How Tough was CAT 2023 as Compared to CAT 2022

by Tanaya Ahirrao Tue 26 Nov 2024 06:02 PM 12

How_Tough_Was_CAT_2023_as_Compared_To_CAT_2023

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is renowned for giving surprise elements in the paper. Moreover, its difficulty level also keeps evolving every year. Every year, the CAT aspirants try to anticipate and prepare for what the challenging surprise element can bring. For those who will be appearing for CAT 2024, especially as a CAT repeater, the main question arises ‘Was CAT 2023 tougher than CAT 2022?’

This blog exactly dives into a detailed CAT 2023 vs CAT 2022 comparison. We will also highlight the differences in the difficulty levels, section-wise performance, and overall trends.

Also Read, CAT Exam Analysis 2024, Section-wise Slot 1, 2, 3 Analysis

CAT 2023 vs CAT 2022 Overview

Both, CAT 2023 and CAT 2022 had the same structure:

Three Sections	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA)
Total Duration	2 hours (40 minutes per section)
Total Questions	66 (VARC:24, DILR: 20, QA:22)

Having said that, there still were some subtle changes in the CAT difficulty level and question distribution that affected the performance of the candidates.

Year	Total Questions	Duration	Marking Scheme
CAT 2023	66	2 hours	+3 for correct, -1 for wrong
CAT 2022	66	2 hours	+3 for correct, -1 for wrong

Also Read, CAT Answer Key 2024, Check Download Link, Release Date

CAT 2023 vs CAT 2022: Section-Wise Difficulty Comparison

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Aspect	CAT 2023	CAT 2022
Difficulty Level	Moderate	Moderate
Passage Length	Lengthier passages with abstract themes	Balanced themes, easier comprehension
Key Challenges	Tricky RC options, time-consuming questions	Straightforward RCs but challenging VA

Overall, in CAT 2023, aspirants said that the RCs were tougher due to abstract topics and nuanced options. This furthermore also increased the time pressure.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Aspect	CAT 2023	CAT 2022
Difficulty Level	Tough	Moderate to Tough
Set Distribution	4 sets (1 easy, 1 moderate, 2 tough)	4 sets (2 moderate, 2 tough)
Key Challenges	Time-consuming logical sets	Balanced sets with predictable difficulty

CAT 2023 featured more difficult logic-based sets that tested the ability to prioritize time effectively.

Quantitative Ability (QA)

Aspect	CAT 2023	CAT 2022
Difficulty Level	Difficult	Moderate to Easy
Focus Areas	Arithmetic-heavy with fewer Geometry questions	Arithmetic and Algebra with simple calculations
Key Challenges	Tricky application of concepts	Conceptually straightforward

CAT 2023 focused heavily on the Arithmetic part, overpowering the Geometry part. This made CAT 2023 more challenging especially for those candidates who rely on other topics.

Also Read, CAT Result 2024, Expected Release Date, Download Link

CAT 2023 vs CAT 2022 Difficulty Level Analysis

Let us analyze the difficulty level comparatively:

Section	CAT 2023 Difficulty	CAT 2022 Difficulty	Trend
VARC	Moderate to Tough	Moderate	Tougher in 2023
DILR	Tough	Moderate to Tough	Slightly Tougher
QA	Difficult	Moderate to Easy	Slightly Tougher
Overall	Moderate to Tough	Moderate	More challenging

CAT 2023 emerged as slightly tougher than CAT 2022, with DILR and VARC posing significant challenges.

How is CAT 2023 Difficulty Compared with Past Year?

Comparing CAT 2023 with previous years (2021, 2020), the exam maintained its standard format but varied in question difficulty. Here's a year-wise trend:

Year	Overall Difficulty	Key Highlights
2023	Moderate to Tough	Challenging DILR, abstract VARC themes
2022	Moderate	Balanced across sections
2021	Moderate to Easy	Easier QA and VARC
2020	Tough	Lengthy DILR, abstract RCs

CAT 2023 vs CAT 2022: Sectional Cutoffs

VARC Sectional Cutoffs

Percentile	2023		2022
Percentile	Marks	Correct Attempts	Marks	Correct Attempts
99	40	13-14	40	13-14
95	29	10	28	9
90	23	8	24	8
85	19	6-7	21	7
80	17	5-6	17	5-6

DILR Sectional Cutoffs

Percentile	2023		2022
Percentile	Marks	Correct Attempts	Marks	Correct Attempts
99	27	9-10	30	10
95	19	6–7	21	7-8
90	16	5-6	18	6-7
85	14	4-5	14	4-5
80	12	4	13	4

QA Sectional Cutoffs

Percentile	2023		2022
Percentile	Marks	Correct Attempts	Marks	Correct Attempts
100	49	16-17	57	19
99.9	38	12-13	47	15-16
99	27	9-10	33	11
95	20	6-7	22	7-8
90	14	4-5	17	6
85	10	3-4	15	5

CAT 2023 vs CAT 2022: Key Insights

Time Management: Candidates struggled more in CAT 2023 due to abstract RCs and challenging DILR sets.
Scoring Trends: Higher normalization might favor those performing well in tougher sections.
Preparation Adjustments: For future CAT aspirants, analyzing CAT 2023 patterns can help refine strategies.

Conclusion

Analysis of the CAT 2023 vs CAT 2022 exam highlights some subtle yet impactful changes in difficulty levels. CAT 2023 was moderately tougher, with abstract RCs and a challenging lot of DILR sets drawing attention. Aspirants should focus on understanding sectional trends and rectifying time management skills to produce good performance in the forthcoming CAT exams.

Patience, along with proper analysis of patterns and strategic preparation, can help aspirants touch a high percentile irrespective of variance in difficulty levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is CAT 2023 tougher than 2022?

A. Yes, CAT 2023 was considered as one of the most difficult CAT papers in the past many years.

Q. Which slot was hardest in CAT 2023?

A. The most difficult slot in CAT 2023 was slot 3. This is said considering the fact that the DILR and QA sections were the hardest in the Slot 3 CAT paper. Apart from that, Slot 1 had the most difficult VARC section in 2023.

Q. What was the hardest year of the CAT exam?

A. The CAT 2023 and CAT 2021 (CAT 2023>CAT 2021) are considered as the most difficult CAT exams in the history of CAT. The Quantitative Aptitude section of the Slot 3 of CAT 2023 was especially the toughest. On the other hand, the VARC and DILR sections of CAT 2021 were the most difficult in particular.