CAT Exam Date, Registration, Notification, Syllabus

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CAT Exam Pattern

The exam pattern for CAT 2023 will be similar to that of 2022, although the overall number of questions will be lowered. As a result, applicants are urged to visit the website on a regular basis to ensure that they do not miss any CAT Exam updates. Any changes to the CAT pattern will be posted here. Candidates should be familiar with the most recent CAT exam paper pattern so that they can create efficient exam-day strategies. They must be aware of the grading scheme, sectional time restrictions, and other pertinent information. The CAT exam pattern has changed, and all candidates must be aware of this.

Highlights of the CAT 2023 Exam Pattern

The CAT paper format will stay unchanged from 2020, although the total number of questions will be lowered. As a result, candidates should visit the website on a frequent basis to ensure that they do not miss any updates. The Computer-Based Test (CAT) will be conducted online (CBT). The CAT exam pattern has lately undergone a few adjustments. This section discusses the highlights of the CAT exam pattern 2023.

Duration: The total time allocated for the CAT has been decreased to 2 hours (120 minutes), with no breaks. Previously, the exam lasted three hours. Candidates must plan their strategy based on the length of the CAT exam.

Objective and non-objective type questions: Approximately 70%-75 percent of questions are objective type questions (MCQs), with the remaining 25%-30% being non-objective type, descriptive questions (Non-MCQs).

Sectional Time Limit: Candidates will have only 40 minutes to complete each part. There will be no additional time given to candidates to complete the part. It is also forbidden to move between the parts.

Elements Details
Examination type Online, Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Number of sections 3 sections- Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude
Duration of exam 120 minutes (40 minutes per section)
Medium English
Marking scheme +3 marks for correct answer & -1 mark for the incorrect answer (MCQ) +3 marks for the correct answer. No negative marking. (TITA Questions)

Note: The question paper in 2020 contained a total of 76 questions. In the year 2023, the number of questions is anticipated to remain the same. Candidates are, however, advised to wait until the entire number of questions is officially announced.

CAT 2023 Exam Pattern by Section

Depending on the student's skills and weaknesses, each component requires a varied level of preparation. Candidates can view the CAT exam pattern in PDF format on the internet. The CAT difficulty level ranges from mild to challenging. The CAT pattern 2023 is broken down into sections.

AT Subjects Abbreviation Total Number of Questions (as per 2020) Level of Difficulty Number of MCQ (as per 2020) Number of Non-MCQ (as per 2020)
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension VARC 26 Moderate to Difficult 18 8
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning DILR 24 Moderate to Difficult 18 6
Quantitative Aptitude QA 26 Moderate to Difficult 18 8
Total   76   54 22

Section-wise CAT 2023: Time duration
Duration of each section: Candidates will have two hours to answer all of the questions. Each section must be completed in under 40 minutes. During the exam, no sections can be replaced or swapped.

Previous years' CAT exam duration: Prior to 2020, the CAT exam was 180 minutes long, or 3 hours.

DA and PWD Duration: Persons with Disabilities and DA (Differently Abled) candidates will be allocated 53 minutes and 20 seconds to complete each section.

CAT 2023 Marking Scheme

Below is a table containing information about the CAT 2023 question paper, including the types of questions, marks awarded for correct answers, and marks deducted for each incorrect answer, as well as questions that were not attempted.

Type of Question Correct Answer Incorrect Answer Non-attempted Questions
MCQ 3 -1 0
Non-MCQ 3 0 0

How to Answer the CAT 2023 Questions

Before taking the CAT exam, students need have a fundamental understanding of how to answer questions. Candidates should examine the following choices when answering questions.

Save and go to Next: Candidates should select one answer, save it, and then go on to the next question.

Clear Response: Candidates will be given the option of removing their response to the question they were asked.

Mark for Review and Next: If a candidate is doubtful about an answer, they can flag it for review, answer it, and go on to the next question.

Note: Use the mouse provided for answering questions. If you use the system keyboard, the computer screen will be locked.

What Does Each Color Mean on the Panel?

To find out what each colour on the panel represents, look at the information below.

Panel Colour What it Indicates
Red The question was not answered and is not marked for review.
Green The question was answered and not reviewed.
Grey Question not viewed or visited.
Violet The question is marked for review and not yet answered.
Violet with Green tick The question was marked and answered for review.

CAT 2023 Exam Syllabus

The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude components of the CAT question paper for 2023 will be separated into three sections (QA). The various types of questions that could be asked in each part are covered further down. Candidates are encouraged to review the topics/types and practise similar questions in order to improve their speed and accuracy.

Important Topics in CAT 2023 Logical Reasoning

Topic Expected Number of Questions
Seating Arrangement, and Data Arrangement 2-3 Questions
Graphs Related 5-6 Questions
Syllogisms and Venn Diagrams 2-3 Questions
Blood Relations 2-3 Questions
Clocks and Calendars 1-2 Questions
Assumption and Binary Logic 1-2 Questions
Puzzles 1-2 Questions
Tables and Caselets 3-5 Questions
Data Sufficiency 3-5 Questions

CAT 2023 Quantitative Aptitude Important Topics

CAT 2023 Exam Pattern Quantitative Aptitude
Topic Expected Number of Questions
Number System, Basic Arithmetic 4-8 Questions
Algebra 3-5 Questions
Geometry & Mensuration 3-5 Questions
Time, Speed, and Distance 1-3 Questions
Probability 1-2 Questions
Permutation & Combination 1-2 Questions
Trigonometry, Logarithms, and Sets 1-3 Questions
Profit, Loss, and Discounts 1-2 Questions
Time and Work 1-2 Questions
Simple Interest and Compound Interest 1-2 Questions

CAT 2023 Verbal Ability Important Topics

CAT 2023 Exam Pattern Verbal Ability
Topic Expected Number of Questions
Reading Comprehension 15-18 Questions
Para-Jumbles 3-4 Questions
Para-Summary 2-3 Questions
Sentence Completion and Correction 2-3 Questions
Fill in the Blanks 1-2 Questions
Odd Sentences 1-2 Questions
Vocabulary Based 1-2 Questions

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