CAT 2017: IIMs’ hidden help for aspirants to get high scores; will IIM Lucknow follow the trend?

Add Review

MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
July 22, 2017
In each CAT exam IIMs bring some or many changes that help CAT aspirants to crack the exam with high scores, provided the test takers understand what is lying underneath. IIM Lucknow the CAT 2017 exam convener may not be an exception to this fact and the proposed changes in CAT 2017 may go a step forward to prove more aspirant friendly
CAT 2017
CAT 2017 convening IIM Lucknow would share the beforehand information what would be and what would not be asked in the exam with number and type of questions in each section

Each year CAT exam is subject to review by IIMs and in each CAT exam IIMs bring some or many changes that help CAT aspirants to crack the exam with high scores, provided the test takers understand what is lying underneath. IIM Lucknow the CAT 2017 exam convener may not be an exception to this fact and the proposed changes in CAT 2017 may go a step forward to prove more aspirant friendly giving the opportunity to score more.

CAT 2017: Not difficult but 2 lakhs make it competitive
It is not that CAT 2017 will be a very difficult test and one should be afraid of it. On the contrary CAT has been the most systematic computer based test.

In fact the CAT 2017 exam would not be more difficult than it was in last 3 years. The difficulty level fluctuates and accordingly the percentile score based on raw score in CAT also goes for ups and downs. It implies that the problem is not to score high in CAT but to score balanced sectional percentile and get through the tough competition among more than 2 lakh IIM aspirants.

Important Links to prepare for CAT 2017

Full length official Mock: Clarity on topics and type of questions
No other exam as CAT provides so much of pre-test information including the full length official sample test from IIMs to know and understand the pattern and probable topics.

Not only this, the sample test makes it abundantly clear about the topics & questions CAT proposes to ask in the exam. CAT 2017 convening IIM Lucknow would share the beforehand information what would be and what would not be asked in the exam with number and type of questions in each section. This will further clarify you with the understanding about the exam pattern and composition

How IIMs helped CAT aspirants in last 3 years

IIM Indore: 1st full length Mock proved as guess paper in CAT 2014
It was in 2014 when IIM Indore, the then CAT convener published full length sample test on its site for the first time. It helped the candidates a lot to understand about the topics and type of questions they could expect in CAT exam. The official CAT Mock by IIMs served as a real exam guess paper.

The candidates who appeared in CAT got help on following major points which were instrumental in giving direction to their preparation and scoring high in CAT exam:

  • Those who were preparing on old pattern switched to other relevant topics as suggested in  CAT official Mock test
  • Sectional time limit was removed and candidates were allowed to move between the sections. It was incorporated in the official CAT sample test also.
  • Freshers or working executives especially those who were appearing for the first time for CAT got the full understanding of the test pattern
  • Full benefit of clarity on basics and fundamentals could be reaped by CAT aspirants, as they had already built their basics
  • The full length sample test guided CAT aspirants about the type of questions and the source topics they should focus upon, instead of wasting time
  • Prior information what would not be present in CAT test paper. For example, the candidates who were preparing hard on vocabulary based questions like fill in the blanks, choosing one of the two vocabulary words, using verbal phrases, using one word in different contexts, and the questions like picking out correct last sentence to complete the paragraph, got it clear with the publication of full length sample test of 100 questions that there would not be any question on these topics.
  • Inclusion of topics advised in advance. This helped the candidates to modify their preparation strategy. They studied more or the probable topics like FIJ, para summary.
  • The official sample test for the first time shared the exact number of RC passages and the different type of questions following the passage which the CAT aspirants were supposed to face in the exam.

IIM Ahmedabad: Made CAT 2015 a test for 1st timers
In 2015 CAT was totally revamped. IIM Ahmedabad convened CAT in 2015 in a single day 2 session test window. The test structure, test content all got changed in CAT. For the first time Non-MCQs without penalty of negative marking formed the part of CAT exam. There were 72% MCQs and 28% Non-MCQs in CAT 2015 exam. Number of sections got increased to 3 from 2 in CAT exam.

IIM Ahmedabad took care to pre-inform the CAT aspirants about the aspirant friendly changes in CAT exam making it a high scoring exam. The changed test pattern helped to bring more diversity in IIM class rooms.

Key changes that helped CAT test takers in 2015 are summarized:

  • To give more options and choices, CAT sections were increased from 2 to 3
  • 28 Non-MCQs type of questions were introduced and were divided in each of 3 sections to help the test takers maximize their scores
  • Non-MCQs are no-negative penalty questions. So, in case of wrong answer, there is No deduction of marks due to negative marking
  •  10 additional minutes were awarded for the same number of 100 questions as the testing duration was increased from 170 minutes to 180 minutes (3 hours)
  • With the publication of full length official CAT Mock test by IIM Ahmedabad, the changes in topics and type of questions were clarified
  • The VARC section had no question on Error correction in grammar and sentences; no vocabulary based question
  • Number of questions based on 5 RC passages were increased to 24 out of total 34 MCQs and Non-MCQs in the section
  • Type of questions following RC passages became more based on critical reasoning and were based on assumptions, statements, inferences
  •  Re-introduction of sectional time limit also helped the CAT aspirants to complete one section within 60 minutes instead of remaining forgetful while attempting one section.
  • CAT result proved that among the successful candidates, many were the first timers

IIM Bangalore: Offered a moderate CAT 2016
Without bringing too many changes in CAT last year, IIM Bangalore improved the quality of test and rationalized the share of MCQs and Non-MCQs without increasing or decreasing the total number of questions.

  • Ratio of Non-MCQs was reduced from 28 to 25 questions.
  • All 75 MCQs were penalty carrying questions. So the raw scores in CAT did not increase much and candidates scored  high percentile at low marks
  • Marking pattern was changed from 3 marks to 1 mark for each right answer. Negative marking was 0.33 mark instead of 1 mark earlier
  • Technical glitches were minimized
  • More test centres were introduced to minimize the inconvenience in commuting. For example Noida in Delhi NCR was re-introduced as CAT test centre in 2016. It was withdrawn in 2015 by IIM Ahmedabad

Expect more from IIM Lucknow in CAT 2017
IIM Lucknow is equally benevolent and is expected to bring about more aspirant friendly changes in CAT 2017 that can help to score high percentile in the exam. Following are the changes that CAT 2017 aspirants want to be included by IIM Lucknow for this year exam

  • CAT 2017 to be held in 2 days as it used to be 3 years back.  If the CAT 2017 is conducted on 2 different Sundays after IIFT entrance exam, it will be much more convenient for the test takers.
  • More small towns to become as test centres. IIMs have not substantially increased the CAT test centres to accommodate the candidates of small towns
  • CAT Test Time duration may increase. Till 2013 CAT had the time limit of 140 minutes for 60 questions. Since 2014, number of questions in CAT has increased to 100 but the time limit has been increased only to 170 minutes in 2014 and 180 minutes in 2015. However the time allotted per question has been reduced.
  • Switching between the sections may be allowed in CAT 2017. It is a tough time for the candidates who attempt one section a few minutes before the allotted time limit but cannot move on to other section. It so happens that due to this time constraint candidates lose their threshold percentile in one of the three sections despite scoring high overall percentile of 99+ and are deprived of getting shortlisted by any IIM.

There are thousands of CAT takers who appear in the exam for the first time, march with focused preparation strategy, score well and get the desired IIM. They do not need the second attempt.

Most of the toppers in CAT last year were either graduates who passed out in 2015 or were in the final year of their bachelor’s degree. Working executives with a few months of experience only, also were among the CAT toppers who appeared in the exam for the first time.

CAT 2017 is gateway to 20 IIMs and other top B-schools in India. The exam conducted by IIM Lucknow is proposed to be held in the first week of December 2017. There are still more than 4 months to go for the exam. If you have appeared in CAT earlier or are a fresher, you can begin your regular preparation now. In next 3-4 months you will see that you are fully prepared to bell the CAT with relative ease.

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

Also See:

 

Take CAT 2017 Mock Full LengthTo assess your preparation in revised CAT 2017 exam pattern with 100 questions.
Section 1:
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
Quiz 1: Time limit to solve: 15 minutes;  Level of difficulty: Moderate Quiz 2: Time limit to solve: 15 minutes;  Level of difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Section 2:
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
Quiz 1: Time limit to solve: 15 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Moderate Quiz 2: Time limit to solve: 15 minutes; Level of difficulty: Moderate
Section 3:
Quantitative Ability
Quiz-1: Time limit to solve: 15 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Moderate Quiz-2: Time limit to solve: 15 minutes; Level of difficulty: Moderate to difficult