Know what CAT 2021 test takers have to say about difficulty level of the question paper. Check out CAT 2021 student reactions and review.
CAT 2021 exam was conducted today in three slots at over 400 test centres across India. The first slot was conducted from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, the second slot was conducted from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and the third slot was conducted from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Shiksha team visited a CAT exam centre in Delhi to know from the candidates about the exam and question paper.
Like last year, the CAT 2021 exam was conducted with COVID-19 guidelines. All the candidates were given different reporting time to avoid overcrowding at the centre. Physical distancing and other safety measures were followed at the time of entry and during the exam. Irregularity in following physical distancing was reported from a few CAT exam centres but over all the COVID-19 protocol was followed.
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The CAT 2021 question paper was of moderate difficulty level and in all the three slots, VARC section was tough and lengthy. There were 66 questions in total (VARC-24, DLIR-20 and QA-22). Read below CAT 2021 student reactions and reviews from a examination centre in Delhi.
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CAT 2021 Student Reactions and Reviews
Anika Jain
"I found the VARC section a bit tougher like last year, but the DILR and Quant sections were much easier. So, all in all I would say that the paper was on the easier side."
Anand Malhotra
"The exam was not tough it was quite moderate but the Quant part was time consuming. Reasoning part was average and Verbal was also average."
Tanmay
"This was my second CAT attempt. Quant was easy. I attempted most of the questions. Some questions were a little bit lengthy and DILR was smooth. If someone had prepared will they could easily attempt three sets. VARC is my weak area so I comment on that but I guess it was also decent. One could attempt more than 15 questions."
Arpan Tripathi
"The exam was good, not that much difficult. Last year, it was more difficult but this year it was good. Verbal part was a little bit difficult but overall it was easy."
Akash
"According to me, the verbal section relatively easier than last year. The LRDI section was pretty tricky and lengthy but once you got the concept it became easy and for Quants, I would say concept wise the questions were easy but calculations were tricky and lengthy."
Piyush
"The Quant section was straightforward according to me and English section was quite lengthy but DILR section was really tough in comparison to last three years. The English passages were quite long."
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CAT 2021 Analysis
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IIM Ahmedabad will release the preliminary CAT 2021 answer key within a week following which most of the CAT test takers will be able to analyse their performance better. The CAT 2021 result will be announced by first or second week of January 2022.
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Student Forum
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, NISM offers scholarship on not just CAT percentile score but also on XAT, CMAT & MAT entrance scores. Currently they offer 50% scholarship on 1st year tuition fees if you score more than 75 percentile on CAT/XAT. For CMAT & MAT, the percentile score should be above 80 percentile. These may chan
D
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 5 days ago
Dedicate one focused hour in the morning to QA formulas or an RC passage, one hour in the evening to DILR sets, and reserve weekends for full-length mocks and thorough review.
L
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
It is not too late, provided you adjust your scope. Focus directly on core topics, start taking sectional tests immediately, and spend time learning through mock test analysis.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Focus on formula sheets, mental math tables, grammar pointers, and your accumulated test error log. Avoid attempting full-length tests during the final three days before the exam.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Enrolling in a classroom programme is rarely practical with two months left. However, a dedicated mock test series or a targeted crash course for specific weak subjects can provide structured practice material.
D
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
A beginner can build a respectable attempt by focusing strictly on high-yield areas such as Arithmetic, Algebra, core DI arrangements, and Reading Comprehension, rather than attempting the entire syllabus.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Taking 12 to 18 full-length mocks across the 60-day window is generally sufficient. Candidates must scatter these mocks into phases and dedicate at least three to four hours to analysing each test.
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Yes, 60 days is adequate if you have a basic understanding of mathematics and reading skills. It provides sufficient time to revise concepts, complete timed sectional practice, and take 12 to 15 full mocks.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
IIM Indore will release CAT admit card 2026 on November 4. Candidates will be able to download the admit card of CAT exam 2026 until the exam date, i.e. November 29.
R
Contributor-Level 7
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
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