CAT 2019 Exam: Marking Scheme and Test Structure
Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )
Registration - To be notified
CAT 2019 pattern and marking scheme is the same as last year, i.e. three marks will be awarded for each right answer and one mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.
CAT 2019 is scheduled to be held on November 24, 2019. Candidates planning to appear for the exam must ensure that they understand the CAT exam pattern and marking scheme well to utilize their 3 hours to maximize their performance.
CAT 2019 pattern and marking scheme is the same as last year, i.e. three marks will be awarded for each right answer and -1 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. There is no negative marking for non-MCQs or un-attempted questions.
Explore colleges based on CAT
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
Each section of CAT 2019 exam will contain 30+ questions in both MCQ and non-MCQ formats. The non-MCQ format questions will require the candidates to type in their answer (TITA) from the virtual keyboard. Given below is the table indicating CAT 2019 marking scheme:
CAT 2019 marking scheme
| Type of Questions |
Correct Answer |
Incorrect Answer |
|---|---|---|
| MCQ |
+3 |
-1 |
| Non-MCQ |
+3 |
0 |
CAT exam pattern and test structure
- CAT 2019 will be conducted online in two slots. First slot will be held from 9 am to 12 pm and second slot will be held from 2 pm to 5 pm.
- CAT 2019 question paper will be divided into three sections - Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). Also check: CAT syllabus
- There will be sectional time-limit of 60 minutes for each section. The total duration of the exam is 180 minutes.
- The moment 60 minutes of a particular section will get over, the computer screen will move to the next section. The candidates will not have the option to go back to previous section
- The candidates will be required to solve the CAT question paper in the sequence as given, i.e. Section 1: VARC, Section 2: DILR and Section 3: QA
CAT 2019 pattern: Break up of questions and allotment of marks
| Sections |
Number of questions |
Total marks |
|---|---|---|
| VARC |
34 |
102 (34x3) |
| DILR |
32 |
96 (32x3) |
| QA |
34 |
102 (34x3) |
| total |
100 |
300 |
The only major change that is expected in CAT 2019 exam pattern, is the distribution of type of questions in each section. In CAT 2018, there were more TITA-type questions than in CAT 2017. Take a look at the tables below for distribution of questions in each section of both the sessions of CAT 2018.
Explore more MBA exams with upcoming dates
16 Mar '26
12 Jan '26 - 31 Mar '26
5 Apr '26
31 Oct '25 - 12 Apr '26
TSICET
APICET
22 Mar '26
23 Mar '26
TANCET
CAT 2018: First slot
| Sections |
Number of MCQs |
Number of TITA questions |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC |
28 |
7 |
34 |
| DILR |
24 |
8 |
32 |
| QA |
22 |
12 |
34 |
CAT 2018: Second slot
| Sections |
Number of MCQs |
Number of TITA questions |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC |
28 |
7 |
34 |
| DILR |
24 |
8 |
32 |
| QA |
22 |
12 |
34 |
CAT 2019 registrations is currently underway and the last date to apply is September 18, 2019. If you plan to appear for the exam, take a look at some exam preparation articles below:
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Jul '26 | XAT 2027 registration dates |
Sep '26 | XAT 2027 mock test |
9 Jan '26 | SNAP 2025 result announcement |
20 Dec '25 | SNAP 2025 session 3 |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Registration Window |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Scheduling Window |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
8 Mar '26 | MAT Feb 2026 CBT |
5 Mar '26 | MAT Feb 2026 CBT admit card |
Jul '26 | IBSAT 2026 Registration |
27 Dec '26 - 28 Dec '26 | IBSAT 2026 Exam Date |
17 Feb '26 | CMAT 2026 result |
31 Jan '26 - 2 Feb '26 | CMAT 2026 exam answer key obje... |
7 Apr '26 - 8 Apr '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam |
9 May '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam 2 |
16 Mar '26 - 10 Apr '26 | TANCET registration window |
Apr '26 | Release of TANCET provisional ... |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Yes, CAT/MAT/XAT/CMAT/GMAT scores are valid for KIITEE MBA. Candidates applying online will be required to submit copies of their mark sheets and other supporting documents.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
CAT is a national-level exam that is conducted for MBA admission at PG level in colleges. CAT is a computer-based-test. The test duration is 120 minutes. It consists of 68 questions that are divided in the following 3 sections:
- VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)
- DILR (Data Interpretation
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
To get admission in IIM Kashipur MBA, students have to clear the CAT cutoff. The cutoff for the general category AI quota was 95. For NC-OBC candidates, it is 81 percentile, for SC candidates it is 66 percentile whereas for SC and PwD candidates, it is 40 percentile. Students can check the official
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
No, the application fee for Amrita CAT can only be paid online. There is no provision of offline payment.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 5 days ago
CAT exam conducted only once a year in the month of November. It is conducted in three shifts on a single day.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
CAT exam is conducted in computer based test mode. Candidates have to visit a designated test centre to give the exam on a computer system. They have to login their answers with the help of computer mouse.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
Maximum marks in CAT is 204. There are 68 questions each carrying 3 marks. VARC is of 72 marks and DILR and Quants are of 66 marks each.
P
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
CAT exam is of 120 minutes. Each section is of 40 minutes. PwD candidates get extra time of 53 minutes and 20 seconds per section.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Yes, CAT exam is MCQ type, meaning there are no subjective type questions wherein you have to write a lot. In CAT every question is to be answered in one word or option. However, all questions don't have MCQ options, some are Type In The Answer (TITA) questions.
J
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 6 days ago
Yes, students can prepare for the KMAT exam along with the CAT exam. However, CAT is comparatively a difficult MBA exam. The difficulty level of KMAT is easy to moderate, but CAT retains high difficulty levels. Students can use CAT books for KMAT preparation
A
Contributor-Level 6
Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
Read Full Bio