The aspirants need to know what they should study to ace the CAT exam. Thus they must prepare from a very basic level. For this, the BYJU'S Exam Prep team has compiled a list of important CAT topics (keeping in mind the trend from previous years) from all three sections of the CAT exam to help candidates focus more on important topics rather than just covering every topic.
CAT Exam Pattern 2021
CAT 2021 was conducted by IIM Ahmedabad and it was held in three shifts for 2 hours each. Check the detailed CAT Exam Pattern 2021 below for reference:
CAT Exam Pattern 2021 | |
Particulars | Description |
Exam Duration | 2 Hours |
Expected Number of Questions | VARC - 24 DILR - 20 QA - 22 Total - 66 Questions |
Number of Shifts | 3 Shifts |
Sectional Duration | 40 Minutes each Section |
Total Marks | 198 |
CAT 2022 Expected Paper Pattern
CAT 2022 notification has been released and the CAT 2022 exam will be conducted by IIM Bangalore. The candidates can check below the expected CAT 2022 paper pattern.
Section | MCQ | Non-MCQ Questions | Total |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 19-21 | 3-5 | 24-26 |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 15-18 | 5-6 | 20-24 |
Quantitative Ability (QA) | 16-18 | 6-8 | 22-26 |
Total | 50-57 | 14-19 | 66-76 |
- Section wise time limit was 40 minutes
- Marking Scheme is given below:
- +3 marks for every correct answer
- -1 marks for every incorrect answer
- 0 marks for not attempted questions
Important Topics for CAT
Here is a brief about the important topics from each section. Check out Important Topics for CAT in detail:
VARC | DILR | QA |
Reading Comprehension | Seating Arrangement | Number System |
Para Jumbles | Venn Diagrams | Geometry and Mensuration |
Odd One Out | Charts | Algebra |
Para Summary | Tables | Modern Maths |
Graphs | Time and Work | |
Data Caselets- Reasoning Based DI | Arithmetic | |
Binary Logic | ||
Games and Tournaments | ||
Arrangements | ||
Team Formation | ||
Order and Ranking |
CAT VARC Topics
Reading Comprehension Break-up
• 21 out of 54 passages in the last 5 years (2017-21) were from Aeon, NYT, The Guardian & Smithsonian Magazine
• 29 out of 54 passages in the last 5 years (2017-21) are from 4 Genres - Sociology and Anthropology, Science and Technology, Zoology/Biology & History
Para Jumbles, Para Summary & Odd Sentence Out Break-Up
• Biology, Linguistics, and Science & Technology are important topics to study with respect to Para Jumbles, Para Summary & Odd one out as 35 out of 108 questions in the last 5 years (2017-21) were from these areas.
• Sources for Para Jumbles, Para Summary & Odd one out: These questions are made from a variety of sources. The examiners have been fond of taking excerpts from books in the past few years. Some questions were also there from online sources like Aeon & Economist.
☛ Check out Preparation Tips for the VARC Section of CAT 2022
CAT DILR Topics
Given below is the topic-wise weightage of the DILR topics from the year 2017-2021:
| Sr. No | Topics | Number of Sets in PYQP 2017-21 |
| 1 | Reasoning Based DI | 10 |
| 2 | Scheduling and Matrix | 6 |
| 3 | Matrix Arrangement | 6 |
| 4 | Venn Diagram | 6 |
| 5 | Matrix and Grid | 6 |
| 6 | Unconventional and Hybrid Games and Tournament | 5 |
| 7 | Arithmetic Caselet | 3 |
| 8 | Order and ranking | 3 |
| 9 | Missing Data | 3 |
| 10 | Mathematical AR | 3 |
| 11 | Logic Based Table | 3 |
| 12 | Arithmetic Based DI | 2 |
| 13 | Gantt Chart | 2 |
| 14 | Maxima-Minima Concept | 2 |
| 15 | Algebra Caselet | 2 |
| 16 | Routes and Networks | 2 |
| 17 | Misc | 11 |
The DILR section of CAT tests candidates for their logical thinking and data interpretation skills. In CAT 2021 there were 20 questions from this section. The questions asked included:
Slot-1
- Table - Arranging People into Countries & Categories
- Bar Graph - Percentages (The bar graph wasn't clear)
- Table - 3 Girls making a drink
- Table - Relationship (Acquaintance, Friend, and Stranger)
Among the 4 DILR sets asked in the CAT 2021 Slot 1, 1 set was easily doable whereas the other 3 were lengthy and difficult to solve.
The CAT 2021 DILR Question wise breakup is:
Topic | Number of Questions |
Data Interpretation | 2 sets- 6+4 Questions |
Logical Reasoning | 2 sets i.e 10 Questions |
Slot-2
The total number of questions asked in Slot 2 was 20. The 4 sets are mentioned below:
- Games and Tournament- 4 Qs
- Rating- 6 Qs
- Stacked Horizontal bar graph- 4 Qs
- Number based Reasoning - 6 Qs
The CAT 2021 Slot 2 DILR Question-wise breakup is:
Topic | Number of Questions |
Data Interpretation | 1 Set |
Logical Reasoning | 3 Sets |
☛ Check out Preparation Tips for the DILR Section of CAT 2022
Slot-3
In DILR the set was from the following topics:
- Games and Tournaments - 6 Qs
- Mixtures - 4 Qs
- Gantt Chart - 4 Qs
- Content Creation - 6 Qs
The CAT 2021 DILR Question wise breakup is:
Topic | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
Data Interpretation | 2 sets (4 questions were easy, 6 questions were difficult) | 1 set was Easy to Moderate, 1 was Difficult |
Logical Reasoning | 2 Sets (10 Qs) | 1 Moderate, 1 Moderate to difficult |
CAT Quantitative Ability Topics
The candidates can find below the topic-wise weightage of the quantitative ability topics for the upcoming CAT exam by following the past year's trend.
| Topics | CAT 2019 | CAT 2020 | CAT 2021 |
| Arithmetic | 14 | 10 | 7-10 |
| Algebra | 11-13 | 6-8 | 6-8 |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 4-6 | 5-6 | 3-5 |
| Number System | 2-3 | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| Modern Math | 0-1 | 0-2 | 1 |
| Total | 32 | 24 | 22 |
** Arithmetic & Algebra makes up 70% of the Quantitative Ability section
☛ Check out Preparation Tips for the QA Section of CAT 2022
How to prepare Important Topics for CAT?
The candidates must work on accuracy to be prepared for the Important Topics for CAT. Complete accuracy is very much important to ace the CAT Exam Easily. You must practice repeatedly to grip on CAT Important Topics. Note the below points on the preparation strategy for Important Topics for CAT.
- Do practice a lot to get a good grip on all the formulas that are required to solve QA questions.
- Revise the chapters you have completed. As revision is very important other you will forget what you have prepared.
- Avoid all types of distractions like social media, TV, and mobile phones as you need to be dedicated to your study.
- Maintain dairy for all the Important Topics for CAT to make time to time revisions.
===========================
Download the BYJU’S Exam Prep App NOW
The most comprehensive exam prep app.
If you are aiming to crack CAT and other MBA Exam, join BYJU'S Exam Prep Online Classroom Program where you get :
- Live Courses by Top Faculty
- Daily Study Plan
- Comprehensive Study Material
- Latest Pattern Test Series
- Complete Doubt Resolution
- Regular Assessments with Report Card
#DreamStriveSucceed
Comments
write a comment