Why IIM Ahmedabad has placed newly created DILR section between Quant and VRC sections in CAT 2015 instead of making it the last of the 3 sections? Whether the sequence of making Quant as the first section; DILR as second and VRC as third section is only coincidental or has emerged after some deep analysis and thought process, is a big question, answer to which is needed to be explored.
The strategy of creating the 3rd section and placing it at 2nd place in CAT 2015 exam has a lot to do with your testing room strategy. Prof S K Agarwal, expert on verbal Ability and mentor on CAT 2015 preparation shares deep insight on the impact the sectional sequence can make on the test takers on their preparation, practice and testing room strategy.
Each of the 3 sections will have individual time limit and sectional cut offs prescribed by all the 19 IIMs to shortlist you on the basis of scoring high. There is no more a supportive part as existed earlier in Quant and VRC sections.
Sitting continuously for 3 hours, using your brain in calculation, recalling various formulae, concepts, analytical skills, logical instincts will need a good amount of practice. CAT 2015 has accordingly split the sequence of 3 sections to enable you to move on with calculation based, analysis and reasoning based followed by language based questions divided in 3 sections.
Facts and messages: know and modify the approach
DILR section despite having 32 questions will test your analytical, comparative, reasoning and logical skills in a single section without giving you a chance to take a break to switch to Quant or verbal questions.
The fact that candidates find DILR questions more time consuming implies that you may not be able to solve many out of 32 questions in DILR section.
Another message, the sequence of 3 sections in CAT 2015 conveys is that the dependence to compensate the score in one sub section from another one no more exists now.
Quant: hard preparation needed
Hitherto, Data interpretation was clubbed to Quant in CAT and formed the first section. Candidates who found Quant more difficult used to switch over to Data Interpretation question sets even when individual time constraint was there till CAT 2013 since DI was a part of Quant. CAT 2014 removed the sectional time constraints also so there was no problem in attempting any question from any section.
On the other hand those who found Data Interpretation more difficult, they could move to Quant part in section one. Both the sub sections helped to maximise your score in a single section, while you maintained your cool attempting quant or DI questions now and then.
This strategy relieved your stress level also. Data Interpretation questions despite being a bit time consuming could be learned and practiced well in a shorter time period. In the testing lab, candidates preferred to attempt a few questions from DI part after attempting a major chunk of questions from Quant. A testimony to this fact is that number of top rated preparation centres focused more on Quant and less on Data Interpretation. Candidates in self-preparation mode also were not so much worried about data interpretation part and used to learn and practice a few specific topics on related to DI sets.
But now in CAT 2015, the first section is based only on Quant comprising 34 questions and sectional time limit of 60 minutes to solve all the questions. Once you begin with Quant questions, your mind will have to be focused on hard core formula based exercises without any chance to visit the DI part during the sectional time limit.
Unless and until learned and practiced, it gets difficult to continue with different type of conceptual and formula based calculations. However, there is no option left. So make sure that you have learned well and have practiced well on this section.
DILR: Important like other 2
No more ignoring the DILR can be allowed. Out of 100 study sessions you used to have 80 on Quant and Verbal and only 20 were devoted to DILR. CAT 2015 requires you as good in DILR section as in other two. IIMs have also prescribed the same minimum qualifying sectional percentile for this section as for other 2 sections.
IIM Ahmedabad has placed this section immediately after Quant, so that you can move between Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning questions sets according to your convenience. If you are fed up with the calculations and data comparisons, better will be to go to Logical Reasoning part and after solving one or two question sets, make attempt to DI questions. The best way is to keep balance between both the sub parts, although IIM Ahmedabad has not specified to differentiate in DI-LR and both are supposed to be treated at par.
Please remember DILR needs more practice. If you practice on variety of DILR questions, you can win the race in this section. The section will have 2 questions less than in each of the 2 sections but the time allotted to solve this section is equal to Quant and VRC sections. A candidate should keep his cool and maximise the attempts to score high in this section. It is as important as the other 2 sections and will play the same role in determination of percentile.
VRC: Improve reading speed
The 3rd section in CAT 2015 exam will comprise 34 questions on Verbal Ability and Reading comprehension (VRC). The pattern and type of questions on VRC in CAT 2015 could be different that appeared in earlier exams. The availability of 60 minutes could prove to be of no utility if the proper practice sessions on each topic are not taken with proper analysis.
Conceptual clarity, Grammar basics, Time clauses, contextual usage, how to answer the questions following the RC passages will need focused preparation and testing room strategy.
5500 seats in 19 IIMs open for admission in 2016 would be available only if you score equally good percentile in CAT 2015 going to be held on November 29, 2015 at 650 testing venues across the country.
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