Changes in CAT Exam Pattern Over the Years

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.

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, 

• Candidates had to mention their COVID-19 vaccination status in the CAT application form.
• Eligibility criteria for CAT was extended for FCAI degree holders. Now, they are also eligible to appear for the CAT.

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.

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.

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.