CAT 2022– Detailed Exam Pattern & Preparation Tips

by Hit Bullseye One-Stop Solution to Crack MBA Entrance Exams

CAT 2022 is most likely to be scheduledfor 27 November, 2022. Registrations for CAT exam 2022 will open in the first week of August and end in the last week of September.

CAT is one of the most popular MBA entrance tests, taken by nearly two lakh people across India.Students aim to ace CAT in order to get into the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). There are almost 5000 seats offered by 20 IIMs across their MBA/ PGDM programmes. Apart from these, CAT is accepted by several other top-ranked management institutes such as MDI, FMS, IMT, IITs, SP Jain, etc.

CAT 2022: Exam Pattern

One of the older IIMs administers the CAT exam every year. It is conducted in computer-based mode across 150+ test centres of India. CAT is one of the toughest entrance exams in India. It evaluates the candidate’s ability to make the right choices, manage time, and handle complexity with efficiency. All these traits are required to determine the suitability of candidates for management education. Listed below are the three sections of CAT exam pattern:

· Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

· Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

· Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

The total duration of CAT exam is 120 minutes, and each section is timed individually for 40 minutes. It consists of both MCQs and Non-MCQs. Each correct answer is given three marks, and there is a negative marking of one mark for incorrectly answered MCQs. There is no penalty for wrongly answered Non-MCQs.

CAT 2022 Syllabus

CAT is composed of medium to high-difficulty level questions across all three sections. Though there is no standard syllabus given by the official sources, some of the topics have always remained the favourite of the CAT setters. Given below is the section-wise syllabus of CAT 2022:

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

VARC section tests your reading proficiency, grammar, understanding ability, and vocabulary. It is mainly dominated by questions based on Reading Comprehension passages, followed by questions on Para-Jumbles, Para-Summary, and similar other topics.

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

DIpart features questions in the form of sets, in which the information is given in the form of graphs, tables, charts, and other visual representations. On the other hand, LR has questions from some typical reasoning topics like arrangements, blood relations, series, syllogisms, etc.

Quantitative Aptitude

Quant section has questions from Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration, and Modern Maths.Arithmetic-based questions take up the maximum weightage of the section.

CAT 2022 Preparation Tips

Once you are fully informed of the CAT exam pattern and syllabus; you shouldplan a study schedule, develop a timeline, and follow it well. Here are the two main steps to inculcate in your CAT preparation plan:

1. Strengthen your Basics:

Firstly, you must gain a good conceptual clarity of the important topics of different sections. You will need to learn the shortcuts and formulas for mathematical concepts and standard rules of grammar for the verbal section.At the same time, you should build your vocabulary byregular reading.

2. Practice and Practice

Without practice, it is not possible to ace any exam. So, you should test your progress on a periodic basis while preparing for the CAT exam. Ideally, start by practising topic-wise tests and then move to section-wise tests. Finally, take up the full-length CAT 2022 mock tests and reflect on your performance every time.Remember to use shortcuts, approximation techniques, and tricks during the test. Further, you must go throughthe previous year CAT papers to learn about the actual exam questions.

Generally, CAT aspirants devote 3-6 months for exam preparation, depending upon their daily schedule and grasp over different areas.The last 1-2 months should be spentin practice and assessment of your performance. Accordingly, you can devise a strategy for your weak and strong areas.