CAT Exam Preparation 2023

Summary: Almost 2 Lakh candidates take CAT yearly, and more than 5000 seats are offered by the 20 IIMs currently functioning in India. With so many competitors and the great difficulty levels of CAT, devising a perfect reparation strategy is crucial!

With the right effort and dedication, you can succeed in the CAT exam and be one step closer to achieving your dreams of studying at an Indian Institute of Management.

To prepare for the CAT exam, you must be familiar with the syllabus, exam pattern and the best study materials to maximise your chances of scoring well.

Additionally, you must use mock tests, and practice questions, to your advantage to sharpen your problem-solving skills and ensure you are well-prepared for the exam. 

Here is how you effectively plan your preparations. 

Download FREE Study Material for CAT Exam 2023 by SuperGrads

How to prepare for CAT exam 2023?

CAT Exam Preparation is essential to preparing for the Common Admission Test. 

1 - Check for the latest updates of CAT Exam Preparation 2023

Check for any changes in the exam pattern or syllabus that you must be aware of before you start your preparations. 

If there are no changes to the CAT exam pattern, here is the exam pattern to follow: 

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)

Check the weightage and marking scheme to help you prioritise the CAT exam preparation syllabus and plan your preparations accordingly. 

2 - Gather Study Materials 

Here is the list of CAT preparation material and books for all 3 sections. 

CAT Books 2023 for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

• How to Prepare for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for CAT by Meenakshi Upadhyay

CAT Books 2023 for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma
• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT and Other MBA Entrance Examinations by Nishit K Sinha
• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Guide for CAT and Other MBA Entrance Examinations by S. Jha

CAT Books 2023 for Quantitative Aptitude

• CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning by Gautam Puri
• Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha
• Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency by Ananta Ashisha

3 - CAT Exam Preparation 2023 Approach

How to start preparing for CAT? Here a CAT preparation strategy:

• Clear the Concepts & their Applications. Start taking mocks. You will know the topics and type of questions asked in CAT VARC, LR, and QA sections, their key concepts, and how to answer them.
• Devise Strategy and complete syllabus of all and start attending sectional tests.
• Revise

Check: CAT Eligibility 2023

4 - CAT Exam Preparation 2023 for QA

• Applicants must thoroughly study important mathematical ideas, theorems, and formulas to succeed in the CAT 2023.
• While you prepare for the CAT, practise your mental math skills to get a high CAT Score.
• During CAT preparation, you should learn tables up to 40, squares up to 30, cubes up to 20, and percentage equivalents of fractions up to 25. These are all methods that save time.
• With a shorter time, you must respond to more CAT Quant Questions. It is better to respond to three straightforward inquiries than one difficult one.

5 - CAT Exam Preparation 2023 for DILR Section

• While preparing for the CAT, practise Vedic math repeatedly. It will assist you in properly and quickly resolving issues.
• Never assume. Never guess; always read the question thoroughly before responding. Words like none, some, all, unless, and so forth should be avoided.
• Important subjects in DILR include seating arrangements, blood relationships, propositions, syllogisms, data arrangements, puzzles, statements, and assumptions. 
• You must complete a thorough CAT preparation for these chapters to achieve a high score.
• Syllogism has a high point value; thus, candidates should pay attention and use Venn diagrams to answer crucial questions.

6 - CAT Exam Preparation 2023 for VARC Section

• The candidates must begin their CAT preparation as soon as possible. Reading comprehension is important since it focuses on creating and maintaining a reading habit. 
• Practice the CAT Mock Exam frequently to enhance grammar and VA. Moreover, consistent practice will improve accuracy when preparing for the CAT.
• Make a point of picking up new words daily to expand your vocabulary. To further your CAT 2023 preparation, you must pick the appropriate VARC books.
• To gauge how well you are reading, keep track of how long it takes to finish a passage. 
• Choose a passage from a magazine, book, newspaper, or novel, and note how you falter while studying for the CAT.

7 - Mocks and previous year's papers 

Solving mocks for CAT can be beneficial in several ways. 

Firstly, it helps you familiarise yourself with the structure and types of questions likely to appear in the CAT exam. 

Secondly, it helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses to improve the areas where you lag.

 Thirdly, it lets you practice time management and improve speed and accuracy. Finally, it helps build confidence and reduce anxiety about appearing for the exam.

Take many mocks and solve the previous year's papers before you attempt the final CAT paper.

Conclusion

The CAT exam is challenging and competitive, requiring much hard work and dedication to succeed. 

It is important to have a comprehensive study plan that covers all the topics and allows enough time for practice and revision.

Additionally, it is important to take mock tests regularly to identify areas of improvement and build confidence. 

Proper planning and dedication make it possible to ace the CAT exam and make your dream of getting into a top business school a reality.