CAT Syllabus

CAT 2024 was conducted on November 24, 2024 (Sunday) in three sessions.

After a deep analysis of CAT previous year's papers and exam patterns, our experts created the syllabus of CAT with section-wise weightage of each topic in the 2024 exam.

The following was the pattern of CAT Exam

Total number of questions: 66
Maximum Time: 120 Min.

• VARC: 24 questions on specific topics, maximum time permitted 40 min.
• DILR: 20 questions, maximum time permitted 40 min.
• QUANT:22 questions, focus on Arithmetic, maximum time permitted 40 min.

11-15 Non-MCQs Out of 66 Questions

• VARC - 3-5
• DILR - 3-5
• QA - 4-5

Marking Scheme: For every correct answer student will get +3 marks and for a wrong answer -1. No negative marking for Non-MCQs

• Candidates will be allotted exactly 40 minutes for answering questions in each section and they will not be allowed to switch from one section to another while answering questions in a section.
• Tutorials to understand the format of the test will be available on the CAT website. Candidates are advised to work on the tutorials available on the CAT website well in advance.

Also read about : IIM Placements 2024 & IIM waitlist movement

CAT 2024 Syllabus for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Section Highlights: Common Admission Test (CAT) for VARC section is divided into 2 parts. The 1st part of the syllabus of CAT covers topics on Reading Comprehension passages and the 2nd part of syllabus on VARC covers topics on Verbal Ability.

Part-1: Syllabus for Reading Comprehension (RC)

• International Affairs, Govt policies and Schemes, i.e.,Russia vs Ukraine War, Agneepath Scheme, Triple Talaq, CAA, COVID 19 Pandemic, Clean India Mission, Migration of people from one country to other, Growing intolerance across the Globe.
• Business & Economic RC Passages, i.e., Indian budget 2024, Economic reform of India, Global economic changes, economic development at the cost of environment, Impact of Demonetization in India, Wasteful expenditure by Governments.
• RC passages from various English Literature books, from articles authored by great philosophers and thinkers, from speeches of great personalities like Charles Dickens, Aristotle, Martin Luther King, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Churchill, etc.
• Passages on Science & Culture including the journey to Modern world; Fading culture with the advancement of technology
• Abstract topics and fiction are also included in the Reading Comprehension Syllabus for CAT.

These passages make the candidates to put themselves in the author’s shoes before answering the questions since they are opinion based.

• RC Passages on Historical events leading to social changes, i.e., French Revolution, War of Roses, Social changes in Indian History and thoughts shared by various activists which are relevant even in current times.
• RC Passages from Mythology like Indian Veda and Granths.

These passages try to correlate the Mythological events with the current social structure and answers to these questions must be inferred

Key Facts on RC Syllabus in CAT & Type of questions

RC passage on any topic 'under the Sun' can be placed in exam.

Number of Questions: 12-15
Sectional Weightage in CAT: 15%-20%
Type of passages in Exam on RC: 3 Long and 2 Short.
Division of questions: 6 questions based on each long passage and 3 questions based on each short passage. Sometimes, a uniform number of 5 questions is followed for 4 RC passages and 4 questions for 1 RC Passage.
Type of Questions: All MCQ type with 1/3rd negative marking.
Format of Questions: Questions based on information in RC passage; explanation of the words & phrases as used in the passage; in context of the passage – True/False statements; Author’s view on various issues as raised in the RC passage; Inference from the passage; main idea of RC passage; Purpose of the RC passage
Length of RC passages in CAT: Longer RC passages are of somewhere around 900 words; shorter passages are of around 600 words in exam as revealed in last 3 years.
Formal style of topics in RC Syllabus for CAT: Genetics, Second World War; Plastic Pollution; Elephant society; Consumer Behaviour; Status of Languages in 2115; Education System; Sustainable Economic Development; Anthropology /Excruciating Rituals & Reasons; Govt. definition of Poverty and treatment of Household work.

Part-2: CAT 2024 Syllabus for Verbal Ability

Number of Questions: 12-15
Sectional Weightage in CAT: 15%-20%

Essence of short paragraph/Para summary - (4-5 questions).
Jumbled Paragraphs (4-5 questions)
Out of Context Sentence in Jumbled Paragraphs (4-5 questions)
Error Correction of Verb, Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Adverb, and other Parts of Speech in the Sentences.
Correcting the sequence of sentences in the paragraph, i.e., correct use of conditional sentence, time clauses, reported speech, passive writing, etc.
Vocabulary usage – picking the correct pair of words
Vocabulary usage in RC passages – look for correct synonyms and antonyms

Fill in the blanks with correct terminology words

• Completion of last sentence of Paragraphs
• Analogies
• Critical Reasoning
• Sentence Completion
• Facts, Inference and Judgement
• Irrelevant Statements
• Phrasal Verbs Usage

Key Facts on Verbal Ability Syllabus in CAT & Type of questions

Type of Questions: All Non-MCQ type with No penalty for wrong answer
Format of questions: Crux of paragraph questions are based on around 5-6 sentences; Questions on Jumbled Paragraphs and Out of Context Jumbled Paragraphs that carries 4 -5 jumbled sentences which are to be arranged in a coherent manner. The Out of Context sentences must be selected.

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CAT Syllabus 2024 for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Section Highlights: CAT Syllabus and pattern for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) has been refurbished. As a separate section in CAT exam, DILR was re-originated after keeping the section in abeyance for 4 years. During this period, the DILR questions were clubbed to Quant and Verbal Ability sections, respectively.

Syllabus for DILR section in CAT is divided in 2 parts – Syllabus for Data Interpretation and Syllabus for Logical Reasoning. The 1st part of CAT syllabus covers questions based on Data Interpretation (DI) and the 2nd part is based on questions, on different topics of Logical Reasoning.

Part-1: CAT Syllabus 2024 for Data Interpretation (DI)

• Data Tables
• Data charts
• Bar diagrams & Charts including Simple, Stacked, Composite Bar charts
• Pie charts
• Graphs – Line X-Y Graphs
• Data analysis and Data comparison among others
• Caselet based Data

Key Facts on Data Interpretation Syllabus in CAT 2024 & Type of questions

Number of Questions: 11-14 divided into MCQs and Non- MCQs
Sectional weightage in CAT: 13% - 17%
Former style of topics in CAT Syllabus for DI: Table; Films: Launch, Completion, Release and Profits; Table on Consumption of Veg and Non-Veg Protein; Happiness Index: 4 questions based on Table; Kids Learning in Rural Areas: Data table based 4 questions; Flight operation questions, in the set of 4 questions.
Questions on Data Interpretation and analysis of data based on text, tables, graphs (line, area), charts (column, bar, pie), Venn diagram. Data could be given in the form of tables, charts, or graphs.
This section tests candidate’s interpretation abilities on the given data.

Part-2: CAT 2024 Syllabus for Logical Reasoning (LR)

• Clocks
• Calendars
• Binary logic
• Seating Arrangement
• Blood Relations (Family Tree)
• Logical Sequence
• Assumption
• Premise
• Conclusion
• Linear and matrix arrangement
• Team Formation
• Direction sense and Decision Making
• Input-Output
• Series
• Syllogism
• Cubes
• Rows
• Set Theory, Venn Diagrams, Network Diagrams
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Puzzles
• Logical Reasoning based on Rankings
• Critical Reasoning

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Key Facts on Logical Reasoning Syllabus in CAT 2024 & Type of questions

CAT entrance exam syllabus classifies, that questions in LR section can be individual or can be in the set of 4 questions.

Total LR questions in CAT: 11-14
Weightage of LR Syllabus questions in CAT: 13% - 17%
Type of Questions: MCQs & Non MCQs

Formal style of topics in LR Syllabus: Distribution/Arrangement; Venn Diagrams; Arrangement of files in folders; Students using various Trains and the fares for the same; Seating Arrangement; Direction sense for Cars; Ordering items; Burgers/Fries/ Ice Cream

Syllabus for Quantitative Ability (QA)

Section Highlight: The syllabus for Quant section is overly broad. Quantitative Ability (Quant) is the 3rd and final section in the refurbished exam pattern. The syllabus and pattern for Quant is vast and covers everything in Mathematics, that you may or may not expect. CAT exam syllabus on Quant is based on questions from different topics of Arithmetic, Algebra, Modern Math, Geometry, Mensuration, Trigonometry, etc.

CAT 2024 Exam Syllabus for Quantitative Ability

• LCM and HCF
• Percentages
• Profit and Loss
• Interest (Simple and Compound)
• Speed, Time, and Distance; Time and Work; Averages; Ratio and Proportion and others
• Number System (3-4 questions)
• Algebra (5-7 questions)
• Geometry/Mensuration (6-8 questions)
• Pure Math (1-2 questions)
• Venn diagrams and other topic-based (2-3 questions)
• Linear Equations; Quadratic Equations
• Complex Numbers
• Logarithm; Progressions
• Binomial Theorem
• Surds and Indices
• Inequalities
• Permutation and Combination
• Probability Functions
• Set Theory
• Mixtures and Alligations
• Co-ordinate Geometry
• Trigonometry

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Key Facts on Quantitative Ability Syllabus in CAT 2024 & Type of questions

Total Number of Questions: 28 - 32.
Sectional weightage in CAT: 35% - 40%
Type of Questions: MCQs and Non-MCQs
Formal style shows that there were 20 to 22 MCQs and 8 to 10 Non-MCQs in Quant section of CAT exam
Emphasis on Arithmetic to boost academic variety.
Number of questions in Arithmetic: 14 to 18