Last Minute Preparation For CAT Exam 2024: VARC, DILR, QA Sections

Last minute preparation for CAT 2024 includes taking mock tests, reducing stress, strategising, working on strengths, and creating a routine to cover the revision of each section. Knowing the tips and tricks to go through the entire syllabus is crucial for a better performance in the exam.

It is important to make a routine and schedule the revision of each section accordingly. The strong areas must be focussed instead of learning new things. Developing a good strategy is important for the last minute preparation for the CAT exam.

Table of Contents

• Last Minute Preparation Tips For CAT 2024
• Section-Wise Last Minute Preparation Strategy
  • Last Minute Preparation For CAT QA Section
  • Last Minute Preparation For CAT VARC Section
  • Last Minute Preparation For CAT DILR Section
• Section-Wise CAT 2024 Question Pattern
  • Section 1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
  • Section 2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
  • Section-3: Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
• Top Colleges Accepting CAT 2024 Marks

Also Check: Free CAT Mock Tests 2024

Last Minute Preparation Tips For CAT 2024

Devising the right strategy is the key to scoring good marks in any examination. CAT is no exception. Even while studying and revising, the candidates must resort to a few smart tips and tricks that will help them make the most out of the time they have in hand for the last minute revision.

The tips that would help the candidates through their last minute preparation have been shared below:

• Strategise: Right planning and strategizing go a long way in helping the candidates with their last minute preparations.
• Work on strengths: It is very important to revise and practise what is already known. It is better to leave going through the weak spots as that would not just waste time but also reduce the confidence level of the candidates.
• Making a routine: Everything works well when there is a set schedule. A routine must be prepared for the last minute preparation for CAT 2024. Each section should be given the required amount of time for revision while focusing on the strength-areas.
• Take mock tests: This is as much application for CAT exam as it is for any other exam. Taking the CAT mock tests by setting the timer on an everyday basis will not just help to assess the preparation but will also make the candidates exam-ready.
• Proper diet and sound sleep: Keeping a healthy mind and body will only improve the performance. Sound sleep for at least 8 hours and proper diet are something that must not be ignored. It will only increase productivity and memory retention.
• Keep the stress at bay: Stress levels must be kept at a bare minimum, if not zero, before the exam. It is better to avoid anything that causes stress to the mind and body, because stress can negatively affect the performance in the exam.

Also Check: CAT Exam Day Guidelines 2024: Documents to Carry, Banned Items

Section-Wise Last Minute Preparation Strategy

It is important for the candidates to pay attention to the most crucial points during the last few days before the CAT exam 2024. While revising the entire syllabus has no alternative best, but keeping focus on specific sections. Shared below are few strategies that will help the candidates with their last minute preparation for CAT 2024 on a section-wise basis.

1. Last Minute Preparation For CAT QA Section

The toughest of the three sections in the CAT exam is the section on QA or Quantitative Aptitude. What plays an important role here is the speed and accuracy of the candidates. The questions are not just difficult but time-consuming as well. So, it is very important to ace the right technique to solve this section. For this the topics must be understood without a trace of doubt.

This section requires the candidate to have a very strong hand in calculation. The most-time saving thing here would be to be able to make calculations in the mind rather than on paper. The question papers from the previous years come handy when it comes to preparing for the CAT exam a few days before the exam.

It is advisable that the candidates go through the Quantitative aptitude section of not just the previous year but of more years to understand the dominant concepts to be paid attention to.

Also Check: How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT 2024?

2. Last Minute Preparation For CAT VARC Section

The VARC or the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section consumes a lot of time. So the candidates must be planning their time management accordingly. This section consists of reading an unknown passage and answering all the questions pertaining to it.

This section calls for good reading skills so that the reading takes less time. For the Verbal Ability section, the candidates are expected to have a sound vocabulary.

• Verbal Ability

For this part of the VARC section, the candidates must take preparations from the beginning. During the last minute preparation for CAT exam 2024, the candidates must revise all that they have studied from the beginning.

• Reading Comprehension

This section consists of a comprehension. Based on this piece of comprehension, questions are asked. In order to score good marks in this section, the candidates must have really good reading skills so that they can read in a short period of time.

Also Check: Dress Code for CAT Exam 2024

3. Last Minute Preparation For CAT DILR Section

This section also needs vigorous practice by the candidate. The DILR or Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning has questions to check the logical and analytical skills of the candidates.

This section can be aced only through practice as there is no set formula that can be used for solving the problem.

Also Check: How to Crack CAT Exam 2024? Preparation Tips 

Section-Wise CAT 2024 Question Pattern

The question pattern for all the sections in the CAT exam - QA, VARC, and DILR - have been shared in this section. The difficulty level for each section has also been mentioned.

Section 1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

The question pattern for VARC CAT 2024 is as follows:

• Total number of questions: 24
• Reading Comprehension (RC) passages: 4-5
• Questions based on RC: 70%
• RC Question Type: MCQs with 1/3 negative marking for every wrong answer
• Questions based on Verbal Ability or VA: 5-6
• VA Question Type: Non-MCQs ( no negative marking)
• Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Very difficult
• No questions on Grammar and vocabulary
• VA has 3 topics which are jumbled paragraph, paragraph summary, and picking odd sentences from jumbled sentences

Also Read: CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus 2024

Section 2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

The question pattern for DILR CAT 2024 is as follows:

• Total number of questions: 20 
• Number of Data Interpretation (DI) questions: 10
• Number of Logical Reasoning (LR) questions: 10
• LR Question Type: MCQs - 75% & Non-MCQs - 25%
• Level of Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
• Each set has 4 questions

Also Check: CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Syllabus 2024

Section-3: Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

The question pattern for QA CAT 2024 is as follows:

• Total number of questions: 22
• QA Question Type: MCQs - 14-16 & Non-MCQs - 6-8
• Level of Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
• Questions on Arithmetic: Profit & Loss, Percentage, Work/days, Time & Speed, & Compound Interest

Also Check: CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2024

Top Colleges Accepting CAT 2024 Marks

Almost every business school in India accepts CAT Scores as it is the most popular MBA entrance exam. Shared below is a list of the top colleges in India that accept the CAT 2024 marks.

• IIM Lucknow
• IIM Bangalore
• IIM Calcutta
• IIMC Hyderabad
• IIT Indore
• FMS New Delhi,
• DMS IIT Delhi
• SPJIMR Mumbai
• SJMSOM IIT Bombay

Also Check: Top MBA Colleges in India