CAT Preparation Tips 2023: Read How to Manage Time and Section Wise Preparation Tips

CAT 2023 Time Management is very important while solving the paper. The total duration of CAT exam will be 120 minutes i.e. 40 minutes will be provided for each section and to score high in the exam candidates will be required to answer 42-48 questions with a high accuracy rate. Check CAT Exam Pattern 2023

As per experts, on average, a candidate must spend about 2 minutes on each question and then move forward. This way you can solve the maximum number of questions. With just a couple months left for the exam, managing time becomes a crucial point to consider. This highlights the importance of Sectional time management that can assist students in efficiently managing their time as per sections. Read the article to know more about time management in CAT. Also Check CAT Syllabus

Latest Update: The official notification for CAT 2023 has been released on July 30, 2023 by IIM Lucknow. CAT 2023 exam is going to take place on November 26, 2023.

Advantages of Time Management during CAT Exam 2023

As per experts, dividing the exam into sections limits candidates from spending much time switching between them. As they are supposed to attempt one section at a time, it also gradually increases the chances of gaining higher sectional scores. Moreover, taking a buffer time of 7-8 minutes for each section also aids in saving more time at their disposal and completing the exam beforehand. The advantages that applicants can have with this pattern of the exam that has been a constant over the last couple of years are:

Complete focus on a particular section for a stipulated period of time
Not worrying about complex mathematical formulae while solving a reading comprehension - one after the other
The flexibility of dedicating a shorter time span to sections that you are less confident about

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CAT Previous Year Question Papers of Quant	CAT DILR Previous Year Question Papers	CAT VARC Previous Year Question Papers

CAT Exam Pattern

CAT Exam Pattern 2023

The CAT Exam Pattern 2023 comprises three slots: VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension), DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning), and QA (Quantitative Ability). To be shortlisted for IIM (Indian Institutes of Management) admissions, candidates must achieve high scores in each section to meet the sectional score cut-offs.

Criteria	CAT 2023 Exam Pattern
Duration for each section	General: 40 minutes PwD: 53.33 minutes
Total No. of Questions	66
Mode of Exam	Online

Time Management CAT VARC

Time Management for CAT VARC 2023

Candidates can go through the below-mentioned points to formulate CAT VARC preparation strategy to ensure more attempts are made by them.

S.No.	Tips to increase CAT VARC Attempts	What to do?
1	Prioritize RCs	Most toppers and experts suggest that aspirants should consider solving RCs first. Out of the 24 questions in the CAT VARC section, 16 are RCs. Major chunk of the marks allocated to RCs.
2	Determine Order of Attempt	First, go through all the questions asked in the VARC section. Second, determine how to attempt the questions. Solve LRCs first then move to SRCs. Attempt VA questions in the end.
3	Fix Time to Solve Each Question	Allocate time limit to solve each question in CAT exam. Avoid getting stuck on one question for too long. Solve an RC with six questions in 8-10 minutes. Solve an RC with three questions in 4-5 minutes. Spend 10-12 minutes to solve VA questions.
4	Search for Keywords	The context of an RC can be determined in the first two paragraphs. Identify the main theme of RC. Search for keywords. Answer RC questions.
5	Formulate RC Strategy	Aspirants can select the strategy that works best for them. Classic Approach: Read the complete RC and then attempt questions. Bottoms-up Approach: Read the questions first and then read the RC. Mixed Approach: Read a bit of RC and mid-way solve questions.

Also Check CAT Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning Important Topics, Syllabus and Tips

Time Management CAT QA

Time Management for CAT Quant 2023

S.No.	Tips to increase CAT Quant Attempts	What to do?
1	Attempt each section in three rounds	First Phase – Solve questions that you find extremely easy and are completely sure about. Second Phase – Opt for questions which you feel you can give a try. Third Phase – Go for questions that are time-consuming and would require more head pondering.
2	Divide the time accordingly	Try to attempt at least 15 to 16 questions in the first 25 to 30 minutes. Along with that, go on marking questions that you are almost sure of but require some time to solve. Attempt these questions during the second phase. And if there is yet more time left after this, go on to check the third. This methodology will only improve your accuracy and bring about a huge difference in your marking.
3	Do not spend much time on one question	CAT exam gives 40 minutes for each section. Spend a maximum of 2 minutes on one question. If you are still unable to recollect go to the next question.

Also Check CAT Quantitative Aptitude Important Topics, Syllabus and Tips

Time Management CAT DILR

Time Management for CAT DILR 2023

S.No.	Tips to increase CAT DILR Attempts	What to do?
1	Attempt Non-MCQ questions first	Answering non-MCQ questions is not going to fetch you negative marking. Instead of not punching in wrong options in MCQs, this strategy might add up to that minute difference in marks that might matter in your end percentile.
2	Leave the Questions	Leave answers which you are doubtful of. Attempting questions you are doubtful of just to complete as many answers as possible may lead to negative marking thereby lowering your entire scoring. Be sensible and quick enough to recognize the difficulty level of the questions that come at you and accordingly invest time on them as and when required or simply skip them.

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CAT Exam Day Tips

9 Time Management Tips before the CAT Exam 2023

Create a Study Schedule: Plan a structured study routine, allocating specific time for each section, and stick to it.

Set Achievable Goals: Break down your preparation into smaller tasks and set realistic goals for each study session.

Take Mock Tests Regularly: Simulate the exam environment by taking full-length mock tests to improve your time management skills.

Analyze Your Performance: Review mock test results to identify weak areas and focus on improving them.

Revise Important Concepts: Regularly revise key formulas and concepts to ensure they're fresh in your mind.

Practice Speed and Accuracy: Work on solving questions quickly without compromising accuracy.

Create Concise Notes: Prepare short notes containing essential points for quick revision.

Avoid New Topics: In the last week, avoid starting new topics and focus on consolidating what you've already learned.

Take Care of Yourself: Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and maintain a positive mindset for optimal performance.

CAT 2023 Time Management Tips for Exam Day

Understand Easy Questions First – On the test day, when you start your CAT question paper, it is fitting to begin with simple inquiries. Here simple inquiries implies those which up-and-comers are agreeable in tackling for example questions which are effectively justifiable, immediately unraveled and require less time. Finding such inquiries turns out to be simple just when you know the time the executives for CAT.
TITA Questions – Every year IIMs incorporate more than five TITA inquiries in the inquiry paper. TITA questions are alluring a direct result of no negative checking. Competitors will in general burn through a great deal of time on TITA inquiries by virtue of no negative stamping as they overlook they have MCQs to illuminate also. In any case, competitors overlook that TITA questions are tedious. From now on, it is prudent to do TITA inquiries toward the end when you are finished with MCQs of that specific segment.
Go through the answers once before you end your test – Devote at least a few minutes of your time for revising through each section. This will help ensure you haven’t left out on crucial questions and have rightly answered those which you attempted. This is extremely important for you to miss out on silly mistakes, if any. By erring and choosing the wrong option when the correct response is known to you will not hurt you any less than an unattempted question. So, be mindful of that.
Revisit questions you were doubtful of – After you have finished attempting the entire section, opt for the questions which you left unattempted. In the time left in the end, you can try out your luck with the questions without the worry of completing the paper in time hovering over your mind. Many a time, we face with a blockage in our head regarding a particular statement or problem. Skipping it for some time and revisiting it after a while only makes us to think of it in a different way and even find a solution to that as well. So, try your luck, if time permits.
Spare time for amendment – Revision is similarly significant for guaranteeing a decent percentile. After the fruition of the test, update the responses to guarantee that there are no missteps. Dispense in any event 10 minutes toward the finish of the test for the correction of each section.Tanya Gupta, an IIM Kozhikode understudy who acquired 99.47 percentile in CAT makes reference to, "I ensured that I endeavored all the inquiries that I made certain of. After this, I reexamined my answers in whatever time I was left with."
Return to stamped question in the cushion time – Mark the tedious inquiries for survey and return to them once you complete the segment. After an exhaustive modification, attempt to fathom those inquiries. "In the initial step, I tackled all the inquiries which I could do at one go till the end. In the subsequent advance, I endeavored those inquiries which I figured I would have the option to do in the wake of checking out it. Subsequent to endeavoring every single such inquiry, if there was some time left, I endeavored those which I thought were the hardest for me," specifies CAT clincher ShubrajyotiSaha of IIM Shillong.

Read Tips to Solve TITA questions in CAT