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The DILR section of the CAT exam contains 24 questions divided into 8 sets. Solving one set almost always guarantees that the candidate will be able to answer all four questions in that set. The logical reasoning and data interpretation section of the CAT is timed for 40 minutes. Applicants seeking admission to IIM must pass the CAT with at least a 99 percentile and have an excellent DILR score. Before deciding on the best strategy for improving DILR, the candidate should be familiar with the types of questions and the syllabus. Most CAT 99 percentiles are denied admission to IIMs due to low DILR scores in the main section. Continue reading this section to learn everything there is to know about the DILR preparation plan. This article covers everything you need to know about scoring well and getting into top IIMs.
How Should You Begin Your CAT DI & LR Section Preparation?
To begin preparing for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, the candidate must first practice CAT Study material, books, or modules. The candidate should begin by solving basic concepts such as ranking, seating arrangement, quantitative reasoning, Venn diagrams, and so on. All of these topics contribute to the development of strong concepts and the attainment of maximum marks.
What Is the Best CAT Preparation Strategy?
CAT is a national-level entrance examination that is primarily held each year in collaboration with one of the top IIMs. If you are just starting out with CAT preparation, you should set aside 8-10 hours per week, depending on your level of preparation. Candidate must concentrate on developing the fundamentals and completing your syllabus to the greatest extent possible. Candidate must ensure that these 8-10 hours are distributed evenly throughout the week, depending on how much time one devotes to the study and section. Each section, i.e. VARC, DILR, and Quant, must be divided into 2-3 hours. And the remaining time dedicated to either attempting mock tests or studying.
How To Score In DILR In CAT Preparation?
The following sections comprise Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR):
- Total Number of Questions: The CAT question paper will include a total of 32 DILR questions.
- Total Time: The data interpretation section will have a total time limit of 16 minutes.
- Question types: The question paper will be divided into 12 multiple-choice questions and 4 non-MCQs (from each of DI and LR).
- Marking Scheme: According to the CAT official marking scheme, applicants will receive three points for each correct attempted answer and one point for each incorrect answer.
- Question Difficulty Level: The question difficulty level for the data interpretation section will be moderate to high.
- Maximum Marks: According to the exam pattern issued by the CAT 2021 exam conducting body, the maximum marks for the DILR section are 96.
CAT Preparation Strategy at Various Levels
Candidates are at various stages of preparation, with some being beginners, intermediates, and experts. Candidates at various levels will need to prepare accordingly. Check out the CAT 2021 strategy below.
- Beginners: Students who have never solved puzzles or logical reasoning questions should start with these because they are the most basic sets of questions from study material or an online website.
- Intermediate: Candidates who are generally interested in solving questions can skip the basic set. They can directly increase the difficulty level of the sets by solving questions from ranking, arrangements, and even matrices.
- Expert: Candidates who have previously attempted CAT and are confident with basic concepts can begin their preparation by answering SIMCAT previous year questions. AIMCATs and CAT Mock tests are available.
Also read: Ultimate Guide for CAT exam preparation
Strategy for Taking Exam
Candidates who have completed the basic sets of questions must now devise a strategy for how they will proceed with the exam.
These are some examples:
Scan the test: Never start with the first set of practice paper or the mock tests that you get. Get habituated in spending 4-5 minutes reading through all of DILR's questions and selecting the few sets that can be solved quickly. Choose 1-2 sets that are simple to solve first, and then progress to more difficult sets.
Set Selection: LR DI sets have a difficulty level from easy to difficult. Determine the easiest sets to attempt first. Candidates must avoid leaving the easy sets and getting stuck on the difficult ones. Regular mocks with various types of sets will aid in determining the difficulty level. For example, the candidate should choose sets with fewer people or fewer variables in the questions and leave questions with a lot of information for later.
Move On: When answering CAT questions, it is critical to leave out any questions for which they do not have an answer. Some questions are not meant to be answered because they are difficult, so candidates should not waste time answering them.
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Topics covered in Data Interpretation |
Topics covered in Logical Reasoning |
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Data Sufficiency, Pie Charts, Tables, Line Graphs, Caselets, Bars |
Seating Arrangement, Puzzles, Direction, Arrangement, Blood Relations, Caselets, Coding and Decoding, Data Structures, Venn Diagram, Syllogism, Series, Proposition, Family Tree, Assumptions, Binary Logic, Clocks and Calendars. |
Also read: CAT Exam pattern, syllabus
How Do You Prepare For The DILR Section Of The CAT Exam?
Time Management
Time management is essential for success in a highly competitive exam like the CAT, where even a single mark can have a significant impact on your percentile score. The following pointers will assist aspirants in answering as many questions as possible in the DILR section within the sectional time limit of 60 minutes.
- Click on the option "View Question Paper" at the beginning of the DILR section in the CAT question paper. Make sure not to spend more than 1-2 minutes scanning through all of the questions.
- Scanning the questions will help you determine which sets to attempt first and which sets to line up to solve later.
- If solving a set will take too long, avoid doing it at the start. When beginning the DILR section, it is always a good idea to solve the less time-consuming sets.
- Don't avoid answering non-MCQ questions.
How to Answer CAT DI and LR Exam Questions?
Before attempting CAT DILR, familiarize yourself with the time limits for each section of CAT 2021. Candidates should not just focus on practicing an increasing number of DILR questions for the CAT. Some of the critical steps in answering DILR questions are as follows:
Analyze the questions:
Before beginning CAT 2021 preparation, candidates should be familiar with the important DILR Sections. You should be able to answer CAT questions within the time limit if you are familiar with the CAT syllabus. It is always risky to choose the type of sets that can be solved with a high frequency because of the given sectional time limit.
Know the tricks to solve:
Different sections have different trick to solve. Different tricks in various publishers' or coaching institutes' study material will aid in answering questions correctly. To save time and effort, candidates must solve the questions using a well-planned strategy. You will notice that you are able to get higher accuracy when you use such tricks to solve the DILR questions.
Build a Mental Legend:
The DILR section will include questions such as arrangement, puzzles, Venn diagrams, and so on. These topics are difficult to remember while answering the entire question. Before becoming confused, the candidate must learn all of the abbreviations and symbols. The main goal is to avoid confusion and mistakes.
Decode constraints:
DILR questions for CAT have more to them than meets the eye. This deceives the students. It is extremely beneficial to find the hidden meaning while solving the CAT DILR section.
Improve performance:
After analyzing performance, the candidate should work on increasing speed and focusing on mental calculations to consume time for DI questions.
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