CAT Pattern

The examination pattern of both CAT and GRE are more or less similar or not similar based on the point of view. Both the examinations are for the students pursuing buisness management studies . 

The major difference between CAT and GRE is the acceptance, CAT is an examination for admission in business schools across India while GRE is accepted worldwide. 

Subjects in GRE are Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. 

Subjects in CAT are Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR).

To know more about the examination process, fee structure.candidates can refer to the official website. 

The CAT (Common Admission Test) exam pattern for 2023 remains consistent with the format established over the past two years. Prescribed by the IIMs, CAT 2023 features 66 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) to be solved within a time frame of 120 minutes. This duration is divided equally among the three sections of the exam, allowing 40 minutes for each section. The CAT 2023 exam pattern was officially released on July 30, concurrent with the announcement of CAT 2023 registrations. Notably, this structure has been maintained since 2020 when the exam duration and question count were reduced from 180 minutes and 100 questions, respectively, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Candidates are advised to familiarize themselves with the test structure, sectional time limits, marking scheme, and individual sections for effective preparation. 

Generally, the official mock tests are available on the official website of CAT which is https./iimcat.ac.in. The examination is conducted by Indian Institutes of Management. Check out the below steps to know how get official CAT mock tests online:

• Aspirants are requested to visit the official website of CAT (https./iimcat.ac.in)
• Login in through the CAT credentials.
• Click on the "mock test" button on the left side of screen. 
• Official CAT mock test is available for practise to candidates who have registered for exam.
• After that, the screen will display the instructions.
• After reading the instructions carefully, click on 'I am ready to begin' tab and start writing the exam.

Please keep checking the official website of CAT to have up-to-date information. 

The ideal time to start giving the CAT mock test series depends on one's preparation level. It is important to first complete the CAT syallbus and get a familiarity with the exam pattern. Many experts suggest that one should start taking the CAT mock test series atleast 3 months prior to the exam. Generally, every year, the Common Admission Test (CAT) is held in November. The initial preparation should include understanding the exam pattern, syllabus and marking scheme. For this, students must talk to CAT successful candidates. It's important to have a string grasp on subjects. Before solving the Mock tests, students should focus on conceptual understanding of key topics. Try to solve as many questions as possible of different types to reinforce the learning. Once you are done with both the stages, start taking mock test and get an actual exam environment.  It is advisable to take atleast one mock test every week and gradually increase the frequency of mock tests taken. These tests will help students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and learn from them. 

For all CAT aspirants, the aim is to get into IIMs. For that, students must secure the 99 percentile in CAT. The number of mock tests required to get a 99 percentile depends from student to student. CAT is one of the highly competitive exams in India and Lacs of students appear and compete with each other to get into 21IIMs. The "success" depends on various factors such as students' understanding of the exam patterns, problem-solving skills, time management skills etc. Experts and many successful candidates always propose students take as many mock tests as possible to get a grip of the exam pattern. Why does experts focus on taking mock tests so much? The answer is simple; it helps stimulate the actual exam conditions and environment.  Some candidates take two or three mock tests every week till the exam days while others take one every day. The main focus should be on analyzing the mistakes understanding your strengths and weaknesses and working accordingly. Additionally, it is advisable to take advice from successful CAT candidates and experts to get a vision.

The CAT (Common Admission Test) is segmented into three sections: Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR). The overall duration of the CAT exam is 3 hours with 120 minutes in total, with each section allotted a specific time limit of 40 minutes. This sectional time allocation emphasizes the necessity for candidates to effectively manage their time within each segment. It's noteworthy that candidates are restricted from switching between sections during the examination, highlighting the significance of strategic time utilization to optimize their attempts and performance in each of the three sections.
As for changing your exam slot, CAT typically does not allow candidates to alter their assigned test slots once the registration process is complete. It's crucial to carefully choose your preferred slot during the registration period.