CAT 2024 Syllabus - Download Free PDF, Section wise Syllabus QA, VARC, & DILR

The CAT 2024 syllabus consists of three major sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude. The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) develops the syllabus, which is regarded as one of the most difficult for MBA entrance exams in India.

Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Percentages, Graphs, Coding-Decoding, and Series Completion are significant topics in the CAT 2024 syllabus, as they are the basis for many problems. Reading Comprehension is quite crucial in the VARC portion, hence solid English abilities are required. To prepare effectively for the CAT 2024, it is critical to focus on attentively studying the complete syllabus, which is extensive and requires time for thorough preparation.

To get more than 99+ percentile in CAT Exam, candidates must be completely aware of CAT Syllabus 2024, how to complete CAT 2024 Syllabus, and what are the topics to focus on. Aspirants must also understand CAT 2024 Topic Wise Weightage. Though there have been a few changes in CAT Exam Pattern, there are no major changes in CAT Syllabus for MBA over the past few years. The only significant change that has been introduced is the topic wise weightage of CAT Exam Syllabus for MBA.

CAT Syllabus for MBA Overview

Following are the three sections as per CAT Exam Syllabus PDF:

1. Quantitative Aptitude
2. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
3. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

CAT Question Paper is made from these three sections. In order to understand the CAT Exam Pattern, it is very important to be aware of complete syllabus of CAT Exam.

It will help students distinguish between the topics asked in CAT Exam 2024 and identify their strength and potential to qualify the examination.

As per the CAT Exam Pattern, the total questions in CAT Question Paper has been reduced to 66 questions. 

IIM Calcutta will conduct CAT 2024 Exam on 24 November, 2024. CAT Registration window was opened on August 2, 2024 and the last date to fill CAT Application Form is September 13, 2024 and interested candidates are advised to fill the application form online on the official website of CAT i.e. iimcat.ac.in before the CAT Application Window closes.

The question paper primarily consists of three sections namely Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC). Each section comprises of several topics that must be covered to qualify the examination.

Latest Update - No. of Questions in CAT Question Paper is reduced to 66 from 100.

There are total 66 question asked from these three sections and the allotted time to solve these questions is 180 minutes i.e. 3 hours.

The first step towards preparing for CAT Exam is the selection of right and relevant books. Preparing from the suggested books removes confusion and provides students with shortest tricks to solve questions efficiently. Here are some reviewed CAT Important Books by popular authors and publishers that might come handy while preparing for CAT 2024.

Video Credits - CATKing 

Changes in CAT Syllabus for MBA 2024

There are no changes in MBA CAT Syllabus PDF 2024, but CAT Exam Pattern has gone through a few changes mentioned below in the table. The changes have been mentioned for the year 2022 and 2023.

CAT 2024 Syllabus - Topic wise Weightage (Important Topics)

CAT Exam Syllabus for MBA hasn't undergone any changes for the past 10 years. We can take a look at the important topics of the CAT Exam Syllabus for MBA PDF. Below mentioned topics are those the paper consists of maximum questions from. In order to prepare for CAT 2024, candidates' main focus should be on these topics:

Know More About CAT Exam Pattern

CAT Exam Pattern and CAT Syllabus 2024 PDF

CAT Syllabus for MBA 2024 and CAT Exam Pattern have undergone various changes in the last 3 years. From the year 2015 to 2019, CAT Question Paper used to consist of 100 questions to be completed in 3 hours i.e. 180 minutes. 

In the year 2020, the exam pattern of CAT Question Paper got revised due to the pandemic – COVID-19. The total number of questions in CAT Exam was then reduced to 76 and even the time duration was reduced to 2 hours i.e. 120 minutes.

• The total number of questions in CAT Exam was further reduced to 66.
• CAT Exam 2023 was also changed according to the revised pattern. 

The CAT Exam Pattern 2024 for CAT 2024 Exam has been mentioned below:

What to Study for CAT 2024?

In order to crack CAT 2024, it is very important to make right choices when it comes to CAT Preparation Books. Candidates are always suggested to seek experts' advice as there are various books flooding the market and it becomes difficult to choose the best one amongst them. CAT 2024 will be conducted on 24^th November 2024 and this year, we can expect a huge number of applications.

CAT Registration Date will be announced by the conducting IIM through an official notice that will released on the official website. The application window will remain open for more than 45 days and interested students can register themselves during this period. 

Also Read -

CAT Exam is divided in three sections namely Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.

1. Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus for CAT

There are 22 questions asked in this section. The syllabus of Quantitative Aptitude is vast and needs a consistent practice. It is very important to be aware of all the tricks and tactics used while solving the questions. The students must have gone through and solved every type of questions. This in turn enhances their ability to solve the question.

• This section analyses the speed, accuracy, and precision that a student puts during the examination.
• Lesser number of questions in Commercial Mathematics make it easy to prepare and attempt and the formulae are simple and straight forward to be learnt.
• Most of the topics asked in Arithmetic are from class 10^th level.
• Sequence and Series is one of the topics that require consistent practice.

Since there is a vast number of topics under each subcategory, the syllabus of CAT 2024 has been confined to following subtopics:

Best Books for Quantitative Aptitude

According to the exam pattern of CAT Exam conducted during previous years, it can be deduced that Quantitative Aptitude hold more importance than the other two sections. Questions asked in this section are purely based upon mathematical formulae and calculation. Right choice of books will help students understand the pattern and type of questions asked in the exam.

Following are the reviewed books one must consider for Quantitative Aptitude:

NCERT Books from Class 6^th to 10^th:

Besides these books, candidates must possess a thorough knowledge of NCERT Boks from class 6^th to 10^th.  NCERT books are considered the best while preparing for any entrance examination. NCERT Mathematics books from class 6^th to 10^th help students strengthen the basic knowledge of mathematics and build a strong foundation towards their concepts.

More Study Material by Arun Sharma for QA:

Arun Sharma is one of the most trusted authors while it comes to preparing for CAT Exam. The books are available for all the three sections and topics that appear in the examination. Besides the books written by Arun Sharma, candidates can also consider the following:

• Quant Study Modules
• Quant Test Papers
• Mock Tests
• Practice Questions
• Replica Test Questions on Quant

Nishit Saxena - Quantitative Aptitude for CAT

The book written by Nishit Saxena is of great help as this book covers all the mathematical concepts of Advanced as well as Arithmetic section. The questions in this book are solved in the easiest way possible and there is a step by step explanation to each question.

• Students will find it easy to solve questions based on the concepts and tricks given in this book.

Sarvesh Sharma - Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT

Sarvesh Sharma tried his level best to use the simplest language to answer the questions. Candidates who are preparing for CAT 2024 can easily get through the solution part and grasp concepts used in it. The methods used by the author reduce the complexity of questions and help students conclude the answer in a simpler way.

Arun Sharma - How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT

Candidates appearing in CAT 2024 must study the book “How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude” written by Arun Sharma in order to qualify CAT 2024. A thorough go through of this book will help students understand the latest topics and type of questions that might be asked in the examination.

• The strategy used, methods by which the questions are solved, and an easy explanation of tricks to solve the questions make it easier for students to understand the concept behind each question.

Topic wise No. of Questions in CAT QA Section

CAT Paper QA Section contains questions from Modern Mathematics, Algebra, Numbers, Arithmetic, and Geometry. Below mentioned table gives you the actual composition of QA Section in CAT 2022 Exam and we expect it to remain same for CAT 2024:

2. VARC Syllabus for CAT

This section will contain 24 questions wherein 14 question are from Reading Comprehension and the other 10 questions are from Verbal Ability.

• This section is primarily designed to test and analyze students' language and comprehension skills.
• The questions asked in this section mainly are Non MCQ type.
• It is seen that 70% of the questions from this section are asked out of Reading Comprehension.

Best Books for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section shortened as VARC is divided in two segments namely Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. The former part analyzes students' ability to understand the passage given to them. They are given marks based on the correct inferences that they make using Comprehension Passage while the latter part requires answers of questions pertaining to English Grammar and Vocabulary.

Following are the reviewed books one must consider for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension:

Along with these above-mentioned books, students preparing for CAT 2024 can also consider CAT Preparation Material on VARC by the expert Arun Sharma. They can start using practice questions, sample papers, previous years' question papers, mock tests, and solved test papers.

Wren and Martin – High School and Grammar Composition

The book written by Wren and Martin mainly deals with Grammar concepts. It is one of the most powerful books to strengthen students' knowledge of grammar. Students preparing for CAT 2024 must consider this book to improve their grammar skills from the scratch. The tricks and ideas used in this book help students improve their grammar knowledge and it instills students with confidence to attempt every question.

Norman Lewis – Word Power Made Easy

This book primarily deals with vocabulary. The book is designed to build strong students' vocabulary along with their ability to find difference between several words. Improving vocabulary not only helps qualifying the entrance examination but also perform better in personal interview and group discussion rounds.

Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay - How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT

Considered as one of the best books to qualify the VARC section, “How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT” is designed to help students perform well during the examination. The essential part of this book is it also comprises of a section where mock tests are provided to be solved by students.

• With the help of these mock tests, students are familiarized with the type of questions frequently asked in the exam and how to solve them efficiently.

Reading newspaper on a daily basis can become an important asset while preparing for VARC.

Magazines that can be considered while preparing for CAT VARC Section:

Topic wise No. of Questions in CAT VARC Section

The VARC Section of CAT Exam Syllabus 2024 consists of four types of questions namely Reading Comprehension, Para jumbles, Verbal Ability, and Sentences. Below mentioned table gives you the actual composition of VARC Section in CAT 2022 Exam and we expect it to remain same for CAT 2024:

3. DILR Syllabus for CAT

It can be concluded as the trickiest section for candidates appearing in the examination. There are two aspects to this section namely Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

This section has 20 questions to be completed in allotted time of 1 hour. Following are the topics to prepare:

• This section consists of 20 questions of both MCQ and Non MCQ types.
• Data Interpretation questions analyze students' ability to infer and derive data from the given information.
• While, Logical Reasoning questions analyze students' ability to think. It generally defined how far a student's thinking can go.
• It is easy to crack these questions and having a good command over your thinking capacity may help you qualify this section with 100% Accuracy.

Best Books Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning:

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, also known as DILR, is the simplest and easiest section amongst all three sections. Students can easily score well if the preparation is executed in a righteous manner.

Following are the reviewed books one must consider for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning:

The books generally cover topics such as seating arrangement, Line graphs, Bar graphs, family relation, data arrangement, data sufficiency, etc. A detailed description of useful books for DILR is given below.

R. S. Agarwal - A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning

The book named “A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning” written by R. S. Aggarwal is purely based upon the problems one might face in Logical Reasoning section. The book has been written in simple language and simple tricks have been used while solving the questions.

• Studying this book will help students analyze the type of questions that might be asked during examination. Students get to understand the pattern of questions and the easiest way to tackle them without failing.

Arun Sharma – How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT

Considered as one of the best books to prepare for Logical Reasoning questions asked in CAT Exam, the book “How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT” helps students figure out the techniques that they can use while attempting the questions asked from this topic. Candidates can quickly solve the questions of logical reasoning part if they just solve a number of sample papers, previous years' question papers, and model test papers provided in this book.

Topic wise No. of Questions in CAT DILR Section

CAT Paper DILR Section contains two types of questions namely Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Below mentioned table gives you the actual composition of DILR Section in CAT 2021 Exam and we expect it to remain same for CAT 2024:

How to Prepare for CAT 2024?

CAT Exam Preparation according to the official CAT Syllabus 2024 is the only way to secure a good score in CAT Exam. Candidates interested in taking CAT Exam must prepare a strategy based on their knowledge of the topics which are included in CAT Syllabus 2024. Most of the Quantitative Aptitude questions are asked from the topics which are taught in school, and it is similar for the English Grammar questions. So, the first to do in order to prepare for CAT Exam is the list of topics in terms of familiarity. Students must be able to understand how much they are familiar with the topics of CAT Syllabus 2024.

Below mentioned are some of the section wise tips for CAT Preparation:

How to Prepare for CAT VARC?

• VARC Preparation for CAT Exam should start at the early stage of CAT Preparation. The main focus should be on Reading comprehension.
• Check the VARC Syllabus for CAT and revise all the Grammar rules and proper definitions.
• Empower your vocabulary with the help of word meaning books. Focus more on phrases. 
• VARC section is usually dominated by Reading comprehension, and it is important for aspirants to practice well of speed reading. This can be done by reading books, novels, magazines, and data heavy reports. 
• To prepare for Verbal Ability, candidates must refer to the sample questions. 
• Solve a large and wide range of verbal ability questions to ace it. 

How to Prepare for CAT DILR?

• DILR section of CAT Exam is mostly about Tables, Graphs, Charts, and Series. 
• This section will require good calculation skills.
• 20 questions of this section are equally divided into DI and LR which means, candidates are required to work on both the sections.
• Memorise and read tables up to 20, squares, square roots, cubes, cube roots, and other such mathematical values to read and calculate fast and solve questions quickly. 
• Practice as many sample questions as possible along with sectional mock tests. Since there is no formula to remember, practising will help students achieve well. 
• The more experience you have at speed reading charts and tables enhances the chances of securing a good score in DILR section in CAT Exam.

How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Aptitude?

• Tackling Quantitative Aptitude is all about clarity on basics and practice.
• Pick each topic from the CAT Exam Syllabus for MBA and attain conceptual clarity on these topics. Try to solve a few questions to evaluate if you have understood the application correctly or not. 
• Start practicing CAT Sectional Mock tests only after you have completed the MBA CAT Syllabus 2024. 
• Divide your practice sessions into three levels of difficulty i.e. easy, moderate, and high. Begin with solving easy questions at first and then move on to the moderately difficult questions and then to tough questions. 
• Start recording the time you spend solving these questions and solve each of the questions at least three times. The first attempt is to understand the questions, second should be to solve it with 100 percent accuracy and the third and last is to solve it with 100 percent accuracy and speed. Speed matters in solving Quantitative Aptitude questions.