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LR grouping and scheduling for CAT: draw positions, not paragraphs

By Clymber Mentors3 min read

Grouping questions are solved on positions, not in prose. The current CAT pattern is built around three timed sections, and recent public analyses report 68 questions across VARC, DILR, and QA with 40 minutes per section 1[3][4]. Previous-paper databases are the best practice base because they preserve real section phrasing, slot variation, and TITA/MCQ mix [2]. The plan below uses that exam structure plus learning-science evidence on retrieval and spaced review [6][7][8].

Name the dimensions

Before drawing, identify dimensions: people, days, rooms, teams, tasks, or ranks. A scheduling set usually has at least two dimensions; a hybrid set may have three. Missing one dimension creates messy notes. This links to the section and question-type structure reported by CAT-pattern sources [3][4][5].

Draw the empty board first

Create the grid or slots before reading all clues. This gives every clue a place to land. It also shows whether a clue is fixed, relative, negative, or conditional. Check the rule against previous CAT papers instead of isolated drills [2].

A schedule grid with people placed across rooms and days, plus blocked cells and constraints.
Grouping and scheduling grid

Separate fixed and relative clues

Fixed clues place an entity. Relative clues place a relation. Do not force a relative clue into a fixed cell too early. Mark it as an arrow or bracket until another clue pins it down. The official CAT interface and timed-section design make this a practical constraint, not a stylistic preference 1[3].

Use exclusion marks sparingly

Too many X marks create noise. Mark only exclusions that cut the search space materially: no R3 on Friday, A not with D, or B before C. The review step is also consistent with evidence that testing and retrieval improve durable learning [6][7].

A bipartite graph linking people to groups and highlighting a forced pair.
Grouping bipartite map

Review the branching point

Most grouping sets have one branch that splits the solution. After practice, identify where you branched and whether there was a cleaner trigger. Spaced review prevents one-session performance from being mistaken for stable skill [8].

FAQs

What is LR grouping in CAT?

It is a logical reasoning set where entities must be assigned to groups, slots, rooms, or schedules under constraints.

Should I use a table or diagram for grouping?

Use a table when dimensions are fixed; use a graph when membership relations matter more than order.

How do I avoid messy LR notes?

Draw the empty board first, then place clues by type.

What is a relative clue?

A clue that says one entity is before, after, with, or apart from another entity.

How should I review grouping sets?

Review the first branch point and the clues that should have reduced it.

Conclusion

Use the first diagram as your next drill plan, then review the result within 24 hours and repeat the same rule for 3 timed sets.

References

  1. IIMCAT, "CAT 2025 official portal." Available: https://iimcat.ac.in/ [2] 2IIM, "CAT previous year question papers, 2017-2025." Available: https://online.2iim.com/CAT-question-paper/ [3] IMS India, "CAT exam pattern 2026: sections, question types, and marks." Available: https://www.imsindia.com/blog/cat/cat-exam-pattern/ [4] MBAUniverse, "CAT exam pattern: sections, questions, duration, and marking scheme." Available: https://www.mbauniverse.com/cat/pattern [5] IMS India, "CAT syllabus 2026: section-wise topics and weightage." Available: https://www.imsindia.com/blog/cat/cat-syllabus/ [6] J. Dunlosky, K. A. Rawson, E. J. Marsh, M. J. Nathan, and D. T. Willingham, "Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques," Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Available: https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266 [7] H. L. Roediger and J. D. Karpicke, "Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention," Psychological Science, 2006. Available: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x [8] S. Reddy, I. Labutov, S. Banerjee, and T. Joachims, "Unbounded human learning: optimal scheduling for spaced repetition," arXiv, 2016. Available: https://arxiv.org/abs/1602.07032 ↩