Logical Reasoning in CAT 2016: High weightage needs regular practice to score more; expert advice

Till the year before last, question sets on Logical Reasoning in CAT remained as a dependent section clubbed to Verbal Ability. CAT exam takers probably did not award LR the due weightage in preparation as they did not find it so necessary as in other MBA entrance exams like SNAP, XAT among others. But the situation has changed now.

Logical Reasoning has been separated from Verbal Ability section in 2015 and now has found a place with Data Interpretation as a separate section in CAT. Questions on both DILR taken together have formed a new 3rd section now which is as important as other sections. Earlier till 2015 Logical Reasoning was clubbed to Verbal Ability section and data Interpretation was clubbed to Quantitative Ability Section.

In view of Prof S K Agarwal expert on Verbal Ability and mentor on CAT 2016 preparation, Since reasoning is considered as one of the important sections in all the MBA entrance exams, IIMs have also decided to give it the due importance in CAT 2016, the mandatory exam to seek admission in all the 20 IIMs.

LR: 50% sectional weightage In the changed status DILR questions with 50% weightage to each part has formed a new section with 32 questions. There are now 16 questions on Logical Reasoning out of 32 total questions in DILR section. The overall weightage to Logical Reasoning in CAT exam is now 16% while the sectional weightage is 50%.

Why LR commands higher importance? CAT preparation expert Prof S K Agarwal finds Logical reasoning as one of the most important parts of CAT 2016 exam and advises the aspirants to devote full time to its preparation. Stating the facts, he suggests, As CAT aspirants are well aware that human brain is considered superior because it has the power to reason. It can distinguish between right and wrong, can pick out the relevant from the irrelevant. Looking at its importance CAT has combined logic to reason making it more advanced, more pointing and value added. Logical Reasoning (LR in short) therefore, becomes a guide to good decisions by following a systematic thought process. Hence IIMs have awarded LR higher importance in CAT exam.

CAT, since 2010 was reduced to two sections instead of three with 30 questions in each section. Now it has again been divided into 3 sections. Logical Reasoning is now clubbed with Data Interpretation as the 3rd section with 32% weightage in overall CAT score.

Each question in this section gives you equal weightage i.e. 3 marks for every right answer. However, a penalty of 1 mark (one third of the credit marks) is imposed for every wrong answer. Logical Reasoning alone, with 16 questions may award you a credit of 48 marks and may improve your percentile to a great extent.

If you can hit 8 LR and 8 DI correct, you may expect a very good percentile in this section. There is no dearth of time as well since you have full 60 minutes for 32 questions meaning around 2 minutes per question, emphasises Prof S K Agarwal

Expert tips to score high Logical Reasoning, if viewed in totality, plays a very important role in CAT. The irony however, is that the aspirants do not prefer preparing it the way they prepare the quant and Verbal. It might be due to the scattered or undefined syllabus which makes it difficult to systematically organise the study pattern of the aspirants.

Prof s k Agarwal suggests that Logical Reasoning needs your natural reasoning instincts to crack the questions. It needs less efforts to prepare and once you begin practicing them you will start enjoying to solve more problems on Logical reasoning. Since practice is the key to success in LR section, the questions in this section can be understood and solved fairly easily, if proper attention is paid to this section. It serves as an aid to facilitate your entry to the top B-schools, as it improves your percentile with a little logical understanding of the reasoning based questions.

LR vocabulary: Understand it The vocabulary used in logical reasoning questions, according to the expert is different from the one used in Verbal Ability hence it is imperative that you must have the knowledge of the terminology used in this part, since the questions are formed on the topics based on the said terminology in CAT. Besides, certain topics on which CAT prefers to frame the questions have specific logical rules to follow to solve them.

Important LR topics to prepare It is suggested in the interest of the aspirants to prepare, attempt and practice more and more exercises & Mocks on the following topics, although you may face questions based on other topics which have never been asked so far. But following are the favourite topics in CAT, prepare them well

Seating Arrangements
Matching puzzles
Constraint based arrangements
Blood Relations family tree
Syllogism
Proposition based followed by either deductive or inductive argument.
Assumptions
Statements
Sets
Binary logic
Venn Diagrams
Clocks and calenders

Although topics on Logical Reasoning cannot be restricted to above nor there is any limitation to what should and what shouldnt appear in LR section of CAT, captioned topics, if prepared well, will lead an aspirant to a well-placed position. You need to develop your skills in Logical Reasoning section to get a good percentile.

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