Hyderabad: The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 concluded on Sunday, with candidates offering varied feedback on the three slots conducted throughout the day. The exam had 68 questions, two more than last year, across three sections — Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA) — but the difficulty levels differed slightly.
The CAT is held for admission to graduate management courses. This year’s exam was held by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta.
For many, Slot 1 set a steady tone for the day. Aditya Singh from Kukatpally who found it fairly balanced. “The increase in questions, particularly in DILR, caught my attention. While one dataset was easy, managing time across the section was tricky,” he explained. Aditya said the VARC section was predictable, featuring reading comprehensions and para summaries, while QA was moderate and aligned with expectations. “It wasn’t too difficult if you had prepared thoroughly,” he added.
Slot 2, on the other hand, brought a slightly tougher experience for candidates. Shreya Reddy from Ameerpet noted, “VARC was challenging, especially the reading comprehension. The absence of para jumbles was surprising, and the DILR section was more complex than Slot 1.”
She appreciated the relatively straightforward QA section, which offered some relief. “The formula-based questions helped balance out the tougher parts of the paper,” she remarked. Shreya expects cut-offs to rise slightly this year due to the overall moderate difficulty level.
As the final slot of the day, Slot 3 provided a mix of challenges, especially in VARC. Akhil Rao from Himayatnagar shared, “The passages in VARC were lengthy and covered topics like artificial intelligence and government policies. They required extra focus and time.”
He found QA to be manageable, despite a higher number of Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions, while the DILR section stood out as the easiest of the three slots. “The datasets were straightforward, and I could manage them well within the time,” he said.
Overall, experts and students agree that CAT 2024 was slightly easier than last year’s exam, though each slot had its unique challenges. Slot 1 was described as the easiest, Slot 2 slightly tougher, and Slot 3 more balanced. While the structure ensured fairness, changes like the absence of para jumbles in Slot 2 and the emphasis on formula-based QA questions added variety. Many candidates believe cut-offs might see a slight rise due to the overall moderate difficulty this year.
