IIFT Exam Pattern 2025: Check Marking Scheme & Section-Wise Pattern of IIFT Exam

Q: How many mock tests should I practice to crack IIFT with high score?

Every candidate must decide on the number of mock tests according to their own ability, strengths and weaknesses viz. the IIFT syllabus. However, it is recommended that candidates must practice at least 25-30 IIFT mock tests during exam preparation to reach 99 percentile level. The best time to start mock test practice is after completing the IIFT syllabus because if you solve mock tests without gaining control over the topics you might face difficulties in many. So, first complete the syllabus and then start mock test practice. Keep at least 2 months for IIFT mock test practice so that you can solve 25-30 mock tests in total in a gap of one day. An important aspect of mock test practice is analyzing their result. After solving every IIFT mock test, analyse your performance to see control on the topics. You will know which topics are your strong point and which require some more hard work.

Q: What should be my preparation strategy to crack IIFT?

Mock simulations can be your holy grail when it comes to practicing for the competitive entrance. It will proliferate your efficiency by measuring your current level of preparation. You should at least try to attempt 15 to 20 full length mocks of 3 hours each and spend another 5 hours understanding the analysis. This implies spending at least 8 hours per fortnight for practice. Career Launcher comprehensive IIFT Online Classes would help you prepare head to toe for the grueling IIFT examination, within the solace of your home. Get in touch with their counselors to know more on the course insights and different types of programmes suiting to your convenience. You need to prepare both static GK for IIFT and Current Affairs. Get IIFT GK sample questions from IIFT Mocks and IIFT previous test papers. Read regularly the news papers and create your own IIFT GK question bank. A good source of preparation for updated GK questions for IIFT is Manorama Year Book. IIFT difficulty level is pretty much the same every year. After clearing the first round based on marks obtained in the written test, the candidates are further called for the next level which is comprised of essay writing, group discussions, and interviews. The additional General awareness section is something that makes the IIFT exam more difficult to crack. But if you are well aware of the IIFT difficulty level, you can ace the IIFT exam. It is highly advisable for you to solve the exam in 2 rounds. In round 1 you attempt all the easy level questions and in the second round, you solve the remaining ones. This strategy will ensure that you do not miss out on questions that are direct and formula based. This strategy is applicable to all the sections.

Q: What is the mode of IIFT exam?

IIFT entrance exam is a computer based test. It is conducted in a single session at designated test centres. At the exam centre, every candidate will be allotted a computer system on which they will have to enter their answers with the help of computer mouse. Candidates are allotted the IIFT test centre in the city of their preference. They have to appear for the IIFT entrance exam at that test centre on the exam day at a particular time as mentioned in the IIFT admit card. The option to choose cities for test centre allotment is given to candidates in the IIFT application form. Candidates can choose their home city or where they are likely to be in on the date for allotment of a test centre at the closest and convenient location.

Q: I am a working professional. How many hours should I devote daily for IIFT 2024 preparation?

Ideally, six to eight hours daily is what experts recommend for IIFT exam preparation, but since working professionals can’t devote that many hours, they should at least strive to devote four hours every day. They can study for longer hours on Saturday and Sunday. By striking a balance between weekdays and weekends, working professionals can crack the IIFT exam. It is just that they will have to study after work. They should start preparation much earlier as they will have less time to devote on daily basis. Ideally a working professional should start preparing for IIFT exam from March so that they have ample time to complete the syllabus and practice enough mock tests.

Q: How many months are required to prepare for the IIFT exam?

Ideally, a candidate must prepare for the IIFT exam for at least six to nine months. They must study for the exam diligently for six to eight hours every day and the daily plan should include studying a chapter, solving related sample questions and memorising formulae. The first few months should be spent in covering the IIFT syllabus. An important aspect of IIFT preparation is practicing sample questions that are based on the important topics of IIFT syllabus. After that candidates must spend about two months in solving practice questions and mock tests. In the last month before the exam, candidates must make time for revision of all the important chapters and have problem solving sessions to tie up the loose ends. In the last month, keep the focus on important topics from which maximum questions are asked.

Q: Will there be non-MCQs too in IIFT 2024 exam?

Yes, there could be some e non-MCQs in IIFT exam, most likely in the Quantitative Aptitude section. However, the number of non-MCQs will be lesser than MCQs. The candidates will have to type in the answer with the help of computer keyboard. For doing calculation and rough work, candidates will be given rough sheet that will have to be submitted at the end of the test. The non-MCQs are usually of low difficulty level and have simple calculations. So, candidates will not face a lot of difficulty in solving the non-MCQs. Solving all the questions is not mandatory so one can skip the non-MCQ questions too if they find it difficult.

Q: Can I skip a question in IIFT exam? Will my marks be deducted?

Yes, it is not mandatory to answer all the questions in the IIFT exam and no marks will be deducted for skipping questions. If you are not sure of the right answer to a particular question, skip it to avoid negative marking. Candidates should solve only those questions in the IIFT exam which they can solve accurately and minimum time. However, candidates must keep in mind that they need to meet a minimum cut off in every section so they should not skip too many questions. Meeting the sectional cut off will ensure that their overall IIFT score is high enough for selection in the personal interview and group discussion round of MBA admission.

Q: What is the IIFT marking scheme?

IIFT marking scheme is similar to other MBA entrance exams but has unique features. There is differential marking in IIFT which means not all the sections of the question paper carry same marks. The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability are carry 3 marks per correct attempt and -1 per each incorrect attempt. General Awareness section carries less marks than other sections. In this section 1.5 marks is allotted to every correct attempt and -0.5 marks are allotted for every incorrect attempt. IIFT sections No. of questions Marks per questions Negative marks Total marks Quantitative Ability 25 3 -1 75 VARC 35 3 -1 105 DILR 30 3 -1 90 General Awareness 20 1.5 -0.5 30 Total 110 - 300

Q: What are the important VARC topics of IIFT syllabus?

The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section of IIFT exam includes Vocabulary, Synonyms/Antonyms, Analogies, Spelling Mistakes, Idioms and Phrases, English Proficiency, Sentence Formation, One Word Substitution, Sentence Reconstruction, Sentence Improvement, Sentence Completion, Fill in the Blanks, Rearrangement of Words, Paragraph Formation, Paragraph Completion, Jumbled Paragraph, Reading Comprehension, English Grammar, Word Meaning, Preposition, Odd Word Out, Sentence Correction and Phrases. Candidates preparing for the IIFT entrance exam, must focus on these topics during preparation. The total number of questions in VARC section of IIFT is 35 and there is negative marking of -1. So, when you are preparing for it, keep your focus on RC passages, Antonym, Word Root, Match the Following, Idioms, Vocabulary and Noun/Adjective as these are the topics from which maximum questions are asked.

Q: Is the syllabus for IIFT similar to CAT?

Yes, the IIFT syllabus is similar to CAT syllabus. The topics included in English, Logical Reasoning, Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude section of IIFT exam are same as CAT. The topics included in these sections of IIFT are same as that of CAT. In VARC section, one has to study reading comprehension, verbal ability, vocabulary and grammar. In Quantitative Aptitude section of both exams, there are questions from Arithmetic, Mensuration, Geometry, Trigonometry, Algebra, Modern Math, etc. In Data Interpretation, one has to study Tables, Charts, Graphs and Venn Diagrams. The Logical Reasoning section of both exams has questions from Sequence, Number System, Coding-Decoding, Family Tree, Blood Relations, Series, etc. However, IIFT aspirants have to study General Awareness too as it is one of the four sections of IIFT question paper. The General Awareness section is memory based and can be prepared in the last month before the IIFT exam. Candidates can prepare for both CAT and IIFT simultaneously. Read more: Is IIFT tougher than CAT exam?

Updated on Jun 20, 2024 18:29 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

IIFT exam pattern - The IIFT entrance exam is MCQ based. You can check here previous year's IIFT pattern. The IIFT exam was conducted by the NTA annually in online mode at several exam centres across India on behalf of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi. The duration of IIFT exam was two hours and questions were asked in MCQ format.

For admission to 2024 batch, IIFT did not conduct the entrance exam and selected students on the basis of CAT 2023 score.

Q: Is IIFT tougher than CAT?

Q: When should I start studying for IIFT exam?

Q: Who prescribes the IIFT exam syllabus?

Table of content

IIFT Pattern 2025: Key Highlights
IIFT Exam Pattern 2025: Syllabus & Topics
IIFT Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme 2025
IIFT Pattern: Section-Wise Break-Up of Questions
IIFT Exam Preparation 2025
FAQs Regarding IIFT Pattern 2025

IIFT Pattern 2025: Key Highlights

The IIFT exam pattern and test structure was similar to other MBA entrance exams but was unique in its own way. Based on the latest question paper, given below is the IIFT pattern:

IIFT Exam Pattern	Details
Sections	Section 1: Quantitative Aptitude Section 2: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Section 3: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning Section 4: General Awareness
Mode of examination	Online
Total number of questions	110
Marks per question	3 marks for each right question in Sections 1, 2 and 3. 1.5 marks for each right answer in Section 4
Negative marking	Yes
Total marks	300

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the sectional weightage in IIFT exam?

Q: What is the total time duration of IIFT exam?

Q: What is the IIFT exam pattern?

IIFT Exam Pattern 2025: Syllabus & Topics

The syllabus of IIFT exam was similar to other MBA entrance exams. The IIFT syllabus included all the topics of Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Analysis and General Awareness. Listed below some of the important topics of IIFT exam syllabus:

VARC: Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Word Meaning, One Word Substitution, Incorrect Sentence, Odd Word Out, Antonyms/Synonyms, etc.
Data Interpretation: Line Graph, Bar Graph, Charts and Tables.
Logical Reasoning: Circular Arrangement, Tournaments, Scheduling, Linear Arrangement, Coding-Decoding, Puzzle, etc.
Quantitative Analysis: Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Modern Mathematics and Numbers.
General Awareness: Current affairs and static GK from Business, Economy, Politics, World, Sports, Brands, History, Agriculture, Trade, Industry, Brands, Awards, Personalities, etc.

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the IIFT marking scheme?

Q: What are the important VARC topics of IIFT syllabus?

Q: Is the syllabus for IIFT similar to CAT?

View Syllabus

IIFT Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme 2025

IIFT exam marking scheme was different for each section and also includes negative marking for wrong attempts. Given below was the marking scheme for each section of IIFT exam 2025:

IIFT sections	No. of questions	Marks per questions	Negative marks	Total marks
Quantitative Analysis	25	3	-1	75
VARC	35	3	-1	105
DILR	30	3	-1	90
General Awareness	20	1.5	-0.5	30
Total	110	--	--	300

Commonly asked questions

Q: Which section of IIFT exam has maximum weightage?

Q: What is the mode of IIFT exam?

IIFT Pattern: Section-Wise Break-Up of Questions

In IIFT, the maximum number of questions were asked in the VARC section, followed by DILR. Given below are the section-wise number of questions expected in IIFT exam 2025:

IIFT sections	No. of questions	Marks per questions
Quantitative Aptitude	25	3
VARC	35	3
DILR	30	3
General Awareness	20	1.5
Total	110	--

IIFT Exam Pattern: Time Allocation

IIFT question paper consisted of 110 or more MCQs. There is no sectional time-limit in the exam so candidates have the freedom to manage time according to their plan. Check the table below for recommended time allocation to each section of the IIFT exam:

IIFT Exam Sections	Time Allotted
General Awareness	8 to 10 minutes
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	25 to 30 minutes
Quantitative Analysis	30 to 35 minutes
Data interpretation & Logical Reasoning	40 to 45 minutes

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many mock tests should I practice to crack IIFT with high score?

Q: What should be my preparation strategy to crack IIFT?

IIFT Exam Preparation 2025

IIFT exam is all about speed and accuracy, thus the large part of the preparation should include understanding each concept well and developing speed in solving related questions accurately. Given below are some articles that will help aspirants in preparing for IIFT 2025 exam. Click on the links to read.

IIFT Preparation Tips: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	IIFT Preparation Tips: How to Crack Quantitative Aptitude
How to Prepare for IIFT exam?	Best Books for IIFT Exam Preparation
How to Prepare for IIFT exam in 6 months?	How To Prepare for IIFT Exam in 3 Months?
How Difficult is IIFT Exam as Compared to CAT?	How to Prepare for IIFT Exam in 1 Month?
IIFT Preparation Tips to crack DI and Reasoning	Time Management is The Key: IIFT Topper Harrshit M Kansal