CAT 2016: VARC section was my blunder; won't repeat the mistakes - Aspirant insight

Add Review

MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
July 16, 2016
While attempting CAT 2016, I solved 26 out of 34, working out till the last minute of available time for Verbal Ability section but when CAT result was declared, I was astonished to see that I scored the lowest percentile in VARC
Made silly mistakes in the testing room and despite scoring a decent overall percentile, the low sectional percentile in VARC got me out of the fray from the admission process in IIMs

CAT 2016 must not see the mistakes that I made last year. Hailing from a southern advanced state of India and with Public school back ground, I prepared well for CAT and was always confident to crack at least VARC questions in the exam without much difficulty. I solved 26 out of 34, working out till the last minute available for Verbal Ability section but when CAT result was declared, I was astonished to see that I scored the lowest percentile in VARC among all the 3 sections. I have now committed to myself that I will take every care not to repeat the mistakes in CAT 2016.

I am Ramesh G. (Name changed to protect identity) with an engineering back ground and CAT 2016 will be second attempt to get into top IIM. I have already put in 2 years of life as an executive in a good company post my B.Tech. I prepared for full one year after taking break from my job and look at the blunder I committed in CAT last year despite the fact that I could have done much better than what I did. The mentor I have got for CAT 2016 is now well with me to guide not to repeat the mistake.

Now with a renewed energy and commitment not to repeat the mistakes that I made in last year CAT exam, I would be appearing in CAT 2016 to finalize my chances of getting into one of the top 3 IIMs in 2017.
I prepared hard for CAT, consistently scored high percentile in all the top rated Mocks before the D-day, practiced the sample test on CAT website number of times but made silly mistakes in the testing room and despite scoring a decent overall percentile, the low sectional percentile in VARC got me out of the fray from the admission process in IIMs. On the top of it, I have all that any IIM would need including excellent academic profile and professional experience but I missed the opportunity.

Got the question wrong
While going through the direction to attempt the question in the first section on VARC, probably it was my over confidence that I did not read it attentively. The silly mistake that I made was to opt for a different answer despite know the correct answer only because of wrong reading of question.

Consumed more time on VA Non-MCQs
I began with Verbal Ability part which had only 10 questions covering only 3 topics – Odd Parajumbles, para completion and para summary. All these questions were non-MCQs, it took sufficient time to solve them and at times with the new pattern, confusion also over powered me. This resulted in further time consumption and wrong answers which I typed on computer. Out of 10 Non-MCQs, I got only 2 correct. Very less time was left to solve questions on RC passages.

Attempted tricky questions on RC
The VARC section was divided in 2 parts – Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. There were 5 Reading comprehension passages. While 2 were a little shorter passages, 3 were lengthy ones. All the questions based on RC passages were of MCQ type. The shorter passages were followed by 3 questions each while the lengthy passages had 6 questions. Total number of questions based on RC passages was 24 out of total 34 questions in VARC section.

I had good reading speed but it so happened that I skipped some key words and phrases used in the passage. I couldn’t go for second reading due to time crunch and losing my cool. As a result instead of clicking the correct answer option, choosing correct inference, assumption in the statement type questions, I made a mess of answer options. This happened in spite of the fact that I knew there would be more questions on RC passages as was evident in full length sample test on CAT website.

Lost my cool
I tried to maintain my cool but was not able to maintain good speed with accuracy level. VARC with 10 Non-MCQs and tricky RC MCQs consumed lot of my time with more wrong answers. In the process I lost my cool and started taking questions haphazardly which added to my woes.

Forgot the sectional time constraint
Last year CAT exam in 2014 had no sectional time constraint and switching between the sections was allowed within the overall time limit of 170 minutes to attempt 100 questions divided in 2 sections of Quant and DI and Verbal & LR.

This year the sectional time limit of 1 hour for all the 3 sections was introduced. Absent mindedly I continued with the first section and lost track during the process. I could realize the fact when suddenly I looked up at the ticking clock on computer screen and started sweating in the otherwise cool weather.

I propose to compensate well in CAT 2016, although it may again have changed face and higher difficulty level but at least, I would not repeat the mistakes that I made last year.

Expert Advice
How the otherwise hard working and well prepared candidate can lose in his strong area also, can be understood with this narration, says Prof S K Agarwal, expert on CAT preparation. He advises the prospective CAT 2016 takers to take following steps to avoid recurrence of such mistakes in VARC and other sections-

-- Prepare well on variety of questions in all sections

-- Select the easiest question first and then move to difficult questions as all have equal weightage in VARC and other sections

-- Skip the tricky question whether on Verbal or on RC. You may attempt it later if time permits.

-- Prepare and take sectional mocks to ascertain where you are, how quick and accurate you are and whether you have sufficient sitting stamina as you will need to continue sitting for full 3 hours in the testing room

Related Article

CAT 2016: Aspirant's Insight-I messed up Quant in the exam; vow to get top IIM this year

CAT Data Interpretation: Expect 4-5 questions on Games in CAT 2016; know from expert how to approach

CAT 2016: Schedule exam with more than 1 day testing window; aspirants request convener

CAT 2016: Get ready for Registration, application process; key documents you need

CAT 2016: Notification in July last week; be prepared for innovative exam

CAT 2016: How IIMs help to hit high score in 1st attempt; more retakes confuse more

CAT 2016: Serious attempt not calls for a year-drop or job-quit; bell the CAT in available time

CAT 2016: your life can change in next 150 days; how! Know from expert and toppers

CAT 2016: Sectional scores more important than overall; maximize and balance equally

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2016