CAT 2024 : Marking Scheme

The CAT exam has a negative marking system, which means each incorrect answer will lead to a deduction in marks. Therefore, it’s essential for candidates to make thoughtful choices when attempting questions to optimize their overall performance. Here are some important details about the CAT 2024 marking scheme:

• Total Marks: CAT 2024 is scored out of 198 marks.
• Marks per Question: Each question is worth 3 marks.
• Negative Marking: For each incorrect answer, 1 mark will be deducted.
• Question Attempting: It’s not mandatory to answer all questions, and skipping questions doesn’t incur a penalty.
• Non-MCQ Questions: Some questions, especially in the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section, are non-MCQ types, with no negative marking.

The table below provides an overview of the marking scheme across sections. Aiming to correctly attempt around two-thirds of the questions in each section can help you achieve a solid overall score.

CAT Sections	Number of Questions	Marks per Question	Negative Marking (MCQ Only)
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	3	-1
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	20	3	-1
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	22	3	-1

By understanding the marking scheme, you can better strategize which questions to tackle confidently, which ones to attempt cautiously, and which to skip for a balanced score.