The Indian Institute of Management- Calcutta has released the details about CAT exam pattern. The exam pattern for the current year has been slightly changed and the same has been continued since 2014.

Though there had been numerous changes in the CAT Exam Pattern for last 4 years, the basic structure remains the same. According to the revised examination structure, the CAT examination will comprise of 3 sections and will be conducted for 100 marks. The time duration for each section will be 60 minutes.

CAT Exam Pattern:

Section-wise Exam Pattern:

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC):

• Total Number of Questions: 34
• Total Number of Multiple Choice Questions: 24 to 27
• Total Number of Non-Multiple-Choice Question: 7 to 10
• Maximum Marks: 102

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR):

• Total Number of Questions: 32
• Total Number of Multiple Choice Questions: 24
• Total Number of Non-Multiple-Choice Question: 8
• Maximum Marks: 96

Quantitative Ability (Quant):

• Total Number of Questions: 34
• Total Number of Multiple Choice Questions: 23 to 27
• Total Number of Non-Multiple-Choice Question: 7 to 11
• Maximum Marks: 102

The examination is conducted in online mode which means CAT examination is a Computer Based Test (CBT). The candidates will be provided with a computer terminal at the examination centre and will be required to choose a correct option. According to IIMs, “In the computer-based format, the candidate reads a question on a computer terminal and clicks the correct answer. Additionally, the timer on the computer screen tells you the remaining time to complete the current section.”

Section and Sub Section-wise CAT Exam Pattern:

Section 1: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• Number of Questions: 34
• Multiple Choice Questions: 24 to 27
• Non-Multiple Choice Questions: 7 to 10
• Reading Comprehension Passages: 5
• Questions based on Reading Comprehension Passages: 24
• Verbal Ability Questions: 10
• Level of Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
• Topics with High weightage: Jumbled Paragraph, Para Summary, Picking odd sentence out of Jumbled Sentences.

 Section 2: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• Total Number of Questions: 32
• Multiple Choice Questions: 28
• Non-Multiple Choice Questions: 8
• Number of Data Interpretation Questions: 16
• Number of Logical Reasoning Questions: 16
• Level of Difficulty: Moderately Difficult

Section 3: Quantitative Ability (Quant)

• Number of Questions: 34
• Multiple Choice Questions: 23 to 27
• Non-Multiple Choice Questions: 7 to 11
• Level of Difficulty: Moderately Difficult

Facts about CAT Exam Pattern:

• It is a Computer-Based Test, conducted only in online mode.
• The time duration of CAT exam is 180 minutes i.e. 3 hours and each section has to be completed in 60 minutes each.
• The candidate is not allowed to switch the sections during the examination.
• The candidate is not allowed to leave their seat during the examination.
• The candidate will be rewarded with an additional 3 marks for each correct answer.
• A mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer.