SAT India Pattern 2024: Know Marking Scheme & Exam Duration

 

Particulars	Particulars
Number of sections	2
Duration of exam	2 hours 14 minutes
Number of questions	Reading and writing: 54 questions Maths: 44 questions
Format of questions	Multiple Choice Questions
Language of paper	English
Score scale	200-800
Mode of examination	Pen and paper

The break-up of SAT exam pattern 2025 for both the test sections is as mentioned in the table below. 

SAT Digital Testing Parameters 2025	SAT Digital Reading & Writing (RW) Section	SAT Digital Math Section
Format	Two-staged: one tests Reading and the other the Writing section. Both are administered across separately timed modules.	Two-staged: The math section is administered via two separately timed modules.
Test length (total operational and pretest questions)	1st module:  25 operational questions  2 pretest questions  2nd module:  25 operational questions  2 pretest questions	1st module:  20 operational questions  2 pretest questions  2nd module:  20 operational questions  2 pretest questions
Time Duration	1st module: 32 minutes  2nd module: 32 minutes	1st module: 35 minutes  2nd module: 35 minutes
Total Questions	54	44
Total Time Allocated	64 minutes	70 minutes
Scores Reported	Total score calculation: RW Math section scores
Question Type(s)	Discrete; MCQs with four options	MCQ (75%) and student-produced response (25%)
Topics Tested	Literature, History / Social Studies, Humanities and Science	Science, Social Science and real-world related topics
Informational Graphics	Tested, includes - tables, bar graphs, line graphs	Also tested

Aspirants can go through the detailed section-wise exam structure of SAT India 2025 below.

SAT India Exam Pattern for Evidence-based Reading Section

The reading and writing section of the SAT consists of short reading passages ranging from 25 to 250 words, followed by a single MCQ. The RW section is divided into two modules. Each module consists of 25 operational questions and 2 pre-test questions. 

In the Reading Section of SAT India 2025, students need to read the passage and thereafter answer the questions asked by making an argument or telling a story or explaining the study/ experiment.

Candidates can expect the below-mentioned types of questions in the SAT India Reading section:

• Information and Idea Generation Questions: These are mostly around the main idea of the reading passage.
• Rhetoric Questions: These are around the tone, style, or meaning conveyed by the passage/ author.
• Synthesis Questions: There mostly are around drawing conclusions and making connections between passages. Such questions may also include graphs/ charts/ tables.

Topics from which passages are usually asked in this section of SAT India include:

SAT India Evidence-based Reading Topics
US founding documents or Great Global Conversation on topics such as human dignity, freedom, and justice
Science	Economics
Psychology	Sociology

SAT Exam Pattern for Evidence-based Writing Section

In Evidence-based Writing Section of SAT India, students need to read and thereafter edit passages. The passages in this section are mostly argumentative, narrative, informatory or exploratory in nature. The questions asked are broadly from two categories, which are:

• Expression of Idea: There questions help to improve the structure as well as how well the idea has been put forward. It also requires students to improve the language/ words used to explain the idea.
• Standard English Conventions: These questions require students to fix and re-arrange in such a way that sentence structure, grammar and punctuation errors are rectified.

Topics from which passages are usually asked in this section of SAT India include:

SAT Pattern: Evidence-Based Writing Topics
Career	Science
Humanities & Social Science	History

SAT India Exam Pattern for Mathematics

Each section consists of 2 modules.

Module 1 - Consists of a mix of easy, hard and difficult questions

Module 2 - Consists of a mix of varying difficulty-based questions depending on the candidate's performance in module 1.

Types of questions in SAT Maths Section:

The SAT exam pattern for the maths section consists of question types in the following ratios.

• 75% MCQ

• 25% Student-produced response (SPR) questions.

Where SPR is like fill-in-the-blank, where the candidate needs to enter the response for the given question.  Candidates can use calculator. It is allowed through the maths section. It is up to the candidates and they have to wisely decide which questions require a calculator and which don't, to use the time efficiently.

The questions asked in this section of SAT India comprise of questions from three areas, which are:

• Algebra
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis 
• Passport to Advanced Math 

Topics from which questions are asked in SAT India Mathematics sections are mentioned below:

SAT India Maths Topics
Algebra	Area and Volume
Coordinate Geometry	Basic Trigonometry
Arithmetic	Polynomials and Graphs

Questions asked in SAT India Subject Tests are not taken from some specific textbook or teaching methods. SAT India Subject Tests comprise of the latest trends in the corresponding subject that are taught in High School courses.

Criteria	Particulars
Duration of exam	Reduced
Format of questions	Multiple Choice Questions
Language of paper	English
Score scale	200-800
Mode of examination	Pen and paper test

The SAT exam is objective. The total duration is 2 hrs and 14 mins. Candidates would have to attempt a total of 98 questions tested in both SAT sections of RW & Math. Check below the latest SAT Exam/Test Pattern for the year 2025 for students looking to appear for their next SAT Reasoning Test for higher education to universities/ colleges abroad. 

SAT Sections 2025	Number of Questions Tested	Total Duration (mins)
Reading & Writing	54	64
Mathematics	44	70
Total	98	134

The composite SAT score ranges from 400 to 1600, which included scores of Evidence-based Reading & Writing (200 to 800 marks) and Math (200 to 800 marks).

For calculation of the SAT score the formula that is applied includes converting the raw score (number correct attempts) to a scaled score from 10 to 40. Scoring may have variations due to difference in difficulty levels of different version of SAT.

To calculate the SAT score, marks obtained in Reading and for Writing and Language is multiplied by 10 to get the Reading and Writing section score and then they are added together. Similarly, the raw score of Math Test is multiplied by 20 to get the Math section score.

SAT 2025 Score Range

The question paper of SAT consists of two main sections and both SAT sections are scored on a similar score range which equals 1600. Check below the SAT Section-wise bifurcation for the upcoming SAT 2025 exam for international students.

SAT Section and no. of questions	Time Duration (mins)	Score Range
Reading + Writing (54 MCQ-Questions)	64 minutes	SAT Reading & Writing score range: 200 to 800
Break	10 minutes	-
Math (33 MCQs + 11 SPR-type Questions)	70 minutes	SAT Math score range: 200 to 800

 

The SAT India pattern has now changed. There is a huge difference between the old and new SAT patterns. The new SAT exam is known as SAT Digital, as it is now digitalized and no longer conducted in offline mode.

As the SAT Digital exam pattern has changed, it makes it easier for students to attempt the exam. The other registration rules remained the same. Check the difference between old and new SAT pattern:

SAT Old Pattern

The previous pattern consisted of three sections and an optional writing section. The duration was around three plus hours, plus additional time for writing section. The old pattern was offline, pen and paper based. In math section, candidates have a calculator section and a non-calculator section. 

SAT New Pattern

The new SAT exam is completely digital, and time duration is just 60 minutes. There are two sections, reading and writing (one) section and Math (second) section. In math section, candidates can use calculators for both modules. Questions have also become shorter, and candidates can answer 30% faster than other exams tested on a similar pattern.