The 80/20 Rule for CAT Prepration. Focus on What Matters Most

CL Team September 10 2025

2 min read

1. Understanding the 80/20 Rule in CAT Context

The rule simply means: not all efforts produce equal results. In CAT:

A handful of core concepts appear again and again.
A few types of practice (like mocks) give disproportionate improvement.
Some mistakes cause most of the score loss.

If you identify these high-impact areas, you save time and boost results.

2. Applying the 80/20 Rule to Each Section

VARC

High ROI Area: Reading Comprehension (~70% of marks).
Instead of memorizing rare grammar rules, spend time daily on reading and practicing RCs.
Strategy:
- Daily 2 RCs from varied sources (editorials, philosophy, business, science).
- 1 VA exercise (para-jumbles or summary).
- Learn to eliminate wrong options logically.

DILR

CAT DILR is about smart selection.
High ROI Areas: Arrangements, tables, games & tournaments, Venn diagrams.
Focus on practicing pattern recognition instead of random puzzles.
Strategy:
- Solve 1 set daily (20–30 min).
- Learn to leave unsolvable sets quickly in mocks.

Quant

High ROI Topics: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Numbers (cover ~70–75% of QA).
Low ROI: Probability, Permutations & Combinations (rare, 1–2 Qs).
Strategy:
- Daily 15–20 QA problems from core areas.
- Revise formulas weekly.
- Focus on accuracy first, speed later.

3. Mock Tests: The Ultimate 80/20 Tool

Mocks are the single most powerful prep tool.

20% of your effort (mock + analysis) → 80% improvement.
Focus areas during analysis:
- Time wasted on tough questions.
- Accuracy in strong areas.
- Gaps in concept clarity.

Many toppers say: “I learned more from analyzing 10 mocks than solving 1000 practice questions.”

4. Build a High-ROI Study Plan

Here’s how to structure your prep using 80/20 thinking:

Daily (2–3 hrs):
- 2 RCs + 1 VA exercise
- 1 DILR set
- 15 Quant questions (from core topics)
Weekly:
- 1 full-length mock
- 3–4 hours of detailed analysis
- Revise error log (common mistakes)
Monthly:
- Revise all important formulas + solved sets
- Track percentile growth from mocks

5. Avoid Low ROI Activities

Spending hours on rare topics like probability.
Solving 100 questions without analyzing mistakes.
Reading only “CAT material” without building a reading habit.

Focus only on what moves the needle.

6. The Mental Shift You Need

CAT is not about solving the entire paper—it’s about solving the right questions.
Success comes from selectivity, accuracy, and consistency, not brute force.
Once you adopt 80/20, you’ll feel less stressed and more in control.

Conclusion

The 80/20 Rule for CAT 2025 is simple: focus on high-weightage topics, practice mocks, analyze mistakes, and let go of low-ROI activities. This approach not only saves time but also maximizes performance.

At Career Launcher Noida, we help students apply the 80/20 rule through targeted study plans, mocks, and expert mentoring. If you want to crack CAT smartly—not just with hard work—join us.