Anisha has done MBA in Marketing from NMIMS And Executive Management(PMNO) from Harvard Business School. She has been instrumental in growing CATKing Digital with her experience with Marico and Henkel in the past.
CAT Preparation Strategy
Cracking CAT is not about studying everything—it’s about studying smart, staying consistent, and building a strong exam strategy.
Every year, thousands of aspirants prepare, but only those with a clear plan + disciplined execution reach the top percentiles.
This guide gives you a complete, practical CAT preparation strategy.
CAT Exam pattern
Before getting into a detailed strategy, let's discuss the pattern we expect to see in the exam. [table id=234 /] The number of questions stated here is expected to be the same as in CAT 2020 and CAT 2021, as nothing is clearly specified in the official notification the paper can consist of 66, 74, or any number of questions. Hence you should practice accordingly i.e., with a varying number of questions. CATKING’s mocks (specially curated by experts from top B-schools like IIM A, FMS, IIM L) make you comfortable with this variance.
Also see – Catking Mocks
What does the CAT exam expect?
CAT exam consists of three sections –
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Though there is no well-defined syllabus, it’s still important to be thorough with the topics asked, to have an understanding of the exam.
Read CAT Syllabus here!
- The CAT is more prominently a 3C (Comprehension, concepts, and commitment) based exam i.e.-
- 1) C – Comprehension – Verbal section of this exam is all about reading and comprehending the passages, hence this makes it extremely necessary to hone your reading and comprehension skills.
- 2) C- Concepts and calculations – Quants and LRDI sections have concepts and calculations as their foundation. Getting a stronghold of basic concepts and mentally solving questions in quants improving your calculations can help you save the maximum amount of time in the exam.
- 3) C- Commitment – Nothing is possible without gradual persistence and loyalty towards preparation and thus abiding commitment is a prerequisite.
CAT Strategy
The very initial step after knowing the syllabus is to chalk out a preparation plan. Most of the aspirants are either in college or are working professionals, hence making a plan and following it diligently comes as the biggest challenge in this journey.
The first phase- Build your basics!
Starting with August, the priority for the next 1-1.5 months should be to build basic concepts for all three sections. The ultimate goal is to familiarize ourselves with the areas and types of questions found on the CAT exam, thus emphasizing the necessity of going through the whole syllabus at least once in these 40-60 days.
Section-wise strategies
Verbal
Verbal is the trickiest section of the CAT exam and the level of difficulty for this section is increasing by the year, so practicing this section becomes salient. Quick tips for this section.
- Read a lot of difficult articles like AEON ESSAYS, THE GUARDIAN, EDITORIALS, etc. This will make you comfortable with uncomfortable and difficult topics and styles of writing.
- Solve at least 2-4 RC passages each day and a few questions of Para jumbles, Para summary, and Odd one out.
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
LRDI is a make or breaks section in the CAT as apart from concepts and practices the most important thing to take care of is “SET SELECTION”. There is no straightforward tip or trick to improve in this section. However, consistent practice will help you improve your set selection. The only way to ace this section is to PRACTICE a lot. The wider and deeper range of sets you will practice either from previous year papers, online material, cat mocks, etc., the more you will witness improvement.
Quantitative Ability
Almost 70% of the Quants question paper is of the doable level of difficulty, hence once again the point to CLEAR THE BASICS reiterates itself.
1. Go chapter-wise and then topic-wise in those chapters. One can enroll in an Online CAT Quant Course to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals.
2. Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, and Number Systems include 80% of the paper. Understanding these topics and practicing diligently is more than enough for acing this
3. Try Increasing your speed of calculations and do it mentally. This will help you solve questions quickly and effectively.
Mocks
A common myth amongst aspirants is to “Complete their syllabus” and then give mocks. But this myth needs to burst. It's not advisable to give frequent mocks in the first one or one and a half months at least 1 mock per week should be given to start building your test-taking strategy. Much more is the importance of analyzing these mocks and working on your strengths and weaknesses. CAT never asks you to solve all the questions, 33% to 50% of the paper is sufficient to land you in a reputed B-school. One mock per week and then increasing the frequency eventually to 1 mock every three days is good.
CAT LEVEL MOCKS
Second Phase
The two months of October and November are critical for preparing for the CAT exam. This is the time to focus on mocks, finalizing your strategy, and revise the whole syllabus again. The 60 days in October and November should be used in this revision using topic and sectional tests and mocks. These tests should be thoroughly analyzed for your own SWOT analysis i.e. you should be clear with your strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. This is time to practice your weak areas, turn them into strengths, and fine-tune your strategy.
Final phase - Last-minute tips for CAT
For the last 20 days, it's crucial to revise the concepts once. Revision of mocks and their analysis for eg:- The mistakes you did in the first mock, The time-lapse in the third mock, The wrong set selection in the seventh mock, etc, each and everything should be revised. Zeroing in on the problem areas, working towards eliminating these problems, and avoiding committing the same mistakes in exams is the key. Taking mocks and proper revision multiple times will ensure you a great score in the exam. Lastly, more than aptitude CAT is a mind game that tests your calmness and patience in a pressurized environment. Trusting your efforts and believing in yourself will make you the ultimate winner.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the best strategy for CAT preparation?
Focus on building strong basics, practice regularly, and take mock tests with proper analysis.
2. How many hours should I study daily for CAT?
3–5 focused hours daily are sufficient if you maintain consistency.
3. When should I start taking mocks?
Start after completing basics, ideally 3–4 months before the exam.
4. Is CAT difficult to crack?
It is competitive but manageable with the right strategy and consistent practice.
5. Which section should I focus on more?
Focus on your strengths while improving weaker areas to maintain balance.
6. Can I crack CAT without coaching?
Yes, many students succeed with self-study and proper strategy.
7. How many mocks are enough for CAT?
Around 25–30 mocks with detailed analysis are recommended.
8. What is the biggest mistake in CAT preparation?
Not analyzing mocks and studying without a clear plan.
All the Best!
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