Different Sections of CAT

The CAT exam is conducted annually by the IIMs for admission to top MBA programs in India. It is divided into three sections - Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The Quantitative Aptitude section tests fundamental math concepts like arithmetic, algebra and geometry through word problems. The Verbal Ability section evaluates English comprehension and grammar through reading passages and questions. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning consists of questions based on data presented in tables, graphs or paragraphs to test analysis and problem solving abilities. Candidates need minimum sectional and overall scores to be considered for group discussions and interviews at IIMs. In addition to IIMs, some other top B-school

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Different Sections of CAT

Uploaded by

Nitin Pandey

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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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What is CAT?

CAT (Common Admission Test) is the premier all India management entrance
exam conducted by IIMs. Last year 2,04,267 students competed for 1550+ seats
making it the most competitive exam in the country.
The IIMs are the premier management institutes in India established by an act
of Parliament. These institutes also provide consultancy and research services
in various business and management globally.

Different Sections of CAT

The CAT examination is divided into three sections
Quantitative Aptitude
Arithmetic
Algebra
Geometry
Commercial
Mathematics
Miscellaneous

Verbal Ability
Data Interpretation and
Logical Reasoning
Logical
Reasoning
Data
Interpretation,
Sufficiency

Reading
Comprehension
Verbal Logic
Vocabulary
Grammar
Correction

Syllabus
The Quantitative Aptitude section comprises of fundamental mathematics, based on
10 + 2 difficulty level. Problems are found to appear from various topics like
Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Commercial Mathematics (Word Problems). The
questions are largely based on application of mathematics to solve real-time problems.
The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section comprises of questions which
are asked based on the given data. The data given might be in the form of graphs,
charts, tables and paragraphs. Data Interpretation problems test the candidate's
understanding of the data and the ability to solve problems accurately. Logical
Reasoning questions check the candidate's ability to ratiocinate and evaluate
problems.

The Verbal Ability section comprises of questions on comprehension and usage of

standard English grammar. Verbal Logic questions test the candidate's knowledge of
arranging paragraphs in a logical order, determining the type of statements,
completing the paragraphs in an appropriate way. In general, it is found that all the
sections share an equal weight except CAT 2008 and CAT 2004 papers, which have a
higher percentage of Verbal Ability problems.
It has to be noted that the CAT does not predefine any specific chapters or content
upon which questions can occur. However, any intricate term would be well defined,
if the problem requires such knowledge.
Allocation of marks
In general, every correct answer gains 4 marks whereas every wrong answer results in
one negative mark.
Cut-offs for each section
Candidates must secure a minimum mark in each section to qualify for that section
and eventually for the CAT. The minimum marks required to qualify varies upon the
relative difficulty level of that section compared to other sections of the test. Sectional
cut-offs varies mostly on the basis of the performance who appear for the exam in that
year. A candidate must also secure a minimum total cut off for the entire paper to earn
GD/PI calls from IIMs. It has been observed that different IIMs use different cut-offs
to offer calls to selected candidates.
Selection for Group Discussion and Personal Interview
Candidates who secure the sectional cut-offs as well as the overall cut-offs in the
written test are called for GD/PI by IIMs. This is the ultimate step of the selectionprocess.
Other Institutes accepting CAT scores
Apart from the IIMs, some other institutes also offer admission to their postgraduate
courses of business and management on the basis of a candidate's CAT score