The pattern (format) of the CAT paper over the last few years

1995 to 1998:

Total Questions - 185
Time - 120 minutes
Verbal Ability - 50 Q
Reading Comprehension - 50 Q
Problem Solving - 45 Q
Data Interpretation - 40 Q

In 1995 and 1996, the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension sections were grouped and had a time limit of 1 hour.

Similarly, the Problem Solving and Data Interpretation sections were grouped and had a time limit of 1 hour.

There was no such time limit in 1997 and 1998.

1999:

Total Questions - 165
Time - 120 minutes
Section 1 : 55 Q - Verbal Ability - 25 Q and Reading Comprehension - 30 Q
Section 2 : 55 Q - Problem Solving - 55 Q
Section 3 : 55 Q - Data Interpretation - 31 Q and Verbal Reasoning - 24 Q

2000:

Total Questions - 165
Time - 120 minutes
Section 1 : 55 Q - Verbal Ability - 15 Q and Reading Comprehension - 40 Q
Section 2 : 55 Q - Problem Solving - 55 Q
Section 3 : 55 Q - Data Interpretation - 31 Q and Verbal Ability - 24 Q

2001:

Total Questions - 150
Time - 120 minutes
Section 1 : 50 Q - Verbal Ability - 20 Q and Reading Comprehension - 30 Q
Section 2 : 50 Q - Problem Solving - 50 Q
Section 3 : 50 Q - Data Interpretation - 31 Q and Logical Reasoning - 19 Q

2002:

Total Questions - 150
Time - 120 minutes
Section 1 : 50 Q - Data Interpretation - 40 Q and Logical Reasoning - 10 Q

Section 2 : 50 Q - Problem Solving - 50 Q
Section 3 : 50 Q - Verbal Ability - 25 Q and Reading Comprehension - 25 Q

2003 (re-exam format given):

Total Questions - 150
Time - 120 minutes
Section 1 : 50 Q - Verbal Ability - 25 Q and Reading Comprehension - 25 Q

Section 2 : 50 Q - Data Interpretation - 30 Q and Logical Reasoning - 20 Q
Section 3 : 50 Q - Problem Solving 

2004:

Total Questions - 123   Total marks: 150
Time - 120 minutes
Section 1

Data Interpretation: 20Q of 1 mark each

Data Sufficiency: 6 Q of 1 mark each

Logical Reasoning: 12 Q of 2 marks each

Section 2

Math problems: 20 Q of 1 mark each

Math problems: 15 Q of 2 marks each

Section 3

Verbal Ability: 10 Q of 0.5 marks each

Verbal Ability: 14 Q of 1 mark each

Verbal Ability: 5 Q of 2 marks each

Reading Comprehension: 21 Q of 1 mark each

2005:

Total Questions - 90   Total marks: 150
Time - 120 minutes

Section 1

Verbal Ability: 10Q of 1 mark each

Verbal Ability/Reading Comprehension: 20Q of 2 marks each

Section 2

Math problems: 10Q of 1 mark each

Math problems: 20Q of 2 marks each

Section 3

Data Interpretation/Data Sufficiency/Logical Reasoning: 10Q of 1 mark each

Data Interpretation/Data Sufficiency/Logical Reasoning: 20Q of 2 marks each

2006 & 2007

Total Questions - 75   Total marks: 300
Time - 150 minutes

Section 1

Data Interpretation/Data Sufficiency/Logical Reasoning: 25Q of 4 marks each

Section 2

Math problems: 25Q of 4 marks each

Section 3

Verbal Ability/Reading Comprehension: 25Q of 4 marks each

There was no section wise time limit from 1999 - 2007.

REMEMBER : It is essential that you demonstrate your competence in all the sections.

Some noticeable trends in CAT:

The following trends are clearly noticeable in CAT in the last few years.

1. The weightage of Math based questions has increased. Until 1998, we would have 85 out of 185 questions that were Math based. This is about 45%. In 2002, 2003 and 2004 almost 81-90 out of 150 questions. This is between 55-60%!!

2. The Problem solving section would constitute 1 out of 4 sections in the test until 1998. In the last 6 years, it has been 1 out of 3 sections. The importance of this section has therefore tremendously increased (from 24% of the total paper to 33.33% of the total paper)

3. CAT has been getting progressively tougher and thereby low scoring by the year. You no longer need fantastic scores of 100+ to clear the CAT. Over the years, SharpMinds students who have cleared the CAT and made it to the IIMs have had in the range of 75-90 attempts in the paper.