Worried about CAT - We’ve got you covered

Worried about CAT - We’ve got you covered

CAT examination or the Common Admission Test is an MBA entrance examination for admissions into the Indian Institute of Management ( IIMs ) and other prestigious B-schools. Every year, on a rotational basis, the IIMs conduct the test. For example, CAT 2021 was actually conducted by IIM Indore and this year's CAT 2022 will be taken up by IIM Bangalore. The exam is conducted towards the end of the year, and the CAT '22 will be conducted on 27th November 2022.

Eligibility Criteria

CAT examination is highly competitive, and more than two lakhs students appear for it every year, and this number is rising with each passing year. It is a Computer Based Online Test, and other prestigious B-schools accept its scores like the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Management Development Institute (MDI - Gurgaon), SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) and many others. So before starting your preparation, take a look at the eligibility criteria for the MBA entrance examination.

• Students need to have a Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA in their Graduation to be eligible to apply. Students belonging to reserved categories and the People with Disabilities (PWD) category need to have at least 45% marks.

• Students need to have a degree from a recognised University. The university registration needs to be included in the act of the central or state legislature or are deemed by a University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, or need to have equivalent qualification given by the Ministry of Human Resources Development.

• Students in their final year of Graduation are also eligible to apply provided they fulfill the above-mentioned criteria.

Exam Pattern

The exam has three sections consisting of 3 subjects. The CAT question pattern is given below:

A negative Marking of 1 mark is awarded for every wrong attempt, and the total duration of the test is 3 hours. However, this CAT question pattern was changed in 2021 due to the Pandemic, and the exam duration was reduced to 2 hours.

CAT Subject Pattern

Even though there is no predefined syllabus of CAT, we can be assured that the questions are based on Class 10th and 12th subjects.

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension: This section mainly comprises Reading Comprehension as the majority of questions are based on it. Verbal Ability includes Para Jumbles, Odd One Out, Summary, and Sentence Completion.

• Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation: This section is exceptionally critical as its question pattern changes every year. It is very generic as questions range from Puzzles, Linear and Circular Arrangement, Caselets, and Data Interpretation.

• Quantitative Aptitude: This section included mathematics from Class 8th to Class 11th. The syllabus included topics like Profit and Loss, Mensuration, Geometry, Logarithms, Functions and Graphs, Time and Distance, Averages, Number System, Time and Work, Mixtures and Alligation, Modulus, etc. Solving previous year's questions will give you a good idea about the topics to cover.

Now that we have a good idea about the CAT subject pattern, we can now move on to checking out the types of questions that usually come in the exam.

Types of Questions

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

1. Summarise the following paragraph:

2. India’s array of labor laws dates to the 1940s: the provision of spittoons in the factory. Another law states that a factory with more than 100 workers needs permission from the government. Less than 15% of Factory workers have job security. The new Government can establish a new labour law that gives protection to workers by stepping into politics.
   
   

1. Factory workers can get legal job security if new laws are formed.

2. New labour laws can encourage other companies to employ more than 100 workers.

3. Outdated Labour laws need to be upgraded so that workers can have protection and keep a curb on privileges.

4. The politics can be avoided if the changes become applicable to new recruits only.

3. 
   Answer: (3)

Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation

This is an example of a Caselet Data Interpretation.

1. Mahendra Nath deposited a principal amount in a bank in the year 1986. The Bank calculated interest on the amount at 10% simple interest and credited it to his bank account every year. After the end of the first year, Mahendra Nath withdrew the entire interest and 20% of the Principal as well. After the end of the second year, he withdrew the interest again and 50% of the remaining principal.
   After the 3rd year, he again withdrew interest and 50% of the remaining principal, and in the 4th year, he collected the remaining amount of Rs 11,000 and closed the account.
   
   

1. The initial principle deposited by Mahendra Nath is:

1. 25,000

2. 50,000

3. 75,000

4. None of the above

2. In which year, Mahendra Nath withdrew the least amount?

1. First-year

2. Second year

3. Third year

4. Fourth-year

3. In which year, Mahendra Nath withdrew the highest amount?

1. First-year

2. Second year

3. Third year

4. Fourth-year

4. The total interest on the principal collected by him is

1. 12,000

2. 20,000

3. 4,000

4. 11,000

Quantitative Ability

1. The Corners of an equilateral triangle T are cut off into a Hexagon H. What is the ratio of the area of H to T?

1. 5:6

2. 3:4

3. 2:3

4. 4:5

2. 
   Answer: (3)

Key Takeaways

1. CAT examination takes place every year and is conducted by IIMs on a rotational basis.

2. Candidates need to have a Graduation degree from a recognised university to be eligible for the MBA entrance examination.

3. There are three sections in the exam: VARC, LRDI, and Quantitative Aptitude.

4. The exam is for 2 hours, and the total mark is 198.