{"id":79554,"date":"2026-08-19T15:51:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T10:21:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/?p=79554"},"modified":"2026-08-19T15:51:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T10:21:48","slug":"cat-2027-exam-pattern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/","title":{"rendered":"CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Sections, Duration, Marking Scheme, Paper Pattern &#038; More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CAT Exam Pattern 2027: <\/strong>The Common Admission Test is the main entrance examination which acts as a gateway for top B-schools in India. Last year, approximately 2.95 lakh students registered to sit for the examination, out of which very few candidates made it to the top MBA colleges in India. To start with the CAT preparation, the very first step that candidates should take is by understanding the CAT exam pattern, such as number of questions asked in exam, time duration, sectional time limit, difficulty level, types of questions, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The CAT exam is comprised of three main sections, such as Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. The maximum time provided to the candidate to complete this Computer-Based Test is 2 hours, or 120 minutes. The difficulty level of the CAT exam paper varies every year for students, so it is quite difficult to guess the predictability of this exam. To get maximum scores in the final exam, it is not important that you attempt all the questions; rather, mark those questions to which you are more confident. This is the best way to crack such a competitive examination.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This page covers the detailed information about the CAT exam pattern, section-wise breakdown, time duration, questions distribution, past-year trend analysis, etc. Read this blog for more information on the CAT 2027 exam pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em><mark>Join iQuanta\u2019s diversified student community for free and prepare with other 4.1L+ peers. Get access to 24\/7 doubt-solving, mentorship, free webinars, etc., all at one single&nbsp;platform<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/li.iquanta.in\/3FagB\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"171\" src=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CATBLOGBANNER-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-75786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CATBLOGBANNER-1.png 640w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CATBLOGBANNER-1-300x80.png 300w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CATBLOGBANNER-1-150x40.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_77 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_Overview\" >CAT 2027 Exam Pattern (Overview)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#What_is_the_CAT_Exam_Pattern\" >What is the CAT Exam Pattern?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_Section-Wise_Breakdown\" >CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Section-Wise Breakdown<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_Section-Wise_Time_Duration\" >CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Section-Wise Time Duration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_Exam_Pattern_2027_Questions_Distribution_Major_Highlights_Expected\" >CAT Exam Pattern 2027: Questions Distribution &amp; Major Highlights (Expected)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#Verbal_Ability_Reading_Comprehension\" >Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#Data_Interpretation_Logical_Reasoning\" >Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#Quantitative_Ability\" >Quantitative Ability<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_Exam_Pattern_Past-Year_Trend_Analysis\" >CAT Exam Pattern: Past-Year Trend Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_Exam_Pattern_2027_Difficulty-Level_of_Sections\" >CAT Exam Pattern 2027: Difficulty-Level of Sections<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_2027_Preparation_Strategy_Based_On_Exam_Pattern\" >CAT 2027 Preparation Strategy Based On Exam Pattern<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_vs_Other_MBA_Entrance_Exams\" >CAT 2027 Exam Pattern vs Other MBA Entrance Exams<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/#CAT_Exam_Pattern_2027_Final_Words\" >CAT Exam Pattern 2027 Final Words<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-2027-exam-pattern-overview\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_Overview\"><\/span><strong>CAT 2027 Exam Pattern (Overview)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The whole CAT exam paper comprised three main subjects: Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. Knowing completely about the CAT exam pattern will help candidates with the structure of the Common Admission Test. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students will get only 2 hours to attempt questions in the CAT examination and section-wise time duration limits of 40 minutes (this time is equally distributed across the sections). The CAT marking scheme is another factor to consider while talking about the CAT exam pattern. You will get +3 marks for marking the right answers and -1 in case you attempt the wrong ones. The questions are also classified in 2 ways, such as TITA (Type In The Answer) and MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The table described below will give you an idea about the expected <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/cat-2027\">CAT 2027<\/a> exam pattern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>CAT Exam Pattern 2027 (Tentative)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Number of Sections <\/td><td>3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Name of Sections in the CAT Exam<\/td><td>Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension<br>Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning <br>Quantitative Ability<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Total Time Duration in the CAT Exam<\/td><td>2 hours or 120 minutes <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sectional Time Duration<\/td><td>VARC &#8211; 40 minutes <br>DILR &#8211; 40 minutes <br>QA &#8211; 40 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Types of Questions Asked in the CAT Exam<\/td><td>TITA &amp; MCQs <br>TITA (Type In The Answer)<br>MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Is There Any Negative Marking?<\/td><td>Yes <br>-1 (if marked an incorrect answer)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>CAT 2027 Marking Scheme (expected)<\/td><td>+ 3 for marking answers correctly<br>-1 for marking incorrect answers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>CAT Exam Slot Timings <\/td><td>3 Slots <br>Morning: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM<br>Afternoon: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM<br>Evening: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Medium of the CAT Exam Paper<\/td><td>English<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-cat-exam-pattern\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_CAT_Exam_Pattern\"><\/span><strong>What is the CAT Exam Pattern?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The CAT exam pattern gives you a clear insight into the structure of the examination. The Common Admission Test checks the aptitude skills of a candidate through Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As per the past trends analysis, the total duration of the CAT exam is 2 hours, or 120 minutes, with sectional timing of 40 minutes. The Common Admission Test is a sectional-based exam, that means candidates have to complete a particular duration within a specified time limit. This signifies speed and accuracy are both quite important pointers that need to be considered while doing the CAT preparation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The detailed distribution of the tentative<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/cat-2027\"> CAT 2027<\/a> exam pattern is explained in the below sections with examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-2027-exam-pattern-section-wise-breakdown\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_Section-Wise_Breakdown\"><\/span><strong>CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Section-Wise Breakdown<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CAT Exam Pattern: <\/strong>If we are doing the section-wise breakdown, then the CAT examination comprises three main sections, and those are Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. The detailed overview and facts you will find in the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>CAT 2027 Exam Pattern (Tentative)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Particulars<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>VARC (Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension)<\/td><td><strong>No of Questions<\/strong>: 24<br><strong>Sectional Time Limit:<\/strong> 40 minutes<br><strong>Marks Distribution: <\/strong>72<br><strong>Marking Scheme: <\/strong>+3 for Correct Answer \/ -1 for the Incorrect Answer<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DILR (Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning)<\/td><td><strong>No of Questions<\/strong>: 22<br><strong>Sectional Time Limit:<\/strong> 40 minutes<br><strong>Marks Distribution: <\/strong>66<br><strong>Marking Scheme: <\/strong>+3 for Correct Answer \/ -1 for the Incorrect Answer<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>QA (Quantitative Ability)<\/td><td><strong>No of Questions<\/strong>: 22<br><strong>Sectional Time Limit:<\/strong> 40 minutes<br><strong>Marks Distribution: <\/strong>66<br><strong>Marking Scheme: <\/strong>+3 for Correct Answer \/ -1 for the Incorrect Answer<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-2027-exam-pattern-section-wise-time-duration\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_Section-Wise_Time_Duration\"><\/span><strong>CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Section-Wise Time Duration<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The total time duration of the CAT exam is 2 hours, or 120 minutes, with the distribution of sectional timing being 40 minutes, which you will see in the table given below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Section(s) in the Common Admission Test<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Sectional Time Duration<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension<\/td><td>40 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning<\/td><td>40 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Quantitative Ability<\/td><td>40 minutes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-exam-pattern-2027-questions-distribution-amp-major-highlights-expected\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_Exam_Pattern_2027_Questions_Distribution_Major_Highlights_Expected\"><\/span><strong>CAT Exam Pattern 2027: Questions Distribution &amp; Major Highlights (Expected)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In this section, we will be highlighting questions&#8217; distribution and other parameters as per the section to determine the CAT exam pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-verbal-ability-amp-reading-comprehension\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Verbal_Ability_Reading_Comprehension\"><\/span><strong>Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension is an important section where the number of questions asked is 24, with a sectional duration of 40 minutes. This section comprises two major parts, such as &#8220;Verbal Ability&#8221; and &#8220;Reading Comprehension&#8221;. Among 24 questions, there are 8 questions asked in the VA part, and the remaining 16 questions are covered in the RC part. Candidates should streamline their preparation across various genres by building a daily reading habit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Talking about the CAT marking scheme, then again, if a candidate is marking an answer correctly, then a +3 mark is assigned, whereas it is -1 in the case of an incorrectly marked answer. So, it is indispensable that candidates should choose marked answers confidently without guessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-data-interpretation-amp-logical-reasoning\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Data_Interpretation_Logical_Reasoning\"><\/span><strong>Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The next very important part in the CAT exam stream is the Logical Reasoning &amp; Data Interpretation section. This section comprises 22 questions with a severe distribution of questions across two parts: &#8220;Data Interpretation&#8221; and &#8220;Logical Reasoning&#8221;. This section is highly presenting the practical representation among sets where guessing is a part that will not improve candidates&#8217; performance in the exam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Same, the time duration is equally distributed as 40 minutes, like the other two sections are. The marking scheme will remain the same for this part too, as a +3 mark for correctly marking answers and -1 for marking incorrect answers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-quantitative-ability\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quantitative_Ability\"><\/span><strong>Quantitative Ability <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Quantitative Ability section is a highly scoring section if you have strong basics in mathematics subjects because the exam syllabus is majorly revolving around sections such as number system, modern maths, geometry, arithmetic and algebra. The major weightage has been covered by the arithmetic and algebra. So, if candidates mark all the answers correctly across these parts, then the overall marks distribution in the Quantitative Aptitude will go positive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As per the past trends analysis, the QA section covers 22 questions that students have to complete within a specified timeframe of 40 minutes. This is a sectional-based exam, so candidates will not stretch the specified time limit to complete the section. Talking about the CAT marking scheme, then again, if a candidate is marking an answer correctly, then a +3 mark is assigned, whereas it is -1 in the case of an incorrectly marked answer. So, it is indispensable that candidates should choose marked answers confidently without guessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The marks distribution which we have mentioned above, the same candidates can expect in the CAT 2027 exam pattern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-exam-pattern-past-year-trend-analysis\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_Exam_Pattern_Past-Year_Trend_Analysis\"><\/span><strong>CAT Exam Pattern: Past-Year Trend Analysis<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several changes we have seen while looking at the CAT exam pattern in terms of time duration and number of questions asked per section. Given below are the pointers which will help you with the detailed trend analysis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>In the CAT 2019 examination, there were a total of 100 questions asked, and the time duration was 180 minutes (3 hours). A section-wise breakdown depicts 34 questions in the Verbal Ability &amp; Reading Comprehension, 32 questions in Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning and 34 questions in the Quantitative Ability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The major change was depicted in the CAT 2020 exam pattern, where the number of questions was reduced from 100 to 76. The time duration of the Common Admission Test was also reduced from 180 minutes to 120 minutes. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then again in CAT 2021, the number of questions was reduced from 76 to 66 questions, whereas the time duration remains the same, i.e, 120 minutes. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Post CAT 2021, we have straight seen the major change in CAT 2024, where the number of questions asked was 68 with a time duration of 120 minutes. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>CAT Exam Year<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Number of questions<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Time duration<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Sections<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2026 (Expected)<\/td><td>68<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2025<\/td><td>68<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2024<\/td><td>68<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2023<\/td><td>66<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2022<\/td><td>66<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2021<\/td><td>66<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2020<\/td><td>76<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2019<\/td><td>100<\/td><td>180 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2018<\/td><td>100<\/td><td>180 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2017<\/td><td>100<\/td><td>180 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2016<\/td><td>100<\/td><td>180 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2015<\/td><td>100<\/td><td>180 minutes<\/td><td>QA, DILR, VARC<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-exam-pattern-2027-difficulty-level-of-sections\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_Exam_Pattern_2027_Difficulty-Level_of_Sections\"><\/span><strong>CAT Exam Pattern 2027: Difficulty-Level of Sections<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Common Admission Test is unpredictable, which means we never guess the difficulty level of the upcoming examination. But the best we can do is properly analyse the section-wise difficulty level of past-year papers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td colspan=\"6\"><strong>CAT Paper Section-wise Difficulty Level 2021 to 2025<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Section<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>2025<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>2024&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>2023&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>2022<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>2021&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>VARC<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DILR<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Difficult<\/td><td>Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>QA<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Overall<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><td>Moderate-Difficult<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-2027-preparation-strategy-based-on-exam-pattern\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_2027_Preparation_Strategy_Based_On_Exam_Pattern\"><\/span><strong>CAT 2027 Preparation Strategy Based On Exam Pattern<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Specifying the overall preparation strategy based on the CAT exam pattern will give a clear edge or direction to students. Meeting the percentile across the section is important to leading admission to top B-schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>VARC: <\/strong>This section comprises 24 questions as per the trend analysis. Marking the maximum number of questions correct will overall help you with increasing your percentile. Candidates have to build a consistent reading habit for streamlined preparation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DILR:<\/strong> This stands for the Data Interpretation &amp; Logical Reasoning section, where candidates have to maintain the habit of consistently solving sets, caselets, etc. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>QA:<\/strong> The full form of QA is Quantitative Ability, and candidates have to build strong basics in mathematics to tackle this section. Major questions are asked across arithmetic, algebra, number system, geometry, and modern maths. Candidates have to solve 10-12 questions daily initially to properly maintain the stream. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-2027-exam-pattern-vs-other-mba-entrance-exams\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_2027_Exam_Pattern_vs_Other_MBA_Entrance_Exams\"><\/span><strong>CAT 2027 Exam Pattern vs Other MBA Entrance Exams<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Difference<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>CAT 2027<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>XAT<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>SNAP<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>NMAT<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Total Questions<\/td><td>68<\/td><td>95<\/td><td>60<\/td><td>108<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Duration<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><td>180 minutes<\/td><td>60 minutes<\/td><td>120 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sectional Time Limit<\/td><td>Yes <br>40 min\/section<\/td><td>No<\/td><td>No<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Unique Feature<\/td><td>DILR + TITA questions<\/td><td>Decision Making + GK<\/td><td>Very high speed<\/td><td>Adaptive test + no negative marking<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cat-exam-pattern-2027-final-words\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAT_Exam_Pattern_2027_Final_Words\"><\/span><strong>CAT Exam Pattern 2027 Final Words<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting a basic understanding about the structure in the form of the CAT exam pattern helps candidates in starting CAT exam preparation. Candidates have to focus across all three sections equally to get the maximum overall percentile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-shadow\" style=\"margin-bottom:30px\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/cat-2027\" style=\"border-radius:33px\">CAT 2027 Course by iQuanta <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-819x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-79556\" style=\"width:864px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-819x1024.png 819w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-768x961.png 768w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-1228x1536.png 1228w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-336x420.png 336w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-150x188.png 150w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-300x375.png 300w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-696x871.png 696w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027-1068x1336.png 1068w, https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CAT-2027.png 1279w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CAT Exam Pattern 2027: The Common Admission Test is the main entrance examination which acts as a gateway for top B-schools in India. Last year, approximately 2.95 lakh students registered to sit for the examination, out of which very few candidates made it to the top MBA colleges in India. To start with the CAT [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":560,"featured_media":79570,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[443,331],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.4 (Yoast SEO v21.9.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Sections, Duration, Marking Scheme, Paper Pattern &amp; More - iQuanta<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This page covers the detailed information about the CAT 2027 exam pattern, including the number of questions asked, marking scheme, total duration and more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/cat-2027-exam-pattern\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CAT 2027 Exam Pattern: Sections, Duration, Marking Scheme, Paper Pattern &amp; 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