CAT 2016 still without any clue on number of questions in the exam is adding to create panic among the aspirants and on the top of it Convener of the CAT 2016 Prof Rajendra K Bandi has added fuel to fire by making public that the exam will be demanding enough. It indicates that CAT 2016 may have not only a changed exam pattern but also a higher difficulty level.
Only CAT 2016 confidential, earlier were not?
The most surprising part in CAT 2016 notification release was that there was no mention of total or sectional division of questions which used to be informed along with the CAT notification in past years. CAT 2016 convener Prof Bandi does not want to reveal this information and treats it as confidential. So does it mean that all the earlier CAT exams were devoid of confidentiality and only CAT 2016 is going to observe this norm? CAT 2016 exam convener has not yet responded to the aspirants’ query raised by MBAUniverse.com time and again although he has responded on number of them.
Sectional composition to change
According to Prof Rajendra K Bandi, “You need to do well in all three sections of CAT” then he adds “We would like to see an increase in the number of applicants from the non-engineering background and from female applicants as well.”
Now it is not possible to achieve this goal without changing the sectional composition and weightage in CAT 2016. Probably, this is the reason for not sharing the total number of questions and their sectional division as the weightage to each section might be proposed to change in CAT 2016.
VARC: May get highest weightage
The thought behind reshuffling number of questions in each section is to improve academic and gender diversity. Since IIMs have high number of candidates from engineering back ground every step is being taken to discourage this composition. This would become possible only by reducing the weightage of Quant and DI in CAT 2016 or by introducing different question pattern.
It is very much possible that more number of Verbal Ability questions might appear in CAT 2016 especially on the topics which have not marked their presence in last 2-3 years.
The vision of CAT 2016 convener is to improve diversity in IIM class rooms. To achieve this target he needs students from all disciplines. Sharing with MBAUniverse.com Prof Bandi says “The reality today is that a number of bright students opt for a whole range of non-engineering disciplines as well and we would like to encourage more of these candidates to appear for CAT. We believe that having a good mix of candidates from both the genders, and from all academic backgrounds enriches management education.”
VARC may get 44% weightage
TCS, the testing agency might be working on the idea of increasing number of questions in VARC section. While CAT 2016 will award equal marks to each correct answer, it does not say that there will be equal number of questions in each section. Accordingly, it is expected that questions in VARC section may increase from 34 to 40 or 44, in case CAT 2016 exam centre decides to keep the total number of questions between 90 to 100.
Additions in VARC section
According to experts, it is expected that ratio of questions based on RC passages may remain the same or may increase further. At present RC enjoys 70% weightage in CAT exam. In order to increase the importance of VARC section, more questions on error correction and vocabulary usage could be re-introduced.
Those who are taking CAT for second or third time, might remember that there were no vocabulary based questions in 2014 and no questions were asked on error correction in sentences or on vocabulary usage, fill in the blanks in 2015.
Why questions on Error correction needed?
The 5 RC passage followed by 24 questions in 2015 with answer options could assess the ability to understand what is said in the passage but did not measure whether he/she has good understanding how to frame error free sentences in accordance with the rules of English Grammar. Accordingly, till 2014 CAT used to place few of such questions. It is expected that CAT 2016 may bring in more such questions to test candidates on usage.
RC to continue with high weightage
Proposed structural and content level changes may bring more surprises by increasing further the weightage of Reading Comprehension part in VARC section. Past trends in last few CAT exams further strengthen this fact. With the increasing weightage on RC based questions, it may not be possible for CAT 2016 aspirant to score a good percentile if due attention to RC part is not given.
Prof S K Agarwal, expert on Verbal Ability and mentor on CAT 2016 shares the facts and figures in past CAT exams emphasising how important it is to pay attention on RC whose weightage may further increase in forthcoming CAT 2016.
RC weightage goes up from 45% to 70%
After getting computerised, CAT till 2013 had around 3-4 RC passages followed by 10 to 11 questions out of total 30 questions in the section. Rest of questions were divided into Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning parts which used to be the integral part of this section.
Reading Comprehension (RC) claimed around 30 to 35% share of total questions and 45% or above share in total VARC questions. In 2014 the number of questions in CAT increased from 60 to 100 and accordingly number of questions on each VARC topic also increased. Number of RC passages also increased in CAT. Out of 50 questions in Verbal Ability section, 16 questions were based on 4 RC passages.
In one single year CAT increased the weightage of RC based questions from 45% to 70% and introduced new type of questions. CAT in the year 2015 created history by getting totally revamped on innovative pattern. Sections were increased from 2 to 3, LR was de-clubbed from Verbal Ability section and a new section clubbing DI & LR was formed. Along with MCQs, the Non-MCQs without any penalty marking were also introduced.
Out of total 34 questions comprising 10 Non-MCQs and 24 MCQs, VARC had 24 questions based only on Reading Comprehension passages. There were 5 RC passages out of which 3 were followed by 6 questions each and 2 were followed by 3 questions each.
According to Prof S K Agarwal, expert on verbal ability and mentor on CAT 2016 preparation, there is no proposal to reduce the weightage of RC based questions, as taking decision on various reports and articles, essays, research, presentation papers are the need in IIMs, it is very much possible that weightage on RC based questions may further rise in CAT 2016.
Other sections may lose weight
With the clear vision of CAT 2016 convener not to give advantage to the candidates from Engineering background in the testing pattern, it is expected that changes by reducing the number of questions in Quant section and Data Interpretation part of DILR section might be introduced in CAT 2016.
Besides, Quant or DI may also not have such type of questions which may give advantage to the candidates coming from engineering or similar other technical back ground. Total scores in these sections may therefore be less than what used to be assigned in earlier CAT exams. This could further reduce their weightage in shortlisting by IIMs.
CAT 2016 is the mandatory exam for admission to PGP 2017-19 batch to 20 IIMs and other top rated B-schools like FMS, IMI, IMT, MDI, SPJIMR, BIMTECH, TAPMI, NITIE among others. Registration process for CAT 2016 is online and is open till September 22, 2016. The exam with 3 hours duration will be held on December 4, 2016 in 2 sessions morning and afternoon in 138 test cities across the country. CAT 2016 will be divided in 3 sections Quant; DILR and VARC. Candidates will need to score high balanced percentile in each of the 3 sections to get shortlisted by IIMs as there is also minimum qualifying percentile score prescribed by each IIM.
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