Known as the institute of excellence, IIM Lucknow is convening CAT 2017 under the convenorship of Prof Neeraj Dwivedi, admission chair at the B-school. There are many firsts and USPs associated with IIM Lucknow. This unique feature might bring about more changes in the exam structure and content.
Why you need speedy reading skill in CAT 2017
One of the key changes in CAT during last 2-3 years is increased number of questions from 60 to 100 and re-imposition of sectional time limit for each of the 3 sections. Another important change which CAT has witnessed since 2014 is the increase in number of RC passages and number of questions based on these passages from 10 to 16 in 2014 and to 24 in 2015 and 2016. Despite the increased overall time limit from 140 minutes to 180 minutes, the sectional time constraint and time available per question has been reduced from more than 2 minutes to less than 2 minutes.
All these changes call for speedy reading habit with accuracy and right understanding of the questions – be it Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning or Quantitative Aptitude. If you can read and understand a reading comprehension passage in a shorter time with improved reading skill, it will be easier to answer the 6 questions that will follow the passage. Similarly, if you are able to go to the crux of DI or LR problem by reading it faster you will have more time to answer the questions based on it.
Related links on CAT 2017
CAT 2017: How to begin and plan 150 days preparation strategy
CAT 2017 notification likely by end of July: CAT Convenor Prof Neeraj Dwivedi
CAT 2017: IIM Lucknow PGP Admission Chair Prof Neeraj Dwivedi is CAT Convenor
CAT 2017: Convener IIM Lucknow may bring changes in exam; Insights of Last year exam
CAT 2017 sees change of guard: IIM Lucknow to convene CAT 2017; takes charge from IIM Bangalore
Find the right methodology
Responding to the query of CAT 2017 aspirant ‘I am yet to find the correct methodology that can improve my reading habits and enable me to know more in less time giving me an edge over peers in CAT 2017’ Prof S K Agarwal, expert and mentor on CAT 2017 preparation forwards following questions and calls upon the CAT aspirants to explore answers from themselves
- What happens when you go on reading your study material?
- How much you are able to retain after studying for 5-6 hours?
- Do you really need so many hours of study 5 months before CAT 2017 exam?
- How good it would be to spend only 2-3 hours a day to prepare for CAT 2017 and get focused to retain more?
- What do you have to do to get a better pace of reading which may also help you to bring conceptual clarity and more retention?
10 tips to improve your reading skill
Prof S K Agarwal, Verbal Ability expert and mentor on CAT 2017 preparation helps you to sort out this problem with 10 simple tips to improve your reading habits.
In his view aspirants are supposed to improve their pace of reading and should start working on it right from now. A good reading speed with accuracy can save your time while you would be able to choose the most appropriate answer option in shorter time after finishing the reading of any question, paragraph, data set or Reading Comprehension passage.
Convenience Reading
If you have to work till late night and get up late in the morning-you could have a great reading day. If the situation is just opposite, get up early in the morning and enjoy the reading. In the late evening also, you could have a reading time after dinner. The importance of reading is not when you read but how much do you enjoy the reading.
Use Reading as stress relieving tool
According to Rene Descartes “The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” In fact, reading habits are the manifestation of your personality– the stuff that you love to read will bring out the best of yourself in your expression of thoughts.
One who has inculcated the habit of reading will definitely find the time for reading the study material of his interest, however busy he is. For a CAT 2017 aspirant, it must be an enjoying saga with less burden and more a stress relieving exercise. Reading is considered as stress relieving pill, according to Charles de Montesquieu “I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.”
The choice of good reading habits will depend upon your way of living. It may differ from person to person, working and non working, person with access to technology or no access. But the reading stuff should be good else all that you have read might get wasted instead of improving your reading habit.
Make your books your friends
If you really want to score a high percentile in CAT 2017 you cannot escape and run away from improving your reading habits. The goal of getting the desired B-school calls for spending less time on unproductive things and social media. Initially it may be a problem, but will bring forth desired fruits. Reduce spending time on TV or Internet and use it for reading. This could create hours of reading time.
Conducive Reading environment
Find a calm and quiet place where you would like to study. Sit in a comfortable chair and freshen yourself up with a good book without interruptions. There should be no television or computer near the chair to minimize distractions.
Light Direction from back or left
Make sure you have good lighting. If it is dusk and light appears dim, it will place unnecessary strain on your eyes and language processing modules in your brain. If you are reading in Sunlight during the day, it is very good. But when you read in the night (as most of us do) ensure very good light should come either from your left or from the back.
Book-your companion
Wherever you go, take a book with you. If there is a time when you have to wait (like at a doctor’s place, at some office or Bust stop etc.) take out your book and read to give you the desired satisfaction.
Prepare list of books
The books that you will read for the examination are required to be listed. Whatever addition you want to make, do that when the thought comes to you for the first time. Keep a running list and start reading them according to your interest. The object is to cover the full syllabus. Make a schedule and move on, as if embarking on a pleasurable journey.
Use the Public Library
Library is the nice place with excellent environment for study and concentration. Many students find trouble in concentrating in their rooms/apartments. For them also library is the excellent place to concentrate. Make it a matter of discipline and training to stay focused on your book. Don't let yourself carried away by other not so serious readers.
Measure consistent Improvement
While reading any stuff, don’t forget to note down unfamiliar words and their usage in particular contexts. Find out their meaning and other usage in the dictionary. Use the words in conversation, writing. It will fetch you good reading results and build up your confidence level.
Second hand books
Make your trip to used book store off and on. It will have twin advantages. You may find less expensive good books to read and sometimes these books become a part of treasure with some important marks and underlines that you might not notice otherwise.
A CAT 2017 aspirant should read a lot of good stuff to achieve the goal and practice more to reduce the reading and answering time further.
If you target a high percentile and begin your preparation journey now, you would succeed and would be able to convert your dream into reality. Whether a fresher or a candidate with 2-3 years of work experience, your target is admission in the top rated IIM in 2018 if you are planning to prepare for CAT 2017.
Nothing can match the hard, intelligent and well managed self-study leading to success by scoring high percentile in CAT 2017. You will need to score high overall as well as sectional percentile to get shortlisted by the top 3 IIMs namely IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta. On the top of it IIM Lucknow has been assigned for the 2nd time to convene CAT 2017 and all the other 2nd timer IIMs have brought changes in CAT, so you may expect a different CAT 2017 from IIM Lucknow.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2017
Also See:
CAT 2017 in changed pattern: Know all about CAT 2017 exam notification date, registration, pattern, IIM cutoffs
MBA Ranking 2017: Check MBA Ranking 2017 for top 100 B-schools in India to guide you in MBA admission decision
CAT 2017 sees change of guard: IIM Lucknow to convene CAT 2017; takes charge from IIM Bangalore
CAT 2017: Convener IIM Lucknow may bring changes in exam; Insights of Last year exam
