Our previous article “Which IIM could be the paper setter for 2024“ provided insights regarding the expected paper pattern by IIM- Calcutta. In this article, we have summarized the information regarding CAT Convenor Prof. Ramya T Venkateswaran and CAT 2024 expected paper pattern. The latter part also highlights the CAT 2018 paper by IIM-C.
Insights from Convenor Profile and Previous Papers by IIM-C
Prof. Ramya T Venkateswaran teaches Strategic Management in IIM-C and has a technology background. She has been teaching at IIM-Calcutta for the last 10 years. The CAT Exam convenor looks after the proper and smooth functioning of the CAT exam. However, what can be added is that the convenor with his/her team suggests a few changes or focus areas for the examination. Analyzing the convenor’s work profile and previous paper by IIM- Calcutta we have listed the following important points to focus on for your CAT 2024 prep. Please note these are only suggestions of important topics. You should study everything carefully and can focus on these additionally.
CAT 2024 Expected Paper Pattern and Important Topics:
VARC- Critical Reasoning questions in Verbal Ability. Technology, Sustainability, and Economics RCs given the convenor’s profile. Philosophy and RCs on Animals have been consistent in the last few years. In 2018 the question composition of VARC was a bit different with 5 RCs in alternate slots.
DILR- Given the professor’s Strategy and Decision Making background these questions can be in focus- Games Drills, Scheduling, Puzzle-based LRDI, Selection, and Multiple case questions. Since IIM-Calcutta extensively focuses on Quants Quants related LRDI questions are also important.
QA- Undoubtedly, Algebra and Arithmetic will be the most important topics. In addition, Geometry, Permutations and Combinations (PnC), Logarithms, and Geometric Progression (GP) are also crucial areas to focus on. The quantitative section was quite challenging last year, with 8 correct answers yielding around the 98th percentile. It is expected that the difficulty level will remain the same or might improve slightly based on student feedback from last year.
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For more detailed Sectional Analysis check- QA, VARC, DILR
The last paper set by IIM-Calcutta: CAT 2018
| Section |
Difficulty |
Focused On |
| VARC |
Easy to Moderate |
Moderate RC with question pattern change. Moderate VA. |
| DILR |
Moderate to Difficult |
Doable sets along with tricky ones. |
| QA |
Difficult |
Calculative and Application questions |
CAT 2018: Score vs Percentile
The score was out of 300, so for better understanding and comparison, marks are converted in percentage form.
| Percentile |
CAT 2018 Scaled Score |
| 100 |
79% |
| 99 |
51% |
| 95 |
40% |
| 90 |
34% |
| 85 |
30% |
| 80 |
26% |
In recent years, a 99 percentile score on the CAT exam was achieved, with roughly 38-40% marks. However, the difficulty level of these papers should not be compared at an absolute level due to differences in time duration and number of questions.
Quick Links:
Preparation Strategies and Time Table for CAT 2024
List of Books for CAT Exam 2024
Free online cat exam coaching by ARKSS
CAT VARC Previous Year Question Analysis 2024-2021
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Topic-Wise Weightage Analysis 2021-2023