Table of Contents
The CAT syllabus is incredibly broad and all-encompassing. Although there is no set curriculum for the IIMs' CAT exam, the majority of the questions are based on middle school English and Math courses. The most recent CAT 2022 syllabus and PDF are made available to CAT students on this page. It should be emphasized that the provided syllabus is a broad one. It's vital to take note of a few crucial facts regarding the CAT exam before moving on to the CAT syllabus 2022. One of the IIMs in India administers the computer-based Common Admission Test (CAT) on a rotating basis each year. This exam grades a person on their verbal, quantitative, analytical, and logical reasoning skills. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) created this exam to choose candidates for their various business administration degrees. Prior to reviewing the CAT 2022 complete syllabus, it is crucial to gain an idea of the key subjects from each area. The critical subjects from the syllabus are highlighted in the table below as being particularly significant. Below is a full breakdown of the syllabus subjects' weightages:
| Section | Important Topics |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | Number System, Geometry, Algebra, Mensuration, Time and Work |
| Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation | Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Syllogism, Tables, Graphs, Data Case lets |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | Para-jumbles & para-summary, sentence completion, inferences, RC passages-based questions. |
The table below contains a complete examination of the syllabus themes from each chapter as well as a full breakdown of the chapter weights for easier comprehension. It should be noted that the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) administer the CAT exam as a requirement for admission to a variety of management programs offered by the IIM, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and other institutions. An IIM aspirant's most important first step is to prepare for the CAT, which requires careful planning and preparation. The CAT exam syllabus is not publicly available, however, it can be inferred from the CAT exam format and questions from past years.
Weighting for the CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
There are a few topics in the quantitative aptitude component of the CAT exam that are extremely important and are covered year after year. There are 22 questions in this section, 14 of which are not multiple-choice questions. Below are a few of the most crucial CAT 2022 syllabus subjects along with their weights.
| Topic Name | Expected No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 8-9 |
| Algebra | 6-7 |
| Number System | 1-2 |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 4-5 |
| Modern Maths | 1-2 |
The weighting of the CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus
There are 24 questions in the verbal ability and reading comprehension part, 19 of which are non-MCQ questions. The majority of the questions are from reading comprehension. The following list includes some crucial CAT VARC section curriculum topics.
| Topic Name | Expected No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension, Passage-Based | 16 |
| Para- Jumble | 3-4 |
| Para-Summary | 3-4 |
| Odd Sentence | 1-2 |
| Others | 0-1 |
Weightage of the CAT Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation Syllabus
There are 22–24 questions in the logical reasoning and data interpretation area of the CAT, and 6–8 of them are TITA-based. The segment had 16 questions in each of the DI and LR categories, evenly divided across two sections until CAT 2017. However, there were 20 questions on logical reasoning and 12 on data interpretation in the CAT 2018 and CAT 2019 exams. Students were astonished by the portion in the CAT 2020, which contained 16 questions on data interpretation and 8 questions on logical reasoning. In the DILR portion of the CAT 2021, there were 20 questions total, including 15 non-MCQ questions. Three to four sets of questions make up the DI section, and candidates must thoroughly comprehend each set in order to correctly answer all of the questions in the set.
Sectional Syllabus at a Glance
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
|---|---|---|
| AveragesRatio & ProportionLCM and HCFPercentagesProfit and LossInterest (Simple and Compound)Speed, Time and Distance Time and WorkNumber SystemAlgebraGeometry/MensurationPure MathVenn diagramsLinear EquationsQuadratic EquationsComplex NumbersLogarithmProgressionsBinomial TheoremSurds and IndicesInequalitiesPermutation and Combination Probability FunctionsSet TheoryMixtures and AllegationsCo-ordinate GeometryTrigonometry | The main idea in the passageAssumptionInferences, Statements, ArgumentsSynonyms-antonymsPhrasal meaning & UsagePara SummaryJumbled paragraphs Odd sentence out of Jumbled paragraphError CorrectionsSequence of sentencesVocabulary usageFill in the blanksCompletion of ParagraphAnalogiesCritical ReasoningSentence Completion | Main idea in the passageAssumptionInferences, Statements, ArgumentsSynonyms-antonymsPhrasal meaning & UsagePara SummaryJumbled paragraphs Odd sentence out of Jumbled paragraphError CorrectionsSequence of sentencesVocabulary usageFill in the blanksCompletion of ParagraphAnalogiesCritical ReasoningSentence Completion |
Website for the Official CAT Syllabus 2022
- IIM doesn't publish an official CAT Syllabus pdf. Iimcat.ac.in is the CAT exam's official website. The three portions of the CAT exam syllabus are the only information provided on this official website; the topics covered in these areas are not.
- We have examined CAT question papers from the previous 10 years in order to provide applicants with a thorough list of topics included in the CAT Syllabus 2022.
- Over the years, the relative importance of certain topics has evolved, with some subjects receiving more attention than others in the CAT exam. Three topics—Reading Comprehension, Para jumbles, and Para Summary—are required for exam preparation based on the VARC themes covered in the CAT question paper for 2021.
CAT Syllabus Key Changes
| Changes in CAT Pattern and Syllabus | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Questions | 66 | 76 | 100 |
| Number of Questions in VARC | 24 | 26 | 34 |
| Number of Questions in QA | 22 | 26 | 34 |
| Number of Questions in DILR | 20 | 24 | 32 |
| Total Marks | 198 | 228 | 300 |
Frequently Asked Questions about CAT Syllabus
Q. What is the syllabus of CAT 2022?
Ans. The syllabus of CAT 2022 includes quantitative aptitude, logical reasoning, verbal ability, reading comprehension, and data interpretation. CAT Syllabus for each of these topics further includes 10+ sub-topics from which questions are mostly asked in the CAT exam.
Q. What subjects are included in CAT Syllabus?
Ans. CAT syllabus includes important topics from mainly three subjects- VARC, Quant, and DILR. The most important topics in CAT Syllabus that you must prepare include:
- Quant: Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry.
- DILR: Blood relations, Syllogisms, Puzzles, DI-bar graph, and pie chart.
- VARC: Para jumbles, RC, Para summary
Q. Is CAT MCQ based?
Ans. CAT includes both MCQs and Non-MCQs. Based on the previous year's CAT exam analysis, multiple-choice questions have a higher weightage compared to the non-MCQs. In 2021, the CAT QA paper had 14 MCQs and 8 Non-MCQs. Similarly, CAT VARC had 19 MCQs and 5 Non-MCQs while CAT DILR had 15 MCQs and 5 Non-MCQs.
Q. Is the CAT syllabus similar to other MBA exam syllabus?
Ans. CAT Syllabus is more or less similar to the syllabus of other MBA exams. All the major MBA exams include the major sections of the CAT syllabus- Verbal Ability, DI, LR, and Quant. However, the difficulty level of the CAT exam is higher than all other MBA exams except XAT. To get more insights into the similarities and differences between the CAT syllabus and other MBA exams.
Q. Is the CAT exam tough?
Ans. Yes, the CAT exam is considered to be one of the toughest MBA entrance exams. The difficulty level of questions is higher than most of the other exams like MAT, CMAT, etc. The majority of the test-takers rate the CAT exam to be moderate to tough. With more than 2 lakh candidates appearing for CAT every year, the level of competition is also very high. Candidates preparing for the upcoming CAT 2022 exam can assess the difficulty level of the CAT exam by solving the previous year's CAT question papers.
Q. Is GK asked in CAT?
Ans. No, GK is not asked in the CAT exam. CAT Syllabus does not include GK. However, GK is important during the PI rounds where you might be asked some questions based on general awareness and current affairs. After taking the CAT exam in November, you can focus on learning some basic GK topics like countries and currencies, major companies in India and abroad, recent developments in business and economy, etc
Q. Is there Maths in the CAT exam syllabus?
Ans. Yes, Maths forms a crucial part of the CAT exam syllabus for quant. CAT exam tests the application of basic mathematical concepts of class 10 level like arithmetic, ratios, proportions, mensuration, geometry, time & distance, inequalities, algebra, permutation & combination, and probability.
Q. What is the weightage of MCQs and TITA questions in the CAT exam?
Ans. There is no fixed weightage for MCQs and TITA questions in the CAT exam. MCQs mostly account for 75% of the questions and the remaining are TITA-type questions. So, out of the total 66 questions in CAT 2022 exam, candidates can expect around 47-48 MCQs and 18-19 TITA questions.
Q. Which is the best book for the CAT quant syllabus?
Ans. Arun Sharma CAT books are considered the best for covering the CAT quant syllabus. Also, toppers recommend referring to CAT quant books by Nishit K Sinha, Sarvesh Verma, and RS Aggarwal to prepare the CAT syllabus efficiently
Q. Are marks deducted for spelling errors in the non- MCQ type of questions?
Ans. There is no marking scheme defined clearly for the Non- MCQ type of questions. So, no details can be given about the marks deduction for the spelling errors
Q. Are NCERT books enough to prepare CAT exam syllabus?
Ans. NCERT books are good to start with CAT exam preparation. However, given the difficulty level of the question paper, NCERT books will not be sufficient to prepare the CAT exam syllabus. Candidates are advised to refer to other top recommended books by Arun Sharma, Nishit Sinha, RS Aggarwal, etc. to supplement the NCERTs
Q. Which section has the maximum weightage in CAT Syllabus?
Ans. As per the latest CAT exam pattern, VARC has the highest weightage in the CAT exam. Out of the 66 questions, 24 are from VARC, 22 from QA, and 20 from DILR. However, in terms of the number of syllabus, QA is the lengthiest as it covers the maximum number of topics.
Q. What is the syllabus for the CAT exam 2022? Is there any official syllabus for CAT?
Ans. The CAT Syllabus 2022 covers all the major topics of VARC, DILR, and QA. IIM Bangalore has not officially released the CAT 2022 syllabus on its official website.
Q. Is there any change in the CAT syllabus for 2022?
Ans. The CAT exam syllabus remains the same every year, but the distribution of questions in each section of the questionnaire changes each year. Based on previous years' CAT question papers, students can apprehend the syllabus for CAT 2022.
Q. When should I apply for CAT 2022?
Ans. CAT registration 2022 starts on August 03 in the online mode.
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