CAT 2024 is only six days away. The exam will be held on November 24 and all the test takers are putting in their 100 per cent to perform well. The CAT is a high difficulty level exam and the key is to understand the exam pattern well. Only then you can make the best of the opportunity. Check here CAT 2024 exam pattern and time management tips.
CAT 2024 preparation tips
CAT 2024 is an MCQ based test, in which candidates will have to solve 66 questions in 120 minutes. The number of question may look less in comparison to the time duration, but it is not so. The difficulty level of CAT makes it tough to complete the test in the given time duration.
To perform well in the CAT 2024 exam, you need to understand the exam pattern and be able to manage the time judiciously. The best way to understand the CAT 2024 exam pattern is to attempt the official CAT 2024 mock test which is now available. It will help them have an experience of the actual exam beforehand. Candidates must also check out and practice previous years’ CAT question papers to know the trend of questions.
CAT 2024 Exam Pattern
Given below is an overview of CAT 2024 exam pattern for reference:
| CAT Paper Pattern 2024 |
|
|---|---|
| Mode of CAT exam |
Computer Based Test |
| Duration of exam |
120 minutes 40 minutes per section |
| CAT exam slots |
Morning: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Afternoon: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM Evening: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM |
| Number of questions |
66 |
| CAT marking scheme |
+ 3 for correct attempt -1 for incorrect attempt 0 for unanswered questions |
| CAT total marks |
198 |
| Number of answer choices |
4 |
| Question Type |
MCQ and non-MCQ |
CAT 2024 Time Management Tips
- First of all, you need to understand that you cannot solve all the questions in CAT. So you better focus on the questions you can solve.
- Every section of CAT 2024 will be of 40 minutes and as soon as the time will be over, the screen will move to the next section. So, keep saving your answers.
- Glance through all the questions of the section and see which ones can you attempt. This approach is applicable to Quants and DILR. In VARC, you will have to read the passages.
- Read the passages and keep noting down points which you think are important. You can try reading the questions first and the passage later. But for this approach, have enough practice before the exam. You can do it in these last few days before the CAT 2024 to see if this approach is good for you or not.
- The next important tip, is to choose the questions wisely. If the questions belong to your strong areas, attempt it, if not, leave it.
- Don’t spend too much time on a question. If you are facing challenge in a problem ‘save it for later’ and move to the next question. You can come back to it later, if time permits.
- Do not mark any option, if you’re not sure of it. Accuracy is the key here and you cannot take the risk of negative marking.
- Aim to solve 2/3rd of the questions in each section. Attempt more if sectional time limit permits.
- Practice mental calculation. It saves a lot of time.
Read More:
| Explore important events of CAT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mock Test | Pattern | Question Papers | Preparation |
CAT is a computer based test which is conducted in three shifts. The CAT is conducted for two hours in which candidates have to solve 68 questions.
These 68 questions are divided into three sections Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension VARC Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning DILR and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). The VARC section has 24 questions, the DILR section has 28 questions and QA section has 22 question. Each question carries 3 marks for correct entry and -1 for incorrect entry. There is no negative marking for unanswered question. A unique aspect of CAT is the sectional time limit. Each section has a time limit of 40 minutes (53.20 minutes for PwD candidates).
Candidates have to complete the section within the time limit as the moment the onscreen timer shows 0 minutes left, the screen will automatically move to the next section. There is no option to go back to older questions. Also, candidates have to follow the question paper chronology. They have to first solve the VARC section, then the DILR section and then the QA section.
In CAT exam, each candidate gets 120 minutes to solve the paper. There are three sections in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. For each section 40 minutes are allotted as sectional time limit. For PwD candidates, the sectional time limit is 53.20 minutes per section. Candidates have to complete each section within the given time limit. Since the CAT is an online mode exam, the test screen will move from first section to the next section automatically as soon as the time limit gets over. Thus candidates have to be mindful of the on-screen timer and pre-decide the number of questions to solve in each section. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT has 24 questions, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section has 22 questions and Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions in CAT so candidates can devise a strategy to use 40 minutes per section as per their strength and weakness.
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