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CAT Exam Pattern 2024, Types of Questions, Marks Distributions

The Common Admission Test, also known as CAT is a national-level management aptitude test conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) every year for admission to several postgraduate and Fellow/Doctorate programs at IIMs. More than 2.5 lakh candidates appear for the CAT exam every year. If you are planning to appear in the CAT 2024 exam you have to understand the exam pattern and start preparations accordingly. CAT Exam Pattern is designed to test the candidate’s ability to solve mathematical and reasoning problems accurately in the least amount of time.

CAT Exam Pattern 2024

Candidates who are planning to appear in the CAT Exam 2024 have to understand its exam pattern, Qualifying marks and marking scheme. In this article, we have discussed the exam pattern with a detailed marking scheme, topics to be asked in the exam, and other important points. Candidates who clear the CAT exam are eligible for admission to over 1200 MBA colleges in India, apart from the IIMs.

The CAT 2024 exam will be held on 24th November 2024 in computer-based mode. The exam consists of 66 questions for a total of 198 marks. The questions will be based on MCQs and non-MCQs. The time duration for the CAT exam is 120 minutes which is divided into 40 minutes for each section.

There will be three sections in the CAT 2024 Exam:

  1. Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation (LRDI)
  2. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
  3. Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Sections No. of Questions Marks  Time Duration
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) 22 66 40 minutes
LRDI 20 60 40 minutes
VARC 24 72 40 minutes
Total 66 198 120 minutes

Types of Questions in the CAT Exam

The CAT Exam will consist of 3 sections Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability. Two types of questions will be asked in all 3 sections: MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA). The section-wise question distributions in the CAT exam and related marks are discussed below.

CAT Section Questions Maximum Marks
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) 22 66
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) 20 60
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) 24 72
Total 66 198

CAT Exam 2024 Marking Scheme

In CAT Exam 2024, a total of 76 multiple-choice questions will be asked. For each correct answer, 03 marks will be provided. There is a negative marking, 01 mark will be deducted for the wrong answer.

VARC 24 03 -1
DILR 20 03 -1
QA 22 03 -1

CAT Exam Pattern 2024- FAQs

Q1. What are Non-MCQs in CAT exam?

Non-MCQ or TITA questions were introduced in the CAT exam by IIM Ahmedabad in 2015 and since then, they've been a regular feature in all CAT exams. There are 22 Non-MCQs question will be asked in CAT 2024 exam.

Q2. What is the time duration for CAT Exam 2024?

The time duration for CAT Exam 2024 120 minutes.

Q3. What is the marking scheme CAT Exam 2024?

In CAT Exam 2024, 03 mark will be rewarded for right answer and 01 mark will be deducted for wrong answer.

Q4. How many questions will be asked in CAT Exam 2024?

A total 66 questions will be asked in CAT Exam 2024.

About the Author

I specialize in creating content for national-level and state-level government exams and aim to provide exam information in a simple way to help aspiring candidates find clarity and confidence. Having gone through the experience of being an aspirant myself, I bring a unique perspective to my work. I create easily accessible content on Exam Notifications, Syllabus, Admit Cards, and Results.