Three sections
CAT is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management. Recent editions have had three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. Each section has had a fixed time limit, and candidates cannot move back to a section once its time is over.
Question types and marking
The paper has included multiple-choice questions and questions where you type the answer. Correct answers have earned positive marks, incorrect MCQ answers have been penalised and type-in questions have not carried negative marking. Confirm the details in the official notification for the year.
What it means for practice
- Rehearse with sectional timers and no going back
- Practise question selection in each section
- Train for type-in questions, which need exact answers
To apply this, follow the CAT strategy guide and try tests from the CAT mock test hub.
Note: this is a general summary, not an official source. Consult the official CAT website for the current pattern.
