Is CAT Exam Tough - Why, Difficulty Level & Pattern

Is CAT Exam Tough - Why, Difficulty Level & Pattern

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CAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 13 Sep' 25

Team Careers360Updated on 04 Oct 2024, 05:12 PM IST

Why is CAT considered a tough exam? Is CAT really tough for average students? Or Is CAT exam easy to crack? or Is CAT exam tough for MBA? Multiple questions come up when we talk about the difficulty levels of CAT. The CAT exam is considered one of the toughest exams to crack for MBA admissions in India. High competition, time limits and unpredictable difficulty levels make it one of the most challenging MBA entrance exams in India. Read this article to get to know why CAT is considered to be a tough exam in India.

This Story also Contains

  1. Why is CAT considered a tough exam?
  2. Is CAT Exam Tough in India?
  3. Section-Wise CAT Exam Difficulty Level
  4. CAT Cutoffs Accepted by Top MBA Colleges in India
  5. CAT 2024 Preparation Tips
Is CAT Exam Tough - Why, Difficulty Level & Pattern
Why is CAT Considered a Tough Exam?

Why is CAT considered a tough exam?

IIMs conduct CAT exam for admission to top MBA colleges in India like IIMs, IITs, SPJIMR, MDI, FMS, etc. More than 3 lakh candidates register for CAT exam every year. It is one of the most competitive exams in India for admission to MBA and PGDM programmes. The following reasons are why CAT is considered a tough exam:

  • High competition
  • Time-based test
  • Accuracy based exam
  • Frequent changes in CAT exam pattern
  • Unpredictable difficulty levels
  • Negative marking
  • Limited seats in top B-school
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Is CAT Exam Tough in India?

CAT 2024 is one of the toughest entrance exams for MBA. Candidates who register for CAT exam come from various academic backgrounds like engineering, science, commerce and arts. The difficulties faced by them also vary accordingly. Let’s check out the comparison between the difficulty levels faced by them.

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Components

VARC

DILR

QA

Engineers

Difficult

Moderate

Easy

Science

Difficult

Moderate

Moderate

Commerce

Difficult

Difficult

Moderate

Arts

Easy

Difficult

Difficult

Section-Wise CAT Exam Difficulty Level

CAT syllabus includes three sections - verbal ability and reading comprehension, data interpretation and logical reasoning and quantitative aptitude. Candidates have to answer 66 questions within 120 minutes. Since maximum candidates from engineering backgrounds appear for CAT the difficulty level of questions is comparatively high. Take a look at the difficulty level of questions in each section of the CAT entrance exam.

Section

No. of questions

Difficulty Level

VARC

24

Moderate

DILR

20

Moderate- Difficult

QA

22

Difficult

Total

66

Moderate - Difficult

CAT Exam Difficulty Level (2018 to 2023)

Year

Conducting Body

Difficulty Level

CAT 2023

IIM Lucknow

Moderate to Difficult

CAT 2022

IIM Bangalore

Moderate to Difficult

CAT 2021

IIM Ahmedabad

Moderately Easier. VARC was easier

CAT 2020

IIM Indore

Moderate to Difficult

CAT 2019

IIM Kozhikode

Difficult – VARC section was complex

CAT 2018

IIM Calcutta

Moderate to Difficult

CAT Cutoffs Accepted by Top MBA Colleges in India

CAT scores for MBA admission to B-schools in India depend on the cutoff released by the institutes. The CAT cutoff depends on various factors like number of students appearing for exam, difficulty levels, number of available seats, etc. CAT cutoffs for top MBA colleges usually fall between 95 - 99+ percentile.

Estimated CAT Cutoffs

CAT Percentile

Overall CAT Score

Top MBA Colleges

98 – 100 %ile

90 - 105

IIM A, B, C, FMS

94 - 97 %ile

80 - 89

IIM L, I, K, SPJIMR, MDI, IITB, IITD, NITIE

90 – 93 %ile

72 - 79

IIM Shillong, IIM Rohtak, 10 CAP IIMs, XIMB, IMI, IMT Ghaziabad

85 – 89 %ile

61 - 71

IIM Amritsar, IIM Nagpur, IIM Vizag, MICA, IRMA, Great Lakes, GIM Goa

75 – 84 %ile

51 - 60

K J Somaiya, Welingkar, LBSIM, JIMS Rohini, BIMTECH, IMT Nagpur

65 – 73 %ile

41 - 50

IMT Hyderabad, Jaipuria Lucknow/Noida, SDMIMD, IESMCRC, IMI Bhubaneswar

CAT 2024 Preparation Tips

MBA aspirants planning to appear for CAT 2024 can follow these useful CAT preparation tips to help them crack CAT exam.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is CAT easy than neet?`
A:

CAT exam involves solving tricky and puzzling questions, which can be challenging for those who are not good at maths or logic. However, NEET exam requires candidates should be factually right and understand complex scientific concepts.

Q: Which subject is toughest in CAT?
A:

Each section of the CAT exam has its own difficulty level, but as per past few years CAT exam analysis, the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section is quite time-consuming and difficult of the four sections. 

Q: Is CAT difficult for average students?
A:

Cracking the CAT entrance exam is not easy, but it is not impossible either. With proper CAT exam preparation and the right approach, an average student can also achieve success. 

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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

Hello

As you said you by mistakenly done that,  you don't need to get worry regarding that ,

Just inform the help desk and carry the correct certifications , the state certificate will not disqualify you .

The steps you can follow is -

1. You can check if the correction window is available or not

2. Contact the CAT desk immediately.

Hope this helps

In CAT registration, you cannot create a new user ID with the same mobile number, even if you use a different email ID. Each mobile number and email can be linked to only one account. If you already registered once, the system will not accept a duplicate with that number. To register again, you must use a new mobile number and new email ID. If you lost your old login, you can recover it through the forgot password/user ID option on the CAT portal.



Yes, you can fill the CAT form even if you currently have a backlog. CAT eligibility requires you to be in your final year of graduation or already graduated backlogs don’t stop you from applying.

While filling the form:

  • Enter the aggregate percentage/CGPA of marks you have obtained up to the latest semester for which results are declared (in your case till 4th semester).

  • There will be an option to mention that you have a backlog.

  • If you clear the backlog later, you’ll just need to show the updated marks during admission.

Hello Aspirant,

Yes, you can apply for the CAT exam as a final-year student. You must declare your backlog on the online application form. You do not write about it on the final-year student certificate; that document is to certify your enrollment status. You must clear all backlogs before the final admission process to any MBA college.

Hello,

Thank you for your question!

KL- MAT syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English/Verbal Ability, and General Awareness (similar to MAT/CMAT pattern).

CAT scores are valid in many private universities including KL University, but always check the year’s admission notification.

CAT vs other exams: CAT is toughest (IIMs + top B-schools), while MAT/CMAT/ATMA are relatively easier and accepted by many mid-level private universities.

Hello it will clear your doubt!