Edufoster Institute: Understanding the CAT Exam Structure and Strategy

 

Are you aspiring to pursue an MBA and looking to conquer the CAT exam? If so, then most probably you are at the right place. Through this blog, you will get to understand about the CAT exam structure and its strategies. So, without wasting your time, let’s begin.

Knowing the CAT exam structure

The CAT or Common Law Admission Test is a computer based examination that assess a candidate’s quantitative, verbal and logical reasoning abilities. Understanding the distributions of questions and time allotted to each section is crucial for time management during the exam.

If you are wandering to join the best CAT coaching in Kolkata to get good score in the CAT examination, you may choose Edufoster Institute. You will get the splendid services and facilities from Edufoster Institute.

CAT Exam pattern

CAT 2023 Exam Components	CAT 2023 Pattern
Test duration	2 hrs (120 Minutes)
Test sessions/Slots	3 (Morning, Afternoon and Evening)
Total questions	66
Total score	198
Number of Sections in CAT question paper	3 (VARC; DILR; QA)
Time Allotted for Each Section in CAT exam	40 Minutes
Total questions in VARC Section	24
Total Questions in DILR section	20
Total Questions in QA section	22

 

CAT marking scheme: key features

CAT marking scheme 2023 has five distinct features which are mentioned below –

1.      CAT has negative marking on 75% MCQ type questions

2.      25% of non MCQ type questions do not have any negative marking

3.      Raw score in CAT exam is converted into scaled score

4.      Scaled score is then converted to CAT percentile after taking various factors into account

5.      Overall CAT Score and Percentile is NOT the sum of sectional CAT score and Percentile

CAT test patterns, sections, numbers and type of questions

CAT exam is of two hours like last year. CAT 2023 exam slots are morning, afternoon and evening sessions. The CAT exam to have 66 questions divided into MCQs and non MCQs type questions.

CAT 2023 exam components	Total questions	Total MCQs (With negative marking)	Total Non-MCQs (Without negative marking)	Highlights
Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	19	5	4 RC Passages with MCQs; VA Non MCQs divided into Para jumbles, Para Summary, and Out of Context Sentences
Section-2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	20	16	4	LR – 10 Ques DI – 10 Ques All in Sets of 3 & 4 Qs
Section-3: Quantitative Ability (QA)	22	16	6	High on Arithmetic. Other on Log, Geometry, Roots, Algebra
Total	66	51	15	--

 Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

The VARC CAT question exam pattern 2023 is as below

·         Total questions: 24

·         RC passages: 4-5

·         Share of RC Based Questions: 70%

·         Type of RC Based questions: All MCQs with 1/3 negative marking

·         VA questions: 5-6

·         Type of VA Questions: Non-MCQs without negative marking

·         LOD: Moderate to Very difficult

·         Section Highlights:

·         No Grammar or vocabulary based questions

·         Verbal Ability questions confines to 3 topics – Jumbled paragraph; Para summary; picking the odd sentence out of the jumbled sentences

CAT: Computer based exam but not online test

Is the CAT online test? Responding to this query IIMs respond that CAT paper pattern is computer based but CAT is NOT online test. Regarding the exam pattern of CAT, IIMs clarify “CAT is not an online exam. It is a digital or Computer Based Test (CBT); not an Internet-Based Test (IBT); that is, a candidate will not take the exam on an internet site. Instead of reading the questions in a paper booklet and darkening the ovals on the answer-sheet, a candidate will read the questions on a computer terminal and choose an answer by clicking on the correct option.”

So, the CAT exam pattern 2023, despite being a computer based exam, is not an online exam. Sharing the key difference and USPs of CAT exam pattern, IIMs further elaborate “In the computer-based format, the candidate reads a question on a computer terminal and clicks on the correct answer. Additionally, the timer on the computer screen tells you the remaining time to complete the current section.”

After the major transformation of going green in 2009, CAT exam structure and pattern has been revised number of times in terms of number of sections, number of questions, time duration, and difficulty level, type of questions, scoring pattern and testing window.  IIM Ahmedabad which conducted Common Admission Test (CAT) in 2015, brought about number of changes in CAT exam pattern increasing the number of CAT sections from 2 to 3; introducing Non-MCQs.  After that CAT exam pattern has stabilized to a great extent. The exam is also now held in a single day as against a long testing window of 30-40 days.

 As far now you have understood the CAT exam structure and strategy , now you will get to know about the best MBA coaching in Kolkata and its amazing facilities which are mentioned below –

·         Qualified faculty

·         Personalised dashboards

·         24*7 Instant doubt solving

·         Personalised mentoring

·         Mock test

·         Useful study materials

Conclusion

Hope, you have understood about the CAT exam structure and strategies which are mentioned above in this blog. If you are willing to crack your CAT exam at your first attempt, then may visit the top MBA coaching in Kolkata. You will get all the services at a very affordable price. Enroll yourself into the Edufoster Institute and get all the benefits today.