CAT Mock Test 2024 (Official): Get Free CAT Mock Tests for Practice

CAT is a speed based test which is designed to assess a candidate's analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advance level problems.

However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam.

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 is a speed based test which is designed to assess a candidate's analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advance level problems.

However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam.

Quantitative Aptitude is the last section of CAT. By the time you reach this section, it is natural for fatigue to set it. Don’t get bogged down by fatigue. Stay energized and alert as this section requires Mathematical calculations. Read the questions calmly and then choose the ones you can solve with maximum accuracy. The CAT Quantitative Aptitude section is dominated by Mensuration and Arithmetic, so have a good control on those topics.

Do not spend too much time on any question that is posing a challenge to you. Do not get greedy and fall in the trap of negative marking.

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.

The key to improving score in Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT is practice, practice and more practice. Listed below are some tips you can apply while preparing for CAT.

• Practice Mental Maths to be less dependent on calculators
• Make short notes of formulae and sample questions to revise them on the go
• Develop the ability to choose which questions to answer in the exam
• Avoid negative marking. Don’t attempt questions you are not sure of
• Practice Quants questions in a time bound manner to be able to utilize maximum time in the main exam
• Solving a sample question is not enough. Practice the same set of questions multiple time

The CAT VARC section is dominated by RC questions. Out of 24 questions about 14-16 are based on Reading Comprehension passages and the rest of them are based on parajumbles, para completion, etc.

CAT has about 12-16 RC question. In CAT 2022, there were four RC passages each having four questions. The ideal attempt was estimated at 13. Since, it is not mandatory to solve all the questions, candidates can maximize their scores by leaving out the questions related to the passage they find the toughest. There is negative marking in CAT so candidates must ensure that they mark only the correct options or do not mark any option at all.

CAT DILR is all about practice. So, you need to practice a lot of questions from DILR to be able to master it. This section of CAT is equally divided into 10 questions each on DI and LR. The Data Interpretation questions are based on Mathematical tables, bars, pie charts, etc. so you need to work on it alongside Quantitative Aptitude. Learn some basic rules of tables, bars, pie charts as well as some basic rules of mathematical calculations. If you can read the data correctly, you can solve the CAT questions. However, to be able to solve questions quickly and accurately, you need to practice a good number of sample questions and mock tests.

For Logical Reasoning, you will have to depend totally on practice tests and exercises. The CAT LR questions are mostly based on series, number system, coding-decoding, family tree, circular patterns, blood relations, etc. So, you need to practice a lot of questions on these to be able to solve them in the exam. Go through CAT previous year question papers to know the type of questions are asked and practice them.

VARC is one of the tougher sections of CAT and often poses challenge to test takers. The key to score well in this section is long-term preparation. The CAT question paper is dominated by Reading Comprehension questions, so you can’t be ill prepared for it. The maximum number of passages that you can skip is 1. So, there is no alternative to reading. Developing reading habit is a necessity. You can crack this section if you don’t have the habit of reading. Even parajumble questions require clear comprehension of the theme and sentences to arrange them in a logical passage. Reading also strengthens vocabulary and grammar which forms the remaining part of CAT VARC section.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude has the potential of 100 percentile if you prepare well. The Quantitative Aptitude topics of CAT are advance level Mathematic topics from Class 9 and 10. So, for any candidate, the foundation is already there, they only need to work on it further.

The important topics of CAT Quantitative Aptitude include Geometry,  Ratios and Proportion, Inequalities, Trigonometry, In-equations, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Work and Time, Algebra, Surds and Indices, Percentages, Mensuration, Time-Speed-Distance,  Logarithms, Partnership (Accounts), Number System, Square Root and Cube Root, Profit & Loss, Geometric Progression, Probability, Mean-Mode-Median, Binomial theorem, Simple interest and compound interest.

Maximum questions are asked from Arithmetic and Geometry so keep the main focus on these two topic. Understand and memorise the formulas and theorems well, and practice enough questions to be thorough with their application.