All-about_cat_2018.pdf

ALL ABOUT CAT

ALL ABOUT CAT

CONTENTS Introduction  IIM Programmes  Important Dates  Eligibility Criteria  Application Procedure  Admit Card  Exam Pattern  Syllabus  Sample Paper Mock Test Participating Institutes  Exam Centres  Normalization Process  Question Papers Answer Key Result  Cutoff  Selection Procedure  Expert Take on Pattern and Preparation Strategy  When and How to Begin Preparations  Must Read Books for Preparation  Topper Interview Know CAT Evolution Over the Years

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ALL ABOUT CAT

INTRODUCTION CAT or the Common Admission Test is the most competitive MBA entrance exam of India taken by around two lakh candidates each year. Conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management, CAT is the most popular entrance exam for the admission to 20 IIMs and around 100 B-schools across India. The Common Admission Test (CAT) is conducted by the IIM annually on a rotation basis. This year the conducting body is IIM Calcutta. CAT application process is scheduled to commence on August 8 this year. CAT notification was released on July 29, 2018. The exam will be conducted in computer-based mode on November 25, 2018 in two sessions. In terms of exam pattern, there has been no change introduced by IIM Calcutta. Cracking the Common Admission Test or CAT is first and foremost priority for an MBA aspirants in order to get admission to IIMs or a top B-School.

Fast Facts ●●

Exam Name: Common Admission Test

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Commonly known as: CAT

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Exam Type: National

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Exam Category: PG

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Exam Conducting Institute: IIM Calcutta

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CAT 2018 Convenor: Prof. Sumanta Basu

Reservation Criteria for Admissions to IIMs & other public B-schools: Category

Percentage

PWD (Person with Disability)

3

ST (Scheduled Tribe)

7.50

SC (Scheduled Caste)

15

OBC-NC (Other Backward Class – Non-Creamy Layer)

27

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT Application Trend for Past 10 Years Year

No. of Registration

No. of Test Takers

2017

231,000

1,99,632

2016

2,32,434

1,95,000

2015

2,18,664

1,79,602

2014

1,96,988

1,67,829

2013

1,94,516

1,73,714

2012

2,14,000

1,95,000

2011

2,05,000

1,86,000

2010

2,04,000

1,85,000

2009

2,41,000

2,30,000

2008

2,90,000

2,76,000

2007

2,50,000

2,30,000

CAT Notification Released – Key Features You Must Know IIM Calcutta has released the official notification of CAT 2018 on July 29. CAT 2018 will be conducted on November 25 in two sessions. Around 4,000 seats are offered through the 20 IIMs. CAT 2018 score card will be valid only for one year until December 31, 2019. Prof. Sumanta Basu will be the CAT convener for this year.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

IIM PROGRAMMES There are 20 IIMs which will accept the scores of CAT for their flagship Post Graduate Management programmes. The following list brings to you the list of programmes offered by IIMs. List of IIM Programmes S. No.

IIMs

Offered Programme

1

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGP

2

Indian Institute of Management Amritsar

PGP

3

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

PGP, PGPEM, PGPPM

4

Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya

PGP

5

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

PGP-PGDM

6

Indian Institute of Management Indore

PGP (Indore, Mumbai), EPGP, PGP-HRM

7

Indian Institute of Management, Jammu

PGP

8

Indian Institute of Management Kashipur

PGP, EPGP

9

Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode

PGP

10

Indian Institute of Management Lucknow

PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM

11

Indian Institute of Management Nagpur

PGP

12

Indian Institute of Management Raipur

PGP, PGPWE

13

Indian Institute of Management Ranchi

PGDM, PGDHRM

14

Indian Institute of Management Rohtak

PGP, EPGP, EPGPX

15

Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur

PGP

16

Indian Institute of Management, Sirmaur

PGP

17

Indian Institute of Management Shillong

PGP, PGPEX

18

Indian Institute of Management Trichy

PGP, PGPBM

19

Indian Institute of Management Udaipur

PGP

20

Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam

PGP

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT IMPORTANT DATES CAT important dates have been announced along with the official notification released by the conducting IIM, which is IIM Calcutta. The following table brings to you the timeline or the important dates for CAT. CAT 2018 Important Dates Events

Dates

CAT 2018 Notification

July 29, 2018

CAT 2018 application commencement

August 8, 2018

CAT 2018 last date of application

September 19, 2018 (till 5 PM)

CAT 2018 application correction window

Fourth week of September 2018

Admit Card

October 24, 2018

CAT 2018 Mock Test Release

October 17, 2018

CAT 2018 Exam

November 25, 2018, Sunday (Two Slots)

CAT 2018 Question Paper & Answer Key

First week of December 2018

CAT 2018 Result

First week of January 2019

CAT 2018 Selection Procedure

April-June 2019

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA The eligibility criteria of the Common Admission Test or CAT refers that any MBA aspirant who has completed or appeared in the Bachelor’s Degree final examination with minimum 50 per cent aggregate are eligible to appear for the test. CAT eligibility criteria has been officially announced on July 29 along with the official notification. The eligibility criteria of CAT has remained same over the years and it will continue to be the same this year as well. The CAT eligibility criteria vary according to the category of the candidates.

Highlights of CAT Eligibility Criteria ●●

Applicants should hold a Bachelor’s Degree with minimum 50 per cent marks or equivalent CGPA awarded by a recognised university or educational institute as incorporated by an Act of the Parliament or State legislature in India or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.

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For the reserved category candidates, such as Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Disability (PWD), the minimum percentage to be secured in Bachelor’s Degree is 45 per cent.

●●

Candidates appearing for the final year of Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification examination and those who have completed degree requirements and are awaiting results are also eligible to apply. However, they will be given provisional admission only till the time they submit a certificate from the Principal / Registrar of their University/ institution (issued on or before the date as stipulated by the respective IIM) stating that they have completed all the requirements for obtaining the Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification on the date of the issue of the certificate.

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During the time of application, candidates need to fulfil any one of the following three conditions:

1. Completed Bachelor’s Degree with requisite percentage of marks 2. Completed Professional Degree with requisite percentage of marks 3. Should be in the final year of Bachelor’s Degree with requisite marks percentage ●●

The calculation of the marks percentage will be done on the basis of the practice followed by the respective University/Institute. In case the Institute/University offers grades/CGPA, the conversion to percentage of marks would be based on the procedure as certified by the respective University/Institution. In case there is no such conversion scheme followed by the institute, the equivalence will be calculated by dividing the candidate’s CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA, and multiplying the result with 100.

CAT Eligibility – Reservation Criteria ●●

According to the legal requirements, IIMs and other government institutes have to follow the reservation criteria as given below:

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15 per cent of the seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC)

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ALL ABOUT CAT

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7.5 per cent of the seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST)

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27 per cent seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBC) belonging to non-creamy layers Three per cent seats are reserved for Persons With Disability (PWD) candidates. The three categories of disability are: a) low vision blindness, b) hearing impairment and c) loco motor disability/ cerebral palsy. This provision is applicable if the candidate suffers from any of the listed disabilities to the extent of not less than 40 per cent, as certified by a medical authority as prescribed and explained in the said PWD Act, 1995 (Section 39).

The candidates belonging to the reserved categories have to score minimum cutoff percentile at CAT along with the eligibility criteria in order to be shortlisted for the admission process.

Information for Reserved Category Candidates ●●

The caste or tribe of candidates belonging to SC and ST categories have to be listed in the Government of India schedule. The caste certificate which they would submit to IIMs should carry the following information: (a) Name of caste or tribe (b) Whether candidate belongs to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe (c) District and the State or Union Territory of original residence (d) the appropriate Government of India schedule under which your caste/tribe is approved by it as Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.

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During the application process, the reserved category candidates have to upload the SC / ST / NCOBC / PWD certificate(s). In case candidates fail to upload the documents, the application may get rejected by IIMs.

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At the time of selection process or interview rounds, candidates have to show the original documents and copies have to be submitted at IIMs during final admission process. In case they are unable to submit the documents, they may not be considered under reserved categories.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT APPLICATION PROCEDURE IIM Calcutta, the conducting body of Common Admission Test (CAT) is scheduled to release the application form of CAT 2018 on August 8. CAT application form is available only in online mode. Candidates can register for CAT until September 19, 2018 (5:00 pm). CAT application process is a three-step process that consists of – registration, submitting the filled in CAT application form and pay the fee. Candidates have to select four exam centres as per their preference while filling up CAT application form. Candidates will be allotted any one of their chosen exam centres after their registration. The test centre and schedule will be communicated to the candidates through the admit card. Documents to keep handy before applying for CAT Before approaching for completing the application form of CAT, aspirants must keep the following documents ready: ●●

Mark sheets of Class X, Class XII, Bachelor’s Degree and or higher education

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Applicable certificates to upload

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Scanned images of passport size photograph and signatures. The photo should not be more than six months old and should have a white background.

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List of IIM programmes to apply for Now we will bring to you the step by step procedure to apply for CAT.

How to fill CAT Application Form The CAT application form filling procedure is divided into three steps. Let’s take a look at the steps in details. Step 1 – Registration The first step to CAT application process is to register at the official website in order to generate the log in credentials. For this, applicants have to first visit the CAT website and follow the instructions given below: i. Click on the Tab that reads ‘Register Now’ ii. Fill up the form with personal details like Name, Date of Birth, Email Address, Mobile Number in the fields provided. Ensure that you enter correct details, especially the contact details as IIMs would communicate with the candidates through the given email address and mobile number.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

To avoid entering erroneous information, follow the given instructions while filling up the fields on CAT registration form or application from: ●●

Name – Applicant’s name must be the same as that appearing in 10th Standard or SSC Certificate. In case there is change of name due to marriage or any other reason, he/she has to submit valid document like court affidavits or marriage certificate

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Date of birth – Candidates have to use the virtual calendar to enter your date of birth ensuring that they enter the correct date.

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Email address -The email id should be valid and unique and must be functional. The CAT ID or username will be sent to this email address itself. For overseas candidates, both Username and Password will be sent through email.

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Mobile number – The mobile number must be valid and unique as the password will be sent through SMS at this number itself. The number should be India based and of 10 digits. Other mobile numbers should be prefixed with area code. Special characters such as ‘0’ or ‘+’ are not allowed.

iii. Enter the Captcha or retype the special characters displayed on the screen to verify and authenticate your registration. Candidates will receive your CAT login credentials through Email and SMS. The CAT Serial Number or User ID will be sent to them in the email address provided by and the password will be sent as an SMS to the registered mobile number. Select the ‘I Agree’ checkbox to ensure successful submission of the registration form. Step 2: Log in to CAT Website By using the system generated User ID & Password, candidates can log in as “Existing User” on the website and fill CAT application form. If candidates forget their password, they have to click on ‘Forgot Password’ tab on the ‘Existing User’ login window and new password will be sent to their registered email id. Step 3 – Filling up CAT Application Form Upon receiving the log in credentials, the next step of filling up the application form of CAT begins. The procedure to fill up CAT application form is as follows: ●●

Visit the CAT official website

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Click on the tab ‘Existing User’

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Log in by entering the given credentials

The CAT application form is divided into five sections: a. Personal Details b. Academics c. Work Experience d. Programmes e. Payment Candidates have to carefully read all the instructions before filling the information in CAT application form.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Personal Details ●●

Father’s/Husband’s/Guardian’s Name and Mother’s Name and Gender

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Category – Candidates who do not belong to the General category have to select the applicable category among Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Serial Number, State or Union Territory and Name of Caste and Tribe.

●●

Select your Nationality from the Drop Down menu.

●●

Click on Yes or No for Person With Disability (PWD) field.

In order to apply under the PWD category, the Disability Percentage should be equal to or more than 40 per cent. ●●

Communication address – Enter full postal address along with alternate email and mobile number which will be used for further communication by IIMs

Documents Upload Within this section, candidates have to upload the following documents in support of the information provided. ●●

Passport size photograph and signature: Applicants have to upload scanned image of passport size photograph whose dimension should not be more than that stated by exam authorities. Refer to the below table for photograph and signature dimensions. The photograph and signature should be clearly visible and legible.

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Dimensions for Photo and Signature for CAT Application Form

Image

File size

Photograph Not more than 80 KB Signature

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Dimensions 30 mm (width) x 45 mm (height) 80 mm (width) x 35 mm (height)

File Format

Image Resolution

JPEG/JPG

150 px/inch (min)

NC-OBC/SC/ST Certificate: Applicants belonging to reserved categories have to download the category certificates from the CAT website and enter the required information and get them attested by appropriate authorities, self-attest, scan and upload.

Academics Applicants have to enter their past academic records in this section under the following sections:

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ALL ABOUT CAT

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Class X/SSC/Equivalent Exam Scores

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Class XII/HSC/Equivalent Exam Scores

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Bachelor’s Degree Details

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Master’s Degree Details

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Professional Course Details

Under each section, candidates have to enter the Board, Subjects, Aggregate marks or CGPA. Work Experience: If the applicants have prior work experience or are working professionals, they have to enter the work experience in number of months completed as on July 31, 2018. Candidates have to also enter the industry type. Only full time work experience pursued after the completion of Graduation will be applicable. Internship, part-time job, article ship, pre-graduation experience should not be entered.

Programmes In this section of CAT application form, candidates have to select the IIMs and the full time management programmes where they want to apply for. They have to also select the interview city from the drop down menu provided under this section. Candidates applying for PGP or PGDM programmes at the below given IIMs are requested to choose the same interview city for all the selections: ●●

IIM Udaipur

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IIM Tiruchirappalli

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IIM Raipur

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IIM Ranchi

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IIM Rohtak

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IIM Kashipur

Exam Centre City Candidates will be allowed to select any four cities where CAT will be conducted from the drop down menu. After the completion of the CAT application process, candidates will be allotted test centre in one of the four preferred cities. Applicants will not be allowed to select the same city more than once.

CAT Application Fee Payment The application fee can be paid in online mode only, through Credit/Debit Card and Net Banking methods. It is mandatory to click on the box corresponding to the statement ‘I have previewed the Application Form by clicking on the Preview Application Button and confirm that all the data reflecting in the Preview are correct’, and “I Agree” in the Declaration

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ALL ABOUT CAT

section before you click the Submit and Pay button and proceed to the payment gateway. The following table brings to you the CAT application form fee according to candidate categories. Category

Application Fee

General and NC-OBC

Rs. 1900

SC, ST and PWD

Rs. 950

Along with the above-mentioned application fee, candidates have to also pay the online transaction charges, which will vary according to the mode of payment. Transaction Fee for CAT 2018 Application form Mode of Payment

Transaction Charges

Net Banking

Rs. 20 per transaction

Credit Card (Visa/Master)

1.20 percent of the transaction amount and subject to minimum of Rs. 5

Credit Card (American Express)

2.85 percent of the transaction amount and subject to minimum of Rs. 5 0.75 percent of the Transaction amount for value up to Rs. 2000 and subject to minimum of Rs. 5

Debit Card (Visa/Master)

1.00% of Transaction amount for value

Before proceeding towards payment, candidates must preview the entire CAT 2018 online application form and the information provided and cross check with official documents in order to avoid erroneous application which may not be rectified later.

Application Confirmation Email After payment of application fee, candidates would receive an application confirmation email at the registered email id. The email contains information about communication and CAT admit card 2018 details.

Online Application Correction After the submission of the application form, the authorities may introduce limited window to correct your application form on select fields like percentage of marks, work experience and programmes selected. Information like personal details, academic details (apart from a percentage of marks), exam city preference etc. cannot be edited.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT ADMIT CARD The admit card of CAT will be released on October 24, 2018 (1:00 pm). CAT admit card will be available online only, and will not be sent to the candidates via any other mode. It will be issued only to those candidates whose application form has been accepted by the examination authority. Candidates can download the admit card by entering their login credentials. The admit card will carry pertinent information like the personal details of the candidates, test venue details and exam day instructions. It is the mandatory document to be carried to the exam centre along with a photo identity card. It is a must for the test takers to download the CAT admit card within the stipulated duration and preserve the print out till the admission process is over. IIM Lucknow is conducting CAT for the year. Important Dates for CAT Admit Card 2018 Events

Dates

CAT 2018 admit card release

October 24, 2018

Last date to download CAT admit card

Until the day of the exam

CAT 2018 exam

November 25, 2018 (Sunday)

How to download CAT Admit Card ●●

Visit the official website of CAT or link provided below

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Login through your registered credentials

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Click on the “login” button after entering required detail

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CAT admit card appears on the screen

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Download the PDF file of the admit card and take at least two copies of print out.

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Keep soft copy for future use

Details mentioned on CAT 2018 Admit Card/ Hall Ticket The CAT admit card 2018 will carry the following information: ●●

Name of the candidate

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Date of birth of the candidate

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CAT 2018 Registration Number and User ID

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Category – Whether the candidate belongs to General category or Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe or Differently Abled

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Date and slot of CAT 2018

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Name of the Exam centre and address

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Test system number

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Candidate’s signature

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Candidate’s photograph

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Exam day instructions

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Problems in downloading CAT Admit Card 2018 Candidates may face the following issues while downloading the admit card/ hall ticket. Here are the solutions. ●●

Forgetting login credentials – In case the candidates forget their login ID and password which were generated at the time of registration, they have to click on the ‘Forget Password’ tab. They will receive a link to reset the password to their registered email address. They have to visit the link and create a new password.

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In case of any other doubts or queries, candidates can contact the CAT Helpline Desk number: 1800-266-0207 (Toll-Free) or email at [email protected]

Note: Monday to Saturday (9 am to 5:30 pm); Not available on Public/National holidays What to Carry along with CAT Admit Card 2018 on exam day? Along with the admit card of CAT 2018, candidates will have to carry any of the following photo identity cards including ●●

Aadhaar Card

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Voter ID Card

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Passport

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PAN Card

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Driving License

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Photo ID issued by current education institute or employer among others.

CAT Exam Day Instructions ●●

Copy of CAT 2018 admit card should be clear and legible

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Candidates have to paste passport size colour photograph in the space provided

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Test takers should not sign in the space provided as the signature has to be made in presence of the invigilator

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Test takers have to carry at least two copies of CAT admit card print out, of which, one copy has to be submitted to the invigilator

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Candidates have to check the exam and exam centre reporting timing properly from the CAT 2018 admit card. For the first slot, they have to report by 7.30 AM and for the second slot, the timing is 1 PM. Beyond 8.45 AM and 2.15 PM, candidates will not be allowed to enter the test centre

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Test takers will not be allowed to carry anything else apart from their CAT admit card 2018 and photo ID card. Rough sheets and pencils will be provided inside the exam hall

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The CAT 2018 admit card will not only be required till the exam day but till the entire admission process is concluded.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT EXAM PATTERN The CAT exam pattern 2018 will remain the same as last year. Knowing the exam pattern makes the candidates aware of the topics covered in the exam, marking scheme, weightage to each section etc. It certainly helps them prepare for the big exam. As per the CAT 2018 exam pattern or exam structure, CAT will be a computer-based test of three hours carrying 100 multiple choice questions (MCQs) divided into three sections – Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The structure and pattern of CAT is given below. CAT Exam Pattern 2018 Section

No. of Questions

Total Marks

Duration

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

34

102

60 minutes

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

32

96

60 minutes

Quantitative Ability (QA)

34

102

60 minutes

Total

100

300

180

The sections are likely to appear in the same order as mentioned in the table above. Now, check the overall exam pattern of CAT 2018. CAT 2018 Exam Pattern – Highlights Exam Structure

Details

Duration of the Test

3 hours (180 minutes)

Total Number of Sections

3

Sectional Duration

1 hour (60 minutes)

Total Number of Questions

100

Total Marks

300

Marks per question

3

Negative marking for wrong answer

-1

Overall and Sectional Duration – Candidates need to know that apart from the complete test duration, the exam will also have sectional duration as well. Each section is time bound

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ALL ABOUT CAT

for one hour (60 minutes) and candidates are not allowed to switch between sections within this one-hour duration. However, applicants are free to answer any question within a particular section. Non-MCQs – IIMs have introduced subjective questions from 2015. In these questions, candidates have to type the answers in the space provided with the help of a mouse through a virtual keypad. These questions do not have options. Each section carries non-MCQs but the number is not fixed. Based on last year’s structure, the following table brings to you the ratio of MCQs and non-MCQs. Number of MCQs & Non-MCQs in CAT Section

No. of Questions

No. of Non-MCQs

MCQs

VARC

34

10

24

DI & LR

32

8

24

QA

34

7

27

Total

100

25

Marking Scheme – It is very important for the candidates to be aware of marking scheme of the CAT exam. Each correct answer will be awarded three marks and one mark would be deducted for each wrong answer. However, this marking scheme is applicable only for MCQs. For Non-MCQs, there is no negative marking. Rough Sheet – The conducting authority of CAT provide pages for rough calculations; however, one needs to submit the same after completing the examination. Candidates are not allowed to carry anything inside the examination hall except their Admit Card. On-screen Calculator – Last year, a non-scientific on-screen calculator was provided to the candidates to help them with the basic computations. IIMs are likely to keep this feature this year as well. CAT 2018 Mock Test – IIMs provide online CAT mock test prior to the actual test to make the candidates familiar with the overall exam pattern and navigation. The mock tests will be available from October 17, 2018, on the official website of the exam.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT SYLLABUS Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C), the conducting body of CAT 2018, does not release any official syllabus for the exam. Based on previous years’ question papers, a list of tentative topics and sub-topics is compiled by the experts which can be used as the syllabus. The CAT syllabus is majorly divided into three major sections – Verbal & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). Now, let’s have a look at the CAT 2018 syllabus and the important topics under each section. CAT Syllabus – Section wise Section

CAT Exam Syllabus Reading ComprehensionThe Reading Comprehension passages are generally of medium length, carrying 250 to 500 words. Question types can be both direct or inferential. English LanguageFact Inference Judgement

Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Fill in the blanks Grammar Para Completion Para Jumble Sentence Correction Verbal Reasoning Analogies and Reverse Analogies Synonyms Antonyms (Vocabulary Based), etc.

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Section

CAT Exam Syllabus Data InterpretationBar Graph Combination of Graphs Caselet Data Sufficiency Line Graph Pie Chart Tables, etc. Logical Reasoning– Assumptions

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)

Blood Relations Binary Logic Clocks and Calendars Constraint-based puzzles Data Arrangement Family Tree Matching Puzzles Proposition Statements Seating Arrangement Sets and Syllogism Venn Diagram, etc.

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Section

CAT Exam Syllabus Major TopicsAlgebra Arithmetic Geometry Higher Maths Mensuration Modern Mathematics Number System Trigonometry etc. Sub-topicsArithmetic progression Arithmetic mean Average Angles and triangles sphere’s rectangles

Quantitative Ability (QA)

cubes and cone BODMAS Clocks Geometric progression and Geometric mean HCF and LCM Harmonic mean Installment and payments Lines Median and Mode Percentage Partnership Profit and loss Ratio and proportion Partnership Pipe and cisterns Speed and distance Work & time etc.

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CAT SAMPLE PAPER To ace the country’s most competitive exam, management aspirants must prepare by solving CAT sample papers regularly. CAT sample paper /question paper will allow the candidates to understand the complete exam pattern / exam structure, marking scheme and more. The questions in the sample paper of CAT may not align with the difficulty level of the exam but it will certainly help the candidates get an overall idea of the exam and be acquainted with the exam pattern.

How to Download CAT Sample Paper ●●

Visit bschool.careers360.com

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Candidates need to Register first

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Login with Careers360 credentials

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Candidates can also login with their Google or Facebook accounts

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Visit Sample Paper Store

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Click here to download CAT Sample Paper

Solve CAT Sample Paper After downloading the CAT Question Paper / Sample Paper, candidates are required to solve it in a time-bound manner to know where they stand in terms of preparation. Time management is the key to success in CAT exam. Analysing the performance in CAT mock test / sample paper is one of the most important factors while preparing for the exam. It will allow the candidates to focus on their weak points and work on them accordingly. It is important for the aspirants to get their performance in mock tests analysed by experts or mentors to give their preparation a right direction.

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CAT MOCK TEST IIM Calcutta will release the mock test of CAT 2018 on October 17. Candidates would be able to download the mock test from the official website of CAT. The mock test or the practice test will be released to explain the format of the exam, pattern and the marking scheme along with the navigation system to the candidates. The duration of CAT 2018 Mock Test will be 1-hour and will include the following aspects: ●●

Instructions

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Mock questions of each section

As per the last year’s CAT Mock Test, the order of the sections on the exam day is likely to be as follows: ●●

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension – 34 questions

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Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning – 32 questions

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Quantitative Ability – 34 questions

How to take CAT Mock test: Let’s start with the CAT Mock Test. Candidates can check the images and understand how the test would be. The data is given on last year’s pattern of mock test. 1. Visit the website and click on the CAT 2018 Mock Test link (will be available in October 2018). A screen like given below will appear. The first screen will have the system name, number, subject, and photograph along with a log-in window. While checking the mock test, candidates can proceed by just clicking on the green ‘Sign-in’ button, but at the time of the actual test, they must enter correct login id and password.

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2. After login, candidates will be re-directed to a new window. The instructions will be given here for the colour scheme, explaining the status of each question. Read all the instructions and understand the color scheme well, as it shows how many questions you have left unanswered, how many are answered, and how many are kept for review.

3. As candidates click Next, a screen like below will appear. This will show the Duration of the exam, which is 180 minutes, along with the maximum marks – 200. As the test will have sectional limit and candidates will not be allowed to switch from one section to another, they will have to attempt sections in the same order as given. The first section to attempt will be Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) followed by Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and last Quantitative Ability (QA). Read instructions, select the ‘I agree’ button and click on the ‘I am ready to begin’.

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4. The actual test begins. Read the questions, answer, skip or mark for review, and proceed with ‘Save & Next’ button for next question. Candidates can visit a question back by clicking on the numbers under the question palette.

5. As and when candidates will attempt the MCQs, all the Non-MCQs will appear. This section is a bit different; you have to read the passage which has alternative summaries. Candidates have to choose the best sequence fit for the question. Candidates can select the numbers as provided or can type the same from their keyboard. After you answered all the questions, if you have time- review your answers or wait for 60 minutes to get over and next section to appear.

The CAT 2018 Mock Test will have a similar pattern for attempting other sections i.e. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. It will follow the same procedure to attempt or mark the answers. Candidates must note that they will not be allowed

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ALL ABOUT CAT

to review any section once the time is over. After all the sections are complete, in the end, candidates will have to click on Submit tab to submit their test. In the last after the duration of 180 minutes is over, a screen with summary will appear. This will have a total number of answered questions, unanswered questions, or questions left for review. You will also see a Feedback form, where candidates will be asked to enter their feedback about the test. Enter the details as like, and click on submit.

Facts about CAT Mock Test

Both MCQs and Non-MCQs – As per the CAT exam pattern, the questions per section will be a mix of MCQs and Non-MCQs. For example, last year, the VARC section had 24 MCQs and 10 non-MCQs. The navigation system is also likely to be same as previous years. However, instead of intersection movements, candidates can visit any question by clicking on the question number at the Question Palette. On-Screen Calculator and Timer – The mock test will also have the on-screen calculator. It would be placed at the top right side of the screen, right below the timer. Along with the basic calculations, it also includes calculation options for Algebra and Trigonometry. The on-screen timer will show the countdown of one hour and right after that, the section will automatically switch to the next one. Option for Mark for Review – Just like last year, the candidates will also get the option to mark a question for review. After answering the rest of the questions, candidates can revisit the marked questions to review their answer. Candidates can also identify the Answered, Not Answered, Marked and Not Visited questions of the section. Although candidates can revise a particular section after completing the questions, there is no scope for overall revision since the sections are time-bound. The purpose of CAT Mock Test 2018 is to provide the impression of the test. The difficulty level, question types, numbers of MCQs and Non-MCQs may vary in the actual test.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT PARTICIPATING INSTITUTES The B-schools which will accept the scores of CAT for their admission process are considered as CAT 2018 participating institutes. Apart from 20 IIMs, there are more than 100 B-schools in India which will accept the scores of CAT 2018. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is the latest to join the list of 111 CAT participating institutes, as listed on the official website of the exam. The exam centres will be available in all major cities of the country. Apart from Indian B-schools, Singapore Management University also accepts the CAT score. CAT 2018 Participating Institutes – IIMs and Number of Seats S.No.

B-School

No. of Seats

S.No.

B-School

No. of Seats

1

IIM Bangalore

412

11

IIM Ranchi

155

2

IIM Ahmedabad

385

12

IIM Kashipur

210

3

IIM Calcutta

462

13

IIM Udaipur

180

4

IIM Lucknow

436

14

IIM Nagpur

60

5

IIM Kozhikode

353

15

IIM Bodh Gaya

60

6

IIM Indore

550

16

IIM Visakhapatnam

60

7

IIM Shillong

120

17

IIM Sirmaur

60

8

IIM Rohtak

170-180

18

IIM Sambalpur

140

9

IIM Raipur

210

19

IIM Amritsar

60

10

IIM Trichy

180

20

IIM Jammu

60

Note: The number of seats may change for the academic year 2019-21. Both Government run and private B-schools fall in the list of CAT participating institutes. There are around 90 private B-schools in the list. Here is the list of top government and private B-schools: Top CAT 2018 Participating Institutes Government B-schools

Private B-schools

Department of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi

Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Top CAT 2018 Participating Institutes Government B-schools

Private B-schools

Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar

SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai

Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi

Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad

Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal

Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIMB)

NITIE Mumbai

TAPMI Manipal

National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad

LIBA Chennai

MNIT Allahabad

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai

Indian Institute of Social Welfare & Business Management, Kolkata

Prin LN Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Mumbai

Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (DMS, IIT Delhi)

The following table brings to you the state-wise CAT participating colleges 2018 excluding IIMs. CAT Participating Institutes 2018 – State wise Non – IIM Member Institutions Area

Institute Name

Andhra Pradesh

GITAM School of International Business

Chandigarh

Chitkara Business School University Business School, Chandigarh School of Petroleum Management, PDPU Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India Institute of Rural Management, Anand

Gujarat

Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar Institute of Management, Nirma University MICA Amrut Mody School of Management

Jharkhand

Xavier Institute of Social Service

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Non – IIM Member Institutions Area Madhya Pradesh

Institute Name Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, Gwalior Indian Institute of Forest Management Xavier Institute of Management (XIMB), Xavier University

Odisha

KIIT School of Management, KIIT University Asian School of Business Management Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) National Institute of Technology, Trichy Institute of Financial Management & Research

Tamil Nadu

Great Lakes Institute of Management Bharathidasan Institute of Management (BIM) Amrita School of Business, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Loyala Instute Of Business Administration Hyderabad School of Business Management Institute of Management Technology, Hyderabad

Telangana

Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Secunderabad University of Hyderabad (School of Management Studies), Hyderabad Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management, Hyderabad International Management Institute, Alipore Army Institute of Management, Kolkata Management Development Institute (MDI) Murshidabad

West Bengal

Instutute of Engineering and Management Indian Institute of Social Welfare & Business Management (IISWBM) Eastern Institute of Integrated Learning in Management (EIILM) National Institute of Technology - Durgapur

Assam

Department of Business Administration, Tezpur Jawaharlal Nehru School of Management Studies

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Non – IIM Member Institutions Area

Institute Name Vivekanand Institute of Professional Studies, Technical Campus Fore School of Management Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi

Delhi

Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management University of Delhi(Dept. of Commerce, Financial Studies & Business Economics) Jawaharlal Nehru University (School of Management and Entrepreneurship), New Delhi National Power Training Institute

Haryana

BML Munjal University Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies ISBR Business School National School Of Business T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) Adarsh Institute of Management and Information Technology Indus Business Academy CMS Business School (Jain University) Institute of Finance & International Management (IFIM)

Karnataka

Prin L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (Bangalore) International School Of Management Excellence GIBS Business School Myra School of Business Indian Institute of Science National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, Surathkal Alliance University AIMS Institute of Higher Education (AIMS Institutes)

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Non – IIM Member Institutions Area

Institute Name Institute Of Management Technology, Nagpur Institute For Technology And Management Flame School of Business

Maharashtra

Balaji Institute of Modern Management (BIMM) Balaji Institute of Management & Human Resource Development (BIMHRD) Prin L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (Mumbai) National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay National Institute Of Bank Management Balaji Institute of International Business (BIIB)

Maharashtra

Balaji Institute of Telecom & Management (BITM) S P Jain Institute of Management & Research Indian Institute of Cost and Management studies & Research K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research National Insurance Academy

Punjab

Bihar

LM Thapar School of Management University Business School Development Management Institute Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP)

Goa

Goa Institute of Management

Jammu & Kashmir

The Business School, Jammu

Kerala

Rajagiri Business School Fortune Institute Of International Business Asia-Pacific Institute of Management

New Delhi

New Delhi Institute of Management International Management Institute Apeejay School of Management

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Non – IIM Member Institutions Area

Institute Name BITS Pilani

Rajasthan

CCS National Institute of Agricultural Marketing Institute Of Agri Business Management Institute Of Management Technology (IMT) Birla Institute of Management Technology Shri Ram Murti Smarak International Business School Galgotias University Master School of Management Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-A) - Allahabad J.R.E Group of Institutions Institute of Management Studies (IMS), Ghaziabad Institute of Management Studies, Noida

Uttar Pradesh

Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Indian Institute Of Finance Shiv Nadar University Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT) Accurate Institute of Management & Technology Banaras Hindu University, Faculty of Management Studies IILM Graduate School of Management University Of Lucknow NTPC School of Business Institute of Advanced Management & Research

Several B-schools with specialised management programmes such as Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Hyderabad, MICA Ahmedabad, IIFM Bhopal, Indian Institute of Plantation Management Bangalore etc., are in the list of participating institutes.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT EXAM CENTRES CAT exam centres will be located in approximately 147 cities as announced in the official notification on July 29. Candidates will have to select four cities where they would like to take CAT during application process. Almost every state of the country has a CAT exam centre. IIM Calcutta has added two new States where CAT 2018 exam centres will be located – Mizoram and Nagaland. The table below brings to you list of cities where CAT exam centres will be located. CAT Exam Centres Exam State

Exam Cities

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Port Blair

Andhra Pradesh

Chittoor, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Kurnool, Chirala, Nellore, Kakinada, Guntur, Rajahmundry, Vizianagaram, Vijaywada

Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar

Assam

Silchar, Guwahati, Jorhat, Tezpur, Dibrugarh

Bihar

Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Purnea, Darbhanga, Aurangabad

Chandigarh

Chandigarh

Chattisgarh

Raipur, Bhillai, Bilaspur

Delhi-NCR

Delhi-NCR

Goa

Goa

Gujarat

Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Anand

Haryana

Krnal, Hisar, Panipath, Ambala, Rohtak, Kurushetra

Himachal Pradesh

Shimla, Hamirpur

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu, Samba

Jharkhand

Bokaro, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh

Karnataka

Bengaluru, Mysuru (Mysore), Belagavi(Belgaum), Dharwad, Hubballi(Hubli), Kalaburagi(Gulbarga), Mangaluru(Mangalore), Shivamogga(Shimoga), Udupi

Kerala

Trivandrum, Kannur, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Thrissur

Madhya Pradesh

Ujjain, Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Satna, Jabalpur, Sagar

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Exam State

Exam Cities

Maharashtra

Mumbai, Nagpur, Amravati, Pune, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad-Maharashtra, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Nanded, Nashik, Satara, Solapur, Ulhasnagar, Raigad

Meghalaya

Shillong

Mizoram

Aizawl

Nagaland

Kohima

Odisha

Sambalpur, Cuttack, Balasore, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Dhenkanal, Rourkela

Puducherry

Puducherry

Punjab

Amritsar, Mohali, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Mohali, Pathankot, Sangrur

Rajasthan

Jaipur, Udaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Sikar, Kota

Tamil Nadu

Madurai, Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Salem, Tirunelveli, Trichy

Telangana

Hyderabad, Karim Nagar, Warangal

Uttar Pradesh

Varanasi, Agra, Jhansi, Lucknow, Aligarh, Allahabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar

Uttarakhand

Dehradun, Dehradun, Haldwani

West Bengal

Siliguri, Asansol, Bankura, Burdwan, Kolkata, Durgapur, Hooghly, Kalyani

How to select CAT exam centres 2018? Candidates would get the option to choose the exam centres at the time of filling the application form. Candidates will be able to select as many as four cities from the drop-down menu. CAT authorities will allot the exam centre on the basis of candidate’s preferences. However, a nearby centre will be allotted in case the selected exam centre is not available. According to IIM Calcutta, cities and centres will be assigned to the candidates only after the last date for CAT 2018 registration and hence candidates need not rush to block slots and cities in the initial days of registration. Concerned authority will try their best to assign candidates to their first preferred city. In case it is not possible, they will be assigned a city following their given order of preference. In the rare case that a candidate is not allotted any of the preferred cities, he/she will be allotted an alternate city. However, candidates will not be able to select the session because it will be assigned randomly.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT NORMALIZATION PROCESS The scoring and equating process used for CAT exam is known as the CAT 2018 normalization process. Once the exam is over, the result will be declared in the second week of January using the CAT normalization process 2018. In this article, check how the CAT 2018 normalization process works and more.

What is Normalization Process of CAT? CAT Scoring and equating process or CAT 2018 normalization process is a process which is used to follow fairness and equity in comparison of performances of the candidates across different test sessions. The official website describes the CAT 2018 Normalization as, “CAT 2018 shall be conducted in two sessions. Two different Test Forms shall be administered in two Test Sessions. In order to ensure fairness and equity in comparison of performances of the candidates across different test sessions, the scores of the candidates shall be subjected to a process of Normalization.” This process will be used to calculate CAT 2018 result of the students who will appear for the test.

How CAT 2018 Normalization process works? In the CAT normalization process 2018, students are scaled on the basis of location, scale differences, test slots etc. On combining of these scores, a scaled score is obtained and converted into percentiles. The official process states, “The Normalization process shall adjust for location and scale differences of score distributions across different forms. After normalization across different forms, the scores shall be further normalized across different sections. The scaled scores obtained by this process shall be converted into percentiles for purposes of shortlisting.” The CAT normalization process is an established practice for comparing candidate scores across multiple Forms and is similar to those being adopted in other large educational selection tests conducted in India, such as Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). For normalization across sections, we shall use the percentile equivalence.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT QUESTION PAPERS The CAT question papers will allow the management aspirants to check the exact questions asked in the exam and they would be able to prepare accordingly. With the help of actual previous year question papers, candidates can know about the type of questions, topics covered in the exam and the format of the exam. It will also allow the candidates to understand the marking scheme of the exam, syllabus, duration, etc. The conducting body has started releasing the actual question papers alongwith their answer keys for aspirants to habituate themselves with the exam. The previous years’ papers will act like sample papers for CAT and candidates can download them and attempt them in a time-bound manner for practice.

Advantages of CAT Question Papers ●●

The previous year question papers allow the candidates to check the exact type of questions asked in the exam and how they can prepare for it.

●●

Solving the question papers of CAT will allow the candidates to understand their weak and strong points and they can prepare accordingly.

●●

It will also allow the candidates to improve their time management skills. They will also get to know how quickly they need to solve a question, which question to attempt and which question to leave, etc.

As time management is the key to success in CAT exam, candidates are advised to solve the question papers in a time-bound manner to know their level of preparation. Analysing the performance after solving the papers is one of the most important factors while preparing for the exam. It will allow the candidates to focus on their weak points and work on them accordingly. It is important for the aspirants to get their performance in mock tests analysed by experts or mentors to give their preparation a right direction.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT ANSWER KEY The answer key of CAT 2018 will be released by the exam conducting body IIM Calcutta along with the question paper in the first week of December 2018. IIMs started releasing the CAT answer key only from last year. Along with the question paper, the correct answers will be marked in the green colour. Starting from last year, IIMs also allowed the test takers to file an objection if they find any discrepancy in the CAT answer key. To file an objection, candidates will have to pay a certain amount. Last year, the fee to file an objection was Rs. 1000. Read on to know more about the process to download the answer key.

How to Download CAT Answer Key 2018 ●●

Candidates need to visit the official website of CAT 2018

●●

Use login credentials – CAT registration id and password

●●

Click on the tab Shift1/ Shift2 Question Paper

●●

Download the PDF form or check the website itself

●●

The correct answer option is marked in green prefixed with a tick mark, whereas the incorrect answer options are marked in red and prefixed with 'x' symbol

What after checking CAT Answer Key ●●

Candidates would be able to calculate the estimated score after checking the correct answers

●●

Candidates can file for objection in case they find any discrepancy in the answers provided

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ALL ABOUT CAT

How to file Objection on CAT Answer Key? ●●

Go to the official website of CAT 2018

●●

Login with the registered credentials

●●

Click on the tab 'Objection Form' and then '+' sign to add an objection

●●

Now, select section name, question number and type of objection among the three options given:

a) None of the options is a correct answer b) More than one option is a correct answer c) Answer Key is incorrect ●●

An option to add remarks will also be given within 500 words

●●

Now, submit the objection and pay the Objection Fee i.e. Rs. 1000 per question

●●

A candidate can file for as many objections as s/he wants

●●

In case, the objection is found valid by IIM expert panel, the objection fee (excluding transaction charges) will be refunded

●●

If an objection filed by a candidate is found to be valid, the remedial measures taken by IIMs will be applicable to all the candidates and not just the candidate who has raised the objection.

CAT 2018 Answer Key Objection Form - Transaction Processing Fee Mode Of Payment

Transaction Fees

Credit Card (Visa/Master)

1.20% of the value of the transaction

Credit Card (Amex/Diners Club)

2.85% of the value of the transaction

Debit Card (Visa/Master/Rupay )

0.75% of the value of the transaction for value up to Rs 2000 and 1.00% for value more than Rs. 2000

ATM-cum-Debit Cards

0.75% of the value of the transaction for value up to Rs 2000 and 1.00% for value more than Rs. 2000

Net Banking

Rs 18.00 per transaction for HDFC, ICICI, AXIS and SBI Rs 15.00 per transaction for rest of the banks

Cash Card & Wallet

1.75% of the value of the transaction.

CAT Marking Scheme Marking Scheme

MCQs

Non-MCQs

Correct answer

3

3

Negative marks

-1

No negative marking

Unattempted questions

No marks

No marks

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT RESULT IIM Calcutta will declare the CAT 2018 result tentatively in the second week of January 2019 and it will be available online for download. Candidates will be able to check the result using their user ID and password provided at the time of registration. The result will be available in the form of scorecard displaying the percentile and section wise & overall scaled scores. IIM Calcutta will also send the result to the registered mobile numbers of the test takers mentioning their overall CAT percentile. No hard copy of the result cum scorecard will be sent to the candidates. Based on the CAT 2018 result, candidates will be shortlisted for further selection rounds by IIMs and other participating institutes.

How to check CAT Result 2018? ●●

Candidates can either visit the official website of CAT 2018 or Click on the link given above

●●

Login through your registration credentials – CAT user id and password

●●

Click on the tab ‘Score Card’

●●

Download your CAT 2018 result cum scorecard

Candidates are advised to print and keep the CAT scorecard till the admission process is complete.

CAT 2018 Result on SMS IIM Calcutta will also send the overall CAT result to the registered mobile number of the candidates through SMS. What are the Details Printed on the Result cum Score card The following information will be mentioned on the CAT result cum scorecard: ●●

Registration number/User Id

●●

Candidate's name, category and gender

●●

Date of birth (DOB)

●●

Date and time of examination

●●

Candidate contact details and email id

●●

Scaled Score of Section 1 (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)

●●

Percentile of Section 1 (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)

●●

Scaled Score of Section 2 (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning)

●●

Percentile of Section 2 (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning)

●●

Scaled Score of Section 3 (Quantitative Ability)

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ALL ABOUT CAT

●●

Percentile of Section 3 (Quantitative Ability)

●●

Overall Scaled Score

●●

Overall Percentile

●●

Instructions for post CAT result 2018 activities

How is CAT Result 2018 Computed? ●●

The result is computed as per the marking scheme of the exam.

●●

According to the marking scheme of CAT, each question carries three marks.

●●

One mark is deducted for every incorrect answer.

●●

However, negative marking scheme is not applicable for non-MCQs.

CAT 2018 Percentile IIMs declare CAT result in the form of percentile. A percentile is a measure used to indicate the value below which a given percentage of test takers fall. On the basis of the percentile, IIMs and other CAT participating B-schools shortlist candidates for admissions. The CAT percentile will be calculated on the basis of the normalisation process adopted by the IIMs.

CAT 2018 Result – Highlights ●●

Candidates will be able to download/print the exam result. The CAT result will be available only online. No hard copy of the result will be sent to any candidate.

●●

The Overall Scaled Score is the sum of the scaled scores of the candidate in the three sections.

●●

Percentile refers to the percentage of candidates who receive the score less than or equal to the score obtained by the candidate.

●●

IIMs and Non-IIM member institutions independently decide how to use CAT scores follow their own selection process. The score is used only to shortlist candidates for the selection rounds.

●●

In case, any candidate provides incorrect information and violates the admission process, his/her candidature will be disqualified. Candidate’s score will become null and void and s/he will not be allowed to appear for CAT in future. If such instances go undetected during the current selection process but are detected in subsequent years, such disqualification will take place with retrospective effect.

●●

All queries regarding post-CAT selection process must be directed to respective IIMs. CAT Centre will not answer post-CAT related queries.

●●

CAT 2018 score will be valid only until December 31, 2019, and subject to meeting the minimum eligibility marks in the qualifying examination.

Previous Years' Trends of CAT Result Last year, more than 2.31 lakh registered for CAT exam and as many as 1.99 lakh candidates appeared. Based on the previous years’ result of CAT, we bring to you the number of candidates who secured a high sectional and overall percentile in the table below.

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Year-wise CAT Result Trend

Year

No. of Registrations

No. of candidates given the test

Declaration of CAT Result

CAT Result Declaring IIM

CAT 2017

2,31,067

1,99,632

January 8, 2018

IIM Lucknow

CAT 2016

2,32,343

1,95,000

January 9, 2017

IIM Bangalore

CAT 2015

CAT 2014

2,18,664

1,96,988

1,79,602

1,67,829

January 8th, 2016

December 27th, 2014

IIM Ahmedabad

IIM Indore

Scores obtained

Conversion into percentile 100

220.09 – 241.68

100

254.61 – 249.90

100

242.33

99.99

235.33

99.98

215.54 – 215.43

99.89

180.02

99

268.700 – 261.740

100

245.92

99.97

227.65

99.87

178.02

98.07

What after CAT Result? After the declaration of the CAT result, the official cutoff will be declared by IIMs and participating institutes will shortlist the candidates for the selection rounds – WAT, PI and GD. The cutoff percentile will vary from institute to institute. While IIMs and some other top B-schools announce their admission criteria including cutoff prior to the result, a majority of the B-schools declare their cutoffs after the CAT result is declared. Shortlisted candidates will be called for the selection procedure which include Writing Ability Test, Group Discussion/Group Exercise/Case Study and Personal Interview. The final result or the merit lists at the B-schools will be based on candidates’ performance in CAT 2018, selection rounds and overall profile.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT CUTOFF The cutoff of CAT refers to the minimum marks or percentile a test taker must obtain in order to qualify for the next round of selection process. The cutoff depends on various factors such as total number of test takers, difficulty level of the exam, total number of seats, etc. Candidates who are planning to appear for CAT exam must qualify the sectional as well as the overall cutoff in order to get shortlisted for the next rounds of the selection process – WAT-GD/PI. Important Dates related to CAT 2018 Cutoff Events

Important Dates

CAT 2018 exam

November 25, 2018

CAT 2018 Answer Key

First week of December 2018

CAT 2018 Result

Second week of January 2019

Declaration of Shortlisted candidates

Fourth week of January 2019

Final selection rounds at CAT participating B-schools

February-March 2019

Determining Factors of CAT Cutoff The cutoff percentile/marks of CAT 2018 depend on various factors. Some of the factors determining CAT 2018 cutoff are mentioned below: ●●

Difficulty level of exam

●●

Number of test takers

●●

Number of candidates qualifying for the next rounds

●●

Number of seats

●●

Institute repute or ranking

Usually, the CAT cutoff for old IIMs and top B-schools such as FMS (University of Delhi), MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, etc. goes over 99 percentile. New IIMs including IIM Sambalpur, IIM Ranchi, etc. and other top B-schools have cutoff 90 percentile and above. On the other hand, the cutoff for B-schools belonging to tier two to four range from 80 to 50 percentile.

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Previous Year CAT Cutoff for IIMs Let’s have a look at the CAT cutoff for various B-schools and IIMs. IIM Ahmedabad CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

70

70

70

80

NC-OBC cum Transgender

65

65

65

75

SC

60

60

60

70

ST

50

50

50

60

PWD

60

60

60

70 

IIM Bangalore CAT cutoff 2017 Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

85

80

80

90

NC-OBC

75

70

70

80

SC

70

65

65

75

ST

60

60

60

75

DA

60

60

60

75

IIM Calcutta CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

≥80

≥80

≥80

≥90

SC

≥65

≥65

≥65

≥70

ST

≥60

≥60

≥60

≥70

NC-OBC

≥75

≥75

≥75

≥85

PWD

≥60

≥60

≥60

≥70

IIM Lucknow CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

PGP

PGP-ABM

PGP-SM

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

85

85

85

90

80

80

80

85

80

80

80

85

SC

55

55

55

70

55

55

55

65

55

55

55

65

ST

50

50

50

65

50

50

50

60

50

50

50

60

OBC-NC

77

77

77

82

72

72

72

77

72

72

72

77

PWD

50

50

50

65

50

50

50

60

50

50

50

60

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IIM Kozhikode CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

80

80

80

90

SC

50

50

50

65

ST

40

40

40

55

NC-OBC

70

70

70

80

PWD

40

40

40

55

IIM Indore CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

QA Percentile Rank

DI & LR Percentile Rank

VARC Percentile Rank

Overall

General

80

80

80

90

OBC (NC)

70

70

70

80

SC

55

55

55

60

ST

45

45

45

50

PWD

45

45

45

50

IIM Visakhapatnam CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

Section 1 (VARC)

Section 2 (DI & LR)

Section 3 (QA)

Aggregate

General

85

80

80

90

NC-OBC

75

70

70

80

SC

60

60

60

75

ST

50

50

50

55

DA

50

50

50

55

IIM Ranchi CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

Section 1 (VARC)

Section 2 (DI & LR)

Section 3 (QA)

Aggregate

General

80

80

80

90

NC-OBC

60

60

60

78

SC

50

50

50

60

ST

30

30

30

40

DA

30

30

30

40

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IIM Bodh Gaya CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

Section – 1 VARC

Section – 2 DI & LR

Section – 3 QA

Overall

OPEN

>80

>80

>80

>90

NC-OBC

>55

>55

>55

>75

SC

>50

>50

>50

>55

ST

>30

>30

>30

>35

DA

>50

>50

>50

>65

IIM Nagpur CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

DILR Percentile

VARC Percentile

QA Percentile

Aggregate

General

72

72

72

90

NC-OBC

65

65

65

81

SC

50

50

50

65

ST

40

40

40

40

DAP

50

50

50

65

IIM Sambalpur CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

DILR Percentile

VARC Percentile

QA Percentile

Aggregate

General

80

80

80

90

NC-OBC

60

60

60

78

SC

50

50

50

60

ST

30

30

30

40

DAP

30

30

30

40

IIM Kashipur CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

DILR

VARC

QA

Aggregate

General

80

80

80

90

NC-OBC

60

60

60

78

SC

50

50

50

60

ST

30

30

30

40

DAP

30

30

30

40

44

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IIM Raipur CAT Cutoff 2017 Category

DILR

VARC

QA

Aggregate

General

80

80

80

90

NC-OBC

72

72

72

81

SC

60

60

60

75

ST

50

50

50

65

DAP

50

50

50

65

CAT Cutoff for IIM Shillong Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

75

75

75

75

SC

60

60

60

60

ST

50

50

50

50

NC-OBC

75

75

75

75

PWD

50

50

50

50

CAT Cutoff for IIM Rohtak Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

80

80

80

85

SC

45

45

45

60

ST

40

40

40

60

NC-OBC

70

70

70

75

PWD

50

50

50

60

CAT Cutoff for IIM Trichy Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

80

80

80

90

SC

60

60

60

75

ST

50

50

50

75

NC-OBC

72

72

72

81

PWD

50

50

50

65

45

ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT Cutoff for IIM Udaipur Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

80

80

80

90

SC

60

60

60

75

ST

50

50

50

65

NC-OBC

72

72

72

81

PWD

50

50

50

65

CAT Cutoff for IIM Kashipur Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

80

80

80

90

SC

60

60

60

75

ST

50

50

50

65

NC-OBC

72

72

72

81

PWD

50

50

50

65

CAT Cutoff for IIM Sirmaur Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

75

75

75

80

SC

50

50

50

70

ST

45

45

45

65

NC-OBC

68

68

68

72

PWD

50

50

50

70

CAT Cutoff for IIM Jammu Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

75

75

75

80

SC

50

50

50

65

ST

45

45

45

60

NC-OBC

68

68

68

72

PWD

50

50

50

70

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ALL ABOUT CAT

CAT Cutoff for IIM Amritsar Category

VARC

DI & LR

QA

Overall

General

70

70

70

90

SC

50

50

50

55

ST

30

30

30

35

NC-OBC

55

55

55

70

PWD

30

30

30

35

Now let us take a look at the expected CAT cutoff of non-IIM CAT participating institutes. CAT Cutoff for Various Colleges B-School

CAT Cutoff (expected)

Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi (FMS, DU)

98.20 Percentile

DMS, IIT Delhi

98+ Percentile

SJMSOM, IIT Bombay

99+ Percentile

Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras

95+ Percentile

Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon

95+ Percentile

SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) Mumbai

85+ Percentile

Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIMB)

90+ Percentile

Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad

90+ Percentile

National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) Mumbai

95+ Percentile

T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) Manipal

85+ Percentile

Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) Chennai

90+ Percentile

As the CAT cutoff depends largely on the difficulty level of the exam, it’s important to know that the exam last year was moderately tough on the difficulty scale.

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CAT SELECTION PROCEDURE The selection procedure of CAT 2018 will start after the announcement of result in the second week of January 2019. It is likely to be a two-step process followed by IIMs and 100 other CAT participating institutes. In the first step, candidates will appear for the exam that is scheduled to be conducted on November 25, 2018, Sunday, by IIM Calcutta in online mode. Based on the performance in the exam, candidates will be shortlisted for the CAT selection procedure 2018. In the second step, shortlisted candidates will be called for Writing Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). The participating institutes and IIMs will give some weightage to each factor as per their admission process before selecting the students for final admissions.

How CAT Participating Institutes shortlist candidates Each participating institute has its own CAT cutoff. Whoever meets the criterion of a particular institute will be shortlisted for the selection rounds. ●●

MBA aspirants will have to apply separately to the institutes accepting CAT scores within the deadline.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

●●

The admission committee of the institutes assesses the candidates’ eligibility based on their CAT 2018 percentile, past academic records, work experience, etc.

●●

Qualifying candidates are shortlisted for the next round of CAT selection procedure 2018 – GD, PI and WAT.

Now, we bring to you the CAT selection procedure of B-schools.

CAT 2018 Selection Procedure at Non-IIM B-schools – Important points ●●

The non-IIM B-schools conduct separate selection procedure and there is no system for the common process.

●●

The selection procedure includes either Group Discussion (GD) or Writing Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview.

●●

There are some institutes such as IMT Ghaziabad and MICA which conduct Group Activity or Group Exercise instead of Group Discussion.

●●

Some participating institutes conduct both Group Discussion or Group Activity as well as essay writing/writing ability test along with Personal Interview rounds.

CAT Selection Procedure 2018 at IIMs ●●

The admission criteria of IIMs get released in advance, right after CAT is announced. The exam notification is expected to be announced in the month of July 2018.

●●

According to the IIM admission criteria, candidates are shortlisted on the basis of their CAT score/ percentile. Each IIM has different CAT cutoff for the shortlisting.

●●

The shortlisted candidates appear for the selection procedure including WAT and PI rounds.

●●

The final selection is based on the overall performance in the exam, profile, past academic performance etc.

●●

The old IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bangalore, etc. conduct their CAT selection procedure 2018 separately.

●●

The new IIMs conduct Common Admission Process (CAP) rounds. In the CAP rounds, participating IIMs announce individual shortlists and the candidates appear for a common WAT and PI rounds where representatives from all IIMs assess their performances. After the process, the IIMs declare separate institute-wise merit lists based on their individual admission and selection criteria.

●●

The newly established IIMs such as IIM Sirmaur, IIM Jammu and IIM Nagpur will release their merit list on the basis of CAT score/percentile and candidate’s profile and do not conduct GD/ WAT-PI rounds for the final selection.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

‘CAT PREPARATION STRATEGY: IDENTIFY STRONG AND WEAK AREAS BY GIVING FULL-LENGTH MOCKS EARLY ON, SAYS MANEK DARUVALA, T.I.M.E. DIRECTOR’ One of the most challenging management entrance test - CAT, is a few months away. Every year over two lakh aspirant gear up to take the most awaited exam of the year with a hope of clearing the entrance exam with exceptional scores. According to the official notification released by IIM Calcutta, the exam pattern for CAT will remain the same. Manek Daruvala, Director and Founder of T.I.M.E in an interview with Careers360 shares his insights on CAT preparation strategy for each section and the importance of mock tests. He also shares key points on time management for each section of CAT. To guide prospective candidates, Careers360 brings you an expert interview of Manek Daruvala.

Careers360: Is enrolling in a coaching institute a good idea for aspirants who have not started their preparation with just four months or less to go?

Manek Daruvala: For those who believe in themselves that they can put in serious preparation between now and the CAT, the time available is certainly adequate. However, they need to recognise that a lot of time and hard work needs to be put if they want to realise their dreams. Identifying strengths and weaknesses by taking a couple of full-length mocks early on and focusing on improving on the weak areas would be useful for this group of students.

Careers360: For the ones who have already started preparing on their own without coaching classes, please recommend a strategy for the next four months.

Manek Daruvala: In general, I would strongly recommend that students enrol in a classroom programme to ensure that they get a first-hand feel for the competition they are going to face. By joining such a course, they would also understand quicker and faster application of concepts to problems, test-taking strategies etc., which are very important for success in the CAT. However, there would be some students who, for whatever reasons, can not/do not enrol in a classroom program. Such students should ensure that they enrol into a mock test series and take mocks regularly and analyse them. Inputs from the analysis should be used as pointers for the preparation ahead.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

Careers360: What are the must prepare topics in each section which should not be avoided at any cost? Please share some preparation tips on those topics.

Manek Daruvala: While there are some areas from which questions do come frequently and some

from which questions are relatively less frequent, given CAT's unpredictability, students should not avoid any topics and prepare on all of them with equal rigour.

Careers360: Please mention some top books and study materials to be referred by CAT aspirants.

Manek Daruvala: While the material issued by institutes like T.I.M.E. is self-sufficient in itself, some of the books that students can refer to are – How to improve your Reading Speed, and, Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, Puzzles to Puzzle you by Shakuntala Devi etc.

Careers360: How should final year graduation students vis a vis working professionals balance their daily routine with CAT preparation?

Manek Daruvala: The big advantage that students who are studying have, over those who are working is that they have a more-or-less fixed academic calendar. This allows them to have a clear idea of the time available to them for CAT preparation. For those who are working, the work pressure/load at the office can, at times, play havoc with their CAT prep plans. Allotting a fixed duration in a day for CAT preparation is strongly advisable for both the groups. Consistently sticking to this prep-window is very important to keep the preparation going at a healthy rate. Working students, in particular should ensure that in spite of losing out on the prep-window on some days due to work pressure, they adhere to the window on the remaining days and see if they can extend it whenever possible to compensate for the losses that may have occurred earlier.

Careers360: When is the ideal time to start taking mock tests? Also, mention the frequency in which mocks should be taken.

Manek Daruvala: Students should start with their full-length mocks around six to seven months to CAT. For those starting their preparation having less than this amount of time on hand, it is advisable that they start-off their preparation by taking a full-length mock. This will help them get better insights into their strengths and weaknesses so that they can put-in focused preparation which will help them to utilise the time they have effectively. It is advisable to take one or two AIMCATs a week.

Careers360: How can one analyse their performance in mock tests? Please share some tips for analysis and the way forward.

Manek Daruvala: Students should spend about two hours analysing each section of the paper. This will undoubtedly help them extract the most out of the learnings that mocks have to offer them. It is an essential part of the preparation for CAT and students should not make the mistake of failing to analyse their performance in mock tests.

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Things to do for analysis are as below.

Step-1: Attempt all those questions in that section that you left unattempted during the AIMCAT. Step-2: Try solving questions that may still be left over. Only after giving all the questions a good try, check the answer key to find out which questions you could answer correctly and re-attempt all those questions that you answered wrongly. You would be able to learn a great deal from this step since you would actually be pushing yourself to think harder and find out where you have made mistakes. Do not look at the solutions until you are finished with this step.

Step-3: Refer to the solutions and compare your approach with that given in the solutions. You should keenly observe and learn anything new that you may find in the solutions. At the end of this stage of your analysis, you should try to categorise the questions into levels of difficulty based on the understanding required and the amount of time that you would take to solve each of them in an exam situation.

Step-4: Analyse the paper; Section-wise, Area-wise, Difficulty Level-wise. Careers360: How should CAT aspirants balance their preparation with other entrance tests like XAT, IIFT, NMAT by GMAC, SNAP and CMAT?

Manek Daruvala: Most of the exam preparation for these tests gets covered through CAT preparation. There are some additional items like General Awareness (GA), Decision Making, some reasoning

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based topics like non-verbal reasoning etc., that students need to focus on for specific tests. GA is needed for personal interviews/GD/WAT also and is hence not a test specific activity. Getting better on GK is a long drawn process and it is recommended that students spend time on this right from the early days of their preparation. For the other areas like Decision Making, Reasoning based topics etc., focusing on those after CAT would suffice as the exams testing students on these areas (XAT, SNAP etc) happen well after CAT.

Careers360: What can one expect from CAT 2018 in term of exam pattern and difficulty level?

Manek Daruvala: As CAT is known to spring surprises, one can use past trends only to under-

stand the changes that the exam has been going through. One cannot predict anything about the pattern/difficulty-level as any such predictions can be rendered ineffective by the sudden turns that CAT may take. The CAT exam pattern has been stable for the last three CATs with no changes while the difficulty level in QA & VARC has been consistently on the moderate side. LRDI has been the tough section for the students in these CATs.

Careers360: What should be the exam day strategy in terms of time management, maintaining accuracy and fulfilling sectional cut-offs?

Manek Daruvala: Cut-offs are a function of the difficulty level of the section and the paper. Hence you should always be on the lookout to maximise the score in the given conditions of difficulty levels. If the sections are individually timed, as they are in CAT, you will have a fixed time to negotiate the section and hence the task on hand is clear. Sectional cut-offs need not be worried about as the time for each section is fixed.

For exams that have all the sections available throughout the test, the number of attempts per section should be decided during the test, based on the difficulty level of the sections. Targeting a certain number of questions to clear the cut-offs even before looking at the paper should not be done as this may not let you perform at the optimal level. Also keep in mind that sectional cut-offs play a key role only for the schools in the top 30-40. Below this, schools focus only on the over-all cut-offs and not on sectional cut-offs. Hence it important that students should focus mainly on maximising the overall score. Question selection plays a key role in maximising the score while also helping the students maintain a good accuracy which helps them extract optimum returns out of the time and efforts put in. Stay away from blind guessing – CAT and all the other tests have negative marking. The negative marking is to deter students from attempting an extravagant number of questions even without solving them. Blind guessing almost always leads to a negative/low score and is hence to be avoided. However, if you are able to eliminate two/three choices (out of the four or five) on a proper basis, then, you may consider making an “educated guess”, based

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ALL ABOUT CAT

on what your instinct tells you. Keep in mind that your “instinct” will be able to guide you only if you have fed it well, i.e., if you have prepared well.

Careers360: Please share detailed preparation strategy for three months, two months and last month for CAT-takers.

Manek Daruvala: It will help immensely if you have a focused and measurable plan for the coming 3-4 months. For example, in the Verbal Ability area, one could target completing a pre-decided number of exercises in each of the areas every day. Or, a day each for the different question types on Paragraphs (Para formation, Para completion and Para summary), followed by three days of intensive grammar prep covering all the standard models of questions. You may include reading a few novels in your plan. You can take a call on Vocabulary, based on the level you are at currently. A targeted plan like this will help you track your progress on a real-time basis.

If you think your performance in any one of the areas is trailing that in other areas then you could begin with getting the weak area on par with the others areas. It will be important to devise a plan for each topic/question type within each subject and define targets for the same. Similarly, if you look at the QA area, you should apportion your time according to Arithmetic, Numbers, Geometry & Mensuration, Pure maths etc. Do a realistic analysis of your comfort level with each of these areas. For an area in which you are strong, you could just revise difficult/very difficult problems. For an area where you tend to skip/get most questions wrong, you should begin with the basic problems and go all the way to the very difficult problems. The first couple of months from now on should be dedicated to concept building and eliminating weak areas. The month after that can be focused on improving the understanding and application levels of the concepts learned earlier by attempting higher level of questions and taking a good number of mock tests. The last month should be spent on fine-tuning the test taking strategy by focusing on better question selection, spotting tough questions so that one can veer away from them.

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CAT: WHEN AND HOW TO START PREPARATIONS When it comes to studying for an exam and cracking it successfully, you are the best judge to answer the question of when to start preparation. It is best to ask yourself how many months you need to prepare for CAT. According to the experts, three to four months of dedicated preparations might take you towards your goal of securing a high percentile. Before sharing the 10 tips on how to prepare for CAT 2018, let us take a look at the exam pattern of CAT along with the CAT syllabus. CAT 2018 Exam Pattern Section

No. of MCQs

No. of Non-MCQs

Questions

Total Marks

Time allotted (minutes)

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

24

10

34

102

60

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)

24

8

32

96

60

Quantitative Ability (QA)

27

7

34

102

60

Total

75

25

100

300

180

Although there is no specific syllabus for CAT, based on previous years' analysis, the major topics include Number Systems, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration, Higher Maths (Quantitative Ability); Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary, Fill in the blank (Verbal and Reading Comprehension) and Graphs, Charts, Caselets, Series, Arrangement etc. (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning).

How to Prepare for CAT 2018 Exam Here we bring you 10 success tips for How to prepare for CAT 2018. #Take mock tests in an online environment You must take computer-based mock CAT so that you are familiar with the actual test environment. Taking the mock CAT in a real environment will make you completely prepare for CAT 2018 and save any wastage of time on understanding the mode of test. You can also

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join CAT test series to take a few mock CAT online. Also, you must re-visit previous year CAT sample paper and solve it to have an actual feel of the test. Putting yourself in the actual testing environment will help you to take CAT on the test centre on your D-day. Shikhar Sachdeva, who had secured 99.98 percentile in CAT 2017 mentions, "The best strategy for an aspirant would be to take 2 mock series from renowned institutes, 1 booklet series, and then make use of any one web course." #Analysis is must After every CAT mock test, you must analyse your performance and evaluate your scoring areas based on CAT exam pattern. Shiv Raj, an IIM Calcutta student and 99.94 percentiler in CAT shares, "Whenever you take a mock test, assess not only the wrong questions but also the right ones. Sometimes you may score very high, while on other occasions you might get a low score. Do not get demotivated with a low score and don’t become overly confident when you score high. The key to success in CAT is perseverance and not hard, but smart work." Rohan Joshi, CAT 2017 topper with 99.63 percentile says, "During weekends I took  fulllength tests and analysed them. In parallel, I kept working on my weaknesses and the areas which I wasn’t comfortable with." In order to prepare for CAT 2018, you also must go through the explanation of answers and see whether you already knew the core concept for solving each question. You should list down the questions which you could not solve despite having the conceptual clarity on the same. Once you know these areas according to CAT test pattern, you must go back to the textbook or your CAT preparation material and revise the concepts along with practising a few questions on the particular areas. This exercise will help you reap the hard work that you have been putting for CAT preparation for last few months. Sharing his CAT preparation tips, Kamlesh Sajnani, Managing Director, IMS Learning Resources in an interview with Careers360, says that more important than taking the mock CAT test is its analysis. “If you don’t learn from each test before proceeding to the next, there is no point in taking a large number of them,” he says, adding, “Try out various strategies for each test such as dividing your time equally in each section or spending more time on the weaker sections by working quickly in the stronger sections. It is also important to attempt a variety of tests because you may score well in a test that is more suited to your strengths while the CAT may carry more questions of the kind you are uncomfortable with. An exposure to a range of problems and the rationale behind them will ensure that you are better prepared.” #Focus on strength In order to know how to prepare for CAT 2018, it is of utmost importance to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Going by your own evaluation, you must focus on your strong areas and build on the same. As most of the questions in CAT syllabus are based on the application of

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basic concepts, learning both concepts and application at this stage is not advisable if you are aiming to crack CAT 2018. Instead, you should put all your efforts towards the areas which you have nearly been able to control and solve questions on the same. "I had a very strong basis of the concepts used in Quant and DI & LR, along with a lot of practice in working fast from my JEE preparation, although that was a long time ago. Even then, my strength was my judgment of whether a question was worth my time, and that helped,” says Arvind Menon, who secured 100 percentile in CAT 2017. #Practice a lot CAT Experts suggest that you must practice a lot so that you can make an instant connect with the question during your CAT exam day. Regular practice with a scheduled stretch will not only help increase your question-solving speed but also make you habituated to sit for three hours. Chhavi Gupta, one of the two female CAT 2017 toppers who secured 100 percentile mentions, "I rigorously practised the Mock CAT series, selected some random tests online and sample CAT. To be precise, I solved 35 practice tests and analysing them critically." #Set target but be open to the number of attempts CAT 2018 pattern is expected to be same as last year. Hence candidates should target minimum and maximum number of questions that you will be attempting during CAT 2018. But experts suggest that you should be open on this number during your actual test in order to crack CAT 2018. Though around 20 questions in each the sections can take you to around 98 or 99 percentile in CAT, you should not relax despite reaching your target as last few attempts can bring you much advantageous edge over competitors. Mayank Raj, 100 percentiler, CAT 2017 shares that he had attempted all questions from Quantitative Ability as it was his strength area accurately followed by DI & LR and VARC. #Time management With 60 minutes allotted for each section during your CAT test duration, you should first attempt the questions which you can solve quickly. If you are doubtful on a question at the first glance, you leave it in the first round and come back to it in sequence after you have completed the first round of attempts. As you quickly solve a few questions, it will instil a higher level of confidence to attempt the difficult questions during the second round of attempts. Sharing his section wise time management strategy regarding how to prepare for CAT 2018, Madhur Gupta, CAT 2017 100 percentiler says, "In DILR, I focussed on question wise approach. Did the easier questions of the set and marked the tough ones of later consideration. In this was completed five sets and later came back to the tougher questions. I found this very convenient. Quant and verbal sections were too easy for any strategy. You either knew the answers or didn't know them."

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#Don’t compromise with accuracy Time management is one of most important part of the CAT with prioritisation of questions becoming one of the key areas to success. As you go on attempting questions during your CAT, make sure that you compromise very little on accuracy. “My basic strategy for the D-day was to attempt as many questions as possible. Even though there was a slight compromise with the strategy but it ended up attempting 90% questions with around 70 percent accuracy.,” says Nikhil Raj Singh of IIM Shillong PGP 2017-19 batch student. While speed is important to increase your number of attempts, maintaining a higher level of accuracy is even more important to convert your attempts into your score. Also, achieving a higher level of speed without a high level of accuracy results in negative marking also, making it a double loss proposition with your time spent on the question reducing your overall score by one mark. CAT has negative marking pattern with three marks awarded for every right answer and one mark reduced for every wrong answer. #Reverse action In case you find questions a little difficult during the second round of your attempt, you must go reverse while solving the questions and scan the answer options first. Sometimes, answer options hold crucial clues towards solving the questions. You can also go by eliminating wrong options first, which reduces the number of answer options making it a little easier to find the right answer. Sai Praneeth Reddy, another 100 percentiler mentions, "I started with DILR but I found that first few questions were really tough and time-taking. So, I skipped first four questions. Gradually, I realised that skipping questions won’t lead me anywhere. Then I started from the last question followed by whatever I could answer first." #Relax well before your D-day You should prepare well before your date with CAT. Spend a day before the test in a stressfree environment. You should meet your friends and relax the way you like. After your hectic preparations for CAT in last few months, take a day-long break to reorganise your thoughts and D-day strategy. Forget about your weaknesses and have confidence in what you know as Sourav Santikari, SPJIMR Mumbai student and CAT 99.39 percentiler says, “Just keep calm. Try to take as many mock tests as possible so as to build your strategy for the exam day. Before the exam day, it is extremely important to keep your cool and rest properly.” #Be focused and keep calm during CAT Once you enter the test centre keep yourself focused on the test and maintain calm. Pranit Arora, who secured 100 percentile in CAT 2015 says, “It is important to stay relaxed and not get nervous for the test. Stress leads to failure which must be avoided. So do not overthink, stay calm and confident.” Now that you know how to prepare for CAT 2018, you must also remember that CAT only measures your intellect and the kind of effort that you have put. As you have already made the best efforts, now you need not worry about CAT results and CAT selections. Focus on maximising the number of attempts with high accuracy. Leave the rest on to your honest effort.

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CAT- MUST READ BOOKS FOR PREPARATION To prepare for an exam, books are the best source as they enhance knowledge and provide insights about a topic. Preparing for a highly competitive exam like CAT, aspirants often face the problem of plenty. There is no dearth of books and resources, but to choose the right one, and preparing strategically along with adequate practice is the key to success. To help aspirants crack CAT 2018, here are the best books for CAT preparation. Not only us, or the experts, even CAT toppers suggest preparing from the available books. Arvind Menon, CAT 2017 topper with 100 percentile, referred to Quantitative Aptitude by Arun Sharma and CAT preparation books by Nishit Sinha. Best books for CAT 2018 preparation When it comes to best books for CAT preparation, there are some highly recommended authored material for beginner and advanced level preparations. Let us have a look at the some of the books cum study material available for different sections of CAT. These will support you to have CAT section wise preparation in the best possible way. Best Books for CAT Quantitative Ability (QA): This section tests the problem-solving approach of the aspirants. With high difficulty level, QA covers topics like Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, Modern Mathematics and other questions related to Higher Maths. The best books to prepare for this section of CAT are: ●●

Arun Sharma’s ‘How to prepare for Quantitative Ability for CAT’, published by Tata McGraw HillThis book is most recommended for CAT aspirants to prepare for QA section. The book follows the latest pattern of CAT with a focus on one of the most important components of the CAT exam is Quantitative Aptitude.Each chapter has questions at the end that have been split up into three sections, based on the level of difficulty. Mock papers are also available in this book.

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Arun Sharma’s The Complete CAT Digest, by Tata McGraw-Hill, is a must-have for any CAT aspirant. It covers the basics of CAT entrance examination with the QA examination as for its main focus.

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How to Prepare for the CAT Common Admissions Test by Muhamed Muneer, published by Om Books, is another book that is simple and easy to understand, and has mock tests and solved CAT papers from previous years.

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Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha (Tata McGraw-Hill) has a comprehensive step-by-step problem-solving guide.

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Quantitative Aptitude for CAT and Other MBA Entrance Exams by Trishna Knowledge Systems (Pearson) has many practice exercises in increasing difficulty for a gradual transition.

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Best Books for CAT Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VARC): This section basically tests the English language skills of the test takers. The question types are divided into two parts, Reading Comprehension and English Usage. The English Usage questions can be further classified into Vocabulary, Grammar and Verbal Reasoning. The best books to prepare for this section are: ●●

How to Prepare for the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay (Tata McGraw-Hill) is a workbook with practice questions and tips based on previous CAT papers.

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Nishit Sinha’s The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (Pearson) covers a wide range of topics explained in an easy-to-understand manner.

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Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.

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Barron’s Pocket Guide to Vocabulary.

Best Books for CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR): The questions from this area are mainly in the form of caselets. The test takers have to analyse the data given in various ways and answer the questions. The topics covered in this area are Data Arrangement, Seating Arrangement, Blood Relations, Bar Graph, Data Sufficiency etc. The books to refer include: ●●

How to Prepare for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning for CAT (Tata McGraw-Hill) by Arun Sharma covers all the fundamental concepts of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

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Trishna's Verbal Ability And Logical Reasoning For The CAT And Other MBA Examinations by T.I.M.E. Publisher: Pearson

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CAT 2017 TOPPER INTERVIEW: PRACTICE WELL AND DON'T LOSE YOUR CALM, SAYS 100 PERCENTILER CHHAVI GUPTA Chhavi Gupta is one of the two women CAT 2017 toppers securing 100 percentile. An alumnus of IIT Delhi’s five year dual B. Tech and M. Tech degree in Biotechnology, she is currently working at Opera Solutions as a Business Analyst. She could prepare for CAT only during the weekends due to her office schedule. Despite the time crunch, planning her study schedule, concentrating on the logical applications of formulae, basic concepts and practicing about 35 mock tests helped her crack the most competitive MBA entrance test for IIMs and over 100 B-schools across India. Chhavi Gupta, an avid reader; one out of the two female candidates who bagged 100 percentile, shares her CAT 2017 exam experience in details with Careers360 in this interview.

Careers360: Heartiest Congratulations on scoring a perfect 100 percentile in CAT 2017. Please tell us something about yourself.

Chhavi- Thank you so much. I hail from Jaipur, Rajasthan. However as my Dad is a Govt. employee, we kept relocating to different places. I completed my schooling in Delhi and acquired various scholarships since my school days. My mother, a part-time Pharmacist was very particular about my studies since my formative years. I am the eldest of 3 siblings; my younger sister is pursuing MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College and my younger brother is studying in 6th standard. After completing my dual degree from IIT Delhi in Biotechnology, I got placed at Opera Solutions as a Business Analyst.

Careers360: What were your overall and sectional percentiles? Chhavi- My overall percentile in CAT 2017 was 100. Here are the sectional percentiles: CAT sectional percentile Section Name

Percentile

Verbal Ability/Reading Comprehension (VARC)

99.94

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

100

Quantitative Ability (QA)

99.98

Total

100

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Careers360: How was your exam day experience? What, according to you, were the toughest and easiest sections?

Chhavi- I was pretty confident on the exam day, as my mocks had gone very well few months before the CAT day. I kept my calm throughout the exam hours. For all the sections, I picked up the sets which I was confident about to avoid negative marking.

There were no sections which, according to me, were tough or easy. I had encountered similar questions in my mock and sample CAT tests. Mostly all the question patterns were known to me. DILR and Reading comprehensions were quite tough, so I chose the ones which could be easily comprehended by me. Took five to seven minutes in selecting what to do and what not to do.

Careers360: How did you prepare for CAT 2017? What are the factors behind your success? Chhavi- As I had limited time, had to plan accordingly. I took up coaching sessions with T.I.M.E, but did not have enough time to read through the modules. So, I rigorously practised the Mock CAT series(AIMCAT) prepared by them, selected some random tests online and sample CAT. To be precise, solving 35 practice tests and analysing them critically called for the cent percent percentile. Sound knowledge of the basic concepts, controlling distractions, working through practice tests and critical self-analysis were the factors which led to my success.

Careers360: What was your time management strategy? Chhavi- Selection of the questions was the first thing I indulged in and devoted five to seven minutes for doing the same. I had answered 24 questions in RC and spent 42-45 minutes as my accuracy level was very high. In general, the accuracy in VA questions was low, so for rest of the VA questions (Jumbled sentences and Fill in the Blanks), I spent nearly 15-20 minutes.

For DILR- I gave five to seven minutes to plan and select the order of the sets. As I could not comprehend the first two sets, just skipped and solved rest of the sets. Finally, for the QA section, I gave 30 minutes each to the two sets of 17 questions. I religiously followed my preparation pattern and did not change my strategy on the test day. It is important to let go of a question if it is costing more time.

Careers360: Did you take coaching? How helpful was it? Is it possible to succeed through self-study?

Chhavi- Yes, I took a student programme with T.I.M.E and the centre had a pool of good faculty members. Due to the time constraint, I could not refer to CAT modules; depended primarily on the lectures and the mock tests. (AIMCAT series). Certainly yes. If one is focused, has his/her basic concepts clear, solve a substantial number of practice tests, he/she does not have to enroll in coaching classes.

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Careers360: For the first time ever, IIMs released CAT question paper and answer key. Did you find any wrong question/answer? Did you file an objection?

Chhavi- Yes. I wasn’t sure of an answer provided in the answer key, so clarified the same with one of the professors and he explained me the answer. So, I do not have any further objection.

Careers360:Which B-School are you planning to join and why? What are your career plans after MBA?

Chhavi-I am looking forward to one of the top three IIMs (IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta). All the three have great campuses and faculties. I would also get an opportunity to interact with bright peers and exposure to new aspects of management studies. Do not have a dream career per se but as I am working as a Business Analyst, would like to be in the Consulting domain.

Careers360: Who has been your idol? Chhavi- The one name that crops in my mind is my mother. As I already mentioned earlier, she used to be very serious about my academics. I would not have been able to score 100 percentile if she had not pushed me with her guiding spirit. I look up to my father as well; admire his diligence and dedication towards work.

Careers360: What are your spare time activities? How did you relax amidst CAT preparation? Chhavi- Reading books (History, Drama and Non-fiction), singing and spending time with family, especially younger brother. I used to study for three hours at a stretch and then take a break to go out for cycling or watch television. It helped me getting rejuvenated physically as well as mentally.

Careers360: Any suggestion that you would like to share with aspirants? Chhavi- To score well, you need to focus on time practice how to let go off a question, if you cannot solve it within 5-7 minutes. Also, keep your calm and follow your preparation pattern; do not change your exam strategy on the test day. My best wishes for all the future aspirants.

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ALL ABOUT CAT

KNOW CAT EVOLUTION OVER THE YEARS As the prestigious national-level MBA entrance exam is famous for bringing changes over the years, CAT 2018 announcement was also expected to unveil surprises. However, there has been no change in CAT 2018 exam pattern as compared to last two years. The number of exam cities and application fee has increased. Over the past years, it has been observed that the CAT conducting body throws surprises either in terms of pattern, schedule or other exam features.

CAT Test Pattern Changes over the years CAT underwent major changes in the past few years. In the year 2015, CAT was announced with an introduction of on-screen calculator and non-MCQs. The test paper was also divided into three time bound sections instead of two sections as in the previous year. The duration of the test was also increased to 180 minutes from an earlier duration of 170 minutes. Some of the experts suggested that the changes in CAT exam pattern were not new as prior to CAT 2011 the exam followed a three-section structure along with a sectional time limit. The sectional time bound of one hour was welcomed not only by the candidates but by the experts as well. VistaMind Education CEO, Arks Srinivas said, “The pattern is a continuation of what the IIMs have always believed in. All the CAT exams between 1999 and 2010 actually have been three section exams and the split among areas is exactly the same.” The following table brings to you the test structure of CAT over the past 6 years. CAT pattern changes over the years Year

Number of Question

Sections

Marking Scheme

Duration

Conducting body

Other Element

2018

100 (32 in 1 section and 34 in other 2 sections)

Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR).

+3, -1, no negative marking for Non-MCQs

180 minutes

IIM Calcutta

-

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Year

Number of Question

Sections

Marking Scheme

Duration

Conducting body

Other Element

2017

100 (32 in 1 section and 34 in other 2 sections)

Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR).

+3, -1, no negative marking for Non-MCQs

180 minutes

IIM Lucknow

-

2016

100 (32 in 1 section and 34 in other 2 sections)

Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR).

+3, -1, no negative marking for Non-MCQs

180 minutes

IIM Bangalore

-

2015

100 (32 in one section and 34 in other two sections)

Quantitative Ability, Verbal and Reading Comprehension and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

+3, -1, no negative marking for Non-MCQs

180 minutes

IIM Ahmedabad

Introduction of Calculator/ Induction of NonMCQ

2014

100 (50 per section)

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (not in particular order)

+3, - 1

17 0 minutes or 2 hours and 50 minutes

IIM Indore

Test was divided into two sections/ Introduction of two-day test window

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Year

Number of Question

Sections

Marking Scheme

Duration

Conducting body

Other Element

2013

60 (30 per section)

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (In first and second order)

+3, -1

140 minutes or 2 hours 20 minutes

IIM Indore

Conducted on last years’ pattern

2012

60 (30 per section)

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (In first and second order)

+3, -1

140 minutes or 2 hours 20 minutes

IIM Kozhikode

-

2011

60 (30 per section)

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (In first and second order)

+3, -1

140 minutes or 2 hours 20 minutes

IIM Calcutta

-

In the year 2014, CAT was conducted by IIM Indore in an absolutely new pattern. There were two sections with 50 questions each. While in CAT 2013, there were two sections and each section had 30 questions. CAT 2011, conducted by IIM Calcutta also underwent a major change in terms of the exam pattern. Instead of three, the exam had two sections, namely Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning & Verbal Ability. While the areas of testing remained same, the four areas were merged into two. The total number of questions remained 60 with each section having 30 questions.

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In the year 2009, from the traditional paper pencil based test, CAT became a computer based test with a duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes. IIM Ahmedabad conducted the test and it was Prometric India Pvt. Ltd.’s first year as the online testing partner. Owing to the huge shift in pattern, the first year of the computer-based CAT experienced massive technical glitches resulting in a retest. CAT takers also questioned the normalisation process of the test. Also, as per the Non-Disclosure Agreement, the question topics and the number of questions per area cannot be disclosed in detail. The overall difficulty level was even easier in the retest which was conducted in January 2010.

Changes in the CAT Test window over the years Not only in the terms of exam pattern, CAT has observed changes in terms of its testing window too. As per the trend, CAT has been conducted in November every year. However, in 2016, IIM Bangalore conducted on Sunday, December 4, 2016, in two slots. This is for the first time that CAT was conducted in December since the introduction of the computerbased exam in 2009. Preferring the single day window, Gautam Puri, Vice Chairman, Career Launcher said that the single day testing helps minimise controversies around normalisation processes. He even expected that CAT 2016 will see a higher number of test centres and a single day and single slot testing window. Echoing the thoughts, Arks Srinivas had last year said, “I would be extremely happy if by CAT 2016, they conduct the exam in just one slot. The heartburn of flawed normalisation techniques would be gone and students can then compete and get judged on the same platform!” Since its inception year 2009 till 2013, computer based CAT was conducted in a 20-day window starting from October to November, in two slots each day. In the year 2014, the conducting body-IIM Indore announced CAT as a two-day test to be conducted in November. While the test window was reduced gradually the number of slots continued to two throughout the years. However, candidates were not given any liberty to select their preferred slots from the year 2014 onwards. The following table brings to you the year wise testing window of CAT. CAT Test Taking Window over the years Year

Testing Window

Slots

2018

1 Day

2 slots

2017

1 Day

2 slots

2016

1 Day

2 slots

2015

1 Day

2 slots

2014

2 Days

4 slots

2009-2013

20-day window

40 slots

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Also, prior to 2014, applicants the had liberty to choose their test date, slot, and CAT exam centre while filling their CAT application form. The option was, however, scrapped from 2014 as applicants could only provide exam city preference and rights to allotted test schedule and centre remained with CAT authorities.

CAT Registration Trend over the years Last year, the number of CAT applications was 2.8 lakh which was highest in past seven years. The actual number of test takers was around 2,30,000.This was the highest application number for CAT after the year 2009 when IIMs had received about 2.41 lakh applications. After witnessing the worst-ever application numbers for CAT 2015, IIM Ahmedabad was forced to extend the application deadline by five days. According to the IIMA officials, the total number of registrations received till the original registration deadline was 1, 38,000, compared to the registered 1.90 lakh candidates in the year 2015. However, the fear of MBA crisis was allayed when the CAT 2015 registrations number increased to a total of 2.18 lakh, after the second deadline. Out of the total registered students, 1, 49,408 applicants were male and 69176 were female, and the rest of 80 applicants were Trans Genders. While the total number of applications received was 2,18,664 and the actual number of test takers was 1,79,602.

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