In this post, we are providing the Updated latest CAT exam syllabus, preparation strategy, and best books that will help students to crack this exam at maximum pace. The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive entrance examination conducted in India for admission to various management programs, primarily the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs in prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top-tier business schools. This post is all about the complete syllabus and exam pattern of the CAT Exam 2023-24.
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CAT Exam Syllabus
In this post, we are providing the CAT exam syllabus and exam pattern as per the latest CAT exam syllabus 2023-24. This detailed syllabus will be helpful for the candidates to understand the entire exam topics and difficulty level.
CAT Exam Syllabus 2024
CAT (Common Admission Test) is a highly competitive entrance test for admission to prestigious business schools (IIMs) and other management institutes in India. The CAT exam subjects assess the aptitude of the candidates in Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning.
For CAT exam preparation candidates must understand the exam pattern and syllabus, practice regularly with mock tests and previous year papers, focus on improving problem-solving skills, have a strong foundation in core subjects Must have, develop time management techniques and analyze mistakes. Staying updated with current affairs and reading extensively can enhance the overall preparation.
CAT Syllabus 2024 Overview
The CAT exam syllabus includes three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The VARC section tests candidates’ English language skills and reading comprehension. The time duration for each section is 40 minutes and the test is conducted in the English language.
DILR assesses their ability to interpret data and solve logical reasoning problems. QA evaluates their mathematical and quantitative aptitude. The syllabus covers topics such as reading comprehension, sentence correction, data interpretation, logical reasoning, algebra, geometry, and probability.
CAT exam syllabus in Details
Here we are providing section-wise details for this exam:
| Quantitative Aptitude | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension |
|---|---|---|
| Number Systems Tables | Tables | English Usage or Grammar |
| Profit, Loss and Discount | Caselets | Jumbled Paragraph |
| Percentages | Venn Diagrams | Fill in the blanks |
| Speed, Time and Distance | Line Charts | Meaning-Usage Match |
| LCM and HCF | Column Graphs | Cloze Passage |
| Time and Work | Bar Graphs | Vocabulary based (Synonyms/ Antonyms) |
| Complex Numbers | Calendars | Verbal Reasoning |
| Averages | Other Basic Reasoning Questions | Reading Comprehension |
| Inequalities | Pie Chart | Summary Questions |
| Logarithm | Clocks | Sentence Correction |
| Simple and Compound Interest | Number and Letter Series | Facts-Inferences-Judgments |
| Ratio and Proportion | Venn Diagrams | Analogies or Reverse Analogies |
| Sequences and Series | Binary Logic | |
| Quadratic Equations & Linear Equations | Syllogism | |
| Trigonometry | Cubes | |
| Surds and Indices | Logical Matching | |
| Permutation and Combination | Logical Connectives | |
| Probability | Blood Relations | |
| Mixtures and Alligations | Logical Sequence | |
| Set Theory & Function | Seating Arrangement | |
| Coordinate Geometry | ||
| Geometry | ||
| Mensuration |
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CAT exam syllabus for MBA 2024
IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) always keep on changing CAT exam pattern, number of questions, time duration, number of sections and section time limit. So the candidates must be well prepared for this exam. Here we are providing MBA CAT syllabus for the year 2023-24:
CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) syllabus
| Paper | Number of Questions | Difficulty level | Time duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 16 | Moderate to Difficult | 40 Minutes |
| VA-Parajumbles | 3 | Moderate to Difficult | |
| VA-Odd Sentence | 2 | Easy to Moderate | |
| VA-Summary | 3 | Easy to Moderate |
In the VARC section, the overall difficulty level is Moderate to Difficult and the total number of questions is 24.
CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) syllabus
| Paper | Number of Questions | Difficulty level | Time duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Interpretation | 4 | Easy | 40 Minutes |
| Data Interpretation | 4 | Moderate | |
| Logical Reasoning | 6 | Moderate to difficult | |
| Logical Reasoning | 6 | Easy to Moderate |
The overall difficulty level for this exam is Moderate to difficult and the total number of questions for this section is 20.
CAT Quantitative Aptitude syllabus
| Paper | Number of Questions | Difficulty level | Time duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 10 | Moderate | 40 Minutes |
| Algebra | 5 | Moderate | |
| Geometry | 3 | Moderate | |
| Modern Maths | 4 | Moderate |
The overall difficulty level for this exam is Moderate and the total number of questions for this section is 22.
CAT exam pattern
CAT exam patterns always change every year here we are providing the expected exam pattern:
| Paper | Number of questions | Marks | Time duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 72 | 40 Minutes |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 60 | |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 66 |
Latest changes on CAT exam syllabus
| Exam Pattern and Syllabus | Changes (2020-2021) | Changes (2021-2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Questions | Reduced to 76 from 100 | Reduced to 66 from 76 |
| The Raw Score | Reduced to 228 from 300 | Reduced to 198 from 228 |
| Total Number of VARC Section Questions | Reduced to 26 from 34 | Reduced to 24 from 26 |
| Total Number of DILR Section Questions | Reduced to 24 from 32 | Reduced to 20 from 24 |
| Total Number of QA Section Questions | Reduced to 26 from 34 | Reduced to 22 from 26 |
Best books for CAT preparation 2023-24
We are providing the best books for preparing CAT exam.
- “How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT” by Arun Sharma
- “How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT” by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
- “How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for the CAT” by Arun Sharma
- “Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT” by Nishit K. Sinha
- “Word Power Made Easy” by Norman Lewis (for vocabulary building)
- “The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning for the CAT” by Nishit K. Sinha
- “Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations” by R.S. Aggarwal
Exam fees for CAT exam
| Catogery | Fees |
|---|---|
| For General | ₹2300/- |
| For SC/ST | ₹1150/- |
CAT exam syllabus pdf
Here the candidates can download the CAT syllabus pdf:
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FAQs-CAT Exam Syllabus
What is the full form of CAT?
The full form of CAT is Common Admission Test.
How to prepare for CAT exam?
For CAT exam preparation, focus on three major areas: Practice, Study Material, and Time Management. Solve previous year’s papers and take mock tests regularly. Use recommended study materials and resources. Develop a study plan and stick to it. Analyze your performance, identify weak areas, and work on improving them.
Is there any change in CAT exam syllabus every year?
The basic structure of CAT exam remains consistent, but the specific topics and question patterns may differ.
Are CAT and GMAT syllabus the same?
The syllabus of CAT and GMAT is not the same. CAT focuses more on Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, while GMAT includes sections on Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Writing, Integrated Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Are CAT and XAT syllabus same?
The syllabus of CAT and XAT is similar but both differ from each other only in the type of questions and difficulty level. CAT mainly focuses on Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning, while XAT includes additional sections like General Awareness and Essay Writing.