Should CAT aspirants prioritize attempts or accuracy in QA section?

Accuracy beats attempts in CAT QA, every single time. The negative marking structure (-1 for each wrong answer) means reckless attempts actively destroy your score.

The math is unforgiving: 14-16 attempts at 85% accuracy outperforms 22 attempts at 60% accuracy by roughly 7-12 raw marks, which at the upper end translates to a full percentile band difference.

Why the Numbers Favor Accuracy

Here is the comparison that should settle this debate

The aggressive 22-attempt row nets you 30 marks after negatives eat into your score. The disciplined 15-attempt row, with just two wrong, lands near 37 marks. That gap compounds badly when IIMs compute your scaled scores across slots.

The 40-Minute Time Plan

Spend the first 2-3 minutes scanning all 22 questions, mentally sorting them into easy, medium, and hard. This is not wasted time.

It prevents you from burning 8 minutes on a number theory trap while five arithmetic softballs sit unanswered elsewhere.

Execute in three phases: easy questions (5-6 attempts in 8 minutes), medium questions (6-8 attempts in 18 minutes), then hard questions only if you have a visible solution path within 90 seconds. Any question that eats past 2 minutes without clear progress gets skipped without guilt.

Topic Priority Within QA

Not all QA topics carry equal risk. Treat them accordingly

• Arithmetic (time-speed-distance, percentages, ratios): attempt every question here, this is your highest-yield zone
• Geometry: attempt only if you recall the relevant formula cleanly; skip derivation-heavy problems
• Algebra and number theory: attempt only when you see a definite solution path within the first 30 seconds of reading

CAT 2023 Slot 3 was notoriously algebra-heavy. Aspirants who chased those problems lost time on arithmetic they could have solved. Algebra questions often look tractable and are not. Recognize that trap.

Your Floor for 99 Percentile

You need a reliable minimum of 12 correct answers in QA to consistently touch the 99 percentile mark. That is achievable even with a conservative 14-attempt strategy, provided your accuracy holds.

Shooting for 17-18 attempts with shaky accuracy is statistically worse than 13-14 attempts with near-perfect accuracy.

Post-mock analysis matters here. After every sectional test, check your attempt distribution.

If you attempted 20 and got 11 correct with 9 wrong, your net score is 24 marks, far below what 14 clean attempts would deliver. Recalibrate consistently, not just once before the exam.

The honest reality: most aspirants overestimate how many questions they can solve correctly under time pressure. Attempting fewer questions with genuine confidence is not playing it safe, it is playing it smart.