The afternoon session of CAT 2019 appeared to be on similar lines as the forenoon session, with only minor differences. As with the forenoon session, there was no change in pattern compared to CAT 2018 in any of the sections.
The verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC) section was markedly more difficult than that of CAT 2018, with the RCs proving to be quite challenging. The data interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR) section was marginally easier compared to that of CAT 2018. The quantitative ability (QA) section too was relatively easier than that of CAT 2018.
The overall structure of the paper is provided below:
The RC part of the VARC section was on the denser side, with some heavy reading involved. The questions too were not relatively as simple as those seen in the previous years. Unlike in the forenoon session, there was no respite for test-takers even in the VA part. This was since there were absolutely no sitters (something that was seen in the forenoon session and in CAT 2018).
Test-takers would have found the DILR section relatively easier compared to those from the last couple of years. This may slightly balance a difficult VARC section, in the overall tally. Of the eight sets, there were four which could be attempted by students with a reasonable degree of comfort, something that students are not used to expecting with the DI & LR section in general. Test-takers with conceptual clarity and speed would have greatly benefited from this not-so-difficult section.
The QA section, as with the forenoon session, had questions from expected topics such as arithmetic (time, work and distance, P&L, ratios, equations, AMA and SI-CI), geometry and mensuration, numbers, and algebra. The section was significantly easier compared to that of CAT 2018, thanks to less wordy questions. There were some formula-based questions that could have been solved in a quick time.
Overall, the afternoon session of CAT 2019, like the forenoon session, appears a little easier than CAT 2018, with two sections (DILR and QA) being on the easier side than those of CAT 2018, and one section (VARC) being tougher.
T.I.M.E. students would have been familiar with what they encountered in the afternoon session, given that quite a few AIMCATs had similar difficulty levels. Students who had invested time in the AIMCAT analysis and CATStrat would have known exactly how to go about cracking the exam.