CAT Syllabus: VARC, DILR & QA


CAT Syllabus
CAT Syllabus

CAT Syllabus: CAT (Common Admission Test) is an entrance exam for IIM aspirants who aim for top business schools in India. This article will give a brief overview of what’s in the CAT syllabus, including the main topics and how to prepare for the test effectively.

The CAT Syllabus covers various subjects that are important for MBA preparation. This includes sections like QA, VARC, and DILR. Let’s get into the detailed syllabus. We also advise aspirants to check the CAT Previous Papers to know the type of questions being asked in the exam. 

CAT Syllabus Overview

SectionsTopics
Verbal Ability and Reading ComprehensionInference-based questions, Fact-based questions, Main-idea based questions, Tone of the author questions, and Purpose of the author questions.RC from Arts, Science, History, Humanities, Philosophy and Psychology etc.Para Summary, Odd-one Out, Para Jumbles and Para Completions are asked.
Data Interpretation and Logical ReasoningArrangement puzzles, Einstein puzzles, Venn-diagrams, Tables with Missing Values, Miscellaneous puzzles.Bar graphs, Pie charts, Histograms,  Successive percentage changes, Profit changes across years and Growth over Years.
Quantitative AptitudeArithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Maths, Number Systems, Logarithms, Mensuration and Probability.

CAT Syllabus: VARC

The VARC section in the CAT exam tests the language comprehension skills. This section has 24 questions. These are further divided into two sections: Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. You must also work on your language and vocabulary skills to crack this section in the CAT exam. 

SectionQuestionsQuestion TypeNo. of Questions
Reading Comprehension4 RCs with 4 Questions eachMCQs16
Verbal AbilityPara Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd One Out, Sentence CompletionMCQs & TITAs8

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension is asked majorly in the VARC section. As per the past years’ trends, you get to see 4 RCs in various genres. Generally, RCs are 500 – 600 words with 4 – 6 paragraphs. There are no grammar-based questions. But you should have knowledge of grammar to comprehend better.

Genres of CAT RCs
TechnologyEvolutionDiscoveryPsychology
ScienceAstrologyLawLiterature
NaturePoliticsPhilosophySociology
AnimalCrimeEnvironmentFiction
Question Types in CAT RCs
Vocabulary/Phrase BasedCritical Reasoning BasedCentral Theme Based
Tone-BasedTitle BasedStructure-Based
Inference TypesMain Idea BasedFact-Based

Verbal Ability

Verbal Ability includes four major types of questions i.e. Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd One Out and Sentence Completion/Placement. These usually test the usage of the English language and its correct & appropriate usage. Here, it requires your grammatical, sentence structure, and paraphrasing skills.

TopicQuestionsQuestion TypeNo. of Questions
Para JumblesArranging the sequence of sentencesTITA2
Para SummaryChoose the correct summary among the given optionsMCQ2
Odd One OutSelect the sentence that is not coherent with the paragraph formationTITA2
Sentence CompletionPlace the sentence at the right gap to make a coherent paragraphTITA/MCQ2

CAT Syllabus: DILR

DILR is an important section of CAT. It has 4 sets with 5 questions each. In total, the section has 20 questions. Usually, this section demands strong problem-solving skills. It is ideal if you can solve at least 2 out of 4 sets. This section is divided into two parts: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

Data Interpretation

Data Interpretation sets test how good you are with numbers and data. This section requires strong calculation and number approximation skills. You can check the major topics of this section below:

TablesBar GraphPie Chart
Reasoning based DIData ArrangementMathematical Puzzles
Line GraphVenn DiagramRadar Chart
HistogramCaseletsNetworks and Diagrams

Logical Reasoning

Logical Reasoning tests the student’s ability and the clarity to approach and solve any problem strategically. It tests the logical aptitude of the candidate. You can check the major logical reasoning topics below.

SequencingBinary LogicCubes
RoutesGames & Tournaments2D/3D Space LRs
Linear ArrangementCircular ArrangementSelection
Coin PickingConditional LRsCase-based LRs

CAT Syllabus: QA

This is one of the most important sections to prepare for the CAT exam. This section has vast concepts. As of last year, there were a total of 22 questions in this section. The major sections are Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System and Modern Maths. Each topic has a sub-topic. You have a total of 40 minutes to solve this section.

Time, Speed & DistanceRootsCirclesFactorsPermutation
Time & WorkModulus3D GeometryRemainderAverages
SI & CIGraphsMensurationDivisibilityProbability
Ratio Proportion & VariationMaxima & MinimaTrigonometryProperties of NumbersLinear Equation
Profit & LossQuadratic EquationTrianglesHCF & LCMCombination
PercentagesInequalitiesQuadrilateralsFactorialCombinatorics
Mixture & AllegationsLogarithmsCoordinate GeometryEuler NumberSequencing & Series

We advise the aspirants to visit various MBA preparation sites such as Cracku, Time, IMS and CL to maximize your online CAT Preparation.


suraj verma

As a highly skilled and experienced content writer, I have a passion for creating engaging and informative content that connects with audiences and inspires them to take action. With over 1 year of experience in the industry, I have honed my writing skills to craft content that is both effective and SEO-friendly.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the weekly Newsletters from our website. Don’t worry, we won’t spam you.