The pattern of the exam remained the same. The five sections of the exam are Language Comprehension, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning and Indian and Global Environment.
The duration of the exam is 150 minutes. The total number of questions is 200. There is one mark for each correct answer and each incorrect answer carries a negative marking of 0.25 marks. Let us have a look at the section-wise analysis of the MAT December 2012 exam.
Language comprehension
The section had a good mix of Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability questions – 20 in each part. There were five passages which were short and simple. The Verbal Ability questions were on vocabulary – antonyms, odd man out, fill in the blanks, English usage & grammar – most appropriate restatement, para Jumbles and the best essence of the given paragraph. The overall difficulty level was moderate.
Data analysis & sufficiency
The data interpretation section consisted of 30 questions out of 40 in the section. Data comparison and data sufficiency had 10 questions. The DI questions were on observation, calculations like comparison of fractions, computing the average, percentage-based calculations, etc. The overall difficulty level was easy to moderate.
Mathematical skills
A majority of the questions in this section was on arithmetic. The rest of the questions were on higher mathematics. The arithmetic questions were on time & work, pipes & cisterns, time & distance, boats & streams, averages, mixtures, equations, ratio, proportion & variation, percentages, profit & loss, partnership, geometry & mensuration, and simple interest & compound interest. The higher mathematics questions were on trigonometry, heights and distance, P&C and probability. The difficulty level was tough.
Intelligence & critical reasoning
This section consisted of analytical and critical reasoning. The former had 30 questions and the latter had 10 questions. The analytical reasoning questions were of easy to moderate difficulty level. The questions were on direction sense, number & letter series, blood relations and verbal analogy.
The critical reasoning area had questions on assertion & reasons, cause & effect and statement & conclusions. The overall difficulty level was moderate.
Indian & global environment
The difficulty level of the section was moderately difficult. The questions were on business, current affairs, personalities & related fields. However, this section is not included in the consolidated overall score.
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