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Why is CAT Considered a Tough Test?

Is CAT Exam Tough: The candidates appearing in the upcoming exam may know that CAT is one of the toughest MBA exams in India. CAT 2023 is expected to be conducted on 26 November 2023 in 3 slots in various exam centres in India. The CAT exam entails great planning and qualifying techniques.

Every year IIM administers CAT in the month of November to initiate the admission process for various top MBA colleges in India. So, a correct plan for CAT Preparation and knowledge-based skills are very important to get a good score on the exam.

In light of this, if you’re wondering, “Why is CAT Considered a Tough Test?”, let’s first understand the exam structure, mark distribution, and eligibility requirements to get an answer.

Is CAT Exam Tough – Know Paper Pattern

The CAT Exam Pattern, listed in the table below, will help you a general understanding of how the question paper is designed and how many questions are asked from each section. It should be your first priority to examine each of the exam sections very well and distribute the time accordingly.

Particulars

Details

Total Questions

66

Total Sections

3 Sections

  • VARC
  • DILR
  • QA

CAT Exam Duration

2 Hours

Exam Mode

Online

Question Types

Both MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA)

CAT Marking Scheme

  • +3 for every correct answer
  • -1 for every incorrect answer
  • No CAT Negative Marking in TITA questions

CAT Exam Marks Distribution

Here in the table below, we have shared the marks distribution as per the CAT 2022 Exam Analysis. If you are appearing in CAT 2023, then you must be aware of the last year’s CAT exam mark distribution and be prepared for the exam accordingly.

CAT Exam Sections

Total Questions

MCQs

TITA Questions

VARC

24

21

3

DILR

20

14

6

QA

22

14

8

Total

66

49

17

CAT Exam Time

The CAT Exam is an exam which has a sectional time limit for each of the sections. The overall duration is 120 minutes but the candidates have to complete each of the sections within 40 minutes time duration.

CAT Exam Sections

Sectional Time

Sectional Time for PwD

VARC, DILR & QA

40 Minutes (Each)

53 Minutes and 20 Seconds (Each)

Now that we are aware that we shouldn’t try to answer every question, we should concentrate on our abilities. Many students concentrate on their flaws, but this is a silly strategy, especially for competitive tests like the CAT. As a result, you must develop your strengths in order to get a good rank in this exam.

Why is CAT Considered a Tough Test – Important Facts to be Noted

There are many elements that heighten this exam’s level of difficulty. To successfully pass the CAT, candidates must overcome this additional challenge. The next question is, “Why is CAT considered a tough test?

Review the ideas below to get a general idea of what makes the CAT exam difficult.

Questions’ Difficulty Level

The difficulty level of CAT is usually ranging between moderate to difficult. The CAT Question Paper seems challenging to the aspirants over the years. So, strategic preparation is needed to complete the CAT Syllabus on time.

In the table below, we have shared the year-wise difficulty level of CAT along with the name of the conducting institutes.

Year

Conducting Body

Difficulty Level

CAT 2022

IIM Bangalore

Moderate to Difficult

CAT 2021

IIM Ahmedabad

Moderately Easier. VARC was easier

CAT 2020

IIM Indore

Moderate to Difficult

CAT 2019

IIM Kozhikode

Difficult – VARC section was complex

CAT 2018

IIM Calcutta

Moderate to Difficult

Confusion over the Exam Papers

Questions are constantly shrouded in uncertainty. The length of the questions varies, but the divisions and question styles remain the same. For instance, the QA is quite brief compared to the VARC’s length.

Syllabus is Huge

There is no official syllabus for CAT, as the exam conducting body does not release all the details of section-wise chapters and important topics. So analyse last year’s question papers properly and understand the topics you need to complete for the upcoming exam.

Unavoidable Exam Competition

This exam has a very high degree of competition. Everybody is racing to get a perfect score on the CAT because about 2 Lakh students apply each year for various career opportunities. That being said, CAT is tough.

High Cutoffs for IIMs

Everyone has the dream to join IIMs to study MBA. But joining the IIM requires more than 95+ percentiles. In consideration of this, the CAT exam is tough than the other MBA exams in India.

Exam Pressure

The CAT exam might open many career opportunities. Since so many people take the test each year, getting a perfect score or even passing it is difficult. Living up to your own standards is the real challenge. By now, you ought to have a clear understanding of how challenging the CAT exam is.

Limitation of Time

The time limit is another factor that contributes to the CAT exam’s difficulty. You have 120 minutes to respond to all 66 questions. Both the comprehension and math portions are time-consuming. As a result, finishing the entire paper in the allotted time becomes imperative.

So, candidates should focus on selecting the most effective method to prepare for the upcoming CAT Exam. Candidates are forbidden from assuming anything about the questions. As a result, you should focus on providing an answer based on the information at hand. Visit BYJU’S – The Learning App and join CAT Online Preparation programmes to make preparation in a result-oriented way.

Frequently Asked Questions on Why is CAT Considered a Tough Exam

Q1

Is the CAT Exam Tough?

If you considered the exam difficulty level, competition, syllabus and time, then the CAT exam is the toughest among the other exams in India.

Q2

Is the CAT exam difficult to crack for average students?

It’s crucial to adequately prepare for particular chapters of VARC, QA, and DILR for the CAT Exam. Only the formulas and tips must be learned by the candidates in order to correctly answer the questions.