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CAT Preparation 2024: Check How to Prepare for CAT in 5 months, Question Papers, Mock Tests, Books, Topper Tips

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Sachin Gupta

Associate Content Manager | Updated On - Jul 3, 2024

CAT preparation for VARC should be focused on 4 topics- RCs, para jumbles, para summary, and para completion. For CAT quant preparation, devote 50% of your time to arithmetic followed by 20% for algebra, and the remaining 30% to geometry and number system. DILR preparation is all about calculation speed and practicing as many different questions as possible. Check CAT Topic Wise Weightage

Maximum experts and toppers suggest referring to CAT preparation books by Arun Sharma and Nishit K Sinha. For those who do not wish to take coaching classes are recommended to watch free online youtube video lectures by top coaching institutes to have a competitive edge. Check Best Books for CAT 2024

CAT is a highly competitive exam with more than 2 lakh candidates appearing every year (this year more than 3 lakh applicants are set to appear). Moreover, the difficulty level of the exam is also high. Being well prepared is required for getting a 99 percentile and above in CAT. In this article, you are provided with the section-wise preparation strategy, best books, list of top coaching institutes, free mock tests, previous year papers and tips from previous year 99+ percentile scorers.

CAT VARC Preparation

How to Prepare in 5 months?

As every year, CAT is scheduled to be conducted on the last Sunday of November which is November 24, 2024. Starting July, you have 6 days short of 5 months left, to be precise 147 days. So, a thumb rule for CAT preparation is that you need a minimum of 500 hours to cover the entire syllabus and to score 90+ percentile. Going by the calculation, you need to give a minimum of 3.5 hours every day to reach the 500-hour mark. 

In the sections below, you’ll find a comprehensive roadmap for 5-Month CAT preparation covering tips for all the 3 sections viz. VARC- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, DILR- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quant- Quantitative Ability. Moreover, we will be emphasizing on why giving mocks is very important for your CAT preparation.

Starting Checklist

  • Buy Arun Sharma books dedicated to each section
  1. VARC- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension for CAT
  2. DI- Data Interpretation for CAT
  3. LR- Logical Reasoning for CAT
  4. QA- Quantitative Aptitude for CAT
  • Buy a Test Series Subscription (Either of the one)
  1. SimCAT
  2. AIMCAT by TIME 
  3. Career Launcher
  4. Collegedunia (Free)
  • Subscribe to Newsletter and Magazines
  1. AON (Top Newsletter)
  2. Frontline (Magazine)
  3. Editorials
  • Most Important: Make a timetable! Whether you’re fully dedicated to the preparation, a working professional, or a student, you need a set timetable.
  1. Figure out how many hours you can dedicate just for CAT
  2. Bifurcate the time to dedicate for each section 
  3. Stick to your schedule, 5 months is a tight timeline

How to Prepare for CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension?

CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section deals with primarily 4 types of questions- reading comprehension passages, para jumbles, para completion, and para summary.

  • Reading Comprehension: Focus should be on reading as many diverse texts as possible on a daily basis.
    • Particularly, one should read online texts- magazines, news articles, blogs and novels.
    • Your aim should be to develop an online reading speed of 300-350 words per minute.
    • Solve RC passages asked in CAT exam in the last 10 years.
  • Para Jumbles: To prepare for CAT VARC para jumbles, first go through at least 10-20 solved questions. This will give you an idea of how to approach the questions. Now, try to attempt the questions on your own. The points to keep in mind while attempting parajumbles include
    • Look for transition words like moreover, similarly, generally, for example, likewise, above all, besides, in other words, in short, instead, and rather to connect sentences.
    • Sentences containing personal pronouns and demonstrative pronouns (this, that, those, these) without mentioning the noun indicate that they are preceded by another sentence that mentions the noun/ phrase.
    • Time sequence phrases like before, after, later, then, when, previously, afterwards, should be taken into consideration for arranging the sentences.
    • Look for logical arrangement of sentences: Premise-Continuation-Supporting Statement–Examples–Conclusion
    • Identifying the opening and closing sentences makes it easier to arrange the other parts.
  • Para Completion: Questions of this type consist of a short paragraph followed by 4 options. You are required to choose the option which best completes the paragraph. For these questions, what you need is good comprehension skills. Identify what is the central theme and agenda of the paragraph and then check the option that continues the same line of thought.
  • Para Summary: These questions in CAT include a short paragraph followed by 4 answer choices. You are required to select the option that best summarizes the paragraph. Practicing questions asked in the past 4-5 years is enough to get hold of this topic.

You can find the practice questions and tricks to solve CAT VARC questions using the links provided here.

CAT DILR Preparation

How to Prepare for CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning?

CAT preparation for DILR is mostly practice based. To prepare for CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, you must focus on improving your calculation speed. For this, be thorough with ratio-percentage conversions, squares up to 40, cubes up to 20, tables till 25, and basic mental maths.

The topics that are most important for CAT DILR preparation include:

  • Games and Tournaments
  • Arrangements
  • Combination DI
  • Logic based DI sets (tables/ caselets)
  • Team Formation
  • Network graphs/ charts
  • Blood Relations/ Family Tree

The best method of preparing for these topics is to first check a few solved questions of each type from reference books by Arun Sharma and other authors. Then, start solving questions from past CAT exams. You are also advised to join a coaching institute to get access to daily quizzes, mock tests, and tricks & shortcut methods of attempting the questions.

You can also find the practice questions and tricks to solve CAT DILR questions using the links provided here.

CAT QA Preparation

How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Aptitude?

CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation can be divided into 5 major parts: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry & Mensuration, Number System, and Modern Math.

If you are weak in maths, then it is highly recommended to join a coaching institute as the difficulty level of the questions in CAT is high.

Those opting for self study are advised to refer to CAT books by Arun Sharma, Nishit K Sinha and Sarvesh K Verma to brush up on all the concepts and practice questions of varying difficulty levels.

It is advised to supplement these books with free video lessons on Youtube by top coachings like Unacademy, CATKing and Career Launcher. These are helpful in knowing the approach to solve a question along with the knowledge of important tricks and formulas.

Topics to Focus On for 95+ Percentile

  • In Arithmetic, you must focus on 7 topics- profit & loss, work & time, speed & distance, percentage and ratios, mixtures, averages, interest.
  • In Algebra, the topics that you can expect sureshot questions from include quadratic equations, linear inequalities, series & progressions, and surds & indices
  • Preparation for geometry should be centered around 3 topics- quadrilaterals/ parallelograms, circles, and triangles.
CAT Top Coaching Institutes

CAT Preparation 2024: Top Coaching Institutes

Top five coaching institutes in India for CAT preparation 2024 are:

  • IMS India: It is the oldest MBA entrance exam coaching institute in India with approximately 100 centers in 50 cities across the country.
  • Career Launcher: It is the largest CAT coaching institute in India helping candidates in preparation since 1996. It comprises about 200+ centers in 100 cities.
  • T.I.M.E: It is one of the most popular coaching institutes for MBA entrance exams in India. Established in 1992, the institute encompasses 250+ centers in 110+ cities of the country. It offers online and offline classes, long-term and crash courses.
  • Bulls Eye: It is one of the leading MBA coaching institutes established in 1996 by a team of XLRI and IIM alumni. The institute offers diverse courses including video lectures, test series, full-length, sectional and topic-wise mock tests.
  • PT Education: Established in 1993, this institute offers 2 kinds of courses- online and pen-drive. The course duration varies from 1 year to 3 years.

Check Free Study Material for CAT 2024

Best Books for CAT Preparation

Best Books for CAT Preparation

Arun Sharma CAT books and Nishit K Sinha CAT books are the most sought after by candidates. Experts also recommend referring to these books due to their comprehensive coverage, easy language, and level of practice questions. The list of best books for CAT preparation along with the online purchase link is provided below for your convenience. [Source: amazon.in]

Book Author Buy Online
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT Arun Sharma Click here
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension for CAT Arun Sharma Click here
How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT Arun Sharma Click here
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT Arun Sharma Click here
Quantitative Aptitude For CAT Nishit K Sinha Click here
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension For CAT Nishit K Sinha Click here
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT Nishit K Sinha Click here

Apart from these, you may also refer to Quant and Reasoning books by RS Aggarwal and Sarvesh K Verma. Check Here

CAT Daily Plan for Self Study

CAT Preparation 2024: Daily Plan for Self Study

Depending on whether you are a student or a working professional, you can accordingly devote the time to CAT preparation. On an average, 5-6 hours on a daily basis is required for optimum preparation for CAT 2024.

  • Devote 1.5 hours each to VARC, DILR, and Quantitative Aptitude- study 1-2 topics along with practice questions.
  • 1 hour is specifically to be kept for revision of what has already been covered.
  • In the last month, i.e November, give 2 hours for mock tests daily.

Check CAT Previous Year Exam Analysis

CAT Mock Test and Question Papers

CAT Preparation 2024: Mock Tests and Previous Year Papers

CAT preparation is incomplete without attempting mock tests and previous year papers. You can download CAT question paper with solutions PDF using the links provided here.

For more CAT previous year papers, click here

CAT mock tests are essential to get hold of the test pattern and time management. Every year, IIM releases the official CAT mock tests for candidates’ practice. We have provided the links for the last 3 years’ CAT mock tests by IIM along with Collegedunia’s CAT mock test series (1 full-length test, 3 sectional tests, and 46 topic-wise tests)

Topper Tips for CAT Preparation

Topper Tips for CAT Preparation 2024

How toppers prepare for CAT exam in previous years can be helpful in following in their footsteps of securing a 99+ percentile.

Check Full Interviews of CAT 2022 toppers and gain from their valuable insights:

Target for CAT

Target for CAT 2024

How many questions you should attempt in CAT 2024 to get 99+ percentile is answered here based on the expert analysis of CAT 2022 and 2021 scores. Your preparation should not be focused on attempting the entire 66 questions but only the bare minimum required to clear the benchmark.

Target Percentile Score Ideal Attempts in VARC Ideal Attempts in DILR Ideal Attempts in Quant Total Ideal Attempts
90+ percentile 10 6 7 23
95+ percentile 12 8 8 28
99+ percentile 15 10 12 37
100 percentile 17 11 13 41

Must Check:

Frequently Asked Questions

CAT 2024 Preparation FAQs

Ques. How to prepare for CAT?

Ans. First of all, understand the syllabus and pattern of the exam, appear for a mock test and note down the weak and strong areas, gather the relevant books and study material, cover the syllabus section-wise and then again practice the mock test. Check Complete CAT Syllabus

Ques. Is there any ideal preparation time for CAT?

Ans. There is no specific rule on a time limit, going by strategies of CAT toppers 3 months is the minimum required for a dedicated and serious preparation to gain a good CAT percentile. 

Ques. Can I self-prepare for CAT 2024?

Ans. Yes, there are numerous candidates every year who score well in CAT by relying on self-preparation. Start by gaining a good knowledge of syllabus and exam patterns, gather the relevant study material, prepare a timetable, utilize the online sources available and test your preparation by giving mock tests.

Ques. Which is the best institute to prepare for CAT 2024?

Ans. There are a lot of coaching institutes both online and offline. Candidates should decide in which mode they want to prepare and select the coachings as per their needs. Nowadays, online coaching options are very popular and user-friendly. Check Best CAT Coaching Institutes.

Ques. How many Mock Tests are sufficient to take before the main exam?

Ans. As suggested by CAT toppers, 35-40 mock tests should be given before the actual exam. The important point to remember while giving CAT is to analyze the test afterward and work on mistakes and weak points. Download Now Practice Papers

Ques. Can I start preparing for CAT 2024 now?

Ans. Yes, around 2 months are left for CAT 2024 to take place candidates should gear up their preparation. Make a preparation strategy and start working on it. There is still plenty of room left to score well.

Ques. Is it compulsory to score 90% or above in the 10th and 12th boards to get admission to IIM?

Ans. No, there is no such rule to score 90% or above in boards to secure admissions in IIM. Overall weightage to CAT scores, graduation marks, class 10th and 12th boards, and WAT/GD/PI scores is given by IIMs before offering admissions.

Ques. What are the factors that affect the preparation of a student?

Ans. Factors like relying completely on coaching institutes and not focussing on self-study, keeping yourself too mentally tired, lacking time management skills and dedication for the exam, not working on weak areas affect the preparation of CAT aspirants.

Ques. What are some time management tips for CAT?

Ans. CAT test the accuracy and speed of candidates. Hence time management is the key required to excel in the exam. Remember, not to spend too much time on one question, start working on the section you are comfortable with, spare some time for revision. While preparing, time management skills can be acquired by giving Mock Test.

Ques. Is there a limit on the number of attempts for the CAT exam?

Ans. No, there are no limits on the number of attempts for CAT. there is no restriction on the age limit as well. The only restriction is the educational qualification, candidates have to be

Ques. Is it required to have 5 to 7 books to study from when you sit to prepare for CAT?

Ans. Having a pile of books and a bunch of notes in addition to it will not help you. You can decide which book suits you best as a complete guide to all the sections will be enough. You can also have a book separately for each section but try to keep the number low as to 2 or 3 books to prepare.

Ques. Is joining a Coaching Center a great investment in studies for CAT?

Ans. The benefit of joining a coaching institute is they provide a proper study schedule and material, candidates just have to follow them. Coachings are suitable for candidates who can spare time for the classes. In the case of working professionals, online coaching websites or weekend classes are an option. Candidates can also opt for crash courses, full-time coaching is not required.

Ques.  Is the Study Material provided by the coaching center reliable?

Ans. Coaching institutes provide updated study Material that is prepared on the basis of past data and can be very useful although there is no harm in referring to a new book if you have time. But candidates should not lose focus on self-study despite coaching guidance.

Ques. How can reading prove to help study for the CAT exam?

Ans. The key to excelling in verbal ability and reading comprehension is to read a lot of books, newspaper editorials and improve your vocabulary and grammar. Being an expert in English is not required but cultivating a habit to read and write will also help in WAT/GD.PI sessions.

Ques. How does a series of tests help ace CAT?

Ans. Test series are an essential part to score a good percentile in CAT. It should be a weekly ritual while preparing. Writing at least 30 tests before giving the final exam will give you an idea of the level of questions and the way to solve them. Also, subscribing to a series of Mock Tests is helpful as it provides you an edge over the actual exam.

Ques. How does having a great deal of General Knowledge helps in CAT exam?

Ans. General Knowledge questions are a part of WAT/GD/PI rounds. G.K might not be part of the exam but is still useful to be updated on recent national and international political and economic developments. Also, good G.K. helps build confidence in a person to face people and converse.

Ques. How can I prepare Current Affairs for WAT/GD/PI round?

Ans. Read newspapers like The Hindu, The Indian Express, Economic Times, New York Times. Candidates can also refer to magazines like Frontline, Business Standard, and The Week to prepare for current affairs.

Ques. Does having a full-time job affect preparing for CAT exam?

Ans. With the proper strategy in place having a full-time job will not affect your preparation but not to a great extent. CAT preparation can be done parallel to your work. But, you must build a schedule and stick to it to devote the required time for the preparation. Prior experience added to your CV can only benefit from getting admission.

Ques. Can preparing 2 sections of the exam thoroughly give an edge over the paper?

Ans. It is not advisable to leave any section while preparing. If you want to score well in your CAT exam, you need to prepare well enough for all three sections of the paper. CAT score comprises of sectional cut-off which doesn’t leave you with many options.

Ques. How many hours of study is enough for a candidate to prepare for CAT?

Ans. Candidates are advised to study for at least 2 to 3 hours daily for good preparation. This schedule will suit in cases where a candidate has enough time to prepare for CAT. It also depends upon the study habits of the candidate and the study hours can always go up relating to every individual’s study habits

Ques. How do problem-solving methods help to prepare for the exam?

Ans. Candidates should make a note of the fact that they should constantly try solving the questions through more than one method with accuracy. Depending on their method of solving and mastering is more helpful than following tips from outside.

Ques. What preparation pattern should a candidate follow to score well in the exam?

Ans. Starting by understanding the syllabus and exam pattern, candidates must pay more attention to concept building. Afterward, mock tests and practice papers can be considered to analyze the preparation level. It is also advised that a candidate should try to study 2 topics simultaneously with 1 easy topic and the other difficulties which will save a lot of time for other topics.

Ques. Does CAT preparation for candidates who are in their final year of graduation a difficult task?

Ans. Candidates can divide their study time and utilize them in the best possible way. It is advised to prepare for the CAT exam while completing the graduation simultaneously. Though graduation marks should never be compromised as they are considered in the final selection bt B Schools.

Ques. How long should a candidate study in a day to get good grades in the entrance exam?

Ans. Regularity is important while preparing for CAT. Preparing a schedule that is convenient for you and helps you score better should be implemented Candidates should not over-pressurize themselves by studying for many hours, but regularly studying should be in practice.

Ques. What should a candidate do in case he/she has left mathematics as a subject in their 12th standard and is pursuing graduation in some other course?

Ans. Maths is important for the Quantitative Aptitude section. Candidates in such cases are advised to polish their 10th-grade mathematics as the basic concepts asked in CAT are up to 10th grade only. A thorough revision of previous math questions can help them prepare well for the paper.

Ques. Is CAT a tough exam to crack?

Ans. CAT is not difficult, it is just competitive. If you have your concepts clear and practice mocks regularly, you can easily score 90+ percentile in CAT.

Ques. What is the syllabus for LR/DI? How do I prepare for it?

Ans. LR/DI is generally considered a tough section to attempt. There is no fixed syllabus for LR/DI. You can prepare for it by practicing the previous year question papers and following the type of questions that came in LR/DI section.

Ques. I am scared of Maths. How do I prepare for Quant in CAT?

Ans. Start with the basic concepts and refer to Arun Sharma for initial preparation. Develop a habit of solving questions regularly and prepare alternate solving techniques for them. If well practiced through Mocks and previous year question papers candidates can score a good percentile in Quant.

Ques. My English is not very good. Can I still take a CAT?

Ans. CAT requires one to have a decent level of command of English. You can strengthen your English skills by reading books and watching grammar lectures on youtube and such sources.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.

CAT 2024 : 3 answered questions

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Ques. What is the IIT Madras CAT cutoff for MBA?

● Top Answer By Rishabh on 07 Jun 24

The IIT Madras CAT cutoff for MBA is usually above the  95 percentile . It changes annually and is highly competitive. Here is the previous years IIT Madras CAT cutoff for MBA course: Year CAT Cut-off (Percentile) 2023 95-96+ 2022 96 2021 96 2020 96 2019 96...Read more

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Ques. What is the BITS Pilani CAT cut off 2024 for MBA admission at the institution?

● Top Answer By Manju Sharma on 30 May 24

BITS Pilani is known as a top institution for higher studies in India. It offers top class education in its engineering and MBA programs. The  BITS Pilani cut off 2024 for XAT  is expected to remain  70 to 75 percentile  for the  General category .  On the other hand, the BITS Pilani  CAT cutoff 2024 is  expected to stay between  75-80 percentile (overall)  for the  General category .  Students who want to get admission to an MBA at BITS Pilani through the  GMAT  may have to score  more than 620  in the said exam . General Category Expected Cut off 2024 for MBA admissions at BITS Pilani: Exam Expected Cutoff CAT 75-80 percentile (overall) XAT 70-75 percentile GMAT 620-625 score These are the expected cut offs for MBA 2024 admissions at BITS Pilani....Read more

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Ques. Can I get admission to Lovely Professional University without the LPU NEST?

● Top Answer By Aditi Deo on 06 May 24

LPU NEST is not required for every course. It is compulsory for courses like BTech, Agriculture or MBA. However, if a student has already passed a national proficiency exam recognized by the university and meets the university's eligibility requirements, he does not need LPU NEST scores. LPU NEST is not required for BBA, BCom and BA....Read more

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