CAT Exam Pattern 2024: Check CAT Exam Question Paper Pattern Details

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 2024 is crucial. 

The CAT Entrance Exam has a high standard of difficulty and requires a good knowledge of the CAT exam pattern for MBA, the syllabus and the ability to solve complex problems.

The CAT Exam Question 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 the CAT 2024 Exam Pattern, weightage, and sectional marks. 

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Overview of CAT Exam Pattern 2024

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

CAT Exam Question Paper Pattern 2024
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

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

Note that the official website does not provide any CAT exam paper pattern pdf. 

Expected Section-wise Marks Distribution for CAT Exam Question Paper Pattern 2024

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

Expected Section-wise CAT exam paper pattern details are tabulated below.

CAT Exam Pattern 2024 - Sections	Total No. of Questions	CAT Exam Pattern 2024 - MCQs	TITA Questions	CAT Exam Marks Pattern	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)

Last year, the CAT Exam was conducted in three slots of two hours each – morning (8:30 – 10:30 am), afternoon (12:30 – 2:30 pm) and evening (4:30 – 6:30 pm). 

CAT exam duration and CAT exam pattern details 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.

CAT Exam Pattern for Quantitative Aptitude Pattern 2024

Here is the Exam Pattern of CAT 2024 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

Last year, QA consisted of 22 questions, out of which 8 were TITA questions. The table below gives the number of questions asked per slot based on the four broadly classified areas of QA i.e., Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math and Number Theory. 

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CAT Exam Pattern 2024 - Slot/Topic	Arithmetic	Algebra	Geometry	Modern Math and Number Theory
Slot 1	9	7	3	3
Slot 2	8	7	3	4
Slot 3	11	6	3	2

Check: CAT Exam Preparation Books 2024

CAT Exam Pattern for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Pattern 2024

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 eight questions.

The following are CAT 2024 Exam Pattern 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.

Last year, VARC had four passages with a total of 16 questions. 3 Para Summary Questions, 3 Para Jumble Questions and 2 Missing Sentence Questions completed the section. From a total of 24 questions, 3 were TITA questions. 

CAT Exam Pattern for Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation Pattern 2024

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 2024 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

Last year, DILR consisted of 4 sets with five questions each. From a total of 20 questions, 6 were TITA questions. Here is a slot-wise analysis of the topics on which the sets were based. 

Slots/Sets	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4
Slot 1	Routes & Networks	Venn Diagram	Mathematical Reasoning	Games & Tournaments
Slot 2	Routes & Networks	Venn Diagram	Tables & Graphs	Selection & Distribution
Slot 3	Tables & Graphs	Arrangements	Tables & Graphs	Rank & Ordering

Check: How to prepare for CAT Exam 2024

CAT Marking Scheme and Weitage 2024

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 2024 exam is expected to have a total score of 198. Each carrying has three marks. (+3)
• CAT exam pattern negative marking: There will be a negative marking of minus one for each incorrect response. (-1)
• There is no negative marking for TITA questions. (+3/ no negative marking) 
• 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.

Check: CAT Eligibility 2024

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

CAT Exam Pattern 2024 - 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?

In conclusion, the CAT exam pattern 2024 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 CAT Exam question paper 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.

Check: CAT 2024 Application Form