FAQs on CAT 2016 #MBA2016

Important Points to remember for CAT 2016


·         It is a computer based exam which is going to take place on 4th of December, 2016.

·         The Registration has started from 8th of August, 2016.

·         The Registration closes on September 22nd , 2016 at 5:00pm
 
·         Around 2.18lakh aspirants had registered for CAT-2015 out of which 1.79lakh had appeared in CAT 2015, and in the end 17 got a 100 percentile score.

·         In CAT-2015 there were a total of 100 questions spread across 3 sections.

·         Each section had a time limit of 1 hour, after which the section was automatically changed. The balance time was not carried forward in the next section.

·         The flexibility to switch sections was not provided in CAT-2015 as was given in CAT-2014.

·         Section-I was Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability.

·         Section-II was Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

·         Section-III was Quantitative Ability.

·         The total number of seats in IIMs last year were 3635.


Let's understand CAT 2015

CAT 2015 ANALYSIS.

           ·         A total of 2 papers were set in CAT-15.

·         According to CAT 2015 results, a score between 249.9-254.61 was equivalent to 100 percentile.
·         A score of 242.33 was equivalent to 99.99 percentile.
·         A score of 235.33 was equivalent to 99.98 percentile.
·         A score between 215.54-215.43 was equivalent to 99.89 percentile.
·         A score of 180.02 was equivalent to 99 percentile.

CAT 2014 versus CAT-2015
2014
2015
No of Questions
100
100
No of Sections
2
3
Time Limit
170 minutes
180 minutes
Switching between Sections
Possible
Not Possible
Calculator
No
Yes. (On-screen calculator)
NON MCQ
No
Yes
No of Applicants
1,97,000
2,18,000



Break up of Questions in CAT-2015

Section-I

Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability

(Total Questions- 34)

MCQ-Multiple  Choice Question

TITA- Type in the answer

Area/Questions
No. of Qs.
Question Type
Level of Difficulty
Reading Comprehension
24
MCQ
Passage 1
6
MCQ
Easy
Passage 2
6
MCQ
Easy
Passage 3
6
MCQ
Easy-medium
Passage 4
3
MCQ
Easy
Passage 5
3
MCQ
Easy
Verbal Ability
10
TITA
Jumbled Paragraphs
4
TITA
1 Medium, 3 Difficult
Paragraph Summary
3
TITA
2 Easy, 1 Medium
Odd Sentence Out of the Paragraph
3
TITA
2 Medium, 1 Easy


(A good student should be able to attempt 26 of the questions in this section in the allotted time. There were 3 Difficult Para Jumbled questions which could have been avoided. The final question in passage 4 was also tricky and best avoided. Also, there were a couple of Odd Sentence out of the Paragraph questions which were time consuming and somewhat difficult. About 26 confident attempts (with about 80-85% accuracy) would be considered go.)
      
         Section II

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

(Total Questions-32)

Area
Set  Description
No of Questions
LOD
Data Interpretation
Line graph & Table Set
4
Medium
Data Interpretation
Reasoning & Calculation based Table Set involving percentage calculation and finding missing values of certain variables
4
Medium
Data Interpretation
Reasoning & Calculation based on pr0inciples of work
4
Medium
Data Interpretation
Set based on grid arrangements
4
Medium-Difficult
Logical Reasoning
Numerical Puzzle Set based on visualization of a geometrical figure
4
Medium -Difficult
Logical Reasoning
Numerical Puzzle Set Based on finding missing values of the variables
4
Medium -Difficult
Logical Reasoning
Numerical Puzzle Set based on 5 variables to determine missing values
4
Medium -Difficult
Logical Reasoning
Set Based on Groupings & Arrangements
4
Medium
      

(A good student should have been able to attempt about 5 of these sets in the given time with an accuracy of around 85-90%.The sets that should have been definitely solved were Line graph & Table Set, Reasoning & Calculation based Table Set involving percentage calculation and finding missing values of certain variables, Reasoning & Calculation based on principles of work and Set Based on Groupings & Arrangements.)


    Section III

                                                                         Quantitative Ability

                                                                        (Total Questions-32)

 

Area
Topic
No of Questions
LOD
Arithmetic
Profit & Loss
2
Easy

TSD
1
Medium

Ratios
1
Easy

Mixtures & Weighted Average
2
Medium

Puzzle
2
Medium

Work ,Pipes & Cisterns
1
Easy /Medium

Arithmetic Mean
1
Easy
Algebra
Simple Equation
1
Medium

Inequalities
1
Easy

Algebraic Solutions
1
Medium

Algebraic Functions 
1
Easy

Quadratic /Higher Degree Equations
2
Easy

Surds & Indices
2
Easy
Modern Math
Sequences  & Series
1
Medium

Progressions
1
Medium

Permutations & Combinations
2
Medium

Set theory
1
Easy

Logarithms
1
Easy
Geometry
Functions & Graphs
1
Easy

Quadrilaterals
2
Easy

 Triangle
1
Easy

Circles
1
Easy

Trigonometry
1
Easy

3-D
1
Easy/Medium

(A good student should have been able to solve 28-30 questions in the given time with 85-90% accuracy.)


How to prepare for CAT-2016?

 Let us try to break-up the examination into different sections.

Quantitative Aptitude: -

·         He needs to be thorough with the concepts that are his area of expertise. Along with this, he must start with those topics as well in which he faces a difficulty.

·         Daily practice on those chapters is expected.

·         In the last fortnight, the candidate is not expected to start with anything new as this will just add to the pressure.

·         Remember. We are not supposed to solve all the questions. So if there are a few topics with which we are not comfortable, it is fine.

·         Try to give as many tests as possible, in order to get an idea about the time that we are taking and the efficiency we are having.

·         26-28 correct answers will be a great attempt if we keep the last year’s paper as a reference.



Verbal Ability –

·         Read, read and read. This is the only option that will get you through in the verbal section. There will be 4 sets of comprehension asked.

·         For practice, take a stopwatch and see how much time you take to solve one RC. Try it!! It helps.

·         After solving check on to the accuracy that you have. In the initial stages, try to read 2 RC’s in a day.

·         Your speed will definitely see an up-trend.

·         Then try to solve more RC’s in a day. Improve your vocabulary by reading Norman-Lewis.

·         Try to solve as many questions as possible. For the other type of questions, solve the material that is provided to you.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning-

·         It will be a section that will check your logic as well as calculation speed.

·         Solving 6 sets out of 8 will be an excellent scenario.

·         In DI use a stop watch to check the time that you take in solving one set. Try to improve on that.

·         An average of 8-10 minutes will be a good time.

·         Same is the case for Logical Reasoning as well.