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CAT 2024 analysis - This year, the major change in CAT was increase in number of questions and absence of parajumbles. Shiksha has provided below CAT exam analysis 2024, for slot 1, 2 and 3. The CAT exam analysis 2024 includes in-depth discussion of difficulty level of the sections, weightage of the topics, test pattern, changes if any, number of good attempts and section CAT cut offs. You can check CAT 2024 exam analysis below.Â
Also Read:
CAT 2024 response sheet and answer key PDF
CAT 2024 question paper PDF download slot 1,2,3
CAT 2024 Slot 2 Answer Key PDF question paper analysis
Q: Â How many questions should I solve to score 99 percentile in CAT exam?
Q: Â What are the important topics of CAT syllabus from which maximum questions are asked?
Q: Â What is the sectional time limit in CAT?
Q: Â From where can I download CAT question papers?
CAT 2024 Exam Analysis Highlights
Check below key highlights of CAT 2024 analysis:
- CAT 2024 question paper was moderate. Usually, the question paper of CAT second session is the toughest.Â
- IIM CAT has prepared the CAT 2024 question paper so one can expect it to be slightly easier than previous years.Â
- VARC section is dominated by Reading Comprehension questions.Â
- Quantitative Aptitude section has maximum questions from Arithmetic and Algebra
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning questions are in sets..Â
CAT 2024 Analysis: Sectional Break Up
Maximum questions will be asked in VARC section. Check below sectional break up of the CAT 2024 question paper:
CAT section | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
---|---|---|
VARC | 24 | 72 |
DILR | 20 22 |
60 66 |
Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 66 |
Total | 66 68 |
198 204 |
Q: Â Which CAT slot has the toughest question paper?
Q: Â What is CAT exam pattern 2024?
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.
Q: Â What is the structure of CAT question paper?
Explore subject-wise topics asked in CAT
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CAT 2024 Analysis
CAT 2024 analysis is here. As per experts a total of 36-40 attempts will be good enough for a score of 90. This year, there are 22 questions in DILR and that may affect the score calculation. However, since the overall CAT difficulty level is moderate, candidates need not worry.Â
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
Utility & Human Economics, Entertainment/ Netflix, Australian Spices and Craftsmanship. The passages and corresponding questions were easy. Each passage had 4 questions. Parasummary, odd sentence and sentence completion questions too were easy.Â
CAT slot 1 Analysis 2024: DILR
The DILR section of CAT 2024 slot 1, had sets on Candlestick- Shares Based, Games and Tournament, Bar Graph - Blogger Based, Bar Graph - Â Set Theory Based, Caselet - Percentage Based.
CAT slot 1 Analysis 2024: Quantitative Aptitude
Number System, Algebra, Arithmetic, Modern Math featured in this sections. The questions were from Remainder, Indices, Log, Equations, Functions, Maxima-Minima, Sequence & Series, Algebraic Expression, TSD-, T&W-, SI-CI, Percentage, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios, P&C, Circle, Cuboid/Square, Coordinate Geometry.
CAT slot 2 Analysis 2024: VARC
VARC section of CAT 2024 Slot 2 had 4 passages - Spice Trade, Unintended Consequences of Technology, Peer Review of Research, Carnivore-Human Conflict. They were of 400-450 words each and pretty much doable. In VA, there were 2 para summary questions, 2 odd sentence questions and 3 para completion questions.
CAT slot 2 Analysis 2024: DILR
In DILR, there were 5 sets pertaining to Bar Graph - Frequency Distribution/ Average Based, Two Scatter Plot (x/y axis- PAT/ES), Grid Based (Row/Column- Number Arrangement), Roots and Network (Maxima-Minima), Data Arrangement(7 Students, 3 Coaches/ Rating Based). The questions were moderate in terms of difficulty level.Â
CAT slot 2 Analysis 2024: Quantitative Aptitude
In CAT 2024 slot 2 Quantitative Aptitude, the questions were asked from Remainder, Indices, Log, Sequence & Series, Functions, Inequalities, Mod/Linear Equations, Quadratic Equations, TSD, T&W, SI-CI, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios, P&C, Circle, Trapezium, Coordinate Geometry. These were calculation based questions which required time management.Â
CAT slot 3 Analysis 2024: VARC
VARC section of CAT 2024 Slot 3 also had 4 passages - Impact of AI, Languages, Chinese Moutai and Saving outer space and other planets. The RC passages were slightly difficult but doable. In VA, there were 3 para summary questions, 2 odd sentence questions and 3 para completion questions.
CAT slot 3 Analysis 2024: DILR
In DILR section of CAT 2024 slot 3, there were 5 sets pertaining to Bar Graph - Nutrient–Food Grain, GDP, AC Temperature, OTT and ATM Network. The questions were moderate having 4-5 questions. Total questions were 22. Overall, this section was moderate. Â
CAT slot 3 Analysis 2024: Quantitative Aptitude
In CAT 2024 slot 3 Quantitative Aptitude, the questions were asked from Remainder, Indices, Log, Equations, Functions, Sequence & Series, Integer Solution, Maxima Minima, TSD, T&W, SI-CI, Percentage, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios, P&C and Circle, Polygon, Triangle. This section had 8 MCQs.
Also Read:
CAT 2024 analysis by Career Launcher and T.I.M.E
CAT 2024 student reactions and reviews
CAT Score vs Percentile 2024
Aspirants know that MBA admission through CAT is based on percentile and not score. Which means their performance should not only be optimum but should also be better than other test takers. CAT percentile is calculates from the score obtained by the candidate. This table will help you analyse as to how much raw CAT 2024 score converts into how much CAT percentile.
CAT Percentile |
VARC score |
DILR score |
QA score |
Overall score |
---|---|---|---|---|
99.9 %ile |
48 |
36 |
40 |
102 |
99.5 %ile |
44 |
32 |
30 |
89 |
99 %ile |
40 |
28 |
27 |
80 |
98 %ile |
36 |
25 |
23 |
71 |
95 %ile |
30 |
19 |
18 |
57 |
90 %ile |
25 |
16 |
15 |
49 |
85 %ile |
21 |
13 |
12 |
40 |
80 %ile |
19 |
11 |
10 |
36 |
75 %ile |
17 |
10 |
9 |
31 |
70 %ile |
15 |
9 |
8 |
29 |
Also Read:
Q: Â What is the difference between qualifying CAT cut off and final CAT cut off?
Q: Â What is the difference between CAT score and CAT percentile?
CAT score is the total marks a candidate receives out of the maximum marks, calculated by subtracting the marks of incorrect answers from the marks of correct answers. For every correct answer, +3 is given to the candidates, for every incorrect -1 is deducted from the overall score. Apart from this, a candidate's rank is calculated by normalizing the scores of all candidates and placing them on a common scale based on the difficulty and attempts of the candidates. It is important to understand the difference between CAT score and CAT percentile because IIMs and all MBA colleges in India select candidates on the basis of their CAT and other MBA related exam percentiles and not score.
The CAT percentile is referred to as the rank of a candidate against the rest of the test takers. The percentile indicates the total percentage of candidates who scored less than or equal to a particular candidate in CAT.
Suppose,1,000 people take an exam and you bag the top rank, which means 999 candidates scored less than you. Then your CAT percentile will be 999/1000*100 = 99.9.
Q: Â How is the CAT score and percentile calculated?
CAT Exam Analysis 2023
Overall, the CAT 2023 question paper structure and its difficulty level was same as CAT 2022 for all slots. In 2023, the CAT slot 3 was tougher than slot 1 and slot 2. In all the three slots, the Quantitative Aptitude section was tougher than VARC and DILR. IIM Lucknow prepared a tough CAT question paper in comparison to other IIMs. Given the difficulty level of the exam, an overall raw score of 98 to 99 would convert 99%ile. Check the highlights of CAT 2023 below:
CAT sections |
Number of questions |
Break up |
Difficulty level |
---|---|---|---|
VARC |
24 |
4 passages having 4 questions each, 2 parajumble qestions, 2 parasummary questions, 2 paracompletion questions and 2 odd one out questions |
Moderate |
DILR |
20 |
4 sets of 5 questions each |
Moderate to difficult |
Quantitative Aptitude |
22 |
7 Algebra questions,7  Arithmetic questions, 3 Geometry questions, 4 Number System questions, 1 Modern Maths questions  |
Difficult |
Also Read:
- CAT 2023 Student Reactions and Reviews
- CAT 2023 Slot 1 Answer Key and question paper analysis
- CAT 2023 Slot 2 Answer Key and question paper analysis
- CAT 2023 Slot 3 Answer Key and question paper analysis
- CAT 2023 Official Answer Key, Response Sheet PDF DownloadÂ
- CAT 2023 exam analysis by CATKing
- CAT 2023 exam analysis by IMS
- CAT 2023 exam analysis by Career Launcher and T.I.M.E
- CAT answer key and question paper
Q: Â What is the sectional weightage of DILR in CAT?
Q: Â What is the sectional weightage of VARC in CAT?
Q: Â What is the sectional weightage of Quantitative Aptitude in CAT?
Previous Years' CAT Paper Analysis
CAT exam has been on the tougher side over the years. The pattern has changed multiple times but not the difficulty level. Given below are CAT analyses of past few years for candidates to read and understand the past trends of CAT exam:Â
- CAT 2022 exam analysis
- CAT 2021 exam analysis
- CAT 2020 exam analysis
- CAT 2019 exam analysis
- CAT 2018 exam analysis
- CAT 2017 exam analysis
- CAT 2016 exam analysis
- CAT 2015 exam analysis
FAQs on CAT Exam Analysis
Check below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to CAT exam analysis:
Q: Â Which MBA colleges are available with 80 percentile in CAT?
Q: Â What makes CAT tougher than other MBA entrance exams?
Q: Â How many hours should I study to prepare for CAT?
Q: Â Which MBA colleges are available with 70 percentile in CAT?
Q: Â Which MBA colleges are available with 60 percentile in CAT?
News & Updates
Get prep tips, practice papers, exam details and important updates
CAT Exam
Student Forum
Answered 18 hours ago
With a 70 percentile in CAT and 58% in graduation, admission to BITS Pilani for MBA may be difficult, as they typically have high cut-offs and look for strong academic performance. BITS Pilani usually requires a higher CAT score (above 90 percentile) and a solid academic record. However, it's worth
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
The CAT result date for SIES College of Management Studies typically follows the official CAT result release date, which is usually in the first week of January. Once the results are out, SIES College will shortlist candidates based on their CAT scores for further rounds like Group Discussion (GD) a
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
With a 50-60 percentile in CAT, top IIMs may be out of reach, but there are still several good options for you. Consider institutes like IMS Noida, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indira Institute of Management, and ITM Business School. Other options include BIMTECH, UPES, and Lovely Professional
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
With a 68 percentile in CAT, getting into one of the new IIMs (like IIM Kashipur, IIM Rohtak, IIM Trichy, etc.) could be challenging, even under the OBC category. While new IIMs generally have slightly lower cut-offs compared to the older ones, they still maintain high academic and professional stan
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
With a CAT percentile of 44.28, getting into top-tier B-schools may be tough, but there are still good options available. You can consider institutes like IMS Noida, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Amity Business School, ITM Navi Mumbai, and LPU Punjab. Other options include Welingkar Institute, B
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
With a 98.07 percentile in CAT, you're in a strong position for calls from top B-schools in India. Based on your profile (Gen CAT, Non-Eng Male, 22 months work experience, 84% in Xth, and 91% in XII), you can expect calls from prestigious institutes like:
- IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Luckn
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
With an 87 percentile in CAT, you have some good B-school options in India. Consider institutes like IILM University (New Delhi, Gurgaon), which offers a strong MBA programme with industry exposure, or Xavier Institute of Management (XIMB), Bhubaneswar, known for its solid curriculum and placements.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
IILM University helps MBA Single Specialization students stay updated with the latest developments through various resources. They offer access to industry seminars, guest lectures, and workshops conducted by experts in the field. Additionally, the university encourages students to participate in we
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
Yes, IILM University offers opportunities for MBA students, including those with a single specialization, to showcase their work at various events like conferences and seminars. These platforms allow students to present their research and projects to industry professionals and academicians. The univ
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
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.Â
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Contributor-Level 10
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I have 58% in my graduation and 70 percentile in CAT. Can I get admission to an MBA at BITS Pilani?