CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA

Candidates who wish to enroll in post-graduate management schools must take the CAT, or Common Admission Test. 

The official notification regarding CAT 2023 has been released. The CAT 2023 registration will start on 2^nd August 2023. The Exam date for the CAT Exam 2023 will be on 26 November 2023 i.e. Sunday.

CAT 2023 registration will start in August. Aspirants can register for the CAT exam 2023 on iimcat.ac.in.

This Article contains information regarding CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA. Go through the article to know about the CAT 2023 syllabus topic-wise and weightage and preparation tips to complete each of the three sections in the CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA.

CAT Exam 2022 – Evaluation

If we see the exam pattern of CAT 2022, then the level of difficulty in the question paper was moderate and no. of question were 66 in total as was in the year 2021, whereas in the year 2020, the no. of questions were 76.

The pattern for CAT 2022 was as same as CAT 2021.

CAT 2023 Important Dates

The following table mentions CAT 2023 Important Dates

Event	Date
Registration	2nd August – 13th September 2023
Exam	26 November 2023
Admit Card	25th October
Result	December

CAT exam 2023 syllabus for MBA is not released by IIMs, the CAT exam 2022 syllabus gives idea regarding the paper. There will be 66 questions in all and time duration will be 120 minutes (2 hours). The CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA is divided into three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension - VARC; 
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning - DILR and 
• Quantitative Ability – QA

CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA Highlights

Exam	CAT – Common Admission Test
Conducted by	IIMs
Mode of Exam	Total sections in the paper
Medium of Exam	English
Total no. of Questions	66
Types of Questions	MCQ and TITA (Type in the Answer)
Marking Scheme	1 for each wrong answer in MCQ+3 for each correct answer in MCQ(no negative marking for TITA)
2 hours (40 minutes for each section)	3 sections – VARC, DILR, QA
Total time duration	2 hours (40 minutes for each sections)
Total Questions in VARC	24
Total Questions in DILR	20
Total Questions in QA	22
Total marks	198 marks

CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA: Overview

The table below gives an overview of the CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for the MBA 

The section in CAT Exam	Questions	Weightage	Time duration
Total Questions in VARC	24	34-36%	40 Minutes
Total Questions in DILR	20	32-34%	40 Minutes
Total Questions in QA	22	34%	40 Minutes

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension – VARC Topics and Weightage in CAT exam 2023

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension in CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus For MBA consists of two parts – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. The overall weightage for VARC in CAT 2023 is 32-34%

Verbal ability - The questions in this part are Jumbled Paragraphs, Para-summary, and Picking the Odd one Out sentence from a jumbled paragraph. This part accounts for a 30% score of the VARC section.

Reading Comprehension – consists of the questions related to Long & Short Reading Comprehension Passages, you must have a good vocabulary to deal with such questions. This part has the highest weightage of 70% score in this section.

Candidates must utilize 40 minutes effectively to complete this section. A thorough preparation will help you a lot.

Topics under VARC in CAT exam 2023

1. Jumbled Paragraph Questions
2. Reading Comprehension Questions
3. Para Summary Questions
4. Para Completion Questions
5. Odd-sentence-out Questions

Other important topics that you must have knowledge of, in order to attempt RC are Current affairs, International Affairs, Government policies and Schemes for example New Education Policy NEP, Triple Talaq, CAA, Covid-19 Pandemic, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan etc.

Preparation tips for VARC in CAT 2023

If you are wondering how to prepare for VARC in CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA, then you don’t need to worry, following are the tips to help you out with this problem.

• VARC is an important part of the CAT exam 2023 syllabus for MBA, it comprises 32-34% weightage in CAT exam 2023. No doubt you need to focus and prepare your best for this section.
• You should start the preparation as early as possible, go through the syllabus, and make a schedule to cover the topics in the given time
• You need to strengthen your vocabulary and grammar base
• RC has 70% weightage in VARC, so you must focus a lot on this part
• Make sure to practice the VARC section of the paper in 40 minutes because this is the time allotted to you for this section. Utilizing more of your time in this section may lead to a lack of time for the other 2 sections.
• The only method to prepare for VARC is to mock papers and solve a variety of questions.
• The questions are not so tricky, you only need a good vocabulary and knowledge of certain current affairs and global issues. Some of the paragraphs in RC are based on prominent personalities, make sure to read the RC passages carefully before answering.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning – DILR Topics and Weightage in CAT Exam 2023

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section also has two parts – Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

Data Interpretation – This Part is mainly based on questions related to data. The questions come based on Charts, Data Tables, Bar Graphs, Vein Diagrams. DI part accounts for a 50% score of the DILR Section.

Logical Reasoning – This part is based on Logical reasoning ability. The questions in this part comprise 50% of the total DILR score. The type of questions that come in this part are Seating Arrangement, Team Formation, Blood Relation, Clocks, Time and Calendars, Direction questions, Family related questions.

In this section also the candidates get 40 minutes to complete the DILR section of the paper.

Topics under DILR in CAT exam 2023

1. Logical Sequence, Connectives, Matching
2. Bar Graphs, Line Charts, Venn Diagram, Column Graph
3. Syllogism
4. Pie Charts, cubes
5. Calendars and Clocks
6. Blood Relations
7. Number and Letter Series
8. Binary Logic
9. Caselets
10. Seating Arrangement

Preparation tips for DILR in CAT 2023

• If you are starting the preparation of DILR for CAT 2023, then you should keep in mind the following preparation tips for DILR in CAT 2023.
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section of CAT is related to bar graphs, vein diagram Tables, Charts, and Series.
• You need to have calculation skills, and question time management for solving the question of DILR in CAT 2023.
• This section is divided into 2 parts which are of the same weightage i.e. 50-50% for each part – DI and LR. This whole section is of 32% in the CAT exam so your efforts for its preparation should not lack in any way.
• Your mathematics base should be strong, and multiplication tables, roots, and cubes should be memorized carefully
• Practicing sample papers is the perfect key to the preparation of this Section.
• Practice questions related to vein diagrams, and take help from online videos and coaching. 
• Select a good book for preparing for this section.
• You should practice this part keeping in mind that you have only 40 minutes for each section in your CAT exam 2023.

Quantitative Ability – QA Topics and Weightage in CAT Exam 2023

QA section is one of the most important sections in the CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA. It covers all the basic maths questions like arithmetic, mensuration, Algebra, geometry, etc. 

Students need to thoroughly prepare for this section as this section is a scoring section if your basic maths is strong and clear.

The Weightage of QA in the CAT exam 2023 is around 34%.

Topics under QA in CAT exam 2023

1. Number Systems
2. HCF & LCM
3. Profit, Loss and Discount
4. Time & Work 
5. Linear Equations
6. Quadratic Equations
7. Permutation and Combination
8. Set Theory & Function
9. Coordinate Geometry
10. Sequence and Series
11. Geometry
12. Mixtures and Allegations
13. Ratio & Proportion
14. Complex Numbers
15. Logarithm
16. Speed, Time & Distance
17. Percentages
18. Simple and Compound Interest
19. Inequalities
20. Surds & Indices
21. Probability
22. Averages
23. Mensuration
24. Trigonometry

For the QA part also, the candidates have 40 minutes of time to attempt this section. Proper preparation is important for completing this section on time.

Preparation Tips for QA in CAT 2023

• QA accounts for 34% of CAT 2023, and this section also gets 40 minutes to attempt.
• This section will check your conceptual clarity. And to complete this section on time you need practice.
• After you have completed all the topics in this section, you should definitely go for mock papers and sample papers to check your practice.
• Practicing is the only option for achieving a good score in any exam.

CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA consists of varied topics and chapters. But the plus point is, the questions are of all three levels – easy, moderate, and difficult. The question is basic questions that are to check the basic knowledge of the candidates.

CAT Exam 2023 and Important Points

CAT Exam 2023 i.e. to be held on 26^th November 2023 will be conducted in three shifts

1. Morning session 
2. Afternoon session 
3. Evening session 

• Candidates can get access to an on-screen calculator.
• The personal watch is not allowed in the examination hall, there is a digital clock on the screen that shows the time for the convenience of the students
• Candidates are given loose sheets for doing rough work and that sheet should be submitted in the exam hall itself.
• If you are looking for a practice test for CAT Exam 2023, you can get it from the official website of CAT (iimcat.ac.in). 

CAT exam 2023 syllabus for MBA: Preparation tips

Overview the Syllabus carefully

Before starting the preparation for CAT Exam 2023, first, go through the CAT Exam 2023 syllabus for MBA that you have to cover for the test. Arrange all the study material, books and mock papers, sample papers for practice.

Time management is the key

It is most important to practice time management in order to achieve your desired goal, and it is especially unavoidable for students preparing for an entrance exam like CAT. Test-taking and self-examining are also necessary for time management since the total questions are 66 divided into 3 sections where you need to complete each section in 40 minutes.

Online/Offline Coaching

Choose coaching on the basis of your convenience. Coaching plays an important role in helping you with your exam preparation. Although self-study is very important and effective you can also reach out to coaching sessions that are solely designed to prepare you for the entrance exam.

Practice mock Tests and sample papers

Panic and anxiety are common among the students in the examination hall. However, if you want to get rid of such stress, it is important to practice by giving many examinations under similar situations as in exams. It will help you overcome the phobia of actual exams and will add to your practice.

Clear all concepts

When studying the CAT exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA, it is important that you remember all of the basic topics for each subject. Also, try to clear every single doubt you have in your mind. Sitting in an exam with zero doubts adds to your confidence and effectiveness in the exam.

Make revision notes

Making revision notes while studying each topic is important for effective preparation. These notes will be very much helpful when it comes time to revise. And no doubt it will take a little harder work and effort to prepare notes but it will be easier and beneficial in the end.

Avoid distractions

The necessity to avoid distractions is one of the most challenging problems that each student who works for an exam like the CAT 2023 entrance test has to face. You must remain focused and always consider how you will feel when you reach your goal.

CAT Exam Pattern 

If we see the exam pattern of CAT 2022, then the level of difficulty in the question paper was moderate and no. of questions were 66 in total as was in the year 2021 with a time duration of 2 hours, whereas in the year 2020 the no. of questions were 76 to be attempted in 2 hours.

But for the year 2029 the number of questions that came in the exam was 100 which was to be attempted in 3 hours (180 minutes).

The table below shows the change in pattern for CAT exam in various years:

Total No. of questions in the CAT Exam	Total No. of questions in CAT Exam	Total No. of questions in the CAT Exam
2012	140 minutes	60
2013	140 minutes	60
2014	170 minutes	100
2015	180 minutes	100
2016	180 minutes	100
2017	180 minutes	100
2018	180 minutes	100
2019	180 minutes	100
2020	120 minutes	76
2021	120 minutes	66
2022	120 minutes	66

MBA Entrance exams other than CAT 2023

There are many other entrance exams that are conducted all over India for MBA aspirants to take admission in MBA in various institutes. The entrance tests other than CAT are listed below along with their details of the total no. of questions, time duration of exam, and their official website where you can register.

Entrance Exam	No. of Questions and time duration	Time allotted to candidates	Official Website to register
ATMA	180	180 minutes	atmaaims.com
XAT	102	210 minutes	xatonline.in
IIFT	110	120 minutes	www.iift.ac.in
NMAT by GMAC	108	120 minutes	www.mba.com/en-in/exams/nmat
SNAP	60	60 minutes	www.snaptest.org
GMAT	80	187 minutes	www.mba.com
PGDBA	50	180 minutes	www.pgdba.iitkgp.ac.in
IBSAT	140	120 minutes	ibsindia.org/admissions/
GATE	65	180 minutes	app.gate.iitk.ac.in

Frequently Asked Questions about MBA Syllabus for CAT Exam 2023

Q. When will the CAT Exam 2023 registration start?

Ans. Official notification regarding CAT 2023 has been released. The CAT 2023 registration will start on 2^nd August 2023. The Exam date for the CAT Exam 2023 will be on 26^th November 2023.

CAT 2023 registration will start in August. Aspirants can register for the CAT exam 2023 on iimcat.ac.in.

Q. When is the CAT exam in 2023?

Ans. The Exam date for the CAT Exam 2023 will be on 26^th November 2023.

CAT 2023 Important Dates

Following table mention CAT 2023 Important Dates

Event	Date
Registration	2nd August – 13th September 2023
Exam	26 November 2023
Admit Card	25th October
Result	December

Q. Is the CAT exam difficult?

Ans. The CAT exam consists of all level questions – easy, moderate, and difficult. But in comparison to other MBA entrance exams CAT exam is a bit difficult. Having a good study strategy, and thoroughly studying the CAT exam 2023 syllabus for MBA, you can score very good marks in the CAT exam 2023.

Q. What is the CAT exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA?

Ans. The CAT exam syllabus is not released by IIMs, the CAT exam 2022 syllabus gives an idea regarding the paper. There will be 66 questions in all and time duration will be 120 minutes (2 hours). The CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus for MBA is divided into three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension - VARC; 
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning - DILR and 
• Quantitative Ability – QA.

Q. What is the weightage for VARC in CAT 2023?

Ans. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension part consists of two parts – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. The overall weightage for VARC in CAT 2023 is 32-34%.

Q. What is the weightage for DILR in CAT 2023?

Ans. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section also has two parts – Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

Q. Is a calculator allowed in CAT exam 2023?

Ans. No, the calculator is not allowed in the CAT exam, you will get an on-screen calculator on your computer monitor. You must keep the following points in mind before appearing for CAT exam 2023.

• Candidates can get access to an on-screen calculator.
• The personal watch is not allowed in the examination hall, there is a digital clock on the screen that shows time for the convenience of the students
• Candidates are given loose sheets for doing rough work and that sheet should be submitted in the exam hall itself.
• If you are looking for a practice test for CAT Exam 2023, you can get it from the official website of CAT (iimcat.ac.in). 

Q. What is the weightage for QA in CAT 2023?

Ans. QA section is one of the most important sections. It covers all the basic maths questions like that from arithmetic, mensuration, Algebra, geometry etc. 

Weightage of QA in CAT exam 2023 is around 34%.

Q. How should I start studying for CAT Exam 2023?

Ans. Overview the Syllabus carefully

Before starting the preparation for CAT Exam 2023, first, go through the CAT Exam 2023 syllabus for MBA that you have to cover for the test. Arrange all the study material, books and mock papers, sample papers for practice.

Time management is the key

It is most important to practice time management in order to achieve your desired goal, and it is especially unavoidable for students preparing for an entrance exam like CAT. Test-taking and self-examining are also necessary for time management since the total questions are 66 divided into 3 sections where you need to complete each section in 40 minutes.

Q. What is the marking scheme of CAT Exam 2023?

Ans. The marking scheme for CAT exam 2023 is negative marking for MCQ questions and there is no negative marking for TITA (type in the Answer) questions.

Each wrong answer gets –ve 1 and each positive answer gets +3 marks.

Q. What is the VARC syllabus in CAT 2023?

Ans. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension part consists of two parts – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. The overall weightage for VARC in CAT 2023 is 32-34%

Verbal ability - The questions in this part are Jumbled Paragraphs, Para-summary, and Picking the Odd one Out sentence from a jumbled paragraph. This part accounts for 30% score of VARC section.

Reading Comprehension – consists of the questions related to Long & Short Reading Comprehension Passages, you must have a good vocabulary to deal with such questions. This part has the highest weightage of 70% score of this section.

Q. How can I Prepare for VARC in CAT 2023?

Ans. If you are wondering how to prepare for VARC in CAT 2023, then you don’t need to worry, following are the tips to help you out with this problem.

• VARC is an important part of CAT exam 2023 syllabus for MBA, it comprises 32-34% weightage in CAT exam 2023. No doubt you need to focus and prepare your best for this section.
• You should start the preparation as early as possible, go through the syllabus and make a schedule to cover the topics in a given time
• You need to strengthen your vocabulary and grammar base
• RC has 70% weightage in VARC, so you must focus a lot on this part
• Make sure to practice VARC section of the paper in 40 minutes because this is the time allotted to you for this section. Utilizing more of your time in this section may lead to a lack of time for the other 2 sections.
• The only method to prepare for VARC is to mock papers and solve a variety of questions.
• The questions are not so tricky, you only need a good vocabulary and knowledge of certain current affairs and global issues. Some of the paragraphs in RC are based on prominent personalities, make sure to read the RC passages carefully before answering.

Q. What is DILR syllabus for CAT 2023?

Ans. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section also has two parts – Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

Data Interpretation – This Part is mainly based on questions related to data. The questions come based on Charts, Data Tables, Bar Graphs, Venn Diagrams. DI part accounts for 50% score of DILR Section.

Logical Reasoning – This part is based on Logical reasoning ability. The questions in this part comprise 50% of the total DILR score. The type of questions that come in this part are Seating Arrangement, Team Formation, Blood Relation, Clocks, Time and Calendars, Direction questions, Family related questions.

Q. How can I prepare for DILR for CAT 2023?

Ans. Preparation tips for DILR in CAT 2023

• If you are starting the preparation of DILR for CAT 2023, then you should keep in mind the following preparation tips for DILR in CAT 2023.
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section of CAT is related to bar graphs, vein diagram Tables, Charts and Series.
• You need to have calculation skills, and question time management for solving the question of DILR in CAT 2023.
• This section is divided into 2 parts which are of the same weightage i.e. 50-50% for each part – DI and LR. This whole section is 32% in CAT exam so your efforts for its preparation should not lack in any way.
• Your mathematics base should be strong, and multiplication tables, roots, and cubes should be memorized carefully
• Practicing sample papers is the perfect key to the preparation of this Section.
• Practice questions related to vein diagrams, take help from online videos and coaching. 
• Select a good book for preparing for this section.
• You should practice this part keeping in mind that you have only 40 minutes for each section in your CAT exam 2023.

Q. What is QA syllabus for CAT 2023?

Ans. QA section is one of the most important sections. It covers all the basic maths questions like that arithmetic, mensuration, Algebra, geometry, etc. 

Students need to thoroughly prepare for this section as this section is a scoring section if your basic maths is strong and clear.

Weightage of QA in CAT exam 2023 is around 34%.

Topics under QA in CAT exam 2023

1. Number Systems
2. HCF & LCM
3. Profit, Loss and Discount
4. Time & Work 
5. Linear Equations
6. Quadratic Equations
7. Permutation and Combination