CAT 2024 Analysis by Career Launcher and TIME (Slot 1, 2, & 3)
Common Admission Test 2024 ( CAT )
CAT 2024 analysis - The CAT 2024 paper analysis has sectional difficulty level, topic wise weightage, number of good attempts and expected CAT cut offs for MBA admission. Check out CAT 2024 exam analysis for slot 1, 2, and 3 by Career Launcher and TIME.
CAT 2024 analysis
CAT 2024 analysis by Career Launcher and TIME – The CAT 2024 exam was conducted today at over 400 exam centres in three slots. As per the CAT exam analysis 2024, IIM Calcutta set a moderate paper. The CAT question paper 2024 of first slot was moderately tough, so was the question paper of second slot. The CAT 2024 slot 3 question paper was also moderate. Section-wise, CAT 2024 exam analysis reveals that VARC and DILR questions were easy to moderate whereas CAT Quantitative Aptitude section was slightly tougher n comparison to the other two sections. There were no parajumbles in the VARC section of CAT 2024. DILR had 22 questions in all the slots. In-depth, CAT analysis 2024 has been share here by Career Launcher and TIME.
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There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.Q: What's new in CAT exam?
Q: What is the sectional time limit in CAT?
Q: What is CAT exam pattern?
CAT is a computer based test which is conducted in three shifts. The CAT is conducted for two hours in which candidates have to solve 68 questions.
These 68 questions are divided into three sections Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension VARC Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning DILR and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). The VARC section has 24 questions, the DILR section has 28 questions and QA section has 22 question. Each question carries 3 marks for correct entry and -1 for incorrect entry. There is no negative marking for unanswered question. A unique aspect of CAT is the sectional time limit. Each section has a time limit of 40 minutes (53.20 minutes for PwD candidates).
Candidates have to complete the section within the time limit as the moment the onscreen timer shows 0 minutes left, the screen will automatically move to the next section. There is no option to go back to older questions. Also, candidates have to follow the question paper chronology. They have to first solve the VARC section, then the DILR section and then the QA section.
CAT 2024 Analysis: Key Highlights
Check the key highlights of CAT 2024 exam below. The CAT exam pattern has changed. There were 68 questions in CAT 2024, instead of 66. In VARC, there were no parajumble questions.
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| CAT 2024 Particulars |
Details |
|---|---|
| Number of questions |
68 |
| Difficulty level |
Moderate |
| Sectional break up |
VARC: 24 DILR: 22 QA: 22 |
| Total marks |
204 |
| Good attempt |
98-99 for 99%tile |
Also read:
- CAT 2024 cut offs: college-wise
- CAT 2024 answer key and response sheet
- CAT 2024 result: when and where?
CAT 2024 Exam Analysis by Career Launcher
Read below CAT 2024 paper analysis by Career Launcher. Read to know the key highlights of the exam this year by expert.
| CAT 2024 slot 1 sections | Number of good attempts | Ideal score attempt |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | 14-16 | 40 |
| DILR | 10-11 | 32 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 10 | 35 |
| Total | 36 | 90 |
CAT Slot 1 Analysis 2024: VARC
The RC passages were around 400-450 words each. 2 questions were Non-MCQs or TITA questions. Odd-sentence-out questions and para completion were both included in the section this year.
| Passage Topic/ Area |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
16 |
Easy to Moderate |
| Para summary |
4 |
|
| Para completion |
2 |
|
| Odd one out |
2 |
Check below the break up of RC section of CAT 2024 slot 1:
Q: Does CAT have negative marking?
Q: What is the weightage of the DILR section in CAT?
In CAT exam, there are 20 questions in the Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning section and the total sectional marks is 60 out of 198. In CAT 2020, there were 24 question on DILR and the sectional marks were 72. In CAT 2021 and CAT 2022, there were 20 questions and the sectional marks were 60. The 20 questions are equally divided into both Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. That means, Both Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning have 10 questions each. The questions are mostly in sets. There’s rarely any standalone question in DILR.
Some of the top MBA entrance exams carrying a high weightage of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning questions are MAH CET, ATMA, CAT, CMAT, XAT IIFT, to name a few.
Q: What is the marking scheme of CAT?
Q: Is the question type and pattern of CAT and GMAT similar?
The question type and pattern of CAT (Common Admission Test) and GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) are not similar. While both exams are used for admissions to management programs, they have different formats and question types. Here are the key differences between CAT and GMAT.
CAT:
- CAT is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).
- It is a computer-based exam consisting of three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).
- CAT includes multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and non-MCQs (Type In The Answer) questions.
- The exam pattern may vary from year to year, but generally, CAT has a time limit for each section and a fixed number of questions in each section.
GMAT:
- GMAT is an internationally recognised exam used by business schools worldwide and in India for admission to MBA and MIM programs.
- It is a computer-adaptive test, meaning the difficulty level of questions adjusts based on the test-taker's performance on the GMAT exam.
- GMAT consists of four sections: Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), and Verbal Reasoning (VR).
- The question types in GMAT include multiple-choice questions, data sufficiency, sentence correction, etc.
- The GMAT 2023 exam pattern remains consistent, with a fixed number of questions and time limits for each section.
In summary, while both CAT and GMAT are entrance exams for management programs, their question types, formats, and sections differ significantly. However, it is possible to prepare for both the exam simultaneously as both are based on a similar theme. In fact, both exams will complement each other’s preparation.
Q: What is the difference between slot 1, 2 and 3 of CAT exam paper?
There is no difference between slot 1, 2 and 3 of CAT exam paper in terms of structure and patten. The sectional break up, marking scheme and time limit are the same in all slots. However, due to unique sets of questions in each slot leads to difference in difficulty levels. There is usually a slight difference in the CAT question papers of different slots. Sometimes, topic wise weightage of the questions also vary. To negate advantage or disadantage to candidates due to difference in difficulty level of slots, CAT scores are normalised for result preparation.
| RC Passages |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility & Human Economics |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Entertainment/ Netflix |
4 |
3 |
Easy |
| Australian Spices |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
| Craftsmanship |
4 |
4 |
Moderate |
Check below the break up of VA section of CAT 2024 slot 1:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasummary |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
| Odd Sentence |
2 |
2 |
Easy |
| Para completion |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
CAT Slot 1 Analysis 2024: DILR
DILR section was comparatively easier, even though there were 2 extra questions from previous years. There were a total of 10 non-MCQs in CAT DILR slot 1.
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candlestick – Shares based |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
| Games and Tournament |
5 |
4 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Bar Graph- Blogger based |
4 |
2-3 |
Moderate |
| Bar Graph-Set theory based |
4 |
2-3 |
Moderate |
| Caselet- percentage based |
5 |
3-4 |
Moderate |
CAT Slot 1 Analysis 2024: Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT 2024 slot 1 had 8 non-MCQs questions. And as always, Arithmetic dominated the section followed by Algebra.
| Sections |
Units |
Number of questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number System |
Remainder, Indices |
2 |
Moderate- Difficult |
| Algebra |
Log, Equations, Functions, Maxima-Minima, Sequence & Series, Algebraic Expression |
8 |
Moderate |
| Arithmetic |
TSD, T&W, SI-CI, Percentage, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios |
8 |
Easy |
| Modern Math |
P&C |
1 |
Moderate- Difficult |
| Modern Math |
Circle, Cuboid/Square, Coordinate Geometry |
3 |
Moderate |
CAT 2024 Analysis: Slot 2
CAT slot 2 analysis 2024 reveals that the question paper was similar to slot 1 paper, i.e. easier that CAT 2023. There were no parajumbles in CAT 2024 slot 2 as well. A score of 90-92 will be ideal for CAT slot 2 test takers.
CAT slot 2 analysis 2024: VARC
The RC passages were of 400-450 words. Out of 24 questions, 2 were non-MCQ type. Parajumbles were absent in the second slot of CAT 2024 too. Check details below:
| Passage Topic/ Area |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
16 |
Easy to Moderate |
| Para summary |
4 |
|
| Para completion |
2 |
|
| Odd one out |
2 |
Check below the break up of RC section of CAT 2024 slot 2:
| RC Passages |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spices Trade |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Peer Review |
4 |
3 |
Easy |
| Externalities |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
| Carnivore-Human Conflict |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
Check below the break up of VA section of CAT 2024 slot 2:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasummary |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
| Odd Sentence |
2 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Para completion |
3 |
3 |
Moderate |
CAT Slot 2 Analysis 2024: DILR
CAT 2024 DILR section too had 22 questions. There were 5 sets with 4-5 questions each. Check below the break up of CAT DILR section of slot 2:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Graph - Frequency Distribution/ Average Based |
5 |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Two Scatter Plot (x/y axis- PAT/ES) |
5 |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Grid Based (Row/Column- Number Arrangement) |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Roots and Network (Maxima-Minima) |
4 |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Data Arrangement(7 Students, 3 Coaches/ Rating Based) |
4 |
2 |
Easy-Moderate |
CAT Slot 2 Analysis 2024: Quantitative Aptitude
In the Quantitative Aptitude of CAT 2024 slot 2, there were 22 questions in total, out of which 8 were non-MCQ type. This slot was also dominated by Algebra and Arithmetic.
| Sections |
Units |
Number of questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number System |
Remainder, Indices |
2 |
Moderate- Difficult |
| Algebra |
Log, Sequence & Series, Functions, Inequalities, Mod/Linear Equations, Quadratic Equations |
8 |
Moderate |
| Arithmetic |
TSD, T&W, SI-CI, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios |
8 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Modern Math |
P&C |
1 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Modern Math |
Circle, Trapezium, Coordinate Geometry |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
CAT 2024 Analysis: Slot 3
CAT slot 3 analysis 2024 suggests that the paper was moderate. There were no parajumbles in CAT 2024 slot 3 as well. A 41-42 correct attempts will be enough in this slot.
CAT Slot 3 Analysis 2024: VARC
In CAT 2024 slot 3 too, there were no parajumbles. There were 2 non-MCQs and the overall difficulty level was moderate. Check below CAT VARC Slot 3 break up.
| Passage Topic/ Area |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
16 |
Easy to Moderate |
| Para summary |
3 |
|
| Para completion |
3 |
|
| Odd one out |
2 |
Check below the break up of RC section of CAT 2024 slot 3:
| RC Passages |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact of AI |
4 |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Languages |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Chinese Moutai |
4 |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Saving outer space and other planets |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
Check below the break up of VA section of CAT 2024 slot 3:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasummary |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
| Odd Sentence |
2 |
2 |
Easy |
| Para completion |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
CAT Slot 3 Analysis 2024: DILR
DILR section of CAT 2024 slot 3 also had 22 questions. It was slightly more difficult than CAT slot 1 and slot 2. Check the sectional break up and difficulty level below:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrient –Food Grain (Table based) |
4 |
3-4 |
Easy Moderate |
| GDP (Table based) |
4 |
3-4 |
Easy-Moderate |
| AC Temperature (Line Graph) |
5 |
2-3 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| OTT (Bar Graph) |
4 |
3-4 |
Easy-Moderate |
| ATM Network |
5 |
4-5 |
Easy-Moderate |
CAT Slot 3 Analysis 2024: Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT 2024 slot 3 also had 8 non-MCQs questions. Similar to slot 1 and slot 2, Arithmetic dominated the section followed by Algebra.
| Sections |
Units |
Number of questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number System |
Remainder, Indices |
2 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Algebra |
Log, Equations, Functions, Sequence & Series, Integer Solution, Maxima Minima |
8 |
Moderate |
| Arithmetic |
TSD, T&W, SI-CI, Percentage, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios |
8 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Modern Math |
P&C |
1 |
Easy |
| Modern Math |
Circle, Polygon, Triangle |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
CAT 2024 Exam Analysis by T.I.M.E
Read below CAT 2024 paper analysis by T.I.M.E. Read to know the key highlights of the exam this year by expert.
CAT 2024 Analysis: Sectional Breakup
| Section |
Number of Questions |
Sectional Time |
|---|---|---|
| VARC |
24 |
40 Minutes |
| DILR |
22 |
40 Minutes |
| QA |
22 |
40 Minutes |
| Total |
68 |
120 Minutes |
CAT 2024 analysis: VARC
The questions in VARC section of CAT 2024 were similar to last three years. The surprise element was absence of parajumbles. There were 16 RC questions, 3 para summary questions, 2 odd one out questions and 3 from sentence fillers.
CAT 2024 analysis: DILR
There were a total of 22 questions, including 2 sets of 5 questions each and 3 set of 4 questions each. The questions were overall doable.
CAT 2024 analysis: Quantitative Aptitude
There was no change in the Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT 2024. The questions in Quant section were a bit easier than last year’s slot 1. Algebra and Arithmetic dominated this section.
To be updated.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 14 hours ago
Hey! I've been in your shoes, so I totally get how you're feeling right now. Scoring the 78 percentile in CAT is a solid achievement, and you might be wondering whether it's enough to get into PIBM Pune. Let me tell you, PIBM looks beyond just numbers—they focus on your overall profile rather than j
S
Beginner-Level 1
Answered Yesterday
MBA in Human Resources Admission is based on either numerous admission tests such as the CAT, MAT, SNAP, CMAT, and others, or on merit. After passing the entrance tests, the student must go through a Group Discussion and Personal Interview Round to be further screened. Students need to hold their b
P
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
No, your CAT 2026 attempt will not be considerd a gap year because you will be in your final year when you take the exam in November 2026.
- The CAT exam is usually held in November every year.
- Since you graduate in November 2026, you will still be a student at the time of the exam.
- A gap year is counted
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
The admission threshold at top IIMs based on CAT scores stands higher than 50 percent hence students with this percentile will have access to other acclaimed B-schools. These colleges form a list of institutions that could accept your application for admission:
- University Business School (UBS), Chand
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
Yes, students can get admission at Centre for Liberal and Advanced Studies MBA without CAT. The institute accepts admisison based on entrance exams. The institute accepts other national exams such as MAT, XAT, CMAT, and others. Candidates can appear on any of the exams accepted the institute. It is
A
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 3 days ago
It is mandatory to clear CAT examination to seek admission at IIM Ahmedabad. The Institute considers CAT percentile for the admission to MBA, along with the understanding of the CAT percentile for IIM Ahmedabad that reached up to 99.6 in the past years which shows how challenging it is for a candida
A
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 6 days ago
Yes, the CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in three shifts. Until 2019, CAT was conducted in two shifts and the exam duration used to be 180 minutes. However, in 2020, the number of shifts were increased to three and exam duration was reduced to 120 minutes in order to follow the social distancing gui
C
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 6 days ago
Yes, candidates can get into the Vidyasagar University MBA course with the CAT percentile. As per the admission guidelines of the university, candidates are shortlisted for the MBA course based on multiple national-level exams such as MAT/XAT/ ATMA/ CMAT. Candidates must make sure to apply for the e
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
No, CAT is not compulsory for admission to AIMS Mumbai. Aspirants with a valid score in any of the accepted entrance exam such as XAT, CMAT, ATMA, MAH CET, etc. can get admission provided they also fulfil the eligibility requirements. Candidates need to provide the entrance exam score in the applica
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Mewar University MBA course admission is entrance-based. Candidates must participate in national-level exams such as CUET-PG, MAT, CMAT, CUET, and MUEE. Therefore, candidates can get admission to the MBA course without a CAT score since candidates can opt for any on of the entrance exams mentioned a
T
Contributor-Level 7
There has been no change in exam pattern and syllabus of the CAT exam from last year apart from the fee amount which has been increased from INR 2,400 to INR 2,500 for General category candidates and from INR 1,200 to INR 1250 for Reserved category candidates.
Another key change in the latest CAT application form is reduction in the number of test city selection from six to five. The CAT 2024 applicants can only select 5 cities for test centre allotment.
During COVID era,