CAT Exam Pattern 2023

Summary: The difficulty level of the CAT exam varies yearly, but it is generally considered more challenging than any other entrance exam. Therefore, thorough knowledge of the CAT Exam Pattern 2023 is crucial. 

CAT has a high standard of difficulty and requires a good knowledge of the exam pattern and syllabus and the ability to solve complex problems.

The CAT Exam Pattern consists of three sections:

• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Ability (QA)

The article elaborately discusses each section of CAT Exam Pattern 2023, along with the weightage and sectional marks. 

Download FREE Study Material for CAT Exam 2023 by SuperGrads

Overview of CAT Exam Pattern 2023

The highlights of the CAT exam paper pattern are as follows:

CAT Paper Pattern 2023
Mode of CAT exam	Computer Based Test
Duration of exam	120 minutes 40 minutes per section
Number of questions	66
CAT total marks	198
Language of question paper	English
Number of section	3
Number of answer choices	4
CAT sections	VARC, DI & LR and QA
Question Type	MCQ and non-MCQ

CAT exam pattern pdf is not available officially; you can analyse the cat exam pattern and syllabus from previous year's papers.

Section-wise Marks Distribution for CAT Exam Pattern 2023

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a competitive exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission into their MBA programs. 

Section-wise CAT exam pattern details are tabulated below.

Sections	Total No. of Questions	MCQs	Non-MCQs	Marks	Duration
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	21	3	72	40 min
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)	20	14	6	60	40 min
Quantitative Ability (QA)	22	14	8	66	40 min
Total	66	49	17	198	120 (2 hours)

CAT exam duration and pattern are tabulated above.

The exam has a high standard of difficulty and requires you to have a good knowledge of the syllabus and the ability to solve complex problems.

Check: CAT Syllabus 2023

CAT Exam Pattern for Quantitative Aptitude Pattern 2023

Here is the CAT Exam Pattern 2023 for Quantitative Aptitude Pattern:

The CAT Quantitative Aptitude exam includes only numerical-based questions from various Mathematical concepts.

This year, it is expected that there will be a total of 26 questions in this section. 

The quantitative aptitude section's detailed pattern is provided below.

The five primary topics that make up the entire quantitative aptitude section CAT entrance exam pattern:

• Basic Arithmetic
• Algebra
• Number System
• Geometry & Mensuration
• Modern Maths

Check: CAT Exam Preparation Books 2023

CAT Exam Pattern for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Pattern 2023

The CAT VARC section tests your English language skills and ability to interpret paragraphs and understand the core ideas. 

This year's CAT exam will include 26 questions from the VA-RC section.

This year, the CAT Verbal Ability section will include 8 questions.

The following are CAT Exam Pattern 2023 for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Pattern:

• Para Jumbles
• Sentence Correction and Completion
• Summary Based

The reading comprehension passages and the verbal ability section each have their own questions.

The CAT Reading Comprehension section has several questions, including title- and vocabulary-based questions.

Check: CAT Eligibility 2023

CAT Exam Pattern for Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation Pattern 2023

The logical reasoning and data interpretation component gauge how well you analyse data and comprehend logical premises.

There will be 22–24 questions in this section altogether asked in this section.

CAT MBA entrance exam pattern or CAT Exam Pattern 2023 for Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation Pattern is as follows: 

• Percentages
• Profit & Loss
• Simple Interest-Compound Interest 
• Time & Distance
• Averages-Mixtures-Alligations
• Numbers
• Mensuration
• Logarithms
• Functions & Graphs
• Indices & Surds
• Quadratic Equations
• Special Equations
• Statistics

Check: How to prepare for CAT Exam 2023

CAT Marking Scheme and Weitage 2023

Before taking the test, it's critical to understand the CAT marking scheme to decide which questions to answer and which to skip.

• The CAT 2023 exam will have a total score of 198. Each carrying has three marks.
• CAT exam pattern negative marking: There will be a negative marking of minus one for each incorrect response.
• If a candidate decides not to attempt the question, no points will be deducted from their score.
• Each part may have some questions that aren't multiple-choice, so the answers must be written accordingly.

The CAT exam marks pattern is summarised in the table below:

CAT Sections	Number of Questions	Marks Per Question	CAT Negative Marking (Only MCQ)
VARC	24	3	-1
DILR	20	3	-1
Quantitative Aptitude	22	3	-1
Total	66	198	-

Check: What to do after CAT Exam?

Conclusion

In conclusion, the CAT exam pattern is a comprehensive test that requires considerable preparation and practice. You must understand the exam format and the questions' nature to score well. Familiarise yourself with the exam pattern and structure to maximise your chances of scoring high. With the right preparation and practice, you can ace the CAT exam and achieve your desired score.