 24.43 LPA | Application Deadline: 31st December 2024
Difficulty level of CAT 2024 is what every CAT aspirant speculates about. The CAT 2024 difficulty level can be estimated using different possible ways. The CAT 2024 exam has been concluded on November 24, 2024. As per the CAT slot wise analysis, the difficulty level of CAT 2024 is moderate to difficult. As expected, the difficulty level of QA and DI sections was higher. Read this article to know the overall and sectional-wise difficulty level of the CAT 2024 exam.
The difficulty level of the CAT 2024 exam is also the key factor that affects the CAT cutoff subsequently. The CAT 2024 exam consisted of 68 questions distributed across three sections VARC, DILR, and QA. Based on the expected difficulty level of the CAT 2024 exam, candidates can start the CAT preparation 2024.
The difficulty level of the CAT 2024 exam is seen to be moderately difficult. The VARC and DILR sections are easy to moderate generally and the Quant section is moderate to difficult. Candidates mostly find the QA section to be the most difficult. The VARC section contains 24 questions while the DILR and QA sections contain 22 and 22 questions respectively.
The total number of questions asked in CAT 2024 is 68. CAT question paper 2024 comprises MCQ and non-MCQ type questions. CAT exam paper includes questions from topics such as Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. The expected sectional-wise difficulty level of the CAT 2024 is mentioned in the below table. The expected difficulty level of the CAT exam pattern is determined based on the analysis of the previous year's CAT question papers.
The total number of CAT questions asked from the CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section is 24. The total time to solve the VARC section is about 40 minutes. Candidates can secure a good score in the VARC section if total number of good attempts is 15-16.
CAT VARC Question Types | Number of Questions | Difficulty level of the CAT VARC Section |
MCQ | 20 | Moderate - Difficult |
Non-MCQ | 4 | |
Total | 24 |
22 questions from the CAT quantitative aptitude section were asked. it comprises 14 MCQ and 10 non-MCQ questions. CAT exam takers can meet the section cutoff for the QA section by making good attempts of 10-12.
CAT QA Question Types | Number of Questions | Difficulty level of the CAT QA Section |
MCQ | 14 | Difficult |
Non-MCQ | 8 | |
Total | 22 |
The overall difficulty level of the CAT LRDI section can be moderate to difficult. Candidates who made 10-12 good attempts can easily meet the CAT LRDI sectional cutoff marks to get shortlisted for the top B-schools in India.
CAT LRDI Question Types | Number of Questions | Expected difficulty level of the CAT LRDI Section |
MCQ | 14 | Moderate - Difficult |
Non-MCQ | 8 | |
Total | 22 |
The difficulty level of CAT 2024 is as usual moderately difficult. To have a better idea of the probable difficulty level of CAT 2024 the difficulty level analysis of previous three-year CAT exams is provided through the table given below. It will help candidates to decipher the CAT difficulty level for this year.
Year | Section | Number of MCQs | Number of TITAs | Good Number of Attempts | Difficulty Level |
2023 | VARC | 20 | 4 | 16-19 | Moderate |
DILR | 12 | 8 | 9-12 | Easy to Moderate | |
QA | 14-15 | 7-8 | 9-11 | Moderate to Difficult | |
2022 | VARC | 21 | 3 | 16-18 | Moderate |
DILR | 14 | 6 | 10-12 | Easy to Moderate | |
QA | 14 | 8 | 13-15 | Easy to Moderate | |
2021 | VARC | 19 | 5 | 15-17 | Moderate |
DILR | 14 | 6 | 10-12 | Easy to Moderate | |
QA | 14 | 8 | 14-15 | Moderate to Difficult |
The CAT difficulty level is influenced by a lot of factors. A few of these factors and their effects are explained below.
Test Structure and Pattern: The test structure and pattern of the CAT exam determines the difficulty level of the CAT 2024 exam. The CAT conducting body usually decides the structure and pattern of the CAT exam.
Question Setting Approach: Questions in the CAT exam are designed to assess the various abilities that a candidate possesses like decision making, problem-solving, number crunching, dealing with complex data, etc.
Adaptive Nature: CAT’s adaptive testing format adjusts the difficulty level of questions based on the response of a candidate. It makes the CAT exam more difficult and unpredictable.
Candidate Preparation: The CAT exam also tests the preparation level of the candidate. Candidates with a clear understanding of the fundamental concepts will find the questions more solvable and better manage the given duration of time as compared to others.
Cracking CAT alone is not enough for getting into an IIM. Candidates must also clear the WAT and PI rounds for the applied IIM to get a callback for the final selection through the merit list.
The CAT cutoff for IIM CAT 2024 can be expected to be above 90 for most IIMs. This is only the qualifying cutoff a candidate can apply to an IIM. The final selection cutoff is generally much higher between 98-100.
There are three sections in the CAT exam 2024 namely, VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension), DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning), and QA (Quantitative Aptitude).
Considering the timing of the CAT 2024 exam, an aspirant should start their preparation ideally at the beginning of the year. To crack the CAT exam in one go, a solid preparation of 8 to 9 months should be good enough.
A score of 64 marks in CAT would likely fall around the 85th percentile depending on the difficulty of the exam and the overall performance of candidates in this year.
So,it is highly unlikely that you will receive a call from any of the IIMs as the required percentile for an IIM call is typically much higher, usually ranging from 90% and above, especially for top IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta.
If you are looking for MBA programs, consider exploring other B-schools that may have lower cut-offs for admission.
Here are some B-schools that may have lower cutoffs for admission:
SOIL Institute of Management: Has a CAT cut-off of 75 percentile
T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal: Has an expected CAT cut-off of 85+
Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM): Has an expected CAT cut-off of 85+
MICA: Has an expected CAT cut-off of 85+
S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai: Has a CAT cut-off of 85 percentile
Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), Mumbai: Has a CAT cut-off of 97.5 percentile
Others are IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, JBIMS, XIMB, and GIM.
Now coming to your academic background which often calculated as a weighted average based on the importance of each component different b school has different criteria for it.
You can use predictor tool for prediction of most accurate information of col
leges
To get admission into the NAARM MBA program , which is officially called a PGDM-ABM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management - Agri Business Management), candidates need to apply online, take the CAT or CMAT entrance exam, followed by a shortlisting based on their scores, and then appear for a Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) on campus; the final selection is based on a combination of their entrance exam score, performance in GD/PI, and academic record, with a strong emphasis on agricultural business related skills and experience.
Reservation criteria is same here as other MBA colleges set by government of india i.e
Scheduled Caste (SC): 15% of seats
Scheduled Tribe (ST): 7.5% of seats
Economically Weaker Section (EWS): 10% of seats
Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC): 27% of seats for candidates belonging to the “non-creamy” layer
The CAT cutoff percentiles for the 2024-26 PGDM-ABM batch at the ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research and Management (NAARM) are as follows:
General: 75.14
EWS: 38.00
NC-OBC: 44.16
SC: 72.980
for a NAARM MBA PREPARATION interview (specifically their PGDM Agri-Business Management program), focus on thoroughly researching NAARM's curriculum, emphasizing your agricultural background and business acumen, practicing answers to common MBA interview questions, and showcasing your passion for the agri-business sector, while also being ready to discuss your career goals aligned with NAARM's focus on rural development and sustainable agriculture practices.be genuine with your answers.
Hello Varun,
Based on your CAT raw score and profile, here's a breakdown of your potential calls and your chances for different institutes:
1. GIM Goa, GLIM Chennai, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI Delhi:
Overall, you can expect a call from institutes that weigh work experience and academic performance heavily, but you should also be prepared for lower-tier institutes in terms of CAT score cutoffs. Ensure you target institutes that match your profile for better chances.
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.
Hello,
Some of the popular coaching institutes in Pune for CAT preparation include:
TIME (Triumphant Institute of Management Education)
The institute is well known for its structured approach, expert faculty, and comprehensive study material. Offers both classroom and online programs. It has a very good success record and also provides several mock tests, workshops, and test series.
Career Launcher
Provides both online and offline courses for CAT preparation. The institute is known for its focused approach and quality study material. Personalized mentoring and mock tests.
IMS Learning Resources
BYJU's (Pune Center)
Mentors' Academy
Excel Academy
These institutes, both classroom coaching and online options, will vary, so it's all up to you. Some points to be kept in mind before one selects the institute are faculty experience, success rate, mock tests available, and if they offer personal support or not.
Hello aspirant,
Here below I am providing you the name of some of the top CAT coaching institutes in Pune:
Thank you
Hope it helps you
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