CAT Exam Pattern 2023: Latest Section-Wise Paper Pattern, Total Marks, Marking Scheme, Duration, Weightage

The exam conducting body designs CAT Pattern every year to test candidates' ability to solve reasoning and mathematical problems accurately in the least amount of time. As per the official CAT Exam Pattern, there are 3 exam sections:

• VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)
• DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)
• QA (Quantitative Ability)

Last year, a total of 66 questions were asked and the total exam duration was 120 with 40 minutes sectional time limit. CAT Exam Pattern is designed in such a way that authority can easily test candidates' logical and mathematical skills. So, if you are appearing for the upcoming exam must check CAT Paper Pattern 2023 and understand it well.

The candidates who are appearing in CAT Exam 2023, should be well-versed with all the details of exam pattern, sections, topic-wise weightage, marking scheme, and more. As per the official CAT Exam pattern, you will face both MCQs and TITA questions. There will be CAT Negative Marking also: For every incorrect answer, a -1 mark will be deducted, and +3 marks will be awarded for every correct answer (both MCQs and TITA)

The PDF contains all the details about the CAT Paper Pattern & syllabus. Check the number of questions in each section, marking scheme, sectional marking and time, and negative marking.

☛CAT Exam Pattern 2023 PDF Download

CAT Paper Pattern Highlights

We have tabulated an overview of the expected CAT Exam Pattern 2023 below. You can expect the same paper pattern for the upcoming exam.

[Important Note: Due to covid-19 pandemic, the total number of questions was reduced to 76 in 2020. However, in 2021, the number of questions was again reduced from 76 to 66, which remained unchanged in 2022]

☛ Go through the previous years' CAT Cut Off and get an idea of the range of marks that you need to score to be selected for the final selection round.

The marking scheme is different for both MCQ and TITA questions. As per the official CAT Exam Pattern, for every correct answer, +3 marks will be awarded for both MCQs and Non-MCQs. But, negative marking is only applicable for MCQ questions and a -1 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer. There is no negative marking for TITA and unattempted questions.

Take a look at the table below for a detailed overview of the CAT Exam Pattern marking scheme

CAT Exam Pattern: How to Mark Answers?

Students should have a basic understanding of how to mark their answers in the CAT. When answering questions, candidates should consider the following options, as per the official details of the CAT Exam Pattern:

• Save and Next: Candidates should choose one answer, save it, and then go on to the next one. The candidates must check their CAT Results and whether they have cleared the exam.
• Clear Response: Candidates can delete their responses to the question they answered. Know Is CAT Exam Tough?
• Mark for Review and Next: If a candidate is unsure about an answer, they can mark it for review, answer it, and then move on to the next question.

[Important Note: Please use the provided mouse when answering questions. The computer screen will be locked if you use the system keyboard.]

☛ Solve CAT Previous Year Papers to get a clear idea of the pattern, sectional weightage, and topics to be studied.

The conducting authority did not make any changes to CAT Paper Pattern in 2022 and it was the same as the 2021 exam. As per the latest CAT Pattern, there were 3 sections, including

• Quantitative Aptitude of CAT: A total of 22 questions were asked from different mathematics disciplines, of which 14 questions were MCQ and 8 questions were TITA.
• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension for CAT: As per the latest CAT Exam Pattern, 24 questions worth 72 marks were asked this year. RC to have high weightage in the VARC section.
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning of CAT: A total of 20 questions worth 60 marks in total were asked as per the official CAT Paper Pattern.

As per the latest official data, there are 3 sections in CAT Exam. The total time duration is 120 minutes, with 40 minutes sectional time limit. The candidates must note that they cannot change the sequence of questions because the CAT Exam Pattern follows a set chronological order for three sections: VARC, after that DILR, followed by QA.

☛ Download the CAT Answer Key once it is released and check your performance in the exam.

You must complete each section of the CAT within the allotted time. Once the time is over, the screen will automatically move to the next segment. At a later point, no corrections or revisions will be permitted between the sections. Note the table below to be to get an idea of the overview of section-wise details of the expected CAT Exam Pattern 2023.

[Important Note: For CAT 2022, this was the official section-by-section weightage. IIM Bangalore did not make any modifications to it in 2022]

Watch Videos on CAT Exam Pattern

Click on the video below to get a detailed analysis of the CAT pattern, conducted by our experts. It will help all the aspirants to know the latest CAT paper pattern along with the changes, that have been made in the past years.

There is a sectional time limit for each CAT exam section. Below are the sectional timings and slot-wise detail, as per the latest CAT Exam Pattern. Check expert tips for CAT Preparation to complete all the chapters and important topics of the syllabus on time.

The following are the three sessions and times for the exam:

• Morning session (8:30 am - 10:30 pm)
• Afternoon session (12:30 pm - 2:30 pm)
• Evening session (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm)

[Important Note: 53 Minutes 20 Seconds for PwD candidates for each section.]

You may know that this computer-based test was launched in 2009, and earlier CAT Exam was conducted on pen and paper mode. Due to COVID-19, many adjustments were made to the CAT Exam Pattern, including the total number of questions and a shorter period of 40 minutes per section instead of 60 minutes.

From 2015 to 2019, the CAT Exam Pattern was slightly different. In the table below we have listed a short overview of the year-wise changes in the official CAT Paper Pattern.

☛ Get the list of CAT Books as per the expert's recommendation and complete the syllabus on time.

CAT Paper Pattern: Previous Year’s Trends

The changes in the CAT Exam Paper Pattern from 2011 to 2019 were made in terms of the number of questions and CAT time duration. But in 2020, the total number of questions was reduced to 76 and the exam duration was 2 hours. In 2021, the total number of questions was again reduced to 66 and this same CAT Exam Pattern was followed in 2022.

Keep the below points in your mind while analyzing the CAT 2023 Exam Pattern.

• The candidates can use an on-screen calculator for computation during the CAT.
• There will be an onscreen clock to help the candidates keep a check on the time.
• Rough sheets will be provided for rough work. The candidates have to submit before leaving the CAT exam hall.
• As per the official CAT Exam Pattern, the candidates were not allowed to start the test before time. The computer screen will open only after the invigilator's announcement.
• Candidates had to sit at their designated seats.

Navigate Between Sections while Answering in CAT

Candidates should answer the questions in CAT 2023 by following the directions on the computer screen. According to the CAT Exam Pattern, you must answer the sections in a predetermined order, which will be the same for all candidates. The timer clock in the upper right corner will beat as soon as the candidate checks in to answer the questions. All the sections will be locked after 40 minutes separately, and applicants will not be able to answer any more questions. The candidates must check CAT Notification 2023 for recent official announcements for the exam.

As one of the most difficult exams in the country, the CAT necessitates candidates to be exceptionally well-prepared and familiar with the CAT Exam Pattern 2023. This covered everything you needed to know about the CAT Paper Pattern. We hope you find this information helpful. Check CAT Eligibility before applying for the exam to avoid last-minute cancellation of your candidature.

The candidates must cover the topics below to prepare for the upcoming CAT 2023. All these chapters are important and compulsory. Go through the CAT Syllabus detailed study and be prepared accordingly.

Candidates must understand the differences between the Pattern of the CAT and other MBA exams. There are significant differences between the CAT Exam Pattern with the other management exams. In the table below, we have tabulated the differences between the CAT Exam Pattern with other exams to help you in your preparation. Go through the previous years' CAT Analysis to gain conceptual clarity regarding exam difficulty level, question types, and section-wise topics covered.