The second slot of the CAT 2024 exam continued the trend of providing a moderately challenging paper, though it leaned slightly towards testing logical precision and conceptual clarity. VARC offered engaging passages and accessible verbal ability questions, while DILR stood out with a mix of data-driven and logic-based sets that required effective set selection. QA remained concept-heavy but manageable for candidates with strong fundamentals in Arithmetic. This Slot 2 review dives deep into the exam structure, difficulty level, and ideal attempts, helping aspirants draw meaningful insights from the experience and benchmark their performance.
Overall Exam Structure
Section
Number of Questions
Duration (Minutes)
MCQs
TITA
Difficulty Level
VARC
24
40
22
2
Easy-Moderate
DILR
22
40
12
10
Easy-Moderate
QA
22
40
14
8
Moderate-Difficult
Total
68
120
48
20
Moderate
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
The VARC section continued the trend of 4 RC passages combined with verbal ability questions. The section leaned towards being easy to moderate, with ample opportunities for scoring.
Breakdown of VARC
Question Type
Number of Questions
MCQs
TITA
Difficulty Level
Doable Questions
RC: Spice Trade
4
4
0
Easy to Moderate
2-3
RC: Peer Review of Research
4
4
0
Medium
3
RC: Externalities
4
4
0
Easy
4
RC: Carnivore-Human Conflict
4
4
0
Medium
2-3
Paragraph Completion
3
3
0
3 Medium
2-3
Paragraph Summary
3
3
0
1 Easy, 1 Medium, 1 Difficult
1-2
Odd Sentence Out (TITA)
2
0
2
1 Easy, 1 Medium
1-2
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
DILR maintained a balance between interpretative and logical reasoning sets, with the overall difficulty rated as easy to moderate. Proper selection of sets was crucial for maximizing attempts.
Breakdown of DILR
Set Number
Topic/Area
No. of Questions
MCQs
TITA
Difficulty Level
Doable Questions
1
Bar Graph – Frequency Distribution
5
4
1
Moderate-Difficult
2
2
Scatter Plot Analysis
5
4
1
Easy-Moderate
3-4
3
Number Arrangement Grid
4
2
2
Moderate
2-3
4
Maxima-Minima Network
4
1
3
Moderate-Difficult
2
5
Data Arrangement (7 Students)
4
2
2
Easy-Moderate
2-3
Quantitative Ability (QA)
QA in Slot 2 was moderate to difficult, with Arithmetic dominating as the most approachable topic. Candidates with solid conceptual clarity could navigate through the section effectively.
Breakdown of QA
Topic/Area
No. of Questions
MCQs
TITA
Difficulty Level
Doable Questions
Arithmetic (TSD, Percentages, Ratios)
8
6
2
Easy-Moderate
6-7
Algebra (Log, Quadratic, Inequalities)
8
5
3
Moderate
4-5
Geometry (Trapezium, Circle)
3
2
1
Easy-Moderate
2-3
Modern Math (P&C, Probability)
3
1
2
Moderate
1-2
Percentile vs. Score for CAT 2024 Slot 2
Percentile
VARC Score
DILR Score
QA Score
Overall Score
99.9
50
46
46
118-123
99.5
42
40
41
103-108
99
38
37
33
92-95
95
23
27
16
65-67
90
20
21
13
57-59
Key Observations for Slot 2
Sectional Highlights:
VARC was moderately easier than Slot 1, with highly approachable RCs on Spice Trade and Externalities.
DILR followed a balanced mix of question types but leaned slightly towards data interpretation.
QA was more concept-driven and favored candidates strong in Arithmetic and Algebra.
Comparative Difficulty:
Slot 2 was similar to Slot 1, with minor differences in the approachability of specific sections.
Preparation Insights:
Focus on Arithmetic and RCs for high-scoring opportunities.
