MAHCET 2018 Exam Analysis: Exam throws surprises; Verbal tough, tricky reasoning to bring down cut offs

MAHCET 2018 Day 1 exam is over with more surprises, revamped Verbal and tricky Logical reasoning which are expected to bring down the cutoffs in JBIMS, SIMSREE, PUMBA and other top MBA colleges
MAHCET 2018 exam on March 10 was on changed pattern with new and unknown type of questions emerging in Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning in the exam. MAHCET 2018 with number of modifications called it a day at 4.30PM on March 10, 2018

See MAH CET 2018 Exam Analysis
The exam was marked with a lengthy and difficult Logical Reasoning but moderate Abstract Reasoning. Quantitative Aptitude section remained moderate, Verbal Ability was found difficult to solve. Overall exam difficulty level was even rated higher than last year with expected cut off at JBIMS remaining around 135.

Changed that surprised the candidates
Following are the important surprise elements which flummoxed the test takers:
No questions on close test passages
Question pattern on Para jumbles were changed. A combination of para completion and para jumble. The right place where the short para could be inserted had to be chosen. It was opposite to regular random para jumble
Questions on multiple statements placed in the exam
New type of Vocabulary questions introduced. A long word was written and the number of words had to be prepared with specific selected letters from the long word
Matching the pairs of vocabulary words
More questions on critical reasoning and syllogisms in Logical reasoning
Linear puzzles questions with Blood Relationship and many more such questions with blood relationship included in it
3 sets of Data Interpretation in Quant section

Overall Exam Analysis
Total questions
200

Mode of exam
Online computer based test (CBT)

Medium of Test
English

Type of questions
Multiple choice type (MCQs)

Number of sections
4

Time available
2 hours (150 minutes)

Sectional cut off
Applicable to determine percentile score

Scoring pattern
1 mark for each correct answer

Total marks
200

Negative marking
No

Answer options for each question
5

Sectional Analysis
MAHCET 2018 had 4 sections. The test of Reasoning contained 100 questions comprising Logical Reasoning & Abstract Reasoning sections separately.

S No
Section Name
Number of Questions
Mark Per Question
Total marks for the section
Difficulty level
1

Logical Reasoning
75

1
75
Difficult

2
Abstract Reasoning
25
1

25
Moderate

3
Quantitative Aptitude
50
1
50
Moderate
4
Verbal Ability/Reading Comprehension
50

1
50
Difficult

Total marks for the test
200
All the four sections in MAHCET 2018 are referred to as tests and not as sections. The detailed sectional analysis by experts for each of the four tests in MAHCET 2018 is as below:
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
Total questions

50
Marks per question
1
Answer options per question
5

Total marks
50
Difficulty level
Moderate to difficult
Good attempts

32-34
Verbal Ability section MAHCET 2018 had a major change in the question pattern. The section consisted of questions based on errors in Grammar, contextual use of Vocabulary, English Language usage, Para completion, new type of para jumble, Synonyms Antonyms among other topics.

Questions based on RC passages were doable although a few of them were difficult and very close ones. Questions on Verbal Ability also included Verbal reasoning and were moderate to difficult. Out of the 50 questions in this section, 12 were based on short Reading Comprehension passages while remaining others were on Verbal Ability and Verbal reasoning.

See MAH CET 2018 Exam Analysis
The section had mixed level of difficulty. Number of questions based on RC passages like spotting out correct contextual vocabulary usage, phrase, synonyms, antonyms were not difficult.
Test takers found it difficult and time consuming to solve the questions based on grammatical errors. Many candidates lost the track of the subject, predicate in the sentences formed with the grammatical errors and found them tricky enough.

Topics of questions
Number of questions
Difficulty level
Reading comprehension passages 600 to 800 words
12
Moderate

Vocabulary (Synonyms, antonyms, contextual usage, formation of words with specific letters, matching the words)
15

Moderate
Faulty Construction sentences-rewriting
5

Moderate to difficult
Mark the Error in sections
4

Difficult
Para jumble, Para placement, completion, out of context
8

Tricky
Sentence written in different ways
6

Moderate to difficult

Candidates who could get around 32-34 questions correct in this section, would improve their overall percentile to a good extent to get admission in one of the top MBA colleges
Quantitative Aptitude

Total questions
50
Marks per question
1

Answer options per question
5
Total marks
50

Difficulty level
Moderate
Good Attempts
30-32

Quantitative Aptitude section consisted of three sets of Data Interpretation questions. Apart from a few questions in Quantitative Aptitude section, the remaining were on the easier side. This section was moderate to difficult in terms of difficulty level. Questions in this section were doable but time consuming. Though many questions involved some tricks but aspirants with basic conceptual clarity were able to solve these questions. There were more questions on Arithmetic. A few questions from Algebra also made their appearance in the test. Data Interpretation (DI) questions in this test were more calculation based but doable.

Out of 50 questions in the Quant section, more than 20 questions were on Data Interpretation and the remaining were on Quantitative Aptitude. The DI questions were in three sets of problems.

Type of Questions
Question topics
Number of questions
Difficulty level
Arithmetic (Percentage, P&L, TSD, ratio etc)
10
Moderate

Geometry
2
Moderate to difficult

Modern Maths
1
Moderate

Graph, Pie charts, Table, case lets (DI questions)
22
Moderate to difficult

Data sufficiency
4
Moderate

Others including Algebra, odd man out
11
Moderate to difficult

Good attempt of 34-36 questions would lead to high score.
Logical Reasoning

Total questions
75

Marks per question
1

Answer options per question
5

Total marks
75

Difficulty level
Moderate to difficult
Good Attempts
42-44

There were 75 questions of varying type in the Logical Reasoning section. It had questions sets following the given data; questions on series, statements inferences/conclusions, true false, coding-decoding among others.
Type of questions

Question topics
Number of questions
Difficulty level

Arrangements-Linear, Matrix, Square etc.
28
Moderate to difficult

Statement-conclusion, inference, cause effect
7
Moderate to difficult

Direction
5
Moderate

Family tree-blood relationship
5
Moderate

Syllogism
6
Moderate to difficult

Critical reasoning
15
Moderate

Assumption
3
Moderate

Data sufficiency
4
Moderate to difficult

Letter re-arrangements
2
Moderate

A good attempt of 42-44 questions in Logical Reasoning would lead to a high percentile in MAHCET 2018.
Abstract reasoning

Total questions
25
Marks per question
1
Answer options per question
5
Total marks
25
Difficulty level
Moderate

Good Attempts
18-20
The difficulty level of this section was slightly higher than last year. Questions were formed on series, Analogy, puzzles among others were found doable. Most of the questions in Abstract Reasoning were similar to visual reasoning questions that appeared earlier in MAHCET exam.
Type of questions

Question topics
Number of questions
Difficulty level

Analogy
12
Moderate

Series
13
Moderate

A good attempt of 18-20 questions would lead to high percentile.
Overall score and cut offs
Difficulty level in MAHCET 2018 has gone up across the sections. Last year MAHCET was more difficult than a year before exam. Going by the trend, it can be predicted that that a good attempt of around 140 to 150 questions plus guess work would lead to a percentile of 99.

Expected Cut offs for JBIMS, SIMSREE, K J Somaiya, PUMBA
All India candidates can expect admission to top MBA colleges accepting MAHCET 2018 score like JBIMS, SIMSREE, K J Somaiya, PUMBA at a score of 130 and above as shared below
JBIMS Mumbai: 135 and above
SIMSREE: 130 and above
K J Somaiya: 125 and above
PUMBA: 120 and above

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