Exam Pattern
MICAT Exam Pattern
MICA Admission Test
The MICAT exam pattern below is checked stage by stage, so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, and Divergent and Convergent Thinking
Official 2026 pattern| Questions | 60 |
| Total marks | 60 |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Sections | Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, Divergent and Convergent Thinking |
| Test | Qs | Marks | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Divergent and Convergent Thinking | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Timing: Single composite 60-minute timer for all three sections combined: no sectional lock, matching Section C's single combined time allocation on the official paper.
The official MICAT (conducted by MICA, Ahmedabad) has three sections: Section A is a Psychometric Test (150 questions, qualifying only, no scored right or wrong answer), Section B is a Descriptive Test (4 subjective, essay-style questions), and Section C is an Aptitude Test with 80 questions for 80 marks in 80 minutes, 1 mark for each correct answer and 0.25 negative marking for each wrong answer, across four equal 20-question sub-sections: Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, General Awareness, and Divergent and Convergent Thinking. Sections A and B have no auto-gradable multiple-choice answer and are not covered by this mock. Within Section C, General Awareness is not covered, since its official syllabus tests current-affairs and business fact recall rather than reasoning applied to a stated scenario, the same content-risk boundary applied to MAT's Economic and Business Environment section. This mock covers the three remaining skill-based sub-sections at their official scale: 60 questions (20 per section), with the same single composite timer and the same +1/-0.25 marking scheme.
Official source · checked 18 August 2026The MICAT Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, and Divergent and Convergent Thinking exam pattern is 60 questions carrying 60 marks, to be answered in 60 minutes. That works out to about 60 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 3 sections are Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and Divergent and Convergent Thinking. All 3 sections are separately timed, so time saved in one cannot be carried into another — you cannot bank minutes by rushing an easy section.
MICAT Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, and Divergent and Convergent Thinking marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 1 mark.
- A wrong answer deducts 0.25 marks; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is clearly worth making rather than leaving the question blank.
- Worked example: attempt 48 of the 60 questions and get 36 right and 12 wrong, and you score 33 out of 60.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 60 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free MICAT mock test to see where your time actually goes.
MICAT exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in MICAT?
MICAT deducts 0.25 marks for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in MICAT?
MICAT has 60 questions. That leaves about 60 seconds per question in MICAT.
What are the total marks in MICAT?
MICAT is out of 60 marks.
How long is the MICAT exam?
MICAT runs for 60 minutes.
Does MICAT have a sectional time limit?
Yes. MICAT times its sections separately, so time left over in one section cannot be spent on another. Plan a per-section budget before you sit it.