CAT Exam Syllabus
CAT syllabus is set by IIMCAT and is mostly the same every year apart from minor changes in the number of questions from each topic within the sections. CAT syllabus cover several topics from the following three subjects:
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
It is crucial to have a complete understanding of the CAT syllabus and exam pattern to be successful in the CAT exam. Take a closer look at the CAT 2020 syllabus and the best books for CAT preparation below.
Also Check CAT 2020 Examination Pattern
Overview of CAT syllabus 2020
There are several important topics from each of the three sections – QA, DILR and VARC, that the candidates need to prepare for. These topics are highlighted in the tables below.
Topics under Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
VARC section is the first section of the CAT question paper and the time limit allotted is 60 minutes. This section has to be attempted first and is divided into two sub-parts, VA and RC. Here are the important topics and some key points of this section:
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Fill in the blanks | Verbal Reasoning | Sentence completion |
Grammar | Syllogisms | Jumbled paragraphs |
Para Completion and inference | Contextual usage | Foreign language words used in English |
Reading Comprehension | Analogies | Sentence correction |
Verbal Logic | Different usage of the same word | Idioms |
Para jumbles | Antonyms | One word substitution |
Also Check CAT 2020 Question Papers
Verbal Ability (VA): Key Points
- Number of questions range from 7 to 11
- Sectional weightage of this section is 7 to 11 percent
- The questions are of non-MCQs type, which means the candidates have to type in the answer (TITA)
- For non-MCQ type, there is no negative marking
- Types of questions range from para-jumbles, out of context sentences in a para, error correction in a para, vocabulary usage, sentence completion to analogies and critical reasoning
Reading Comprehension (RC): Key Points
- Number of questions asked ranges from 24 to 28
- Sectional weightage of this section is 24 to 28 percent
- Questions are all MCQs type, hence there is a negative marking of -1
- CAT has a mix of RC passages –on an average 4-3 long passages and 2-3 short passages
- As per the trend of the last three years, long passages are of 900 words and short passages are of 600 words
- RC topics range from science, history, politics, environment, society to literature, mythology and abstract topics
Topics Under Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation
LRDI is the second section after VARC section of CAT question paper. This section has two sub-sections – LR and DI and the allotted time is 60 minutes. Take a look at the main topics and key points of this section:
Blood Relations | Series | Proposition |
Direction Sense | Coding-Decoding | Assumptions |
Puzzles | Clocks and Calendars | Statements |
Data Arrangement | Family Tree | Binary Logic |
Seating Arrangement | Venn Diagram | Sets |
Data Structures | Syllogism | Caselets |
Tables | Pie Charts | Data Sufficiency |
Bars | Line Graphs |
Also Check CAT Preparation Plan for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
Logical Reasoning (LR): Key Points
- Number of questions asked – 16
- Sectional weightage of this section – 16 percent
- LR contains both MCQ and Non-MCQ type questions
- Number of MCQs and non-MCQs may differ
- There is negative marking for MCQs
- There is no negative marking for non-MCQs
Data Interpretation (DI): Key Points
- Number of questions asked – 16
- Sectional weightage of this section – 16 percent
- DI contains both MCQ and Non-MCQ type questions
- Number of MCQs and non-MCQs may differ
- There is negative marking for MCQs
- There is no negative marking for non-MCQs
Topics under Quantitative Ability
QA is the last section of the CAT question paper and is to be completed in the last hour of the exam. Take a look at the main topics and some key points of this section:
Geometry | HCF & LCM | Averages |
Trigonometry | Algebra | Partnership (Accounts) |
Mensuration | Profit & Loss | Time-Speed-Distance |
Ratios and Proportion | In-equations Quadratic and linear equations | Surds and Indices |
Number system | Geometric Progression | Inequalities |
Work and time | Percentages | Logarithms |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA): Key Points
- Number of questions asked – 34
- Sectional weightage of this section – 34 percent
- LR contains both MCQ and Non-MCQ type questions
- The number of MCQs and non-MCQs differ each year. Based on earlier trends, the number of MCQs in QA section ranges from 24 to 27 and non-MCQs range from 7 to 10
- There is negative marking for MCQs
- There is no negative marking for non-MCQs
Best Books for CAT 2020
There are so many books available for CAT preparation however it is essential to choose the right one. The books chosen should be updated with the latest exam pattern and syllabus. We have made a list of the best books available after considering all the options in the market and consulting our CAT experts.
Books for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Name of the Book | Name of the Author |
CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | Gautam Puri |
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT | Nishit K. Sinha |
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | Ananta Ashisha |
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT | Arun Sharma |
Books for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Name of the Book | Name of the Author |
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT | Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay/Arihant |
30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback | Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster |
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT | Sharma and Upadhyay |
PSC for VA for CAT | Nishit Sinha |
High School English Grammar & Composition | Wren & Martin |
Books for Quantitative Ability (QA)
Name of the Book | Name of the Author |
NCERT Mathematics Books (Class 6 to 10) | NCERT |
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT | Arun Sharma |
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT | Sarvesh Sharma |
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | Abhijit Guha |
Quantitative Aptitude for CAT | Nishit Sinha |
Overview of CAT 2020 Exam Pattern
Besides having an understanding of the CAT 2020 syllabus, a good awareness of the exam pattern is also mandatory. Some of the important things to keep in mind are that
- CAT exam mode is online
- Each section will be allotted 60 minutes
- 100 questions of 3 marks each
The section-wise distribution of questions and marks in CAT question paper is tabulated below:
Section Name | No of Questions | Allotted Time |
Quantitative Ability (QA) | 34 | 60 minutes |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 32 | 60 minutes |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 34 | 60 minutes |
Total | 100 | 180 |
Also read:
- CAT Admit Card
- CAT Registration
- CAT Result
- CAT Exam Preparation
- CAT Exam Pattern
- CAT Cut-Offs
- CAT Eligibility
- CAT Exam Answer Key
- CAT Exam Analysis
- CAT Question Paper
- CAT Exam Dates
- CAT Mock Test
- CAT Score Vs CAT Percentile
CAT syllabus FAQs
A: The CAT syllabus covers all important topics of VARC, DILR and QA.
A: The CAT syllabus is the same every year but the distribution of questions within each section of the question paper changes every year.
A: The CAT syllabus is prescribed by the exam conducting authority –IIMCAT.
A: The total marks are 300. For every correct answer, three marks are awarded and for every incorrect answer, one mark is deducted.
A: The syllabus of CAT is quite similar to other MBA entrance exams as the questions are based on the same sections VARC, DILR and QA. However, CAT syllabus is relatively more in-depth and covers a lot more topics than other exams.
A: CAT exam is conducted for 180 minutes (3 hours).
A: There are plenty of good coaching institutes for CAT exam in India.
A: Although CAT exam is quite tough in itself, most of the candidates find the VARC section to be quite difficult.
A: VARC and QA sections carry maximum marks of 102. DILR section carries 96 marks.
A: You can prepare for QA section of CAT with the help of NCERT books for mathematics, but you should also refer to the books recommended specifically for CAT preparation.