Deviating from the past many years exam pattern, CAT 2016 Mock Test released officially by IIM Bangalore on October 25 has brought with it the key information about the changed exam pattern, number of total questions and their sectional composition. Now, the CAT 2016 aspirants need to change their next 30 days preparation strategy in accordance with the announced changes in CAT 2016 exam pattern.
Unlike the earlier practice of sharing the CAT exam pattern with the release of CAT notification, CAT 2016 exam convener Prof Rajendra K Bandi earlier did not reveal the CAT 2016 exam pattern and kept it a confidential document.
Exact CAT 2016 exam pattern revealed
CAT 2016 aspirants were very much worried as regards to the exact nature of the CAT 2016 exam, its sectional composition, division of MCQs and Non-MCQs and key changes in the exam pattern across the 3 sections.
MBAUniverse.com received number of such queries on the expected nature of correct CAT 2016 exam pattern. Now with the release of CAT 2016 official mock test, the exact CAT 2016 exam pattern has been made clear. Following are the prominent features of CAT 2016 exam pattern-
-- There will be 100 questions in CAT 2016 exam divided in 3 sections
-- There will be 34 questions in the 1st section-Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) ; in 2nd section on Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) there will be 32 questions and the 3rd section on Quantitative Ability (QA) will consist of 34 questions.
-- There will be 28 Non MCQ type of questions in CAT 2016 exam divided in 3 sections. While VARC and QA sections will have 10 non-MCQs each, the DILR section will consist of 8 Non-MCQs
-- Total allotted time to complete the test will be 3 hours (180 minutes) divided in allocation of 1 hour time for each section.
-- You will not be allowed to move to and from between the sections unless the allotted time for that section is over
-- All MCQs will carry a penalty of 1/3rd negative marking while there will be No Negative marking for Non-MCQs
Important Changes: VARC bears the brunt
CAT exam pattern has changed since it got computerized format in 2009. The brunt of changes in CAT 2016 exam pattern has fallen on VARC section while the questions in DILR and QA sections remain more or less unchanged except the fact that they are divided in MCQs and Non MCQs.
CAT 2016 test takers will find a totally transformed VARC section in CAT 2016 exam since the scope of changes in source topics, question pattern, type and formation of questions is always more in Verbal Ability section.
Despite all the claims that the published one is only the CAT 2016 mock test to understand the format of CAT 2016, those who appeared in CAT 2014 and CAT 2015 might recall that the actual exam was not much different from the CAT Mock Test published by the CAT Centre.
Although it is not necessary that questions with similar content may be found in the actual examination but you cannot rule out to find the questions of similar type in the actual CAT 2016.
According to Prof S K Agarwal, Verbal Ability expert, candidates will miss the questions on ‘Vocabulary usage’; ‘Completion of paragraph’; ‘Last sentence of paragraph’ in CAT 2016 exam. These types of questions did not appear in CAT 2015 also, confirms Prof Agarwal.
Key changes introduced by IIMs
Following are the key changes introduced in VARC section of CAT 2016 exam-
Missing Questions in CAT 2016 exam
You may not find any questions on following topics in CAT 2016 exam
No questions on Sentence Error correction
Don’t expect any MCQ or Non-MCQ type question in VARC on correction of Grammatical Errors in sentences and paragraphs in CAT 2016. Such questions made their last appearance in CAT exam in 2016 with an increased number from 2 to 6. But now IIMs are in no mood to go ahead with such questions in CAT 2016 exam.
Those who are weak in usage of English fundamentals may take a sigh of relief as the fear of losing marks due to wrong answers to the questions on error corrections no longer exists.
No questions on Vocabulary usage
Vocabulary based questions wouldn’t find place in CAT 2016. The mock test also does not share any question on contextual use of rich vocabulary. Earlier CAT exams used to have 4-5 questions on vocabulary usage, for example 1-2 questions were there on similar sounding/ confused words; 2 questions appeared to pick out the incorrect use of common words/phrasal verb; 1-2 questions were asked to fill in the blanks with most appropriate pair of words.
The practice test for CAT 2016 has not shared even a single question on vocabulary usage and it appears that questions on Vocabulary may not be present in CAT 2016 exam, although CAT is famous for throwing surprise element in actual test.
No questions on FIJ
The new type of statement based question which was introduced in Verbal Ability section in CAT 2014 exam to identify whether the statement amounts to Fact, Inference or Judgement is also not expected to mark its presence in CAT 2016.
Question was based on 4 sequentially ordered statements. Each statement could be classified as Fact, Inference or Judgment. The question was followed by 4 options and the most appropriate option that describes the sequence of these statements had to be picked out. Such questions were not being asked in CAT exams before CAT 2014 and now they have again been withdrawn. These questions are more related to Critical reasoning. Now CAT 2016 aspirants may not expect such questions in the changed CAT 2016 exam pattern.
Other missing topics
You should not expect any question on ‘completion of paragraph’ or ‘last sentence of paragraph’ which used to mark their presence in previous CAT exams. Hence it is also not advisable to devote time on practicing such questions
Entire VARC section on 4 topics only
It is again VARC section of CAT 2016 exam which will have revamped face with questions on different topics increasing or reducing their weight. Following are the key 4 topics on which questions are proposed to be asked in VARC section in CAT 2016 exam
RC: 70% questions
Reading Comprehension in CAT 2016 exam will command 70% weightage in VARC section and 24% weight to overall CAT 2016 exam. Out of 34 questions, there will be 24 questions based on RC passages. The composition of questions is proposed as follows-
| Sl No. |
Type of RC Passage |
Number of questions |
Type of questions |
|
Passage - 1 |
Short with 500-600 words |
3 |
MCQs |
|
Passage - 2 |
Short with 500-600 words |
3 |
MCQs |
|
Passage - 3 |
Long with 900-1000 words |
6 |
MCQs |
|
Passage - 4 |
Long with 900-1000 words |
6 |
MCQs |
|
Passage – 5 |
Long with 900-1000 words |
6 |
MCQs |
Para summary: 3 Non-MCQs
There would be 3 Non-MCQ type questions on summarizing a small paragraph of 40-50 words in a single line answer in VARC section. While the answer options for such questions will be present, CAT 2016 exam takers will have to type the answer option in the given space instead of ‘clicking’ on it.
Jumbled Paragraph: 4 Non-MCQs
4 non-MCQ type questions could be there on random type of Jumbled sentences in CAT 2016 exam. Again you will have to type the answer in the given space on the computer screen after forming the coherent paragraph.
Picking the Odd sentence out: 3 Non MCQs
This type of question to pick the ‘out of context sentence’ after forming a coherent paragraph from the jumbled sentences was introduced in CAT in 2013. Number of such questions has now increased from 1 to 3 in CAT 2016.
Again this will be a Non-MCQ type question and CAT 2016 test taker will have to form a coherent paragraph first and then will be able to pick the odd sentence out. The correct answer will need to be typed in the given space on computer screen.
Change the next 30 days Preparation strategy
It is fine with other sections of QA and DILR, the way you are preparing for CAT 2016. But for VARC you will have to modify your preparation strategy quickly for next 30 days to cope with the changed exam pattern. Prof S K Agarwal, expert on Verbal Ability for CAT 2016 preparation, suggests the following do’s and don’ts to follow in next 30 days to crack the VARC section in CAT 2016 exam-
Don’ts
-- You need not to concentrate too much on Grammar based questions
-- As vocabulary based questions may not be present in CAT 2016, no need to spend lot of time on mugging the vocabulary and its usage
-- Since no questions are expected on fill in the blanks, completion of para, picking the last sentence of paragraph, you should not spend much of your time on the practice of such questions.
Do’s
-- Lot of practice needed on variety of RC passages followed by varying type of questions
-- Practice previous year CAT test questions
-- Jumbled paragraphs can be practiced better, if you can get their missing links, so practice them more
-- Read small paragraphs from news papers, editorial parts, books, practice material and form their one line summary
-- Take as many mocks as possible exactly on the CAT 2016 exam pattern, instead of getting indulged in other type of questions.
-- Improve your reading speed, it will help you to crack RC passage based questions faster.
The practice test for CAT 2016, in view of Prof S K Agarwal Verbal Ability expert is a well composed one. The best part of the test is that it is a full length test with 100 questions with full time limit of 180 minutes. So practice it as many times as you can. CAT 2016 sample test leaves no room to think that the type of questions in VARC whether MCQs or Non-MCQs will differ much.
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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2016
