CAT 2023 is being conducted by IIM Lucknow today (November 26, 2023). The Exam was held in 3 (three) different Exam slots. The Common Admission Test (CAT 2023) is an entrance exam administered to grant admission into top B-schools (which also includes 21 IIMs). Like the last few years, this year too CAT exam has maintained the same pattern in terms of number of questions, 66 (VARC-24, DILR – 20 and QA 22) questions were to be attempted in 2 (Two) hours.
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Slot 1 : Ion digital Noida
Overall it was moderate to difficult. DI LR sets were lengthy and were based on conceptual understanding of topics including statistics too. Overall, the level can be ranked as Moderate to tough. QA this year had a lesser number of questions, which could be solved in “No time” kind, like last year. There were a couple of tough questions on geometry and some tricky questions on Arithmetic & Algebra, it is to be believed there were more questions on Algebra than on Geometry.
VARC – 16 RC questions heavily using the word ‘except’ followed by 2 questions on Para Jumbles (TITA), 2 questions on ParaJumbles Odd Variety (TITA), 2 questions on Para Summary and 2 questions on Para Completion.
DILR – All four sets had 5 questions each with 2 sets having 4 out of 5 questions as TITA questions. No DI set, all were from LR with one from arrangement with a number of variables involved.
QA had questions from Geometry, Coordinate Geometry, finding roots and values, ratio and percentage, clock concept, TSD, Numbers.
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Slot 2 – Ganga International School, Hiran Kudna, New Delhi – Overall Paper can be categorised as Difficult
The VARC section was almost the same as slot 1 from the day (CAT 2023), but the difficulty level was higher than slot :1 There was 1 question which was mandatory, 12-14 were doable questions.
DILR: CAT 2023 DILR was the same on difficulty level as slot 1. However, students described it to be more difficult than the previous year (CAT 2022 – slot 2). This section had 20 questions, and 40 minutes were allotted for it. (8-9 were doable questions).
VARC – 24 Questions
1) 4 passages – 4 questions each. All 4 could be termed as equally tedious in slot 2
2) 2 questions each on Summary, PJ, OOC, FITB
3) Surprisingly there was a mandatory question – Wonder what would happen if one didn’t attempt it! Please let us know if anyone else did not attempt that question.
4) Overall level was moderate
5) Tricky options and Double negatives
6) Target – Around 12 questions
DILR – 20 Questions
1) 4 sets 5 question each
2) One set on Slides
3) One set of average points
4) One set on Company start and end date with revenue
5) One more similar was there – (Anyone remember please comment on it)
6) Overall Moderate to Difficult
7) Target – Around 8 – 9 questions
QA – 22 Questions
1) Algebra and Arithmetic dominated
2) Weirdly formed Algebra questions – Lot of questions about minimum value and maximum values and required multiple rounds of calculation
3) 2 – 3 questions on Geometry but was very easy
4) 1 question on factors
5) Not sure what made the paper setter(s) make this unnecessarily complicated paper – The paper was made difficult by complicated language and multiple set of iterations and calculations required over and over above
6) 2 to 3 questions on the line of the ones done in sheets
7) Target – Around 8 – 10 questions
It was reported that in slot 1 and 2 many got one question in VARC which was starmarked as “this is a mandatory question “. However, it wasn’t reported to have any such question in slot 3. Not clear what happens if the mandatory question is not attempted
Slot 3 (Exactly similar even in slot 3 ion digital Faridabad)
Students who appeared for the examination found the third shift to be somewhere between moderate to difficult. The test takers found the difficulty level of the paper from this slot to be similar to the previous 2 slots of the day, ie. moderate to difficult.
VARC: In slot 3 of CAT 2023, the VARC section difficulty was reported to be difficult to moderate by the test takers. 40 minutes were allotted for a total of 24 questions. A candidate could at least aim for 15-16 questions. DILR: This section in CAT 2023 slot 3 was moderate to difficult on the difficulty level. The DILR section had 20 questions, and 40 minutes were allotted for that. A candidate could at least aim for 7-8 questions.
QA: The CAT 2023 QA section in slot 3 was slightly more difficult than in slots 1 & 2. In 40 minutes, candidates had to answer 22 questions. A candidate could at least aim for 8-9 questions.
So, going by the Number of questions a student could attempt in the stipulated time period, it is clearly to be believed that this year’s CAT paper was way tougher than Last year or for that matter few of the previous years. Overall: The paper was similar in difficulty level compared to slots 1 & 2 of today (moderate to difficult). However, the QA section in slot 3 was the toughest of the day.
A candidate could at least aim for 30 questions.
There were lots of QA questions on “Minimum” & “Maximum” values and required multiple rounds of calculations.
A detailed analysis of the paper along with the Answer Script will be shared by IIM Lucknow, in the month of December.
The probable cut-offs for enrollment in IIMs could be determined only then.
By and far the toughest CAT paper in recent times.
A proper review session would be done LIVE at 8 PM on 27th Nov. Keep your queries ready. Log in to our Youtube Channel.
