CAT 2024: Exam Overview and Next Steps
CAT 2024 officially concluded on 24
th November, 2024. A total of 3.29 lakh candidates had registered for CAT 2024, but the number of actual test-takers on the test-day is usually a little lower. While this year’s paper in all three slots was generally considered to be easier than last year’s, there were a few question pattern changes in the VARC and DILR sections.
Key Highlights of CAT 2024:
Changes in Question Pattern: This year, there were modifications in the VARC and DILR sections, introducing a revised structure for candidates.
Overall Difficulty Level: The exam was relatively easier compared to CAT 2023, with DILR and Quant also being easier for most candidates. This could be because the CAT administrators have observed a decline in marks relative to percentiles. For example, the 85th percentile in DILR and Quant corresponded to scores of 14/60 and 12/66, respectively, in CAT 2023.
Slot-wise Difficulty: While Slot 1 was generally more manageable, Slots 2 and 3 were considered to be of higher difficulty levels.
The CAT exam increased from a total of 66 to 68 questions (with 2 additional questions in the DILR section), bringing the total marks to 204.
Section-wise Changes and Marks Breakdown
| Section |
Changes |
Marks Breakdown |
Total Questions |
Total Questions |
| VARC |
4 RCs (Reading Comprehension)
- 3 Summaries
- 3 Sentence Insertions
- 2 Odd Ones Out
No Jumbled Paragraphs |
4 RCs: 4 x 4 = 16 questions (16 x 3 = 48 marks)
- 3 Summaries: 3 x 3 = 9 marks
- 3 Sentence Insertions: 3 x 3 = 9 marks
- 2 Odd Ones Out: 2 x 3 = 6 marks |
24 |
72 |
| DILR |
3 cases with 4 questions each
- 2 cases with 5 questions each |
3 cases x 4 questions x 3 marks = 36 marks
- 2 cases x 5 questions x 3 marks = 30 marks |
22 (increased from 20) |
66 (increased from 60) |
| Quant |
There was no change in the number of questions, but the paper was easier, with a focus on Arithmetic, followed by Algebra as the second most prominent topic. It was a well-rounded paper, including questions on Numbers and Geometry as well. |
22 questions x 3 marks each = 66 marks |
22 |
66 |
Negative Marking:
For MCQs: -1 for incorrect answers.
For TITA (Type-In-The-Answer) Questions: No negative marking for incorrect answers.
Next Steps:
Official Response Sheets: The official response sheets will be made available in one week. Please stay tuned for further details.
Projected Percentile: Once the response sheets are released, you will be able to check your projected percentile using our Percentile Predictor Tool on the website.
Stay tuned for further announcements and Good luck!
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