The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024, conducted by IIM Calcutta, concluded its third and final slot on November 24, 2024, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. With 68 questions spread across three sections, CAT 2024 Slot 3 analysis presented a moderately challenging paper, with varying levels of difficulty across sections. This detailed analysis provides insights into the exam pattern, section-wise difficulty levels, ideal attempts, and expected scores to help aspirants evaluate their performance and predict their percentile.

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CAT 2024 Slot 3 Analysis & Paper Pattern

The CAT 2024 Slot 3 exam followed the same pattern as Slots 1 and 2, with minor changes in question types and distribution. Each section was allotted 40 minutes, and no early submissions were allowed. Key Highlights:

• Number of Questions:
  • VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension): 24
  • DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning): 22
  • QA (Quantitative Ability): 22
• Marking Scheme:
  • +3 for every correct answer.
  • -1 for incorrect answers (MCQs only).
  • No negative marking for TITA (Type In The Answer) questions.

CAT 2024 Slot 3 Section-Wise Analysis and Difficulty Levels

1. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) The VARC section in Slot 3 was moderate, with 16 Reading Comprehension (RC) questions and 8 Verbal Ability (VA) questions. A notable change was the absence of para jumbles, replaced by Paragraph Completion and Summary questions. Key Features:

• RC Topics:
  • Impact of AI (4 questions): Easy-Moderate
  • Endangered Languages (4 questions): Moderate
  • Chinese Liquor Brand Success (4 questions): Easy-Moderate
  • Regulating Outer Space Activities (4 questions): Moderate
• VA Topics:
  • 3 Paragraph Completion (1 Easy, 2 Moderate)
  • 3 Summary Questions (1 Easy, 1 Moderate, 1 Difficult)
  • 2 Odd Sentence Questions (1 Easy, 1 Moderate, TITA)

Ideal Attempts:

Difficulty	Good Attempts	Accuracy Target
Moderate	17–18	~75% accuracy

2. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) The DILR section was moderately difficult, with five sets of questions—two sets had 5 questions each, and three sets had 4 questions each. The section included a mix of MCQs and TITA questions. Key Features:

• Set Topics:
  • Nutrients in Food Grains (4 questions): Easy-Moderate
  • GDP Table Analysis (4 questions): Easy-Moderate
  • AC Temperature (Line Graph, 5 questions): Moderate-Difficult
  • OTT Subscribers (Bar Graph, 4 questions): Easy-Moderate
  • ATM Network Distribution (5 questions): Moderate
• Question Distribution:
  • MCQs: 12
  • TITA: 10

Ideal Attempts:

Difficulty	Good Attempts	Accuracy Target
Moderate-Difficult	10–11	~75% accuracy

3. Quantitative Ability (QA) The QA section in Slot 3 was the easiest of all slots. It heavily focused on Arithmetic, followed by Algebra and Geometry. Key Features:

• Topic Distribution:
  • Arithmetic (8 questions): Easy-Moderate
  • Algebra (5 questions): Moderate
  • Geometry & Mensuration (3 questions): Moderate
  • Modern Math (1 question): Easy
  • Number System (1 question): Moderate
• Question Distribution:
  • MCQs: 14
  • TITA: 8

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Ideal Attempts:

Difficulty	Good Attempts	Accuracy Target
Easy	13–15	~80% accuracy

CAT 2024 Slot 3: Overall Difficulty Comparison and Ideal Scores

Difficulty Level Across Slots:

Section	Slot 3	Slot 2	Slot 1
VARC	Moderate	Easy-Moderate	Easy-Moderate
DILR	Moderate-Difficult	Moderate	Easy-Moderate
QA	Easy	Easy	Easy

CAT 2024 Slot 3: Expected Score vs Percentile:

Percentile	VARC Score	DILR Score	QA Score	Total Score
99.9	48	46	48	118–123
99.5	40	40	43	103–108
99	36	37	35	92–95
95	19	27	18	55–57
90	16	21	14	45–47

CAT 2024 Slot 3: Key Takeaways

• The VARC section was moderately challenging, requiring a careful selection of RC questions to maximize accuracy.
• The DILR section posed a higher difficulty, emphasizing analytical skills and time management.
• The QA section, dominated by Arithmetic, provided a breather for well-prepared candidates.

Conclusion: CAT 2024 Slot 3 upheld the trend of a moderately challenging test, with significant emphasis on time management and question prioritization. With 68 questions in total, aspirants who attempted 40–45 questions with good accuracy are well-positioned for high percentiles. Stay tuned for detailed analyses of CAT 2024 Slots 1 and 2, and don’t forget to check your CAT answer key and response sheet once available!