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Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content
Updated on Sep 26, 2024 17:34 IST

CAT 2024 preparation in two months is possible. All you need to do is follow a focussed preparation strategy. With the short duration of 2 month, you need to practice more. Check here how to crack CAT 2024 in two months. 

CAT preparation in 2 months

CAT preparation in 2 months

CAT preparation is not easy, especially if you have started studying just two months before. Those who filled the CAT 2024 application form at the last moment and are still thinking how to start preparation, they don't have much time. CAT 2024 is scheduled for November 24, 2024. So, start preparation now. 

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The first thing you need to do is, to understand that CAT is an aptitude test, thus there’s no need to panic about the vast CAT syllabus. The Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation have topics that you have studied in Class 9 and 10 Maths. VARC and Logical Reasoning only require practice. To start CAT preparation in 2 months, attempt a mock test to see how you are well versed with the topics included in the CAT 2024. It is most likely, that you’d be familiar with all of them and need a brush up.

Q:   What is the CAT 2024 exam date?

A:

The CAT exam is always conducted on the last Sunday of November every year so the CAT 2024 exam is expected to be conducted on Nov 24, 2024. Official announcement of the CAT 2024 exam date will be made by the convening IIM on Jul 30, 2024. The announcement will be made at the iimcat.ac.in website as well as in all the national dailies across India. We at Shiksha also notify the aspirants through our communication channels. Registrations cum application process for CAT 2024 will begin from the first week of August and end in the third week of September 2024.

Check below CAT exam dates for last five years:

  • CAT 2023: November 26
  • CAT 2022: November 27
  • CAT 2021: November 28
  • CAT 2020: November 29 
  • CAT 2019: November 24

Q:   Will CAT exam 2024 also be conducted in three shifts?

A:

Yes, the CAT 2024 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 guidelines for COVID-19. Since the COVID-9 pandemic appropriate behaviour had to be followed at public places and gatherings, the examination authorities increased the number of exam slots to ensure a limited number of candidates can be accommodated at any exam centre in a given exam slot by following social distancing and seating arrangement with gap. Since then, the CAT is conducted in three shifts - morning, afternoon and evening. In CAT 2024 too, there will be three slots which will be allotted to applicants in no particular order. The CAT exam slot timings will be - 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Q:   What are the CAT exam slot timings?

A:
CAT exam is held in three slots for the past three years. Earlier it used to be held in two slots of three hours each, but since 2020 it is held in three slots of two hours each. The three slots are conducted between 8 am to 4 pm. The first slot is held from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, the second slot is held from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and the third slot is held from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. In these three slots, about 2.22 Lacs candidates are accommodated at over 400 test centres in about 150 plus cities across India. The exam slots are allotted to candidates by the examination authorities as per the receipt of applications and candidates cannot request for change of examination slot. They have to give the test in the slot mentioned on the admit card.

How to Crack CAT in 2 Months

Two months may sound less for CAT 2024 preparation, but it’s possible to prepare in 60 days, if you utilise the time judiciously. Here are some tips that you must apply right away for CAT exam preparation 2024. 

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Take CAT Mock Test

As mentioned earlier, start with a CAT mock test and assess you strengths and weaknesses. Make a list and allot specific time to the topics. Out of 8 hours of study, allot more time to tough topics. Go through the CAT previous papers to know which topics dominate the test. For example, in the past five year, Arithmetic has mostly dominated the CAT Quant section. This way, you’ll know which topics to prepare and which can be dropped for the want of time.

Check Out Shiksha's Free CAT Mock Test

CAT_Mock_Test_1 CAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions
CAT_Mock_Test_2 CAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions

Also Read: 2 months to CAT exam: These many Mock Tests will optimise your score

Strengthen Vocabulary and Grammar

You don’t have the time to read books and novels to strengthen reading comprehension in the conventional way. So, focus on vocabulary and grammar. If you’ll get the grammatical concepts right, it won’t be too difficult to handle RC paragraphs and parajumbles.  

Q:   What are the facilities for PwD candidates in CAT exam?

A:
For PwD candidates, facilities in CAT exam include, relaxation of marks in graduation. The minimum score required by PwD candidate in graduation for appearing in CAT exam is 45 per cent aggregate. Apart from that, such candidates are provided scribe service at the exam centre. To avail the service such candidates have to fill the relevant form during registration process. The CAT exam authorities follow government rule viz. PwD candidate which is, 'Person with Benchmark Disability' means a person with not less than forty percent of a specified disability where the specified disability has not been defined in measurable terms and includes a person with disability where the specified disability has been defined in measurable terms, as certified by the certifying authority, as defined in The Rights of Persons with Disabilities ACT 2016 (RPwD ACT 2016). The categories of disability are, blindness and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy, autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness, multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d), f) other 'specified disabilities' mentioned in 'The Schedule' of the RPwD ACT 2016.

Q:   What are the items to carry on the CAT exam day?

A:
Every candidate must carry a blue/black ball point pen and a few copies of their passport size photo to the exam centre. They must not carry any stationary item other than the pen. Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, CAT candidates are required to carry drinking water, hand sanitizer, face mask and gloves along with them. Candidates have to carry drinking water in a transparent bottle and a 100 ml bottle of hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer bottle should also be transparent. Candidates who have diabetes can carry fruits as per medical prescription. No other item will be allowed inside the exam venue. Candidates must not carry bags or valuables as there will be no arrangement for depositing while candidates appear for the exam. Candidates must also not carry notebooks or rough paper to the CAT exam centre. Any candidate found with an unauthorised item will be disqualified.

Q:   What are the dos and don'ts for CAT exam day?

A:
On the CAT exam day, candidates have to follow a number of guidelines which include cooperating with the exam centre staff during identification process, following instructions given be the invigilator and following the test navigation for solving the questions. There are some key dos and don'ts that candidates should follow on the CAT exam day, which have been listed below: CAT exam day dos: 1. Reach the examination centre at the reporting time mentioned on your CAT admit card. 2. Carry two copies of the CAT admit card, one photo ID card, passport size photos and duly filled COVID-19 declaration form 3. PwD candidates should carry the relevant certificates and documents as prescribed by the examination authorities. 4. Carry a blue/black ball point pen for signing the attendance sheet 5. Carry personal drinking water, hand sanitizer, face masks and gloves 6. Cooperate with the test centre staff and follow the instructions 7. While entering the answers, use only the computer mouse. Do not touch the keyboard as doing so will lead to screen locking. CAT exam day don'ts: 1. Do not carry prohibited items such as bags, purses, pencil box, beepers, wrist watch, calculators, mobile phones, electronic devices, scanners, cameras, wireless/Bluetooth transmission or any such communication devices. 2. Don't wear closed shoes, jewellery made of metal, jackets, clothes with pockets, mehendi on palms. Socks are allowed inside it. 3. Don't wear caps, hoodies or jackets/shirts with pockets 4. Don't be late for the exam. The entry gates will be closed 15 minutes before the commencement of exam. No candidate will be allowed to enter the exam centre after that. 5. Don't cheat or indulge in mal practice. You can be disqualified due to any such ACT. 6. Don't create a ruckus inside the test lab 7. Don't leave your seat until the exam duration gets over and the invigilator announces exit.

Q:   Which IIM will conduct CAT 2024 exam?

A:

The top 6 Indian Institute of Management are given the responsibility to conduct the Common Admission Test exam. Each of the top Indian Institutes of Management conducts the exam rotation-wise after a gap of five years. The responsibility to conduct the CAT 2023 was given to IIM Lucknow. Professor Sanjeet Singh had been appointed as the CAT convener. For CAT 2024, IIM Calcutta will be the exam convening institute. IIM Calcutta will be responsible for preparation and conduct of the exam without glitches, in collaboration with TCS  for test labs and centres. The institute will design the question papers, exam pattern and guidelines, as well as manage the conduct of exam and preparation of admit card, answer key and result.

CAT Conducting Indian Institute of Management Over the Years:

  • 2023: IIM Lucknow
  • 2022: IIM Bangalore
  • 2021: IIM Ahmedabad
  • 2020: IIM Indore
  • 2019: IIM Kozhikode
  • 2018: IIM Calcutta
  • 2017: IIM Lucknow
  • 2016: IIM Bangalore
  • 2015: IIM Ahmedabad
  • 2014: IIM Indore
  • 2013: IIM Indore
  • 2012: IIM Kozhikode
  • 2011: IIM Calcutta
  • 2010: IIM Lucknow
  • 2009: IIM Ahmedabad

For more information, you may visit the Shiksha Common Admission Test page. (https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam). I hope this will help you.

Practice Sample Questions

You don’t have the time to first read all the chapters and then practice sample questions so, go in the reverse mode. With the basic knowledge of Maths and English, solve CAT sample questions and see how much you know about a particular chapter or what are your specific pain points. Work on them accordingly. Solve sample questions of various difficulty levels – easy, moderate and high. This will prepare you for all types of questions in the CAT 2024.

Download:

Have Problem Solving Sessions

Join online study groups on Facebook, Telegram, YouTube or coaching websites for doubt clearing and problem solving sessions. You will find many mentors willing to help aspirants in cracking the CAT. The other aspirants you will interact with in these groups may also might help you in preparing a topic by sharing their insights. Another benefit of these sessions, is that it will keep you motivated and help in gaining confidence.

Practice Questions:

Stay Motivated

CAT is a speed based test and all that matters is how you perform in that 2 hours of the exam. So, do not worry about how much you’ve studied. Just be confident of how much you’ve studied, because if you’ve studied that well, you’ll be able to crack the CAT. You must remember that you don’t have to solve all the questions in CAT. Choose only those questions you know you can solve correctly. For that, you need to stay motivated, not only on the exam day, but all throughout the CAT preparation phase.

Do not break down, if you are unable to crack a topic. You know you started late. Moreover, CAT exam is not the end of the world. You can appear for it again. You’ll in fact only learn good things from the first attempt.

Also Read:

CAT 2024 preparation: What to do in last 30 days

What to do in Last Two Months Before CAT 2024?

Those who have already been preparing for CAT 2024, need to now move to revision and mock test practice. Dedicate the last one and a half months to rigorous CAT mock test practice and analysis of you performance. Make sure to also have doubt clearing sessions with mentors or peer group so that there’s no chapter of the CAT syllabus that remains untouched.

In the last 15 days, spend maximum time on revising. Also, make a strategy for the exam day, which should include, overall number of questions to solve and section-wise number of questions to solve. Keep target colleges and CAT cut offs in mind to make the exam strategy. Do only as much is required.

Also read:

About the Author
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Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content

Vipra is a massive Breaking Bad fan. When not watching crime drama series, she spends time in updating the list of places she wants to visit and people she wants to meet, but she is happiest in the company of dogs. ... Read Full Bio

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