CAT 2024 Preparation Tips

Although there are many admissions tests, the CAT is the most well-known for gaining admission to MBA courses. All Indian institutions, whether government or private, will accept this test. The IIMs conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT), a management ability test, at the national level for candidates seeking admission to their MBA colleges.

Over 1,200 business schools in India also accept the CAT score. Every year, more than two lakh people apply to take the CAT test.  About 400 test centers in 155 places in India administer the CAT test in three rounds on the same day. Three parts comprise the test: verbal ability and reading comprehension, data interpretation and logical reasoning, and quantitative ability. In terms of test difficulty, it ranges from moderately difficult to challenging.

Exam Particulars	CAT 2024 Details
Full Form	Common Admission Test (CAT)
Conducting Institute for 2024	IIM Calcutta (tentative)
Level	National
Frequency	Once a year
Date 2024	November  2024 (tentative)
Timings	Session 1: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Session 2: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM Session 3: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
CAT Exam Fees	INR 2,400 for the General category and Rs. 1,200 for the Reserved category.
Eligibility Criteria	Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students)
Number of Applications	3.30 lakh (in 2023)
Number of Test Takers	2.88 lakh (in 2023)
Purpose	Access more than 1,200 Indian business schools, including IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT, and more.
Courses Offered	MBA/PGDM
CAT syllabus	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Ability (QA)
CAT exam mode	Computer Based Test (CBT) with MCQs and non-MCQs

 

CAT exam pattern

Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability, and Reading Comprehension are the three sections of the CAT 2024 exam paper, as well as Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

The given table shows the CAT exam pattern.

Section	No. Of Questions	Marks Allotted
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning	20	60
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	22	66
Quantitative Ability	24	72
Total	66	198

CAT Exam preparation tips 

Check the exam pattern and syllabus.

Candidates should double-check the exam pattern and the syllabus they are following before beginning their preparation. Candidates should keep lists and notes of all the crucial topics they need to cover during exam preparation. The syllabus of the CAT 2024 exam pattern means the candidates will be able to understand the structure of the examination and the individual weight of sections and markings.

Decide on your strategy.

For the remaining problems, candidates should devise their own solutions, eschewing rigid strategies in favor of more effective ones. Trying to solve all of the papers they attempted last year will help them understand the types of questions they may encounter in the exam. They should then prepare for future issues like these. By doing this, they can equip themselves to tackle future challenges that may arise.

Improve your speed and accuracy.

The CAT 2024 section-wise time will be 40 minutes, and anyone interested in writing the exam must note this. They should try to increase their work rate because they won't have any extra time to spend on their assignments. It means candidates can start with straightforward questions and then move on to harder ones. Secondly, it is advisable for candidates to enhance their calculative ability by speeding up the process of solving mathematical problems.

For your CAT preparation, choose the most essential books.

Career Launcher's MBA Unleashed could potentially aid in CAT preparation. In addition to other recommended books such as How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension by Arihant Publications, ,Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit K. Sinha,.

Solve the CAT 2024 mock tests.

Candidates must complete as many mock test papers as possible in preparation for CAT . The candidates familiarize themselves with the exam structure and question types through the mock test papers for the CAT. The 2024 mock test papers will have the same duration as the actual CAT papers.

Read newspapers and magazines.

The individual should be a vigilant reader of newspapers and magazines, as it may improve his or her communication skills. The knowledge imparted in the article will also assist you in clearing the GD/PI in the MBA admissions process in 2024–25.

Preparation Tips for CAT -DI & LR rounds

This section's rationale is to evaluate each candidate's assessment within the context of their logic and methodology. In order to master this section, candidates will have to first understand every given topic in detail and then start practicing it.

• Prepare the following subsections first: Caselet, Bar Graph, Data Sufficiency, Clocks and Calendars, Data Arrangement, Binary Logic, Constraint-Based Puzzles, and Venn Diagram.
• Before they answer, candidates should carefully read the questions. They should understand why they should make a certain choice. They should carefully read each answer before selecting or removing it. Remember that once the candidates decide, they can't go back on their decision. It's crucial to keep in mind that you can alter your decision even after you've made it. Therefore, it's crucial to pay attention to terms like "some," "all," "none," and so on. They complicate the question, making it difficult for one to choose the right answer from the given options.
• Seek assistance from teachers and seniors to learn the tricks and methods for solving the questions in this section.
• While preparing the sub-sections, remember to complete one topic at a time. Devote an equal amount of time to each topic and subsection to understand the details, including the methodology for finding the solution.
• When answering the questions, please refrain from rushing through them and completing them all at once. However, avoid selecting questions that require a significant amount of time; instead, begin with those that the examiner deems manageable and proceed to the remaining ones.

 Preparation Tips for CAT Quantitative Ability (QA)

Applying the strategy correctly is essential for successful preparation for the QA section. It is as follows: Therefore, the CAT QA section can demonstrate its effectiveness for the majority of candidates, provided they have adequately prepared for it. The following are some of the best CAT QA preparation tips for candidates:

• The written language proficiency section of the CAT exam focuses on the candidate’s understanding of arithmetic reasoning and numeric calculation systems.
• You should review some materials in this section, like arithmetic, geometry, algebra, mensuration, topics on trigonometry, and calculus. To excel in this section and enable one to obtain high marks , one should use the CAT  best books.
• If reading the books and getting the terms seem hard, you might want to join a well-known teaching center. The mentors at these centers will teach the difficult topics in an effortless way, combined with regular practice sessions.
• For CAT applicants, going through the examples given after every explanation in the books and study materials is a must. These examples will help you understand the problem in a clear way, as well as the steps to approaching the solution simply.
• One thing that is correct in asking questions is that it is better to start with the basic and simpler ones and then proceed to the complex and compound ones.

Preparation Tips for CAT VARC Section

• You should spend the next 10 minutes justifying your answers while also attempting to answer any questions that you feel are still unclear.
• The emphasis is on the strategies employed during reading. The structure of the VARC also assesses a student's knowledge of various languages and linguistic processes. After analyzing the given advice, it would be more advisable to improve your grammar skills by following the examples found in good books.
• CAT applicants with a 99th percentile and other experts suggest that the candidate should read junior-level books to acquire a deeper understanding of them.
• The focus should also be on specific sub-sections such as fact inference judgment, para-completion, verbal comprehension, analogies, and parajumble, which require further scrutiny and clarification.
• As far as words and synonyms are concerned, some require little work and memorization, while others need more attention. Solving sample CAT test papers or question papers from previous years simplifies the process. Working on papers from the previous year is another way to get a feel for the format and style of VARC questions. Additionally, experts recommend learning up to 10 new words, understanding their meanings, and learning how to use their synonyms.
• You should start getting ready right away if you want to take the CAT test in 2024. It also states that you must work on your speech skills and put in a lot of practice before the CAT. Students need to understand that progressing slowly is the only way to build reading skills that will last. This means that it is important to lay the foundations for effective reading from the very beginning of school. Experts say that nine months before the test is the best time to start learning.

Common mistakes to avoid

The lack of awareness about the CAT 2024 syllabus and exam pattern is concerning.

One of the most important and necessary things to do is to learn about the CAT program. Many students tend to dwell on vague concepts for extended periods. For instance, students may understand that reading comprehension is a crucial part of verbal ability, but they may not understand that practicing reading comprehension without a firm understanding of exam topics is ineffective. Students should outline the topics covered in each section and indicate the extent to which they answered each question.

A lack of a proper strategy

It is important not to just prepare answers to questions that pertain to one particular [skill set you have]”. Do not forget to plan for the time you will spend answering a specific number of practice questions and mock exams on a weekly basis. Considering the fact that you are going to cover the CAT 2024 course, ensure that you cover all subjects by setting weekly targets and enhancing the use of formulas in an attempt to boost your level of preparedness.

Inadequate Practice

For students, it is useful to make a clear differentiation between what passive and active learning involve. Selective learning involves grasping an idea through notes and videos, but it never involves application. On the contrary, active learning involves understanding an idea and asking a variety of questions regarding the idea learned. Thus, in order not to overestimate one’s abilities, a student must spend at least 5–10 questions in each of the sets.

The inability to strike a balance between strengths and weaknesses is evident.

One of the most valuable tips regarding CAT preparation for a beginner is to improve long-term goals by tackling the questions that are tougher from your weaker sections. Give yourself enough time to understand the challenging lesson so that you don't move on to the next one without fully understanding the last one.

 

Here are some tips for taking the CAT mock test 2024.

• They should have considered taking the first practice test right away because it would have given them more time to prepare. Starting the practice tests early will help you become accustomed to the format of the real test and the types of problems you might encounter.
• For one thing, it helps you get used to the style of the test, and for another, it might be a beneficial place to start trying to understand the test's main ideas.
• Many people try to put off taking their first practice test until they know something about all three parts. This is because they don't want to get a negative score.
• Everyone studies at their own pace, but you need to start taking the practice tests before you start studying for the CAT.
• Sign up for a school with a good reputation that offers well-thought-out practice tests and a safe place to test your knowledge. You can see how long it took you to finish each part of the test. This is what you need to do next.
• Every week, you should try to give at least two practice tests.
• It's not enough to just take the review test. You need to look over every question that you got wrong and figure out what you're excelling at and bad at. Giving a fake test is pointless if you don't look over it carefully.
• Don't give tests on two days in a row. You should space out two practice tests by at least one day. You can use this extra time to try out questions that are challenging for you.

Determine the appropriate course of action:

• When giving fake tests, it's a beneficial idea to try a different method. If you always start with English, try quantitative or data interpretation first. This will help you choose a better option later.
• That is, when taking fake tests, it's important to quickly switch between different parts and evaluate your performance in each one to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
• If your score keeps changing, look deeper into it to see what's wrong and try to get a number that stays the same.
• Three factors should influence how you take the 2024 CAT practice test: your understanding of the test's structure, your speed at answering questions that appear simple, and your examination of each section separately.
• While it is most likely too early to identify what exactly a candidate may be good or unsuccessful at, it is possible to estimate to what extent he or she performs better in a given segment and whether there are segments that would take more time and effort on the candidate’s side to crack.
• Divide each part into smaller parts, and ensure that the first step covers the fundamentals of each component. Splitting the parts up into algebra, geometry, current math, and so on, using QA as an example, might help you cover the basics in a more organized way. After learning each of these parts, taking sectional tests will make it easier to build a fantastic question bank that shows how far you've come.