CAT (Common Admission Test) is a
management aptitude test conducted in order to assess and shortlist
candidates for the Master's of Business Administration (MBA) & Post Graduate program. It is a computer-based exam that takes
place once a year. The IIMs established by an act of Parliament are renowned management institutes in India. These institutes also provide consultancy and fellowship
services in various business and management globally. Currently, there are 20 IIMs institutes
in India.
Since last two years, the pattern of
CAT exam has undergone a few changes. CAT is a computer based test which
consists of 100 objective type questions. There are three sections in the test
that are Quantitative Ability (QA) of 34 marks, Verbal and Reading Comprehension
(VRC) of 34 marks and Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning (DI AND LR) of
32 marks.
CAT Preparation may take 10–12 months
for a person with average past academic record, 6–8 months for a person with
above average past academic record and 3–4 months for a person with excellent
past academic record. As CAT’17 is held in the end of November/December,
December’16 or January’17 is the best time to start your preparation.
However, if one is giving this year’s CAT exam then he/she has to divide the
preparation schedule among four weeks. The reason to divide it is that one
need to have clear goals for every week.
Your 4-week strategy (28 days) will include the following:
Week 1
Week 1
Start
solving one mock CAT paper every day; it can be hard copy or online test. Start
solving it from the very first day. By the end of the week, you should have
solved 6 mock tests. Check the answers to every
question, after every test. This makes the concept
clearer and boosts the confidence. Each
day, finish off at least two topics from Maths that includes formula, concepts
and all. Practice the verbal section each day, at least two problem sets.
Week 2
Practice
as much as possible, this will be helpful in strengthening the concepts. Develop
reading habit as much as possible. Reading never goes in vain. Develop a
reading habit and it can be of anything like non-fiction journals, magazines,
newspaper etc. Start
concept-building exercise on DI and LR.
Don’t forget to take at least one mock test every day. Within few
days one will identify which kind of questions are difficult and which are more
scoring. This is the time when you frame your strategy for solving a test.
It is better to first opt for high-scoring questions. Do practice on those
questions which are difficult. Leaves those that you find too difficult to
manage but only if they constitute less 20% of the total questions because you
don’t have much time.
Week 3
One
should not feel discourage with the fact that they are having few days left for
the exam. Utilize the present time in the most productive manner because this is
the moment when one make most of the situation. Don’t go for any new concept or
topic. Revise and remember whatever you already know. Keep formula and basic
techniques in mind. Practice those topics that have greater weight as well as
few sectional tests. This is a part of speed-building. Make the better use of new
concepts and techniques that you have gathered over the past two weeks.
Week 4
Be
ready for surprises that you may counter in CAT. Create flexible strategies for
solving the exam. Make sure that you attempt a maximum number of questions.
Keep strategies light, this will lower down the nervousness. Keep tough and
time-consuming questions for last and attempt the easier questions first.
The
last two days should be dedicated to relaxation. No more studying; no more
preparation. No more mock tests. Arrange the documents like admit card, application
form, photo ID a day before, to avoid last minute panic. whatever stuff you
have to take to the center). Sleep for at least 8-9 hours the night before the
exam. Reach the center well in time. The invigilators provide you with
stationery inside the hall.
Beside
the above schedule, it is also important to have information regarding various
other MBA entrance exams and one should also develop better reading skills. Develop
your reading skills by reading daily newspaper editorials and business news so
that you can simultaneously improve your reading speed and knowledge which
shall help you during your GD-PI process. Try getting greater insights of the
topic by doing self-research on the internet. This will surely improve your analyzing
skills, vocabulary, and knowledge. This process of developing reading skills
should continue not only till your GD-PI but for the lifetime.
One should also gather a clear idea
about various MBA entrance Exams and B-schools. PGDM or MBA is not just about
CAT and IIM. There are many other institutes which match the levels of IIM i.e. XLRI, RNB Global University etc. Many of the top institutes conduct their own entrance tests. Go through their batch profile, placement
figures, Job offered profile and then decide whether you really want to do PGDM
or MBA.
In two sessions on one day that is on
December 4, 2016, CAT will be conducted.
The exam will be directed to 138 cities. However, the duration of the
examination will be 180 minutes. If the candidate had an encounter with
questions that are not of multiple choices then they should type direct answers
on the computer screen. The tutorials will be helpful in clearing confusions of
this kind. Moreover, basic on-screen calculator for computation is also
permitted during the exam. The time duration of 60 minutes will be allotted for
answering questions in each section. While answering questions in a section one
cannot switch from one section to another. For obtaining better results, candidates
should work on the tutorials, available on the website, well in advance. The
result of CAT 2016 will be released in the second week of January 2017.