CAT 2019 Analysis by IMS - The CAT question paper 2019 was of moderate difficulty without any surprises. Read here in detail, CAT 2019 analysis by IMS.
The first slot of CAT 2019 took place today (November 24) between 9 am and 12 noon. The exam was conducted smoothly without any technical or other glitches. There was no change in the overall exam pattern or in the types of questions from the last three years’ CAT. Take a look at detailed CAT 2019 analysis of slot 1 question paper, to know the types of questions asked, section-wise difficulty level, break up of the CAT question paper, sectional cut offs and expected scores.
CAT 2019 Analysis: Highlights
Section No. |
Section Name |
Total Number of Questions |
Number of Multiple Choice Questions |
Number of TITA Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension |
34 |
27 |
07 |
Medium |
II |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning |
32 |
24 |
08 |
Medium |
III |
Quantitative Ability |
34 |
23 |
11 |
Medium |
|
TOTAL |
100 |
74 |
26 |
Medium |
Based on the feedback received from several candidates we estimate the scores and percentiles*** to be as follows:
Percentile |
VARC score |
DILR score |
QA score |
Overall Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
99 %ile |
70 |
51 |
57 |
161-164 |
95%ile |
59 |
40 |
40 |
127-130 |
90%ile |
52 |
34 |
31 |
107-110 |
85%ile (CUT-OFF) |
45 |
29 |
27 |
95-98 |
CAT 2019: Verdict
- The first slot of CAT 2019 was more or less on similar lines as CAT 2018 in terms of Level of Difficulty. There were no surprises or new question types in CAT 2019.
- No new question types were seen in any of the sections.
- An overall attempt of 68-70 questions with an accuracy of 85 percent should be classified as a good performance in CAT 2019 and fetch around 99 percentile.
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Section-wise: CAT 2019 Analysis
Section I – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
- The overall difficulty level of VARC Section of CAT 2019 was medium. It was more difficult than CAT 2018.
- The VARC section was a replica of the CAT 2018 section in terms of question types. Grammar and Vocabulary questions were absent as in the last four years.
- RC had 4 passages with 5 questions each & 1 passage with 4 questions, making up the 24 questions.
- Few questions were direct and easy. Most of the questions were inference based and, like in 2018, critical reasoning type questions were also present.
- The length of the passages varied from 450 words to 500 words.
- Similar to 2018 CAT, the Paragraph Jumbles Questions consisted of 4 jumbled sentences. Of the 10 Non-RC (VA) questions (Shuffled) - 7 were TITA and 3 were MCQs.
- Three out-of-context sentence questions were in TITA format
- Four paragraph jumbles were in TITA format
- Three paragraph summary/author’s opinion questions – MCQs (with negative marks)
Break up of VARC section of CAT 2019:
Area / Questions |
No. of Questions |
Type of Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
---|---|---|---|
Reading Comprehension |
24 |
MCQ |
Overall: Medium to Difficult |
RC-1: British folk music |
5 |
MCQ |
Difficult |
RC- 2: Topophilia |
5 |
MCQ |
Medium |
RC-3: Emperor Penguins
|
4 |
MCQ |
Easy |
RC-4: Internet Shopping and choice anxiety |
5 |
MCQ |
Medium |
RC-5: Origin of story of Aladdin |
5 |
MCQ |
Medium |
Verbal Ability |
10 |
MCQ & TITA |
Overall: Medium |
Parajumbles ( 4 sentences) |
4 |
TITA |
Easy-1, Medium-2, Difficult-1 |
Out of Context sentence |
3 |
TITA |
Medium-2, Difficult-1 |
Summary |
3 |
MCQ |
Easy-1 , Medium-1, Difficult-1 |
Overall, an attempt of 24 to 26 questions in this section with 85% accuracy should be a good bet.
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Section II – Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
- The DI-LR section had a total of 8 sets with 4 questions in each set. There were 2 sets of Data Interpretation and 5 sets of Logical Reasoning while 1 set was a combination of DI and LR. There were 3 easy to medium sets, those sets were easily doable. 2 sets were medium, 1 set was medium to difficult and 2 sets were difficult.
- Some of the sets were difficult to comprehend and very time consuming, identifying and skipping those sets (Archery set, Crimes in States and Street Intersection) and attempting all the remaining sets would take the score high. So selection of the right sets to solve was the key to a good performance in this section.
- One set was completely TITA and the remaining 4 TITA questions were dispersed across 2 individual sets with 2 TITA each. Five sets were completely MCQ. There were a total of 8 TITA questions
A detailed description of the sets in this section is given below for your reference:
Set No. |
Area |
Set Description |
Number of Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
Question Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Logical Reasoning – Arrangement based |
Linear Arrangement in Super Market |
4 |
Medium |
4 MCQ |
2 |
Data Interpretation – Calculation based |
Bar Chart + Table Crimes in States |
4 |
Difficult |
2 MCQ 2 TITA |
3 |
Logical Reasoning – Games & Tournament based |
Archery |
4 |
Difficult |
4 MCQ |
4 |
Logical Reasoning – Puzzle based |
Prizes to be put in 100 boxes |
4 |
Medium |
2 MCQ 2 TITA |
5 |
Logical Reasoning – Puzzle based |
Coding |
4 |
Easy to Medium |
4 TITA |
6 |
Data Interpretation – Reasoning based |
Spider Chart on 5 vendors and 6 attributes |
4 |
Easy to Medium |
2 MCQ 2 TITA |
7 |
Logical Reasoning – Puzzle based |
Streets Intersection |
4 |
Medium to Difficult |
4 MCQ |
8 |
Logical Reasoning – Arrangement based |
Dancers and Composers |
4 |
Easy to Medium |
4 MCQ |
Some of the sets that could have been definitely solved were the ones based on the spider chart, coding and dancers & composers. Overall the section was marginally easier as compared to last year CAT. An attempt of around 5 sets (18-20 questions) in this section with 85%-90% accuracy should see percentile in the vicinity of 99 in this section.
Section III - Quantitative Ability
This section was of medium difficulty level. There were 13 easy, 13-15 medium and 6-8 difficult questions. In fact as per student feedback it was slightly easier than QA section of last year CAT but tougher than QA section of CAT 2017 slots.
- Like the last couple of years CAT QA section, this section was dominated by Arithmetic with 13 questions followed by Modern Math with 8 questions, Geometry with 7 questions and Algebra with 5 questions. There was only one question of numbers.
- There were 11 TITA questions this year.
- If one went through the entire section, there were 10 to 12 sitters for the taking while 6-8 questions that made students sweat.
Following was the area wise break-up of the questions in this section.
Area |
Number of questions |
Total |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
Level of Difficulty |
Easy |
Medium |
Difficult |
|
Numbers |
|
1 |
|
1 |
Arithmetic |
11 |
2 |
|
13 |
Algebra |
|
3 |
2 |
5 |
Geometry |
2 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
Modern Maths |
|
5 |
3 |
8 |
Surprisingly, there were no diagrams in any Geometry questions but the questions were of different difficulty levels, from easy to medium to difficult. All the Arithmetic questions were doable. Overall an attempt of 20 to 22 questions in this section with 85 percent accuracy should be a good bet.
***The scores and percentiles mentioned in this analysis are indicators based on the feedback from students and IMS experts and are in no way related to the results, which will be declared by the IIMs in January 2020. You are advised to wait for the results.
CAT 2019 Analysis: Slot 2
The second slot examination for CAT 2019 was conducted between 2.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. Based on feedback from our students and faculty, we compared the difficulty of each section:
Section |
Actual Difficulty Level |
Compared to CAT 2019 Slot 1 |
Compared to CAT 2018 |
---|---|---|---|
VARC |
Moderate to Tough |
Tougher |
Tougher |
DILR |
Moderate to Tough |
At par |
At par |
QA |
Easy to Moderate |
Easier |
Tougher |
Like slot 1, all the RC questions were together (1-24), but were not represented as a separate section. These were followed by the 10 non-RC questions. Like CAT 2017, the DILR sets had a mix of MCQ and NE type questions.
The calculator provided was a simple calculator, rather than a scientific one. Like slot I, the watermark was absent from the test, thereby making the student’s life easier. The overall interface replicated the official CAT player provided by the CAT authorities
Overall Breakup
Section |
Section Name |
MCQ |
NE (TITA) |
Total |
Difficulty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension |
24 |
10 |
34 |
Moderate to Tough |
II |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning |
24 |
8 |
32 |
Moderate to Tough |
III |
Quantitative Ability |
22 |
12 |
34 |
Easy to Moderate |
Section I – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
- Level of Difficulty – Moderate to Tough
- Like CAT 2018, the overall structure remained constant. There were 4 RCs of 5 questions each and 1 RC of 4 questions each. However, unlike CAT Slot I, the 4-question RC was after all the 5-question RCs.
- The other question types – Jumbled Sentences, Paragraph Summary and Contextual Odd Man Out questions – were similar to previous CATs. Like CAT 2018, the Paragraph Summaries were MCQs in CAT 2019 and definitely on the tougher side.
- The RCs were mainly in the 400-500 word length range and based on diverse topics such British Colonialism and Squatter Cities. Apart from the one passage on British Colonialism, the rest were easy to read. However, most questions were inferential with very close options.
- The Jumbled Sentences and Contextual Odd Man Out questions were moderate to tough, with some questions being really tough.
- RC topics ranged from diverse area from dense ones like British Colonialism and impact of language on culture to readable ones like Digital Colonialism by Google, Squatter Cities and Green Impact; and Dispersal of Bureaucrats.
- It was possible to attempt 24 to 26 questions with high accuracy. 24 attempts with 80 percent accuracy could fetch 97 percentile, and 27 attempts at similar accuracy could get around 99 percentile.
Section II: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
- Level of Difficulty – Moderate to Tough
- The section was almost similar to the first slot, but the easy and tough sets were very clearly delineated.
- Like CAT 2018 and the morning slot, the sets had a mix of both MCQ and NE questions. Some of the sets were a combination of both LR and DI, though their proportion was slightly less this year.
- Two sets were purely DI based (scatter plot on rainfall and spider chart on profit/loss) and resembled typical NMAT sets more than CAT sets. These were the easiest sets of the test and should definitely have been attempted.
- Also, the set on Venn diagrams was easy and should have been tried.
- The sets on pouches in different rows/columns and on teams with languages were deceptively tricky and time consuming. These should have been left for later.
- The sets on tournaments, doctors and setting of the paper are being considered as the toughest sets and could have been skipped.
- It was possible to attempt 18-19 questions in this section to get a 99 percentile or above.
Section III - Quantitative Ability
- Level of Difficulty – Easy to Moderate
- Unlike CAT 2018, the QA section of CAT 2019, slot 2, was definitely easier compared to the previous three years. There were a number of easy questions, especially in Arithmetic and Modern Maths.
- A key feature of the questions this year was that a number of questions tested a mixture of concepts. So, candidates had to qualitatively know the significance of various properties and concepts, and apply them accordingly.
- The section was dominated by Arithmetic (13 questions), followed by Algebra (10 questions), Modern Maths (6 questions) and Geometry (5 questions).
- There were fewer NE questions (11) compared to earlier CAT exams.
- Solving 21-22 questions with 85-90% accuracy would be a good performance of this section to get 99 percentile.
On the whole, both the morning and evening slots of CAT were similar and well balanced. However, individually the difficulty level of sections varied. A redeeming feature for students was that no new question types were reported.
An overall performance of 64-66 questions with 85-90% accuracy can be considered a good performance for this slot.
The corresponding marks for a 99 percentile would be:
Sections | CAT score |
---|---|
VARC | 65 |
DILR | 49 |
QA | 60 |
Overall | 166-168 |
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Download: Institute wise IIM CAT cut off
Read More:
- CAT 2019: Exam analysis and expected cut offs
- CAT 2019 score vs percentile
- CAT 2019 answer key – know how to download
- Previous years’ and expected CAT cut offs
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Student Forum
Answered Yesterday
Yes, students with 80% and above in CAT are eligible for a waiver of INR 3.50 Lacs at Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida. The total course fee for PGDM is INR 15.75 lakh. After waiver, students have to pay INR 12.25 Lacs as PGDM fee.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Jaipuria Noida considers CAT score for scholarship to PGDM Marketing Management students. Below is the criteria and fee after waiver for PGDM:
Course | Criteria | Fee After Scholarship |
---|---|---|
PGDM Marketing Management | 80% & above | INR 12.25 lakh |
PGDM Marketing Management | 70% & above | INR 13.25 lakh |
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Students with 90 percentile and above in CAT are eligible for 50% fee waiver. The total tuition fee for MBA is INR 6.97 lakh. MBA students need to pay INR 3.48 Lacs after waiver for the course. The waiver is offered on the total tuition fee of MBA.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
14 candidates have scored 100 percentile in CAT 2024, out of a total of 2.93 Lacs candidates. Out of 14 toppers, 1 is a woman candidate. Check below CAT 2024 result data:
Check the below table for data and statistics of CAT 2024 test takers and toppers.
CAT Toppers | Gender and Discipline | State |
---|---|---|
100 percentiles 14 - Nos | Female - 1 Male - 13 Engg – 13 Non-Engg – 1 | Andhra Pradesh 1 Delhi 2 Haryana 1 Kerala 1 Maharashtra 5 Odisha 1 Rajasthan 1 Telangana 2 |
99.99 percentiles 29 -Nos. | Female - 2 Male - 27 Engg – 25 Non-Engg - 4 | Chandigarh 1 Delhi 4 Gujarat 2 Haryana 1 Karnataka 3 Kerala 1 Madhya Pradesh 1 Maharashtra 5 Odisha 1 Punjab 1 Rajasthan 3 Tamil Nadu 1 Telangana 1 Uttar Pradesh1 Uttarakhand 1 West Bengal 2 |
99.98 percentiles 30-Nos | Female - 1 Male - 29 Engg – 20 Non-Engg -10 | Bihar 1 Delhi 2 Gujarat 2 Haryana 4 Karnataka 4 Madhya Pradesh 3 Maharashtra 3 Tamil Nadu 2 Telangana 3 Uttar Pradesh 2 West Bengal 4 |
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Beginner-Level 1
Answered 2 days ago
The HCL Career Aptitude Test is part of the TechBee programme for students who have completed their Class XII. The test dates are announced every year and the candidates are communicated on the registered email address itself.
The HCL TechBee CAT has been scheduled on November 14 for batch 1 of the y
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
The total tuition fee for NIMS University MBA course is INR 4 lakh. Students who have passed CAT get 100% waiver in tuition fee for both years only if they secure 90 percentile and above in the exam. For such students, the tuition fee for each year is not applicable.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Students who have secured 90 percentile and above in CAT are eligible for NIMS University scholarship for MBA students. Under this scholarship, students get a 100% waiver on the total tuition fee applicable for two-years. After waiver, student do not have to pay any tuition fee in both the years.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Saintgits Institute of Management offers MBA based on valid entrance exam scores. The Institute accepts minimum aggregate of 60% in graduation and valid scores in accepted entrance exams. Saintgits Institute of Management accepts entrance exam scores of CAT/ MAT/ XAT/ CMAT etc. Apart from this, cand
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Answered 3 days ago
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A candidate who scores just 20 on the percentile scale in CAT, hence, will find it really difficult to get admission for MBA programs to any top part of the elite business schools, for all these institutes have put a very high cut-off percentage on a general basis in the range of 85 to 99 percentile
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Contributor-Level 10
Is 80% in CAT enough for PGDM scholarship at Jaipuria Noida?