IIM Ahmedabad, the CAT exam convening IIM, has released the official CAT Notification 2021 on 31st July 2021, the CAT exam full form Common Admission Test will be conducted on 28th November 2021. The CAT notification includes the CAT test schedule, programs offered by IIMs, CAT eligibility, and other crucial facts. It is recommended that you do not schedule any other activities because the CAT notification details will take up the majority of your last weekend day i.e Sunday. The CAT registration process will begin from 4th August morning 10:00 am on the CAT Exam official website iimcat.ac.in.
The CAT Notification is a document issued by the CAT convening IIM that provides all critical information such as the CAT exam schedule, IIM programs offered, CAT eligibility, CAT registration and exam dates, application fee, and some announcements. The Convener of the CAT 2021 exam is Professor M.P. Ram Mohan, professor at IIM Ahmedabad in the Business Policy Area and Chairperson Admissions at IIM Ahmedabad. The CAT 2021 exam will be held under his supervision with TCS as a testing partner. Despite the hurdles, he is confident in his ability to complete the CAT on time.
Start Your CAT 2021 Preparation Journey: CAT Online Courses
CAT Notifications: Important Dates
CAT Registration forms open from 4th August morning 10:00 am.
The deadline for the CAT 2021 application is 15th September 2021 evening 5:00 pm.
The CAT admit card 2021 download date is October 27th to November 28th.
The CAT 2021 exam will take place on 28th November 2021.
CAT 2021 results are likely to be out by the second week of January 2022.
To take the CAT 2021 exam, you must meet the qualifying requirements outlined in the CAT 2021 announcement. Candidates with two years of a university-recognized graduate degree in the former pattern are already eligible to take the exam. To be eligible to take the CAT, you must have a minimum of 50% in your bachelor's degree. As a result, make certain this one as well. There is no need to read the complete notification if you are not eligible for CAT 2021, but if you are, you must check for the other information items as well.
2. Application Fee
For general category candidates, the application cost has been raised to Rs. 2,200 from Rs. 1,900, and for SC/ST category candidates, the fee has been raised to Rs. 1,100 from Rs. 950. Please keep in mind that a candidate only needs to pay the registration costs once, regardless of how many institutes he or she is applying to. Fees cannot be returned once they have been paid regardless of the conditions
3. CAT Test Centres and Important details
The CAT Exam will be administered in 156 test cities across the country. Candidates will be able to choose from any of the six test cities in order of preference. Throughout the selection process, candidates must declare and maintain a valid and unique email account as well as a mobile phone number.
CAT Notifications: Expected Changes
1. Exam Duration
The CAT exam pattern was changed in 2020. CAT 2020 has been shortened from 180 minutes to 120 minutes. In addition, the sectional time restriction was lowered from 60 to 40 minutes. Based on the COVID-19 pandemic scenario in the country, the CAT exam format may or may not be reverted to the previous pattern this year.
2. Number of Questions and total marks
If the country's pandemic situation is brought under control, the number of questions in the CAT 2021 exam may be kept at 100. (for 300 marks). If this is not the case, the questions may be decreased to 74-76 (for a total score of 222–226 points).
3. Exam Slots
The number of exam slots for CAT 2020 has also been expanded from two to three to ensure physical separation and candidate safety. If the pandemic situation is under control this year, the number of exam seats may be lowered to two.
Also Read: Changes In CAT Exam Pattern
CAT Notification: 5 things to Keep in Mind
IIM Ahmedabad will host the CAT 2021 exam in collaboration with testing company TCS. Because of the Covid pandemic, CAT 2021 convener Prof M P Rammohan is expected to make changes to the exam.
The following are the ten key points you should remember before CAT 2021 registration opens a week after the release of the CAT 2021 notification.
1.Programmes offered by IIMs
In the CAT notification, there are 20 IIMs included, along with their programs. When you start the registration process, you'll need to enter the name of each IIM and its selected program in order of preference. Choosing your favorite curriculum and IIM is a time-consuming process that takes up more of your time once you start filling out your registration form. It is recommended that you review the IIM programs listed in the CAT 2021 Notification and rank your choices in order of preference so that you may complete the registration procedure swiftly and avoid wasting time when it begins.
Also Read: Competition in CAT Exam
2. CAT Notification Pdf Download
The document of CAT 2021 Notification Pdf download is enabled with the release of the Notification. You can save the CAT Notification Pdf on your computer and use it to review the crucial details before the CAT registration procedure begins in August.
3. CAT 2021 Exam Syllabus
For CAT preparation, there is a large syllabus. Using the prior CAT exam pattern and themes on which questions are asked in the CAT exam each year as a guide, a candidate can prepare for the CAT 2021 exam according to the CAT curriculum. The CAT exam 2021 syllabus is based on the above-mentioned principles and the existing CAT exam structure. The CAT exam syllabus and pattern, according to past trends, assesses the candidate on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Quantitative Aptitude; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. The CAT exam syllabus covers all of the important topics covered in these sections of the test.
Also Read: CAT Syllabus
4. CAT 2021: Revised Exam Pattern
The CAT website and announcement contain information regarding the updated exam pattern for CAT 2021, including sections, number of questions, and type of questions. Because IIMs examine the CAT exam design every year, there may be major or minor changes in the CAT 2021 exam pattern, which can be discerned by reading the CAT Notification.
Also Read: CAT 2021 Preparation
5. Important Instructions & CAT Admit Card
The CAT Notification and the CAT website have all of the important information on your CAT 2021 admit card download date and exam day instructions. All CAT 2021 candidates should carefully follow these recommendations if they want to take the exam.
You should make a list of the important documents you'll need for the CAT registration process. It is advisable to acquire all essential documents as soon as possible, maintain a working unique email address, and have scanned images of your signature and a photograph of the required size ready to register for CAT 2021.
All 20 IIMs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurugram, IMI New Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, JBIMS Mumbai, TAPMI Manipal, and other hundreds of top-ranked B-schools in India require the CAT exam full form i.e Common Admission Test 2021 for admission to MBA/PGDM 2022-24 batch. Every year, CAT is held in one of the oldest IIMs. IIM Ahmedabad has been tasked with organizing the CAT this year.
There are approximately 145 odd days left for CAT 2021. This is the time when everyone starts thinking about getting an MBA and preparing for the CAT! If one is systematic, consistent, and committed, five months is more than enough. Only a few students have begun their preparations in earnest, and almost everyone is gearing up to do so. June and July are the months when students realize they must take the CAT. If you plan your 5 months properly, you will have more than enough time to prepare for the exam! CAT Online Coaching has many advantages over traditional classroom programs. However, because CAT preparation is self-directed, a few things must be addressed during the course of preparation. Let us find a toppers way to CAT Preparation in 5 months
Start Your IIM Journey withCAT Online Courses
CAT Exam Pattern
CAT 2021 Exam Components
Likely CAT 2021 Pattern (If Covid situation does not improve)
Preparing for any entrance exam necessitates a well-thought-out strategy! Here's one that can give you the broad strokes of what you need to do to get into the coveted IIMs also executed by a 100 percentile topper who is in his dream B-school.
1. Building Foundations
Starting with July-August, the first basic thing is to build on our basic concepts for all three sections. The goal of these two months would be to become completely familiar with the areas, topics, concepts, and types of questions found on the CAT exam. During July and August, the emphasis should be ongoing over all of the topics in all areas of the CAT, namely, QA, DILR, and VARC. The first two months must be used for the first round of exam preparation in all areas using a simple method known as CAT!
CAT Syllabus
2. Fundamentals of Commitment, Assess & Theory (CAT)
Commitment: Solve exercises to apply the concepts/formulas learned.
Assess: Conducting topic-specific tests to evaluate your speed and strategy.
Theory: Learn all of the fundamental concepts and formulae for each topic.
In addition to the foregoing, one must begin taking Mock CATs. For July and August, one mock should be taken every two weeks, and from August onwards, two to three mocks should be taken every week.
3. CAT Preparation in 5 months: Verbal Ability
Read as much as you can and try to understand what you're reading.
Reading newspaper editorials and opinions will help you improve your reading speed and comprehension.
Every day, solve at least four passages and a few questions from Critical Reasoning, Para Completion, and Para Jumbles.
The majority of the practice for this section can be obtained from an Online Verbal Ability Course and mocks, and you can improve greatly if you work hard.
4. CAT Preparation in 5 months: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
LRDI is a scoring section in the CAT that is especially important for those who struggle with other sections. There is no easy, convenient, or straightforward way to improve in the LRDI section. However, with consistent practice and applying a few methods, you can significantly improve your performance.
Solve the problem using a diagram or a table. This will improve the speed with which you can discern the information in the passage.
Solve puzzle games such as Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and so on.
Try as many questions from the online mock test or sample paper as you can.
5. CAT Preparation in 5 months: Quantitative Ability
When preparing for the Quant section, focus on the number of correct answers rather than the number of attempts. This section will include all types of questions, from simple to difficult. When it comes to answering these questions, speed is crucial. The following are the five most important tips for excelling in the Quantitative Ability section:
Chapter by chapter practice. Learn the fundamental theories and types of problems covered in each chapter. One can enroll in an Online CAT Quant Course to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals.
Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, and Number Systems are the main topics in CAT. If you study for 3 hours on weekdays and 6 hours on weekends (excluding coaching time), you will have 60+48=108 hours in a month to work on your fundamentals, plus the time spent in class.
Divide it now in the ratio 2:2:1:1 Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, and Number Systems
Arithmetic: The emphasis should be on ratios and percentages. Once you've figured it out and are proficient in it, calculations for not only QA but also DI-LR will become extremely simple.
Remainders, Divisibility, and Cyclicity are all important in Number Systems. This chapter is crucial in its entirety.
Algebra: Emphasis should be placed on quadratic equations, inequalities, sequences, and series (AP-GP).
Geometry and Mensuration: The entire chapter is crucial. Simply learn the fundamental properties of figures, particularly triangles and circles. For example, if a question arises regarding the value of each external angle in a hexagon, you should be able to determine whether or not a formula should be used.
Increase your speed. While doing the practice, study for 3-4 hours at a time.
To adequately prepare for this section of the CAT, complete at least 20-25 mock tests.
The two months of September and October are critical for preparing for the CAT exam. One must work on strategy, revise, and continue to take full-length mock CATs. Furthermore, now is the time to test out different exam-taking strategies. The 60 days in September and October must be used for the second revision of all concepts via topic-specific tests and section-specific tests. and monitor the progress in each specific topic or area of the exam.
Full-length CAT Mock Tests should be used to fine-tune one's strategy and arrive at a strategy that provides the most benefits. Please keep in mind that there is no one best strategy, and the strategy should be tailored to each individual's strengths and weaknesses.
How to prepare for CAT in 3 months
6. Final Lap Before the Exam
The last 25 days before CAT would be the final assault on the exam! Selective revision, mock CATs, and additional sectional tests are required here, and finalizing exam strategy. After each mock, the main requirements in November would be a thorough analysis of each section, zeroing in on the problem areas, working towards eliminating these problem areas, and, most importantly, strengthening the mental ability to crack this exam.
Aptitude has a time validity attached to it. With these pointers, you'll be ready for CAT exam. Take a lot of mock tests to ensure that you are completely prepared to answer the CAT questions. So, preparing for the CAT in 5 months is not too difficult if one prepares smartly and efficiently.Fill gaps if they still crop up and be as relaxed as possible
Best wishes!
Also Read:How to prepare for CAT 2021?How to prepare for CAT Section-Wise?
This long journey of CAT will finally be over tomorrow. We understand you must be going through a series of emotions right now. In the next few hours, you will be sitting for the exam you have been preparing for so long. For some last moment trips and tricks, we hope this article will help you out.
1. Check your checklist
Before sleeping today, make sure you check and keep all the necessary things you need to carry with you to the exam center. Here is a small checklist you can use –
Admit Card – Take the printout and paste the same picture as in the CAT Form.
Valid ID proof like Aadhar Card, passport, driving license.
2 simple pens to be used in the examination
Mask, Gloves, Sanitizer and Water bottle (Special Instructions due to Covid )
Also, don’t forget to reach the center well before your gate closing time to avoid any last-minute issues.
To download your admit card, click here.
2- Get a goodnight sleep
You must attend the examination with a fresh mind the next day. Try to get a good amount of sleep on the day before your exam. Many students are accustomed to giving examinations without sleeping the previous night but, we do not recommend it. Although, if you are unable to sleep well at night, don’t stress too much about it during the examination.
3- You are in the same boat with other graduates
We often think that belonging from a particular background e.g. being an engineer might give someone an edge in one section over other students. But it is not the case. We should not let this thought disrupt our actions during examination time. CAT is an exam where you will compete with those who are similar to you. An engineer competes with an engineer and a non-engineer competes with a non-engineer. All you have to focus on is yourself. If you are stuck on some question while solving the examination, don’t worry. There will be many more students like you who will also get stuck on the same question. JUST KEEP GOING.
4- Old is Gold !!
Don’t start reading new formulas and new concepts at the end moment. It will only add to your confusion. Whatever you have read in the past months during your preparation is ENOUGH. Just revise what you have already learned, look at your mistakes, and check out the formulas you have used in the past.
5- Focus on your strength
During the preparation phase, you must have given several mocks. After analysis of these mocks, you would have known what you are good at. If at any point in the exam you feel demotivated, say to yourself –I have done it before. I have analyzed my performance and I know what I am good at. I will perform my best in those parts and crack this exam.
6- CAT in an exam for losers
Still worried if you are going to make it or not?
Understand this- CAT is an exam of strategic losers. You don’t need to attempt everything. Neither are you required to master every topic. All you have to do is find your strength and weakness and then use it to answer the questions in the examination. Prepare a strategy in your mind of which type of questions you will be attempting first, what are the questions that you will be leaving, so on and so forth. Just make sure in whatever questions you attempt, try to prevent negative marking as long as possible.
7- During the examination, LIVE IN PRESENT
While attempting the examination, do not think of the topics that you didn’t study or the mistakes you did in your mocks. If you are attempting a particular question, don’t think if you marked the previous answer right or if the next question will be difficult. Just stay STOP in your mind and only focus on solving the current problem. Remember, “What successful people do right is they live in present”
8- Stay Positive and Kill your nervousness
Think of the best mock you gave till now. Why did you score so high in that? The only different thing was your mindset. You gave that mock with a very relaxed and happy mind. Do the same with your CAT exam. Don’t
think about the 1000 ways it could go wrong, think about 1 way it can go right. If you stay nervous, your brain will stop releasing the happy hormones and you won’t be able to focus on your exam. So, before the examination, give a fighter message to your brain that – I’m going to do it.
9- Say your prayers and collect your blessings
Don’t study till the last minute. Before leaving for the examination, pray to your God and collect the blessings of your elders. Build a strong belief in yourself and go attempt that CAT with a big smile on your face.
You will give your best in this examination.
ALL THE BEST!!
To start your WAT-PI preparation for B-Schools, Click here.
CAT 2020 Analysis
CAT2020 is being conducted under the COVID Pandemic in 430 centers across 156 cities with 2.27 Lakh aspirants. Social distancing and COVID guidelines being strictly followed across centers so please reach on time with all the 7 essential items with you. CAT 2020 has been the year of surprises with the biggest one being the reduction in time of CAT from 3 Hours to 2 Hours, this has impacted the paper pattern too in the following manner:
Section
No of Questions
VARC
26 Questions
DILR
24 Questions
QA
26 Questions
Total
76 Questions
Overall the exam was Tough as compared to 2019 with DILR and VARC both being Time consuming and lengthy.
CAT 2020 tested students on Speed, Logic and Analytical skills, a sincere student with well rounded preparation across three sections would make their way to the IIMs . CAT tested students on their actual knowledge instead of mere guesswork.
It was an exam with the twist , Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section was really difficult and time consuming , we saw the changes in Reading comprehension passages with 5 Questions and DI LR Sets with 6 Questions. But this wouldn't affect the overall criteria for a student selection in IIMs.
Negative marking existed for the Multiple choice questions; 1/3rd ie 0.33 negative marks. Type in The answer Questions didn’t have any negative marking similar to the CAT 2019.
The exam was not very difficult, it was manageable provided your concepts were clear. CAT has always been an ardent lover of concepts and logic than calculations, speed and time when compared to other competitive exams.
Feedback from some of the students after the CAT 2020:
“The paper was overall easy, pretty much similar to CAT2019. Thankfully the verbal section went off well to kickstart the exam on a good note. What was surprising was to see no conventional data interpretation questions like the tables, graphs and pie charts. The exam has been as per the expectations so hoping to get good results and making all proud. Awaiting for IIM-A” – Harshit
“The paper was very structured but lengthy and time crunching. VARC was time consuming with concerns with the inference based questions in all Reading comprehensions not many factual questions. LR/DI was the trick section set selection was the key so now let’s hope for the best.” – Sabuj
“A not very tough paper, overall moderate with verbal coming only from 3 areas of RC, parajumbles and inference based questions. DI section was time consuming but manageable. Overall moderate difficulty level so hoping for some good result” – Sarthak
Sectional Analysis:
Overall Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
VARC 26 Questions: Reading comprehension was dominated in the verbal section. There were two passages with 5 Questions remaining all had 4 questions in each passage.More inference based questions and not factual. There were a Lot of author based questions.
Parajumbles were tough 3 questions on Parajumbles, 3 Questions on Parasummary, 2 Questions on Odd one Out.
Summary of Questions
Reading Comprehension 18 Questions
Verbal Ability 8 Questions
The Reading comprehension were based on the following themes:
Passage 1: Elephants
Passage 2: Vocabulary based
Passage 3: Greek Anarchy
Passage 4: Chinese Currency
Ideal attempts in VARC Section: 18 Questions
DILR 24 Questions
LR/DI being Tough, lengthy and time consuming with having a variation with 2 Sets coming with 6 questions each and 3 sets with 4 Questions each. Here the success mantra was the set selection as the 6 questions sets were the toughest and time consuming, so the students should first wrap up the easy ones and grab a good base and then move to the trickier ones.
Summary of Questions
DILR Sets with 6 Questions: 2 Sets = 12 Questions
DILR Sets with 4 Questions: 3 Sets=12 Questions
Ideal attempts in DILR Section: 13 Questions
Quants 26 Questions:
Quants was the easiest out of the three sections with direct formula application and concept based questions dominated by arithmetic and little Geometry and algebra. There was no need for having a lot of shortcuts and tricks, your solving speed and your temperament to understand what the question is asking was the main focus. The Questions based on the Venn diagram were tough. Arithmetic dominated the paper then algebra and numbers, geometry saw a lesser visibility with just 3-4 questions and modern maths was negligent in the paper.
Summary of Questions:
Arithmetic 10 Questions
Algebra 8 Questions
Numbers 5 Questions
Geometry 3 Questions
Ideal attempts in QA Section: 14 Questions
Keeping the new pattern in focus a 99%ile would be an Ideal Attempts 45+ with 90% accuracy
Overall a happy day for students who know their basics and have preached their books with building conceptual clarity and like Rahul Sir always says “Success comes to those who work for it. Keep working hard and you will see the results !” The exams in terms of difficulty level were very close to our Real CAT Exams and closest to RC 18.
Check the Slot 1 Analysis:
For an in-depth analysis on each section, overall cut-off, which colleges to apply and how to gear up ahead stay tuned to the CATKing Youtube Channel.
Those going in for Slot 2 and 3, Stay confident you know your stuff and just give the best shot at it. Would recommend all students to relax, chill and take a break. You have worked real hard for the exam and done your best. Now let the karma play its role, party tonight and come back with a bang for the series of exams lined up ahead, one day one exam can never give an idea about one’s aptitude nor decide your career path. So stay glued and keep rocking !
All the Best to all MBA Aspirants! Punch in your thoughts and concerns and we shall sort you up.
Analysis By:
Rahul Singh ( Director CATKing ) - CATKing is a premier MBA Coaching institute of Maharashtra which focuses on strategic, engaging and high quality education (www.catking.in)
Brief Profile of the Author:
Education :
Harvard Business School (SPNM)
MBA :SP Jain Institute of Management & Research
Master of Information Technology, Virginia Tech
TEDx Speaker at IIM Calcutta and NMIMS inspiring young minds on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Leadership
Awarded Best Online CAT Coaching in India 2020
Awarded Leader in Digital Engagement Strategy Consulting (Engage7x) 2019
Awarded Management Coaching Institute Of the Year - Entrepreneur India Education Congress 2018
Awarded Coaching Institute Of the year 2017 - Higher Education Review
Published in Harvard Business School’s "The 20 Years of Impact" across the Global
Digital Entrepreneur of the Year Awarded for Skill Development & Employability by Times Network, Digital India Summit 2016
Social Entrepreneur Award 2015 by Entrepreneurs India
CAT 2020 - 10 Mistakes You Are Doing In MOCKS !!
CAT2020 is right around the corner, let's share the insights from a CAT 99%iler with you. While you are prepping up with the last mile push giving a mock each day, some super aggressively giving 2 mocks a day too you need to understand to keep these 10 Mistakes in mind that have to be avoided in the Mocks. Give your Final mock after reading this article
Avoid Trailing effect: It often happens while approaching new questions in the exams, we end up thinking about the previous questions that we are even slightly doubtful about. PLEASE AVOID this at all costs. To do this effectively, take a deep breath before you approach the next question.
Not preparing before a mock: Always plan to take a mock in advance. Prepare and go through the formulae list, make a list of the mistakes you made in the last mock and go through it a day before your next mock attempt. To keep yourself motivated, remember your “success” mocks (in which you’ve scored the highest marks) and always aim to score more in the subsequent mocks.
Attempting one section without heart and soul: Naturally, we tend to give our best in our favourite/strong section/s. Try to get rid of your pre-conceived notion about any section so as to improve your overall efficiency in that section.
Taking questions personally: No matter how strong any section/topic might be for you, if you’re not able to get the right answer in the stipulated time, please move on to the next question without wasting any more time.
Not measuring your accuracy/benchmarking: After every mock you take, analyse it thoroughly. Identify the areas where you can improve your efficiency and accuracy and ace those parts in the subsequent mocks.
Tough mock on purpose: As we barely have a few days for the “D Day - CAT 2020” now, DO NOT attempt any “difficult” mocks on purpose. Not giving a mock would be better than getting your confidence level shaken by taking such a mock and not ending up with a good score.
Random question strategy: With a few days left for CAT 2020, do not take next mocks without any strategy. Either consult with toppers/previous CAT-takers/mentors for mock strategies or make your own strategy before taking the next mock.
Reading inappropriately: This happens when you miss out on keywords in a question such as “except”, “can’t”, “doesn’t” et cetera. Read the passages and questions carefully before you start solving them.
Wrong entry on your notebook/rough pads: While solving the question in your notebook/rough pad, you start solving it with wrong details from the question. E.g. taking wrong values or drawing the diagram incorrectly while solving QA sections or missing out on keywords in VARC or LRDI section, AVOID DOING THIS.
Mind frame: During the CAT exam, you tend to have a similar mindset similar as you have had while taking the mocks. You also might have thoughts such as job pressure, taking CAT next year, and similar distracting thoughts. CAT is all about your mindset and strategy. Please make sure that on the FINAL DAY, once you sit in front of the machine assigned to you, DO NOT let any such distracting / destructive / negative thoughts cross your mind. Leave for the exam centre taking traffic into account and go with a positive mindset
On D-Day of CAT exam Strategy | Avoid these MISTAKES in CAT
Always apply Round Robin strategy before attempting a section – go through all the questions at the start of a section and divide the questions into Easy/Medium/Hard LoD.
Stay calm before and during the exam.
Prepare yourself with the notion that VARC and LRDI would be difficult and QA would be a bit easier.
Don’t get stuck on a particular set in LRDI.
Revise VARC rules, QA formulae, and DILR shortcuts.
Don’t get too stressed. An optimum stress level, if channelised, can be used to your advantage.
Make sure to make your attempted questions count! Avoid half-hearted attempts and improve your accuracy.
Go through and try to remember all the questions before attempting a RC. If you are not used to reading long RCs (or reading, in general), start the VARC section with para jumbles, para completion, odd one out et cetera questions. Starting the section with those questions will give you the boost to attempt further questions.
Do not start a new topic now. Focus on your strong topics and improve your weak topics.
Make sure to revise the important and tricky questions in all the questions.
Take a maximum of 2 mocks before 28th, if needed. Or else, you can take sectional mocks.
Schedule your mock time and sleep cycle according to your CAT time slot and get enough sleep.
The moment you feel like solving one more RC or one more set in LRDI, take a few seconds to decide whether to solve another RC/LRDI set or to solve the rest of the questions.
Hope these mistakes help you not fall into anxiety and exam pressure, everybody talks about DO this,DO that but it is very important to understand what not to do ! Keep this as your Success Mantra and follow it through and Crack CAT with flying colors.
Stay tuned to the CATKing Youtube Channel for D-Day Analysis Slotwise and Expected percentiles webinar at 9 pm. Do your best in CAT and leave the rest on us.
All the Best!
CAT 2020 Pattern Changed
CAT Center at IIM Indore has overhauled complete CAT 2020 exam pattern and the pattern of CAT exam has been changed in 2020. Instead of being a 3 hour test, now it’s a 2 hour test; sectional time limit is reduced to 40 minutes per section. CAT exam 2020 will be conducted in three separate sessions: Morning, afternoon and evening on same day – November 29, 2020, day instead of two sessions. Exam is divided into three sections:
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning(40 Minutes)
Quantitative Ability(40 Minutes)
CAT 2020 Exam Pattern - Sectional Time Limit
CAT Exam allows candidates to solve the exam in 120 minutes. However, there is a catch. Candidates are restricted by the sectional time limit to solve the question paper. This means that if a candidate cannot choose to solve the VARC, DILR, or QA section. Whichever section comes first he/she will get the time of 40 minutes to solve that particular section first. Only after solving this section, he/she can move to solve the other two sections.
The sectional time limit clause restricts the candidates to switch between 2 sections. In the CAT exam, generally Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension is the first section to solve, followed by Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and at last, comes Quantitative Aptitude. Aspirants therefore will get 40 minutes to attempt each section. After the time is up, you will automatically move to solve the questions of the next section.
I have done a thorough analysis of past CAT Paper patterns and trends and basis that we expect that CAT would have 66-75 Questions if the same difficulty level is to be retained. Having more than that no of questions will lead to lowering the difficulty level and making CAT also a time game.
The order of the test is fixed and candidates are not allowed to switch between sections. 3 marks is awarded for every right answer and -1 mark for every wrong answer. The difficulty level is usually between Moderate to Difficult.
Let's get into some analysis of this pattern change. These are some possible scenarios of CAT paper.
Case 1: 100 questions
Case 2: 75 questions
Case 3: 90 questions
Case 4: Same as before: 180 min ---100 question so 120 min---67 questions
When compared with the CAT 2019, what can you expect in CAT 2020?
CAT 2020 is expected to have 66-75 questions and only 120 minutes. So the level of difficulty is expected to be reduced if it has 75+ questions. CAT exam has a sectional time limit, which means the candidates will not be allowed to choose any section to start with or switch from one section to another. They will have to follow the CAT 2020 question paper chronologically, from section 1-3. The chronology of the sections will be: VARC🡪 DILR🡪QA.
Aspirants must remember that they will have to complete each section within 40 minutes and the moment 40 minutes are complete, the screen will automatically move to the next section. No changes or corrections will be allowed at a later stage.
It is important to know the CAT marking scheme before attempting the exam so that you can select which questions to answer and which ones to skip. Total marks of CAT 2020 paper is expected to be 190 to 300. Each question will carry 3 marks. Some questions in each section may not be of multiple choice type, thus the answers will have to be typed on the screen. There will be negative marking of -1 each for a wrong MCQ answer. There will be no deduction of marks in case a candidate chooses not to attempt a given question and in case of wrong NON-MCQ answer. An onscreen calculator will be allowed for computation. On screen clock will help candidates keep a check on time. A rough paper will be provided for rough work, which has to be submitted at the exam centre as soon as the exam gets over.
As you can see, CAT is completely capable of shifting the paradigm of the CAT exam pattern and has done so over the years. In order to counter this, the candidates need to prepare for each topic in the syllabus and hone their test taking skills. Attempt multiple mocks and keep practicing and most importantly, stay motivated, keep working hard, and make it happen!
I would advise you to get your conceptual clarity and revise the mock tests to familiarise with the new pattern. Go with mindset to Kill it and achieve the scores.
Don’t panic. Stay motivated, keep working hard, and make it happen!
Good Luck!!
CAT 2020 exam is approaching. There is a lot of uncertainty this year with the paper pattern, pandemic situation, fear of lockdown and exam anxiety as always. I would like to help ease the stress for you with the quick guidelines and make you Relax as How you perform on the day of the exam is all that matters!
CAT 2020 exam day guidelines are crucial for the CAT exam aspirants for the exam which is scheduled to be held on 29th November 2020. Aspirants are recommended to take sufficient precautions and steps so that the CAT 2020 is to be done in the midst of COVID19 pandemic.
Most students have been worried about how to wear a mask, gloves for 2 hours at a stretch and how we will be able to manage Time with the slippery gloves in hand. Students have been asking me “Will the COVID positive students also be allowed to give the exam? is there a separate arrangement for them?” Quotes Poorvi an aspirant. It's an obvious one to be sceptical but you need to keep the guidelines in mind for your safety and hence no matter how tough it gets Masks should not be out for sure. Gloves yeah you can take off while the exam is ongoing to not affect your speed but do carry sanitizer, gloves, masks with you without fail.
Here are important guidelines which candidates are required to follow before and on the D-day. Candidates are advised to understand and read the advisory issued by the government in view of COVID-19 before appearing for CAT 2020 exam:-
Candidates must maintain social distance starting from point of entry in the test venue till their exit from the test venue.
Candidate must carry CAT 2020 admit card, ID Card, transparent ballpoint pen, additional passport size photographs, transparent water bottle, and a personal hand sanitizer.
Candidates are required to carry one valid ID proof (College ID, Employer ID, Driving License, PAN Card, Passport, Aadhar card) etc.
CAT 2020 hall ticket will comprise of a self-declaration form. Candidate must sign the declaration (bottom of the admit card) appropriately and show the same to the centre staff at the entry into the test centre. Candidates would be required to provide details of travel history in the last 14 days and inform true and correct information about COVID-19 symptoms.
The temperature of candidates will be checked at the entry to the test venue via a Thermo Gun
Candidates having symptoms of fever, cough, and cold would be made to sit in a separate isolation room/place with adequate safety measures.
Mapping of ‘Candidate Application Number and the Lab Number’ will NOT be displayed outside the test venue, but the same will be provided to the candidates individually at the time of the entry of the candidate to the test venue, and post their Admit Card and Photo Identification Proof verification.
Candidates need to follow directions given by the test centre representatives during the entry and exit in the test centre.
At the registration desk, the candidate will be directed to sanitize their hands using the sanitizer. Photographs will be captured during the registration process.
Candidates will be under the CCTV surveillance throughout the test duration.
Candidates are required to report at the test venue strictly as per the time slot mentioned in the admit card AND/OR informed via SMS on their registered mobile number prior to the testing date. It is expected that candidate strictly adhere to this time slot – as entry into the test centre will be provided based upon the individual’s time slot ONLY.
The CAT is being conducted at a time when the country is engulfed by COVID 19 pandemic. Hence the government and IIM Indore which is the conducting institute for CAT 2020 have laid down these guidelines which the candidates are expected to follow at the test centre. Hence candidates must ensure that they DO NOT violate the COVID 19 guidelines for CAT and follow other related guidelines as well!
Don’t panic. Stay motivated, keep working hard, and make it happen! Good Luck!!
The admit card for CAT 2020 to be held on November 29th is out. Students can visit the official website and download their respective admit cards from there.
Make sure to read the instructions in the Hall Ticket very carefully and also check that your personal details as well as the centre details are mentioned correctly.
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Evolution of CAT Exam Pattern- Changes in CAT exam pattern over the years
The CAT exam pattern was changed after six years in 2020 due to COVID-19. Until last year, the CAT was carried out in line with the method adopted in 2014. In this article check the history of the changes in CAT exam pattern over the years.
CAT 2021 will be conducted on November 28, 2021 and the pattern will be same as 2020. In 2020, IIM Indore conducted CAT and they made major changes to the pattern. This is not the first time the CAT exam pattern has been changed by IIM Indore. Students were slightly be uncomfortable with the new paper pattern as they had been preparing according to the old one. The biggest change is that the CAT exam is now only two hours with 40 minutes per section. The distribution of questions is- 26 questions in the Verbal ability and reading comprehension and the Quantitative ability section respectively, and 24 questions in the Data interpretation and logical reasoning section. Also, the number of exam slots has been increased from two to three.
In the last six years, the marking scheme of the CAT exam has also not changed. For each correct answer, 3 marks are allotted and for each wrong answer, -1 mark is deducted. there's no deduction of marks for TITA questions and questions left unattempted. The total marks of the CAT 2020 paper are yet to be known.
However, watching the trends of the past 11 years of the CAT exam pattern one cannot fail but notice that the test structure of the CAT exam witnessed an enormous change in 2013-2014 in terms of duration and number of questions. While in CAT 2013, the number of questions was 60 and therefore the time duration was 140 minutes, in CAT 2014, the number of questions increased to 100 and therefore the time duration was increased to 170 minutes.
On the opposite hand, the number of sections kept changing from three to 2 to 3 again between 2010 and 2015. Between 2011 to 2014, the number of sections was two. The DI section of the CAT exam was clubbed with QA and LR section was clubbed with VARC. Given below may be a table indicating changes in the CAT exam pattern over the years.
CAT 2009 witnessed an enormous change because the test shifted from paper-pencil based test to the computer-based test. The exam duration was also changed to 2 hours and a quarter-hour. Prometric India Pvt. Ltd. was the web testing partner of the primary computer-based CAT exam conducted by IIM Ahmedabad. due to the large shift in pattern, the primary year of the computer-based CAT saw many technical glitches which finally resulted within the retest.
CAT aspirants also raised the question on the normalization process of the test. the general difficulty level was even easier within the retest which was conducted in January 2010. the precious lessons learned from 2009 led to the implementation of several changes within the entrance test in 2010 including an increased no. of testing days, more stringent verification checks on the technical and physical infrastructure, improved scheduling and registration system, study material for candidates, etc
In 1998-1999 CAT exam pattern used to be speed based where questions used to be more than 150 and the time allotted was 120 minutes. Before it got changed in 2004 where different marking for different questions was introduced in different sections with the same time limit of 120 minutes and the number of questions was reduced to 123.
After this, in the year 2005-2006, the number of questions was reduced to 90 and 75 respectively where the exam was no more speed based exam.
Data Interpretation/Data Sufficiency/Logical Reasoning,Quantitative Aptitude (QA),Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension(VARC)
+ 4 Marks for every correct answer and -1 for every incorrect answer
150
-
In 2009-10 paper made was changed for pen pencil mode to computer mode
2007-2005
DI+LR=25
QA=25
VARC=25
Total=75
Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)
3 Marks for every correct answer and -1 for every incorrect answer
150
-
Marking system for 2005 was different for different types of question
2004
Total 123 Questions
Data Interpretation: 20Q of 1 mark each
Data Sufficiency: 6 Q of 1 mark each
Logical Reasoning: 12 Q of 2 marks each
QA: 20 Q of 1 mark each
Math problems: 15 Q of 2 marks each
Verbal Ability: 10 Q of 0.5 marks each
Verbal Ability: 14 Q of 1 mark each
Verbal Ability: 5 Q of 2 marks each
Reading Comprehension: 21 Q of 1 mark each
Marking Scheme different for different sections
120
-
-
2003-2001
VA=25
RC=25
DI=30
LR=20
QA=50
Total = 150
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension(VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning(DILR) and Quantitative Aptitude(QA)
Marking Scheme different for different sections
120
-
Exam Format Changed in 2001
1999-2000
VARC=55
DILR=55
QA=55
Total=165
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension(VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning(DILR) and Quantitative Aptitude(QA)
Marking Scheme different for different sections
120
-
Speed based Test
1995-1998
VA=50
RC=50
DI=40
QA=45
Total = 185
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension(VARC), Data Interpretation & (DI) and Quantitative Aptitude(QA)
Marking Scheme different for different sections
120
Speed based Test
Trends in CAT Registration
CAT 2015 witnessed the worst ever number of applicants and IIM Ahmedabad, the conducting authority was then forced to increase the appliance deadline by 5 days. Only 1,38,000 registrations were received for CAT till the first registration deadline. However, by extending the date by 5 days the registrations went up to 1.90 lakhs. However, the fear of MBA crisis was allayed when the number of registrations went up to 2.18 lakhs, after the second deadline. Around 18% of these who registered for CAT didn't appear for the test. In 2015, out of 2,18,664 registered students just one,79,602 appeared for the exam.
The number of CAT applicants has seen an upward trend within the last 2 years showing after a quick decline during the recession years. In 2018, approximately 2,40,338 candidates registered for CAT.
With almost 3 months left for the CAT exam, it's imperative that those serious about making it through to the IIMs change gears on their preparation. Some students would be wondering if they really have it in them to form it through the CAT exam, after the initial set of mocks that they need to be taken. In this article, you will learn about how to get 100 percentile in 3 months
But, if one can identify the weak areas and put in focused effort to enhance upon them, the CAT is going to be a way tamer animal than it might appear to be otherwise.
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Let us check out each of the areas in CAT and discuss how one can improve on them within the upcoming months.
Verbal ability
Reading Comprehension
CAT has traditionally been an RC centric paper, for English. 5 passages are appearing within the recent CATs with 4-5 questions per passage. a couple of critical factors in RC preparation:
Reading on diverse topics
Target all direct questions followed by partially inferential questions.
During the Test: Ideally less than 10 mins are to be spent per passage and it's to be ensured that each one passage are checked out
Verbal Ability
This includes Para formation and Para summary questions Following are a couple of approaches to answer these questions:
Identify the introductory statement (this statement would tell us what the paragraph is all about)
Then identify links that might connect the 2 sentences. These are called connectives. These connectives are often conjunctions (but, and) or are often content connectives like cause-effect, generic to specific, etc.
Remember that there are not any short cuts to learning a language. The practice is the key to success during this section. Spend a minimum of an hour daily on regular reading and another 30 mins reading passages from various online sources.
CAT Exam Pattern
Quantitative Ability
List out the areas/topics to focus on: because the sections are timed individually, selective preparation is extremely risky, together may find yourself getting questions from the areas that he/she has overlooked of preparation.
Therefore, till the last 3-4 weeks running up to the exam, the scholars should specialize in recuperating on all the topics in Quant. Then the main target should be shifted to concentrating on specific areas which might give them the utmost return for his or her time. A two-pronged approach must be adopted for this
1. Mock-CAT Performance Analysis: Students should have a transparent understanding of their comfort level altogether Quant topics. CAT mocks performances should be analyzed at a subject level. The areas where the scholars are scoring below par consistently and therefore the areas where the scores are fluctuating should be the areas of focus.
2. Previous CAT paper analysis: The areas which are consistently contributing to the CAT exam over the years should be identified and a spotlight should tend to them.
Minimum CAT scores required to get into iims
Follow these simple steps while preparing:
Understand the fundamentals concepts of the chosen topic thoroughly
Write down all the formulae and ideas associated with the subject on a chart to use as a reckoner
Ensure that you recognize when a specific formula is to be used
Solve a minimum of 30-40 questions (CAT level) from the subject.
Logical Ability
The questions in Logic are often broadly said to return from three areas viz. Puzzles, Venn Diagrams and Cubes, Deductions, and Logical Connectives.
Of these, the Questions on puzzles are commonest followed by Venn Diagrams. Other question types haven't been appearing lately. understanding problems from the Study Material Booklets are usually the simplest thanks to steeling oneself against the various sorts of Questions that appear in CAT. Puzzle books like those by Shakuntala Devi, George Summers, etc. provide exposure to high-level logic puzzles and therefore the approaches to tackle them.
The oft-repeated word "Practice" is that the key to crack the questions supported logic and reasoning. the scholars should put in the maximum amount of time as possible in practicing questions of various types, both online and on paper.
Data Interpretation
The skills required to crack questions in DI are
1. Ability to analyze and understand difficult/complicated data
This is a skill that one can acquire through regular practice. The practice must involve questions of varying difficulty levels and kinds. One approach would be to start out solving all the DI sets from your study material. Once this is often done, it's time to maneuver online using 'Online Practice Tests'.
2. Ability to try to calculations quickly
The speed of calculations is where the scholars should specialize in, alongside practicing different sets. Acquiring this skill is usually easier said than done because it is difficult to urge over the old habits of scribbling numbers on a paper even for easy additions.
The point to be kept in mind when students practice sets as mentioned above is that they ought to not only specialize in the approach but should also compute the answers. this could be wiped out timed manner. The advantage of solving questions under time constraint would be that the scholars would be forced to extend their speed of calculations.
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5- Focus on your strength
