CAT 2012 Paper Pattern and Syllabus

by Manisha Verma
Common Admission Test (CAT) is an all India level national test. The test is conducted by IIMs
as entrance exam for getting admissions in top IIMs and leading institutes of the country. This
year the CAT exam will be held from 22nd October, 2011 to 18th November 2011. Based on
CAT percentile and scores, candidates are called for next stage of selection process which
generally includes Group Discussion, Essay and Personal Interview (GDPI). The pattern of the
CAT exam is objective type multiple choice questions are asked in the exam. There is negative
marking in the exam, for each wrong answer 1/3 mark will be deducted.
From this year there are only two sections in the exam. The first section is Quantitative Ability
& Date Interpretation: the second section is Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning. The time
limit for each section is different. The duration of the exam is 140 minutes. Candidates will be
given 70 minutes to answer 30 questions within each section, each section have an on-screen
countdown timer. Once the time ends for the first section, students will move to the next section
and will not be able to go to previous section.
CAT 2012 Syllabus
CAT 2012 Syllabus for English:
Comprehension of passage, Verbal Reasoning, Syllogisms , Contextual usage, Analogies,
Antonyms, Fill In the Blanks, Foreign language words used in English, Sentence completion,
Sentence correction, idioms, Errors in word choice, mania & phobia, Incorrect words,
Conditionals & Multiple Usage , Punctuation, Proverb, , one word substitution, Different usage
of same word Phrasal verb etc.
CAT 2012 Syllabus for Quantitative Ability:
Geometry, (Lines, angles, Triangles, Spheres, Rectangles, Cube, Cone etc)
Ratios and Proportion, Ratios, Percentages, In-equations
Quadratic and linear equations
Algebra
Mensuration, Alligation & Mixtures, Work, Pipes and Cisterns
Instalment Payments, Partnership, Clocks
Probability, Permutations & Combinations
Profit & Loss
Averages, Percentages, Partnership
Time-Speed-Distance, Work and time
Number system: HCF, LCM, Geometric Progression, Arithmetic progression, Arithmetic
mean, Geometric mean , Harmonic mean, Median, Mode, Number Base System,
BODMAS, etc.
CAT 2012 Syllabus for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
Data Interpretation based on text, Data Interpretation based on graphs and tables. visit
tutorial>>
Graphs can be Column graphs, Graphs representing Area, Bar Graphs, Line charts, Pie
Chart, Venn Diagram, etc.
Graphs can be Column graphs, Graphs representing Area, Bar Graphs, Line charts, Pie
Chart, Venn Diagram, etc.
Critical reasoning, Visual reasoning, Assumption-Premise-Conclusion, Assertion and
reasons, Statements and conclusions, Cause and Effect, Identifying Probably true,
Probably false, definitely true, definitely false kind of statement, Linear arrangements,
identifying Strong arguments and Weak arguments, Matrix arrangements.
GK/GA/BA:
Current Affairs, Business, Punch line of companies, Top officials of big companies,
Major corporate events
Science, History, Geography, International organisations
Important quotations
Social issues, Sports, Finance, Automobiles, Entertainment, Politics etc.
Famous award and prizes
World Records
Books and authors