CAT 2017 Syllabus: Synchronise your preparation with CAT sectional syllabus topics

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
July 14, 2017
CAT toppers and CAT preparation experts suggest to prepare for CAT 2017 synchronizing it with revised CAT syllabus. CAT syllabus for CAT 2017 may not be much different from the last 2 years of CAT exam, although the question content, topics and sectional composition may be different
CAT Syllabus 2017
The best preparation strategy for CAT 2017 as per the CAT syllabus, is to strengthen your fundamentals, clear the concepts and ensure to take as many sectional quizzes and full length Mock tests

CAT syllabus for CAT 2017 may not be much different from the last 2 years of CAT exam, although the question content, topics and sectional composition may be different. CAT toppers and CAT preparation experts suggest to prepare for CAT synchronizing it with revised CAT syllabus.

CAT Exam Syllabus has never had any boundaries and this fact also applies to define the CAT 2017 exam syllabus. CAT Syllabus is based on past trend of CAT exams and the CAT exam syllabus is the outcome of the topics which have earlier appeared in CAT exam.

The key point in syllabus for CAT exam is that there is no repetition of CAT questions in any CAT exam although difficulty level of the questions in CAT exam would not go out of CAT exam syllabus.

IIM entrance exam syllabus or CAT 2017 exam Syllabus is not pre-defined by CAT 2017 convening IIM Lucknow nor the CAT syllabus was outlined earlier also by the CAT exam convening IIM Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Indore or Kozhikode.

However, the Syllabus of CAT exam 2017 is based on the mentioned guidelines and current structure of CAT exam. Past tendencies reflect that CAT exam syllabus and pattern overall tests the candidate on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Quantitative Aptitude; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. CAT exam Syllabus covers all the major topics on these test sections. CAT 2017 syllabus is based on the past paper patterns which contain questions from all these sections.

CAT 2017 Syllabus offers level playing field
In fact CAT 2017 aims to create a level playing field for all candidates irrespective of their educational background and may throw surprises deviating from earlier exam pattern to remove the quant dominating skewness due to which academic diversity in IIM class rooms is adversely affected.

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3 sections with equal weight questions  
The time is over when Logical Reasoning or Data Interpretation had less weightage in CAT exam over the years. Now with the formation of 3 sections in CAT since 2015, all the parts and sub sections including DI, LR, VA, RC and different topics and sub parts in Quant also carry equal weightage.

Major topics in CAT 2017 syllabus are available now and according to Prof S K Agarwal, expert and mentor on Verbal Ability for CAT, you should prepare in accordance with the CAT syllabus topics alongwith attempting more sectional tests and CAT Mock tests.

Major topics in CAT syllabus

Section-1: CAT Syllabus for VARC

CAT exam Syllabus for VARC section in CAT 2017 is divided in 2 parts. The 1st part of CAT 2017 syllabus covers questions based on Reading Comprehension passages and the 2nd part of CAT 2017 exam syllabus on VARC is based on questions on different topics on Verbal Ability.

Verbal Ability part will have 10 questions while RC part will consist of 24 questions in CAT syllabus, if the exam pattern is not changed this year. Key topics in Verbal Ability are Jumbled paragraphs, out of context sentence, para summary.

Other expected topics on which questions could be framed are correction of errors in sentences and paragraphs, Facts-Inference-Judgement, Fill in the blanks with correct vocabulary words, using the vocabulary in correct context.

Section-2: CAT Syllabus for DILR

Separate DILR section in CAT exam was re-originated after keeping the section in abeyance for 4 years. During this period the DILR questions were clubbed to Quant and Verbal Ability sections respectively. In 2015 IIM Ahmedabad, the then CAT convening IIM decided to re-introduce the DILR as a separate 3rd section. The pattern was followed by IIM Bangalore in 2016 also.

CAT exam Syllabus for DILR section in CAT 2017 is divided in 2 parts – Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The 1st part of CAT 2017 syllabus covers questions based on Data Interpretation (DI) and the 2nd part of CAT 2017 exam syllabus on DILR is based on questions on different topics on Logical Reasoning.

Section-3: CAT syllabus for Quantitative Ability

Syllabus of CAT exam 2017 for Quant section is very wide. Quantitative Aptitude (Quant) is the 3rd and last section in the revamped CAT exam pattern. Syllabus of CAT 2017 for Quant is vast and covers everything in Mathematics that you may or may not expect.
 

CAT 2017 exam syllabus on Quant is based on questions on different topics on Arithmetic, Algebra, Modern Math, Geometry, Mensuration, Trignometry among others.

Number and type of questions in CAT 2017
CAT 2017 is to have 100 questions divided in 3 sections. Each section will have following number and type of questions:

Section Name Total Questions Questions with 1/3 negative marking (MCQs) Questions without negative marking (Non-MCQs) Time limit to solve the section
VARC 34 24 10 1 hour
DILR 32 24   8 1 hour
Quant 34 24 or 27 10 or 7 1 hour

Plan your preparation accordingly…

Scoring an overall percentile of 95-97 and sectional percentile of 85-90 each in CAT 2017, may get you an IIM - newer as well as IIM Ahmedabad provided you are not from engineering back ground. However, you need to aim for percentile as high as 99 as only then you can expect to be shortlisted for final admission round by IIM A, B, C, L. Any compromise on preparation strategy and relaxation to aim for less than 99+ percentile with equally high sectional percentile may not get you IIM A,B,C or L, if you really wish to pursue your MBA from a top rated B school, be it an IIM, FMS or others. 

Take more sectional and full length Mocks
The best preparation strategy for CAT 2017 as per the CAT syllabus, is to strengthen your fundamentals, clear the concepts and ensure to take as many sectional quizzes and full length Mock tests, suggest  Prof S K Agarwal, expert and mentor on CAT preparation. This will help you to assess your CAT preparation level with various difficulty level questions of all types.

The road to score a high percentile of 99 is sure not easy or less difficult and would need consistent study, practice, understanding and smart preparation strategy as well. Based on his deep insight and analysis of changed face of CAT 2017, Prof  S K Agarwal suggests the CAT 2017 aspirants to come out of their cozy and easy going mode and must fasten their belts to prepare with determination to crack CAT 2017 with not less than 99 percentile.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2017

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