Welcome! Let’s help you understand the details of the CAT exam pattern 2021. CAT (Common Admission Test) exam is a life changing and challenging exam given by lakhs of MBA aspirants all over India.
Latest Update: IIM Indore has announced some major changes in the CAT 2021 exam pattern. Earlier the exam duration was 180 mins now it has been reduced to 120 mins which will be conducted on the last sunday of November 2021- 28th Nov, 2021 (expected).This year CAT 2020 exam will be held in 3 slots, earlier it was conducted in two slots. IIM Indore may announce the further details soon.
The exam pattern of CAT was changed to computer based test starting May 2009. Your score will help you get into one of the 20 IIM’s or 100’s of other B-schools in India.
Grapevine says that VARC section will be one of the toughest in CAT 2021 and rightly so because students have become used to search engines to check their concerns on language hence, have become weaker than before. Although questions in this section might remain moderate but will look tougher because of wrong habits of students on language usages. Hopefully, focused aspirants like you will use the information given on preparation here on this portal and will that will yield you good result.
CAT Exam Pattern 2021
The CAT paper pattern was revamped completely in the year 2015 by IIM-Ahmadabad. CAT exam pattern 2021 consists of 100 questions divided into 3 sections. The exam pattern of CAT exam questions is Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and Non Multiple Choice Questions (Non MCQs). There is negative marking. You cannot switch to next section unless you have finished one section. A detailed breakup of CAT exam pattern 2021 is as below:-
| CAT Exam 2021 Sections | No. of Questions | CAT Exam 2021 Marking Scheme | Duration (in minutes) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marks per Correct Question | Negative Marking* | Maximum Marks | |||
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Will be updated soon(Stay Tuned) |
40 | |||
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR) | 40 | ||||
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 40 | ||||
| Total | 120 | ||||
*There is no negative marking for Non MCQ type questions
CAT Exam 2021 Section Details
The CAT exam pattern 2021 consists of three main sections - Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. The candidate(s) get 60 minutes to answer questions in each section. You cannot switch to next section unless you have finished one section.
The exam pattern of CAT exam 2021 section wise can be broken up into the following:-
| CAT Exam 2021 Sections | Sectional Breakup | Question Type | Section Highlights | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCQ | Non MCQ* | |||
| VARC | Total Questions | Will be announced (Stay Tuned) |
||
| Reading Comprehension | ||||
| Verbal Ability | ||||
| DILR | Total Questions | Will be announced (Stay Tuned) |
||
| Data Interpretation | ||||
| Logical Reasoning | ||||
| QA | Total Questions | Will be announced (Stay Tuned) |
||
*Non MCQ type questions need to be typed directly on screen using a virtual keyboard. There is no negative marking for them.
CAT Exam 2021 Quick Overview
Below is a quick overview of important dates and details regarding CAT exam 2021:-
| CAT 2021 Exam Date | 28th November 2021 (Expected) |
| CAT 2021 Result Date | Second Week of January 2022 |
| CAT 2021 Exam Mode | Computer Based Test |
| Types of Sections |
3 sections 1. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension 2. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning 3. Quantitative Ability |
| Types of Questions |
1. MCQs 2. Non MCQs |
| Total No. of Questions | - |
| Exam Duration |
120 minutes(40 minutes for each section) |
| Marking Scheme |
1. Correct Answer: +3 2. Incorrect Answer: -1 (no negative marking for Non MCQs) 3. Non Attempt: 0 |
All the best! To the candidates who will be writing the CAT Exam 2021.
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