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Home > News & Articles > How to Prepare for CAT : The Ultimate CAT Preparation Guide & Study Materials
Prachi Bhatia
Updated on 12th September, 2024 , 12 min read
How to Prepare for CAT : The Ultimate CAT Preparation Guide & Study Materials
The CAT exam, which is held by one of the IIMs on a rotating basis, is extremely competitive. Thousands of recent graduates and seasoned professionals from a variety of professions sit for the exam each year. Always develop a methodical plan, and get the aid of knowledgeable academics to help you to prepare an in-depth preparation strategy.
The CAT 2024 exam is being organized by IIM Calcutta and the registrations are currently ongoing. However, the last date to apply for the exam is 13th September 2024. Candidates can check the complete CAT Registration process here.
In an ideal situation and the most convenient situation, the CAT preparation will take about 6-8 months. In case you have not yet started the preparation, we urge you to start the preparation immediately and start with the difficult topics first. The difficult or not-so-easy-to-understand topics will require some time to understand and prepare, and hence it is advised to start your preparation for the CAT exam as early as possible.
CAT Preparation can be done through both coaching and self-study. It depends on the aspirant whether they prefer professional coaching or self-study as a medium to prepare for the CAT. In this article, we aim to provide the candidates with a comprehensive strategy for the preparation of the CAT exam. To learn the best tips and tricks, keep reading the article.
Pre-Preparation Checks for the CAT: How to Get Started?
CAT is undoubtedly the most sought-after MBA exam and is often considered difficult. Students find it overwhelming to understand the syllabus and understand where to begin. We have listed below a few pointers that will help you get started with your CAT Preparation.
- Without familiarizing yourself with the rules and guidelines, you cannot take part in the CAT race. The CAT Exam Pattern and CAT Exam Syllabus will be used here to disguise the norms and restrictions.
- This would be the starting point for your preparation because it provides a general sense of topic-wise weighting and assesses the general intellectual capacity and degree of knowledge among applicants.
- Ignoring these two characteristics of the CAT exam will make your preparation for it insufficient and difficult. Do not forget that the CAT exam combines accuracy and aptitude.
- Knowing where to begin your CAT preparations requires an awareness of your current knowledge level. By completing the CAT Readiness Test, you can find out how proficient you are in the CAT's three test areas (verbal ability and reading comprehension, quantitative aptitude, and data interpretation and logical reasoning).
- The most important information to know right away is whether or not you need CAT coaching, which can be easily determined by the results of this exam.
- If you intend to enroll in CAT lessons, take into account all the variables, such as budget, location, and time availability. Additionally, make sure you enroll in a course that will help you properly prepare for the CAT and offer ongoing support.
- Speed and accuracy are the two most important factors in achieving a high CAT score. Without having a solid conceptual base, neither of those can be achieved.
- Strengthening your concepts is the next phase, therefore. By practicing and reviewing, you can develop solid fundamentals. Try out a few questions from the topics you have studied, all with differing degrees of difficulty.
- Every weekend, go over the material you studied. You can improve your conceptual understanding and give your CAT preparation some pace by doing this.
- Approximately 2 million applicants take the CAT exam each year. What will enable you to outperform your rivals? Successful Preparation!
- Practice CAT-level questions, use practice exams that are as similar to the real thing as possible, and finish CAT question papers from past years. Your performance in a CAT-level mock exam will show you how well-prepared you are for the examination as well as how you rank among other test-takers.
People Also Read: CAT Preparation Strategies to get good percentile
CAT Preparation - Sections in the Question Paper
The CAT question Paper and the exam consist of 3 major sections, each of which has been explained in brief below.
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Section
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Section
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA) Section
VARC Section: Out of the three sections, the VARC portion is the first one that applicants see on the CAT 2024 exam. Candidates are asked to choose passages carefully and provide accurate answers for the VARC section. MCQs and TITA Questions make up the majority of the questions in the VARC portion. As of right now, 10 verbal ability questions are asked each year, while the remaining questions are from the reading comprehension section.
DILR Section: Due to the lack of a set syllabus, the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) component of the CAT exam is challenging. This portion evaluates the candidate's reaction time, decision-making skills, and data interpretation abilities. The DILR component of the CAT exam is renowned for being the most difficult.
QA Section: The quantitative ability test evaluates a candidate's capacity to manage numerical data and resolve numerical issues. It is one of those CAT Exam portions that can be successful if the applicant has strong mathematical abilities and a knack for numbers.
Must Check: How to crack the CAT exam in 3 months
CAT Section-Wise Preparation Tips
Once you are familiar with the CAT syllabus for all 3 sections, the next step is to devise a strategy for the exam that will help you sail in these sections. We have gathered some of the best CAT Preparation Tips for each section below, to help you prepare and strategize for the exam easily. Please note that these are the strategies we suggest and you can modify them as per your requirements and assessment.
How to Prepare for The VARC Section?
Reading comprehension makes for around 67 percent of the VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension) component and is therefore heavily weighted. The verbal portion of the exam emphasizes a candidate's untapped areas, such as basic academy grammar and sophisticated vocabulary, in addition to reasoning. Check ow to prepare for CAT VARC section below.
Understanding Vocabulary
- Synonyms, Antonyms, Analogies, Spellings, Odd Words, Words Often Confused, Sentence Completion, and Cloze Tests are some of the vocabulary-based problems.
- You need to have a strong command of vocabulary, reading comprehension, and critical thinking to answer these questions. Knowing a word's definition is only one aspect of vocabulary knowledge; another is recognizing the circumstances in which it can be used.
- It will become simple once you start recognizing a word's usage in its context. Try to comprehend a term by learning its etymological meanings. Understanding the meaning of a Latin root-like "loqui" will help you comprehend phrases like "grandiloquent," "magniloquent," "soliloquy," "ventriloquize," and "circumlocution." You have a lot of influence over your vocabulary after you learn the definitions of prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
Grammar Based questions
There are two ways to approach grammar-based questions. Either you follow the rules and learn about the different parts of speech, how to use them, and the applicable rules or you practice the questions that are asked and adopt an approach to learning the types of errors that lead to questions based on error detection or sentence correction. A lot of practice will help you cross the finish line after you are familiar with the different error types.
Reading Regularly
By developing the habit of reading over time, one can combat reading comprehension. start reading newspapers, blogs, and fiction books. Depending on the text's level, aim for a reading speed of no less than 300 words per minute. Also, read widely. Pick subjects to read about that are outside your comfort zone.
Read More: CAT Preparation Tips for Verbal Ability
Read More: CAT Preparation Tips for Reading Comprehension
Important Topics Covered in the Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Section
Some of the important topics covered in this section of the CAT exam are listed below.
- Pronouns with exercises
- Prepositions with exercises
- Types of clauses
- Parts of Speech
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Phrases Modifiers
- Errors in Tenses
- Para jumbles with exercises
Exam Pattern and Syllabus for The VARC Section
According to the CAT 2024 exam paper structure, the VARC part consists of 24 questions out of a total of 66. Reading comprehension and verbal ability are the two further divisions of these questions. Compared to verbal ability, reading comprehension is given greater weight and is asked about more frequently. In this portion, the candidate should concentrate on reading quickly and accurately.
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Exam Pattern
The provisional exam schedule and curriculum for the CAT 2024's VARC component are provided below.
Section | Detail |
Total number of question in VARC section | 24 |
MCQ'S | 19 |
Type In The Answer Questions (TITA) |
5 |
Question Divisions
|
Four passages, each with four questions, a total of eight VA questions three parajumbles, two odd sentence parajumbles, and three parasummaries, A total of 16 Questions |
Marking Scheme | No negative marking for TITA -1 for a wrong answer +3 for a right answer |
Verbal & Reading Comprehension Syllabus and Topics Covered
CAT Syllabus for VARC Topics | Syllabus | No. of Questions Appeared in CAT 2023 |
Verbal Ability | Para Summary; Jumbled paragraphs; Out of Context Sentence; Error Correction in Sentences; Sequence of sentences; Fill in the blanks; Completion of Last Sentence of Paragraph; Analogies; Critical Reasoning; Sentence Completion | 8 |
Reading Comprehension | RC Passages on Literature, Current Affairs, Social, Economic, Business issues followed by questions based on Inferences, Statements, Arguments, Main idea in the RC Passage; Author’s assumption; Synonyms-antonyms; Meaning of the phrase; Vocabulary usage | 16 |
Top MBA entrance exams and their VARC Weightage
Entrance Exams | No. of Questions |
CAT | 24 |
MAT CMAT | 40 25 |
XAT | 26 |
IIFT | 35 |
ATMA | 60 |
MAH-CET | 50 |
SNAP | 15 |
It is important to remember that while the Verbal Ability section of the CAT has fewer questions than the Reading Comprehension section, this is not always the case for other competitive MBA entry tests. You may have also heard numerous candidates claim that the CAT's English section is more difficult than other portions of the test.
Preparation Books for VARC Section
- (Norman Lewis) Word Power made easy.
- (Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay) How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT.
How to Prepare for The DILR Section?
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) has roughly the same weight in a CAT test as the other two portions of the paper. This portion of CAT 2024 takes a fair amount of time to prepare and attempt. Since DILR is not mathematics and has no formula, it is challenging. It is a talent that must be learned rather than a body of information that must be stored in memory. Here, mental computation is crucial. Use your head instead of the calculator to deepen your grasp of DILR. Learn the Tables from 1 to 20 as well as the fractions from 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 to 1/20 and the basics of calculating.
Examine the question
Candidates should concentrate on choosing the best strategy for presenting the provided information to respond to the question. Candidates must not make any assumptions about data that are not supported by the data. As a result, you should concentrate on answering the question based on the available information.
Direct your Syllabus
- Candidates should thoroughly research the topic because the majority of the logical reasoning questions will be about arrangements.
- Practice with cases, bar graphs, other charts (line, pie, radar), and data interpretation sets based on tables is another part. Learn about priority-based clockwise and counter clockwise directions, priority-based clockwise and counter clockwise directions, and cardinality laws.
- Practice LR material on topics including blood relations, route planning, and game and tournament schedule.
Examine the Difficulty level
The applicant must recognize the easiest collection of questions and the hardest set of questions within the first few minutes after getting the section. The candidate will save time and increase the accuracy of their attempts if they set aside these few minutes to attempt simpler questions first. As a result, when practicing, you must use this technique to swiftly determine the question order.
Speed and accuracy
Candidates must work swiftly during this section while also answering the questions quickly. Therefore, the candidate should concentrate on continuously increasing their speed and accuracy while practicing. Setting timers for practice sets and gradually reducing the time will help you achieve this.
Read More: CAT Preparation Tips for Data Interpretation
Read More: CAT Preparation Tips for Logical Reasoning
Exam Pattern and Syllabus for The DILR Section
There are several broad categories in the CAT 2024 DILR Syllabus, including Data Caselets, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Graphs, Tables, and Word and Letter Puzzles.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Exam Pattern
Section | Detail |
Number of Data Interpretation Questions | 10 |
Number of Logical Reasoning Questions: | 10 |
Total number of Questions | 20 |
Types of Questions | MCQs and TITA |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Syllabus
Topic | Syllabus | No. of Questions Appeared in CAT 2023 |
Data Interpretation (DI) | Bar charts - Simple, Stacked, Composite Bar charts; Pie charts; Caselets; Data Analysis; Data comparison from Table; Graphs; Line Graphs; Data Sufficiency. Comparison of Data of various years, ages, classes, Groups; Decoding and finding out the data of missing period, taking clues, interpreting the missing links; Analysis of data and coming to conclusion, making future projections | 15 |
Logical Reasoning (LR) | Direction sense, Team formation, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Clocks, Calendars, Binary logic, Logical Sequence, Assumption, Premise, Conclusion, Linear and matrix arrangement, Input-Output, Series, Syllogism, Cubes, Rows, Set Theory, Venn Diagrams. Seating arrangement, Ranks, different type of team formation, puzzles on words, letters, statements, arguments | 5 |
Top MBA entrance exams and their DILR Weightage
Some of the major MBA entry tests are listed below, along with the weight assigned to their Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning sections.
Entrance Exams | No. of Questions |
CAT | 20 |
MAT | 40 |
CMAT | 25 |
XAT | 27 |
IIFT | 30 |
ATMA | 60 |
MAH-CET | 25 |
SNAP | 35 |
DILR Preparation Books
- (Nishit Sinha) Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT.
- (Arun Sharma/McGraw Hill) How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT.
- (Gautam Puri) CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
- (Pearson) Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
How to prepare for The QA section?
The "make or break" portion of the CAT exam is the quantitative ability section. The majority of the CAT QA questions are application-focused assessments of your understanding of algebraic, arithmetical, geometrical, and occasionally a mix of ideas. Here are a few key tips to prepare for the Quantitative Aptitude section of the exam.
Learning Formulas
The QA part will assess a candidate's aptitude for quickly resolving mathematical problems. You will be able to sail through this portion more easily if you get a firm grasp on the most fundamental equations of subjects like geometry, menstruation, and profit & loss.
Examine the questions
A question may frequently include two or more concepts while also appearing to be complex or technical. To tackle the question, you must be able to recognize these subjects and their correlations with lightning speed. After mastering the fundamental ideas, this will be accomplished.
Practice
Take a look at some books that cover the math curriculum for schools and start answering the problems. You'll be able to do this to improve your comprehension of numerous ideas and formulas. Your accuracy and speed will both improve as a result.
Sample or Mock Test
You must practice the mock tests for each part, they do assist you to have a better grasp of the difficulty of the QA segment and your preparation. You can determine where you are right now and where you need to be when you start your CAT preparation.
Read More: CAT Preparation Tips for Quantitative Aptitude
Exam Pattern and Syllabus for The QA Section
Every year, the distribution of questions on these subjects fluctuates. The table below shows a rough mark distribution for quantitative topics.
Quantitative Aptitude Exam Pattern
Section | Detail |
Number of TITA Questions | 10-12 |
Number of Arithmetic Questions | 10-12 |
Total number of Questions | 22 |
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
Topic | Syllabus | No. of Questions Appeared (2023) |
Arithmetic | Averages; Ratio & Proportion; Speed, Time and Distance; Time and Work; LCM and HCF; Percentages, Profit and Loss; Interest (Simple and Compound); Number System; | 10 |
Algebra | Linear & Quadratic Equations; Inequalities; Functions; Progressions; Algebraic Expressions to Polynomials; Complex numbers; Sequences and series; Permutations and combinations | 8 |
Geometry/ Mensuration | Triangles, Lines and Angles (Supplementary, Complementary, Obtuse, Acute, and Right), Quadrilaterals, Circles; Theorems (Pythagoras, Midpoint, Apollonius, Basic Proportionality, Internal and External Angular Bisector), Co-ordinate Geometry, Quadrant System, Areas of Hexagonal Polygon, Triangle, and Rectangle. Square, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Volume, Total Surface Area, and Lateral Surface Area of Different Solids like Cubes, Cuboids, Cylinders, Pyramids, Cones, Spheres, Hemispheres, and Frustum | 3 |
Trigonometry | Trigonometric ratios, identities, and heights and distances, Sine, Cosine | 0 |
Modern Math | Sequence and Series, Binomial Theorem, Set Theory, Probability, Permutation & Combination | 1 |
Top MBA entrance exams and their QA Weightage
Some of the major MBA entry tests are listed below, along with the weight assigned to their Qunatitative Aptitude section.
Entrance Exams | No. of Questions |
CAT | 26 |
MAT | 40 |
CMAT | 25 |
XAT | 28 |
IIFT | 25 |
ATMA | 30 |
MAH-CET | 50 |
SNAP | 20 |
Preparation Books for the Quant Section
- Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT – By Nishit K. Sinha
- Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT – By Sarvesh K Verma
Your CAT preparation will remain on track if you concentrate on the key ideas presented in this article. Utilize your time wisely, utilize all of the tools at your disposal, and maintain your motivation throughout the process.
Click Here to check out the Best Books for CAT Preparation
Top CAT Coaching Institutes
Several CAT coaching institutes in India are available for preparation. Following are some of the top CAT coaching institutes:
Top CAT Coaching Institutes | Type of Courses Online/Offline/Both | City wise CAT Preparation Center Location |
TIME | Both | Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among total 100+ centres |
Career Launcher | Both | Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurgaon among 80+ centres |
IMS | Both | Delhi, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow among 50+ centres |
Byjus | Online | Online Coaching via Tablet anywhere in India & Abroad |
2IIM.com | Online | Online coaching course with videos, quizzes, practice tests, and slideshows. Classroom coaching in Chennai only |
MBAGURU | Both | Centres across Delhi located in CP, Rajouri Garden, Pitampura, Kailash Colony |
Arun Sharma’s Mindworkzz | Both | Mindworkzz has 3 centres in C P, Delhi and offers online coaching as well |
Endeavor | Both | Lucknow, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune among 20+ centres across India |
BullsEye | Online | Offers Online Coaching |
Tathagat | Classroom coaching | Centres located in Delhi, Noida |
Alchemist | Classroom coaching | CP-Delhi, North Delhi, West Delhi and Gurgaon |
Benefits of Preparation with CAT Coaching
If you are able to choose the best CAT coaching as per your requirements, it can turn out to be the appropriate preparation experience. Some of the benefits of good CAT coaching are listed below
- Faculty Interaction: Faculty can interact well during the session and clear your doubts
- Peer Learning: A facility for good peer learning is available in CAT coaching. Many of your doubts can be cleared with peer learning only
- Syllabus Coverage: The complete CAT Syllabus is covered with several CAT replica tests to enable you to analyse your weakness
- CAT Mock Series: You can get the opportunity to take the different difficulty-level Mock tests for the CAT exam – sectional and full-length.
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Frequently Asked Questions
As a fresher, how to begin my CAT preparation?
If you are a beginner to CAT preparation, start by understanding the CAT exam pattern, and the CAT syllabus. Understand what kind of questions are asked, how the exam is scored, and then gather the best study materials like books, sample papers, mock tests, and any other notes that you need. Now create a timetable or a study schedule where you will divide your time equally among the 3 sections of the exam. Having done that, start preparing with the topics that you have never heard before as they may seem difficult to you and will take time to grasp the concepts. Gradually move on to easier topics and then you can just flow with the schedule. It is also advised that you start clearing your doubts at an early stage, and read books, novels, and newspapers daily.
Is CAT exam really tough?
CAT exam is considered the second toughest MBA exam, first one being the XAT exam. Now the difficulty level of the CAT exam can vary for different individuals depending on their understanding of the exam and preparation level. However, in general, the difficulty level of the exam is considered to be between moderate and difficult.
How much time is required to prepare for the CAT exam?
To prepare for the CAT exam, you require at least one year of preparation if you have never prepared for the exam before. But this does not mean that you cannot prepare in lesser time. You can prepare for the CAT exam in 6-8 months with a strict preparation strategy, and a dedicated study schedule. Just ensure to cover all the basic concepts, and be clear with your core concepts. If you are clear with the core concepts, you can easily crack any question. It is all about knowing and understanding the basics. Along with this, develop a reading habit and read different genres to get an understanding of different writing patterns and then answer questions from those passages or books.
Can I prepare for CAT at home?
Yes, it is possible to prepare for the CAT exam at Home. All the CAT preparation needs is dedication towards the study, proper time management, time-to-time revision and attending mock tests, at least twice a week. According to experts, individuals who plan to take the CAT exam at home must begin preparing early.
How to score 99 percentile in CAT?
For a 99 percentile score, candidate's goal should be to attain an 85+ percentile in any two sections and a 99 percentile in one CAT section. In simpler terms, candidates should aim to secure at least 45-50% marks in any two CAT sections and 55-60% in the remaining section. Prepare hard, prepare well, and do not take any topic for granted. Each minute and question is important. Also, avoid negative marking and do not take more than 2 minutes for any question. It is best to skip any question that you are finding tough to crack.