CAT Marking Scheme 2023: Check CAT Paper Pattern, Total Marks & Exam Pattern
Anil Solonki19 Aug, 2023
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Having a pre-existing understanding of the CAT exam's marking structure is crucial for approaching the question paper intelligently. Dive into this article to gain a comprehensive understanding of CAT 2023's exam pattern and how the marking scheme works.
The CAT exam pattern for 2023 was unveiled on July 30 alongside the exam announcement. No modifications have been introduced in the CAT 2023 exam pattern. As per the most recent format, CAT 2023 will comprise 66 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), to be addressed within a span of 120 minutes. This duration will be divided equally, with each of the three CAT sections allocated 40 minutes. Previously, the CAT exam spanned 180 minutes and contained 100 questions. However, in 2020, both the question count and exam duration were reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The question count was minimized to 76, and the duration was scaled down to 120 minutes. Subsequently, in 2021, the CAT exam pattern underwent another revision, with the question count being further reduced to 66. CAT 2022 also maintained the same question count of 66. Further details on the CAT 2023 exam pattern, including the test structure, sectional time limits, marking scheme, and sections, are outlined below.What is CAT Exam Pattern 2023?
The CAT exam is designed to test how well candidates can solve math and reasoning problems quickly and accurately. It's about using skills in math and logical thinking. If you're planning to take the CAT 2023 exam, it's important to know about the latest cat exam pattern . This helps you understand how the questions are structured and how they are scored. The CAT 2023 exam will follow the same pattern as last year. The CAT question paper will have three sections:- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) with 24 questions and a total of 72 marks
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) with 20 questions and a total of 60 marks
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA) with 22 questions and a total of 66 marks
CAT Exam Pattern Highlights
The organization in charge of the CAT exam, which is conducted by IIM, provides a tutorial for candidates a week before the actual exam. This tutorial is meant to help candidates become familiar with the process of the CAT exam. It explains the most up-to-date exam pattern and how the test is structured. To give you an idea, you can find important details about the CAT paper pattern and how the scoring works in the table below:| CAT Paper Pattern 2023 | |
| Mode of CAT exam | Computer Based Test |
| Duration of exam |
|
| CAT exam slots |
|
| Number of questions | 66 |
| CAT total marks | 198 |
| Language of question paper | English |
| Number of answer choices | 4 |
| Question Type | MCQ and non-MCQ |
What is CAT Marking Scheme?
Understanding the CAT marking scheme is crucial for candidates to plan their exam strategy, deciding which questions to attempt and which ones to skip. Here's how the CAT 2023 marking scheme works:- The total marks for the CAT 2023 paper will be 198.
- Each question in the exam carries 3 marks.
- However, there is a penalty for wrong answers. For every incorrect answer, 1 mark will be deducted.
- Importantly, there's no deduction of marks if a candidate decides to skip a question.
- Keep in mind that some questions in each section might not be in multiple-choice format. For these, candidates will need to type their answers directly on the screen.
| CAT Sections | Number of Questions | Marks Per Question | CAT Negative Marking (Only MCQ) |
| VARC | 24 | 3 | -1 |
| DILR | 20 | 3 | -1 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | 3 | -1 |
| CAT Exam Total Marks | 66 | 198 | - |
CAT 2023 Exam Scoring Scheme
The CAT Marking Scheme for 2023, both on a section-wise basis and in total, is outlined as follows:| CAT Test Section with total Qs | Marking Scheme | Total Maximum Marks |
| VARC – 24 Qs | +3 for each right answer | 72 |
| DILR – 20 Qs | +3 for each right answer | 60 |
| Quant – 22 Qs | +3 for each right answer | 66 |
| Total Marks | -- | 198 |
| Negative Marking Scheme in CAT 2023 | -1 for each wrong answer | Only for 48-50 MCQs |
| No Negative Marking Scheme in CAT 2023 | TITA questions not to carry negative marking | Only for 18-20 Non MCQs |
CAT 2023 pattern: Sectional Composition of Questions
CAT 2023 will follow the pattern outlined in the table below. This table displays the order of sections from Section-1 to Section-3, along with the quantity and type of questions in each section. It also highlights which questions within each section come with negative markings and which ones do not.| CAT 2023 exam components | Total Questions | Total MCQs (With negative marking) | Total Non-MCQs (Without negative marking) | Highlights |
| Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 19 | 5 | 4 RC Passages with MCQs; VA Non-MCQs divided into Para jumbles, Para Summary, and Out of Context Sentences |
| Section-2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 16 | 4 | LR – 10 Ques DI – 10 Ques All in Sets of 3 & 4 Qs |
| Section-3: Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 16 | 6 | High on Arithmetic. Other on Log, Geometry, Roots, Algebra |
| Total | 66 | 51 | 15 | -- |
Detailed Section wise Pattern for CAT 2023 for VARC, DILR, QA
The CAT 2023 exam pattern is broken down into sections, each with its own unique features:Section 1: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Total questions: 24
- Number of RC passages: 4-5
- RC-based question share: 70%
- Types of RC-based questions: All multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with 1/3 negative marking
- VA questions: 5-6
- Type of VA questions: Non-MCQs without negative marking
- Difficulty level: Moderate to Very difficult
Section 2: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Total questions: 20
- Share of DI questions: 10
- Share of LR questions: 10
- Question types: MCQs: 75%; Non-MCQs: 25%
- Difficulty level: Moderate to difficult
- Highlights: Questions come in sets of 4, but they can be time-consuming, leading to a time crunch for test-takers.
Section 3: Quantitative Ability (QA)
- Total questions: 22
- Question types: MCQs: 14–16; Non-MCQs: 6–8
- Difficulty level: Moderate to difficult
- Highlights: More questions are focused on Arithmetic topics like Percentage, Profit and Loss, Time and Speed, work and days, and Compound Interest.
- The revamped VARC section consists of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension sub-sections.
- DILR contains questions on Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.
CAT Marking Scheme 2023 FAQs
Q1. What is the marking scheme for CAT 2023? Ans : The CAT 2023 marking scheme awards 3 marks for every correct answer and deducts 1 mark for each incorrect response. Q2. How are the marks distributed in the CAT exam? Ans : The CAT 2023 paper holds a total of 198 marks. Each question, when answered correctly, adds 3 marks to the total score. Q3. Are there any penalties for wrong answers in CAT 2023? Ans : Yes, for every wrong answer, 1 mark will be deducted from the total score. This is to discourage random guessing. Q4. Is there any impact on marks if I skip a question in CAT 2023? Ans : No, there is no deduction of marks if you choose to skip a question. Skipping questions can be a strategic approach if you're unsure about the answer. Q5. Will all questions in CAT 2023 be multiple-choice? Ans : No, not all questions will be multiple-choice. Some questions, especially in the Verbal Ability section, might require you to type in your answers directly on the screen.
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