It is important to understand the MICAT exam analysis 2024 so that candidates can gain insights into the exam and utilize these insights to perform better in Phase 2 of the exam. The MICAT exam is conducted in 2 phases and the best score out of the two is taken into consideration during the selection of candidates for the further rounds. Candidates have to pay the registration fee for each attempt separately.
Each exam attempt may have slightly different difficulty levels. The MICAT 2025 Phase 1 exam analysis is based on the feedback from our mentors and students who took the MICAT 2025 phase 1 on December 7, 2024.
The first phase of MICAT 2025 was successfully concluded on December 7, 2024. The MICAT paper started one and a half hours late. The overall difficulty level of the paper was moderate to difficult. There is no negative marking in Sections I and II, as they are subjective. However, Section III has negative marking. For each incorrect answer in this section, the candidate is penalized with a negative mark of 0.25 marks.
|
MICAT Exam Sections |
MICAT Exam Subjects |
No. of questions |
Sectional Time Limit (in Minutes) |
|
Section I |
Psychometric Test |
150 |
30 |
|
Section II |
Descriptive Test |
4 |
25 |
|
Section III |
Divergent-Convergent Reasoning (DCR) |
20 |
80 |
|
Verbal Ability (VA) |
20 |
||
|
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QA & DA) |
20 |
||
|
General Awareness (GA) |
10 |
||
|
Total |
|
224 |
135 |
The psychometric section is an aptitude screening exam that precedes the actual online MICAT test. This section ascertains a candidate’s Behavioral and Psychological attributes and assesses whether the candidate is fit to proceed with the test or not. Questions were based on ethics, personal beliefs, teamwork, communication, and rigidity of management style.
There were a total of 150 questions, which included 8 options with the duration of 30 minutes to complete it.
The options were: Totally Disagree, Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Somewhat Disagree, Somewhat Agree, Agree, Strongly Agree, Totally Agree
This section does not have any negative marking.
The Descriptive Test carries only 4 questions. The questions are to be completed within 25 minutes and there will be no negative marking.
|
Q. 1 |
Is there merit in hierarchy |
Write 3 points for the topic. (300 words) |
10 marks |
|
Q. 2 |
Write 3 points against the topic. (300 words) |
10 marks |
|
|
Q. 3 |
As a young manager in an organization, would you promote hierarchy, and how would you promote it? What will be its benefits? Do not use the points used earlier. (300 words) |
20 marks |
|
|
Q. 4 |
Four pictures, A, B, C, and D are given. (A) –a man standing in a market and there were 3-4 vendors with umbrellas; (B) –there were 3 suitcases stacked against the wall and there was one brown paper bag on top of one of it; (C) –a plate with a slab of butter and a bee/fly sitting on top of it; (D) –large metal camel and a restaurant behind it. |
Write a story of 300 words based on 4 pictures. |
30 marks |
Out of 20 questions, 10 questions had 4 options, 2 questions had 6 options, and 8 questions had 8 options. The difficulty level of this section was moderate to difficult. There was not much emphasis on the verbal reasoning aspect of the paper; it indicates that 10 to 11 questions were deemed doable, particularly in areas like Match the Following and Blood Relations.
The blood relation and alpha numeric questions were on the easier side, while the direction, mathematical inequality and statement conclusion included moderate to difficult questions.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the topics covered under Divergent-Convergent Reasoning (DCR), as follows:
|
S. No |
Topic/Area |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
Number of Doable Questions |
|
1 |
Direction |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
2 |
Match the following (Code-based, Verbal-based) |
6 |
Moderate |
3-4 |
|
3 |
AR (Comparison-based/ Square arrangement/ Data arrangement) |
3 |
Moderate |
1-2 |
|
4 |
Blood Relation (Symbol-based) |
1 |
Easy |
1 |
|
5 |
Coding Decoding (Word-based) |
1 |
Moderate |
0 |
|
6 |
Alpha Numeric Series |
1 |
Easy-Moderate |
1 |
|
7 |
Analogy (Symbol/ Number-based) |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
1 |
|
8 |
Number-Based (Similar relation) |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
1 |
|
9 |
Visual Reasoning (Odd one out/ Series-based) |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
1 |
|
10 |
Statement Conclusion |
1 |
Moderate |
1 |
|
11 |
Mathematical Inequalities |
1 |
Moderate |
0 |
|
Total |
|
20 |
Moderate-Difficult |
10-11 |
All the questions in verbal ability section were lengthy and were given in in the form of a passage. There were 13 questions with 4 options, 1 question with 6 options, 1 question with 5 options and 4 questions with 8 options.
The trickiest thing about MICAT is navigating the options; since there is a different number of options for each question, one has to be really cautious about not missing out on any options.
The Verbal Ability Section was on the moderate to difficult side. A candidate could have easily attempted 8-10 questions.
|
S. No |
Topic |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
Number of Doable Questions |
|
1 |
Cloze Test (Vocab Based & Idiom Based) |
5 |
Moderate-Difficult |
3 (80 words) |
|
2 |
Para Jumbles |
1 |
Easy |
1 |
|
3 |
Sentence Completion |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
4 |
Grammar (Error Identification & Sentence Correction) |
1 |
Easy |
1 |
|
5 |
Summary |
1 |
Summary |
1 (75 words) |
|
6 |
Inference |
2 |
Difficult |
1 |
|
7 |
Passage-Based Synonyms, one-word Substitution |
2 |
Easy-Moderate |
1 |
|
8 |
Odd Sentence Out |
1 |
Moderate |
1 |
|
9 |
RC |
5 |
Moderate |
3 |
|
10 |
Missing Sentence |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
Total |
|
20 |
Moderate-Difficult |
8-10 |
The Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section this year was moderate to difficult and seemed lengthy. There were 13 questions with 4 options, and the remaining 7 questions were with 8 options.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the topics covered under Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QA & DA), as follows:
|
S. No |
Topic |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
Number of Doable Questions |
|
1 |
Number-Based |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
1 |
|
2 |
Algebra (Quadratic Equation) |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
1 |
|
3 |
Geometry (Square/ Hexagon/ Rectangle) |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
2 |
|
4 |
Coordinate Geometry (Straight line based) |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
5 |
P & C |
1 |
Moderate |
0 |
|
6 |
Probability |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
7 |
Arithmetic (T&W, SI-CI, Mixtures, TSD, Average, Partnership) |
6 |
Moderate |
3 |
|
8 |
Bar Graph (Income/ Expense based) |
4 |
Moderate |
2 |
|
Total |
|
20 |
Moderate-Difficult |
9 |
There were 10 questions in GK section. There were 2 questions of match the following and 2 questions of slogan and brand ambassador identification. There were 5 questions with 4 options, and the remaining 5 questions were with 8 options. General Awareness has always been one of the most challenging sections of the MICAT exam. The questions can be bracketed as “Moderate to Difficult”.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the topics covered under General Awareness (GA), as follows:
|
S. No |
Topic |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
Number of Doable Questions |
|
1 |
Meaning of austerity measures |
1 |
Moderate |
1 |
|
2 |
Match the following (Logo-based) |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
3 |
Identify Coke Slogan |
1 |
Moderate |
0-1 |
|
4 |
Reliance Owned Companies |
1 |
Difficult |
1 |
|
5 |
OTT comes under which govt. organisation |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
6 |
Merger |
1 |
Moderate |
1 |
|
7 |
Brand Ambassador |
1 |
Moderate |
1 |
|
8 |
Most valuable person in NBA |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
9 |
Tata Group |
1 |
Moderate |
1 |
|
10 |
Match the following (Slogans with company name) |
1 |
Difficult |
0 |
|
Total |
|
10 |
Moderate-Difficult |
5-6 |
All questions were lengthy and difficult. However, certain information regarding MICA's cut-off score or distributed weightage of MICAT and CAT and their contribution towards the final panel decision has not been declared yet and is, therefore, tough to extrapolate this soon.
MICAT -I was conducted on 2nd December 2023. The overall difficulty level of the paper was difficult. There is no negative marking in Sections I and II since they are subjective. However, Section III has a negative marking. For each incorrect answer in this section, the candidate is penalized with a negative mark of 0.25 marks.
MICAT -I was conducted on 3rd December 2022. The overall difficulty level of the paper was difficult. All questions were lengthy and difficult.
The overall exam analysis is expected to be under the same breath as previous year as far as the difficulty level, interpretation of result, score evaluation and shortlisting procedure is concerned. However, certain information regarding MICA’s cut off score or distributed weightage of MICAT and CAT and their contribution towards the final panel decision has not been declared yet and is therefore, tough to extrapolate this soon.
MICAT 1 2020 was, by and large, of a similar difficulty level as the previous MICAT Exams and this means that the cut offs are unlikely to shift. However this is no guarantee as the cut offs are dependent on the candidate pool just as much as the difficulty of the paper.
While deciding on the calls to be given, MICA Ahmedabad looks at the candidates who have qualified in the Psychometric section first (Candidates who fail this section are not considered). Following this, the candidates' MICAT Score and CAT Score are considered to form a preliminary list. From this list, the candidates who stand out in their descriptive essay section are called for the final selection procedures. This elaborate procedure means that it is difficult to estimate the cut off for MICAT 2020.
MICAT 2 was held on 9th February 2019 while MICAT 1 was held on 1st December 2018. It was held as a Computer Based Test as they have been since 2015. The paper pattern of MICAT 2020 is expected to be the same as the paper pattern of the MICAT 2019 Exam.
| Section Name | Number of Questions | Sectional Time Limit (min.) |
| Section 1: Psychometric Test | 27 | 25 |
| Psychometric Test | 27 | 25 |
| Section 2: Aptitude Test | 105 | 105 |
| Verbal Ability | 25 | No specific time limit |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 25 | No specific time limit |
| General Awareness | 25 | No specific time limit |
| Divergent and Convergent Thinking | 30 | No specific time limit |
| Section 3: Descriptive Test | 4 | 35 |
| Total | 136 | 165 |
The MICAT Exam is slightly tricky because getting a high score in the Aptitude test does not guarantee you an interview call. All it does is ensuring that the candidate clears the cut off in that section. The Psychometric test as well as Descriptive Test is also evaluated before deciding the final list of candidates. Due to this, it is difficult to determine the MICAT Cut Off. With a good descriptive test, candidates with 44 marks also had calls while candidates with 50 did not get a call due to their descriptive test.
MICAT 2018 was held on 17th December 2017 and 17th February 2018. The number of questions in the Psychometric section was lower in MICAT 2018 compared to MICAT 2019. The MICAT 2018 paper pattern is given below:
| Section Name | Number of Questions | Sectional Time Limit (min.) |
| Section 1: Psychometric Test | 36 | 25 |
| Psychometric Test | 36 | 25 |
| Section 2: Aptitude Test | 105 | 105 |
| Verbal Ability | 25 | No specific time limit |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 25 | No specific time limit |
| General Awareness | 25 | No specific time limit |
| Divergent and Convergent Thinking | 30 | No specific time limit |
| Section 3: Descriptive Test | 4 | 35 |
| Total | 145 | 165 |
Similar to MICAT 2019, the cut off is difficult to determine but candidates with scores over 50 would stand a good chance of getting a call as long as they did well in their descriptive test.
Read complete MICAT 2018 Exam AnalysisMICAT 2017 was held on 11th December 2016 and 12th February 2017. The MICAT Paper Pattern remained exactly the same as in MICAT 2018. The paper pattern is as follows:
| Section Name | Number of Questions | Sectional Time Limit (min.) |
| Section 1: Psychometric Test | 36 | 25 |
| Psychometric Test | 36 | 25 |
| Section 2: Aptitude Test | 105 | 105 |
| Verbal Ability | 25 | No specific time limit |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 25 | No specific time limit |
| General Awareness | 25 | No specific time limit |
| Divergent and Convergent Thinking | 30 | No specific time limit |
| Section 3: Descriptive Test | 4 | 35 |
| Total | 145 | 165 |
Any candidate who receives over 50 in the MICAT Exam should be relatively confident of the getting the call for GE-PI if their descriptive test went well.
One of the most important things that each candidate needs to prepare for is the Descriptive test. MICAT puts quite a bit of emphasis on the creativity shown in this section and it can act as the deciding factor for candidates who have cleared the cut off. Based on the score in this section, the decision on whether the candidate will get a GE-PI call.