CAT 2023 is a National aptitude test that makes the eligible candidate get admission in the most reputed colleges of management in India called as IIMs. This exam makes you eligible for the most soughed course of MBA in 20 IIMs and around 1200 B-Schools in India. But CAT 2023 preparation strategy requires hands-on expertise in general aptitude, analytical abilities, and problem-solving skills.
That is why we require a good strategy for preparing for the CAT examination. So, be patient and read the full blog so that you can have CAT exam preparation before it’s too late.
CAT Exam Pattern: 2023
Before, moving to the strategy for the CAT exam. We should understand the exam pattern as it helps lay down the foundation stone for the preparation. The CAT Exam comprises three sections, and each section has 40 minutes to complete, so, making a total of 2 hours for the examination.
However, the student cannot switch to the next section until he/she finishes the first section. So, you need to complete 40 minutes for one section and move over to the next one.
CAT Exam Details
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Website | iimcat.ac.in |
| Time Duration | 2 hours 1. Quantitative Ability (QA) – 40 minutes 2. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) – 40 minutes 3. Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation (LRDI) – 40 minutes |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Type of Examination | Objective |
| No. of Questions | 66 Questions 1. Quantitative Ability – 22 2. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension – 24 3. Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation – 20 |
| Total Marks | 198 |
| Marking Schemes | 1. +3 for a correct answer 2. -1 for an incorrect answer |
Eligibility and Other Details
The CAT exam will be held on November 2023, for which the details will be published in July 2023. It will include the registration date, exam date, and other related details about the exam.
- For filling up the CAT Exam Form the candidate must graduate in any stream with 50% marks (45% marks for reserved category) or equivalent from a recognized university.
- Final-year bachelor’s degree candidates or those awaiting their results are also eligible to appear CAT exam.
- Professionals with CA/CS/ICWA can also appear for the CAT Exam
Important Dates
| Particulars | Dates (CAT 2023) |
|---|---|
| Registration Details | 4th week of July |
| Application process | 1st week of August |
| Last Date of Application | 2nd week of September |
| Late fee submission | 2nd week of September |
| Admit card Download | 4th week of October |
| Exam Date | 4th week of November |
| Result declaration | 1st week of January |
CAT Exam Syllabus and topics Weightage
The CAT comprises three sections. The full course and weightage to different topics are as follows:
Section 1: Quantitative Aptitude
The first section of the exam is quantitative Aptitude. There are 22 questions in this section. The course of this section is as follows:
| Topic | Sub-topics | No. Of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Algebra | Algebra Basics, Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Maxima Minima, Logarithms & modulus, Graphs, functions, integral Solutions | 5-6 questions |
| Time-speed & distance | TSD: Basics Relative Speed Circular Motion Tricks to Solve TSD Questions | 2 questions |
| Modern Maths | Permutations & Combinations: Basics Arranging Distinct and Identical Things Finding the Number of Solutions to Equations Balls & Boxes Practice Questions Probability | 2 questions |
| Progressions & Series | Sequence & Series (AP, GP, A.G.P) Special Series & Function | 3 questions |
| Geometry | Lines & Angles Triangles & Other Polygons Circles Quadrilaterals 3-D Mensuration | 5-6 questions |
| Arithmetic | Percentages Profit & Loss Dishonest Seller Simple & Compound Interest Installments Averages Ratio & Proportion Mixture & Alligation Time & Work | 8-9 questions |
| Numbers | Numbers Basics Divisibility Remainders HCF & LCM Tips, Shortcuts & Practice | 1-3 questions |
Section 2: Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation
It is the second section of the CAT exam. It contains 20 questions based on logical reasoning and the mental ability to interrupt data. The different topics covered in this exam are:
| Topics | Sub-topic |
|---|---|
| Data Interpretation | 1. Intro & Tools 2. Tables – 1 3. Tables – 2 4. Line & Bar Graphs 5. Pie Charts 6. Misc. Graphs – 1 7. Misc. Graphs – 2 8. Misc. Graphs – 3 |
| Logical Reasoning (LR) | Cubes Linear Arrangement Venn Diagram Distribution Selection Binary Logics Games Tournaments Network flow diagram |
The weightage should be
- 25% to Quantitative reasoning & Puzzles.
- 25% to the Venn diagram & binary logic.
- 25% to Arrangement ranking & team formation.
- 25% to Selection & Network flow diagram.
Section 3: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
Verbal Ability and comprehension require a good command of English. There are 24 questions about comprehension and verbal ability. The different topics included are:
| Topics | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| Grammar | 1. Parallel Errors 2. Adverbs 3. Subject-Verb Agreement |
| Reading Comprehension | 1. Science & Tech. 2. Business & Economics 3. Arts, Society & Culture 4. History & Politics 5. Philosophy & Psychology 6. Mixed |
| Para Summary | – |
| Para Completion | – |
| Odd one out | – |
| Para Jumble | – |
| Critical Reasoning | – |
The weightage to different topics is as:
- 66% Reading Comprehension
- 8% Para Jumble
- 6% para summary
- 8% Sentence completion & correction
- 4% Sentence Elimination.
- 4% Fill in the blanks
- 4% Word vocabulary & Usage.
CAT 2023 Preparation Strategies
Some of the useful tips for preparing for the CAT exam are as follows:
- Prepare a study strategy: Now we know all about the CAT syllabus and the weightage given to different topics. We should now focus on the main topics and analyze our strengths and weakness so that we can come out with a study plan that can work out for effective preparation for the exam.
- Prepare a list: Identify the topics you are not familiar with and take time to study them in-depth so that you can get a better understanding and marks excellency in such topics too.
- Choose a good coach: A coach plays a crucial role in the preparation of any competitive exam so, opt for a good coaching institute in your locality or online so that you are guided by trained teachers.
- Practice Mock Sessions: Practicing Mock sessions helps you in completing the test within the time limit and gives you what scores you are standing for.
- Focus on Basic concepts: If your basics are strong you can achieve a good percentile in CAT 2023 exam. For quantitative Aptitude, maths till class 10th is very important, whereas for English one should go through the newspaper and journal, and for reasoning ability, the student can look for good reading books that will help in practicing a good number of questions.
How to apply for CAT 2023
Follow the following steps to fill out the online application form for CAT 2023:
- Visit the official website and click the register now and fill out the basic details.
- Upon verification, the students were assigned a username and password.
- Fill out the online CAT application form for 2023 along with the selection of the interview city.
- The candidate can choose 6 preferred test cities for the CAT 2023 exam.
Application Fees:
The fee for the CAT application form is as follows:
- For General, EWS, and NC-OBC, the application fee is INR 2,200/-
- For SC, ST, and PwD, the application fee is INR 1,100/-
- The fee can be paid online mode only.
- Before submitting the CAT application form 2023 and making the payment, the candidate will be able to preview the complete form.
- After successful payment, the candidates will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes.
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