Competition in CAT Exam

 What is the CAT exam?

Common Aptitude Test- The Common Aptitude Test is a computer-based exam for admission to postgraduate management programs. CAT offers admissions to more than 500 MBA schools in India, including all 20 IIMs, FMS and JBIMS, SPJIMRs, MDI, MDI, IMT and DoMS IITs. The most anticipated MBA exam, which is attended by thousands of students every year, is the CAT. Common Admissions Test (also known as CAT) is the gateway exam to IIMs. It is one of the most difficult MBA tests. This article will provide more information about the exam and how to pass it.

THE PAPER PATTERN HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS

Since 2014, the CAT exam pattern has seen significant changes in both CAT structure and content. You cannot rule out a new CAT 2021 Exam Pattern based on the tradition of changes in different types questions in CAT. The CAT 2021 exam will be held in November/December 2021. It is important to plan your CAT preparation according to the CAT 2021 pattern for the next six months.

WHAT WILL THE EXAM PATTERN FOR CAT 2021 BE?

Be that as it might, despite the many changes made in the last 4 years to CAT exam design, the core principles of the exam have not changed. The CAT exam design has remained the same since 2015. The CAT exam lasts 180 minutes and contains 100 questions. However, in CAT 2020 both the exam length and number of questions were decreased. Other than that, there was no change to the CAT exam format. Although it is likely that CAT 2021 will follow the same lines as CAT 2020 but nothing concrete can be confirmed yet.

The 2020 overhauled CAT exam design 2020 states that CAT 2021 will consist of three segments and a total of 76 questions. Each area has a 40 minute time limit. Each segment must be scored high as you will need to shortlist in IIMs.

CAT paper pattern

• 2020 saw 76 questions. These are both in the English and German versions.MCQAndNon-MCQFormat
• Allotted time was120 minutesThese questions can be answered in 2 hours
• There is a time limitEach section takes 40 minutes
• The exam takes place inOnlineMode at different test centres
• TheExam pattern for CAT 2021Can be reverted to the 100-180 minute format.

The 2020 CAT exam design will not be an online exam. IIMs also share the key contrasts and USPs in CAT exam design. "In the PC-based arrangement, the hopeful peruses a question on a workstation and taps the correct answer. The clock on the computer screen shows you how long it takes to complete the current segment.

CAT 2021 EXAM: SECTIONS ARE SUB-SECTIONS. EXPECTED DIFFICULTY LEVEL

The CAT exam format was completely redesigned in CAT 2015, by IIM Ahmedabad. Since then, the CAT exam patterns have followed the same CAT pattern in all 3 sections with the exception of the recent changes in CAT 2020. These are the key features of CAT 2020's sectional exam pattern:

• VERBAL ABILITY AND READING COMPREHENSION

Total questions: 26

LOD: Moderately to Very difficult

Section Highlights

No vocabulary or grammar based questions in the CAT 2020

Verbal Ability Questions - Limit to 3 Topics - Para summary; Jumbled paragraph; Picking the odd sentence from the jumbled sentences

• DATA INTERPRETATION AND LOGICAL REASONING

Total questions:24

LoD: Moderately difficult to difficult

Section Highlights

Questions were asked in a set of 6 and 4.

Test takers face time crunch as more questions require more time

• QUANTITATIVE ABILITY:

Total questions: 26

LoD: Moderately difficult to difficult

Section Highlights

You can also ask more questions about Arithmetic: Profit & loss, Percentage, Time & Speed, Work/days and compound & simple interest

KEY FACTS ABOUT THE CAT EXAM

The 3 hour long Computer-based Test (CBT), is the entrance exam.

The CAT exam is divided into three primary areas, each lasting an hour.

The three segments of CAT 2019 exam example are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.

In the updated CAT exam 2020 example, there will also be sub-segments within the three segments. The revised CAT exam 2020 example for VARC includes sub-segments of Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension and DILR which asks about Data Interpretation as well as Logical thinking.

Also, read: CAT online Preparation

• The 1 hour allotted for each area is the time that applicants are restricted from moving between segments.
• The CAT Test Takers are not allowed to leave their seats during the exam.
• For example, MCQs in the CAT 2020 exam will require you choose 1 correct answer decision from 4
• For non-MCQs, the CAT exam example will require you to enter the correct answer on the computer screen.
• In an amended example of the CAT 2020, there may not be any answer decisions regarding Non-MCQs.
• Every right answer to the CAT exam example will receive 3 marks, regardless of whether it's MCQ or non-MCQ.
• Every wrong answer for MCQ on 2020 CAT exam will result in 1/3 negative check (-1)
• Negative checking of incorrect responses to Non-MCQs will not be punished in the CAT 2020 exam design
• The CAT exam design remains the same as the official mock test for CAT that was administered by IIMs one month before the exam.

COMPUTERIZATION HAS CHANGED THE CAT EXAM

Since 2009, the exam design has undergone significant changes. The Feline paper design was paper-pen based before 2009. In 2009, the Feline exam design changed from a paper-based exam to an online CAT PC-based test. Even after the CAT paper design changed from 3 to 2 areas, the CAT online PC based test design was modified to 3 segments in 2015. Forward CAT follows a similar example from that point. The Feline 2020 example is the same as the CAT 2019 example, with 3 segments and 3 hour time. However, the number of MCQs or Non-MCQs could change.

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPETITION IN THE CAT EXAM

How to prepare strategically for the CAT and make your IIM dreams come true

The CAT exam is the only Exam that has both quality and quantity students taking part in it. The CAT exam is the most important for all the MBA entrance exams in India. A CAT aspirant should be prepared for it. Understanding the competition in CAT can help you understand where you stand and what effort is needed to crack it.

Also read: Cracking the CAT Is Smart Work or Hard Work?

These factors can be used to determine the level of competition in any exam

1. Total applicants
2. Students are of high quality
3. Difficulty level
4. Marking Criteria

TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLICANTS

To understand the level competition for any entrance exam, the number of applicants participating is the best indicator. The CAT had approximately 2.5 million applicants in 2017. NMAT had about 88000 applicants, while SNAP had 65000. The large number of applicants to CAT, despite its reputation as the trickiest exam in the world, shows that it is still the most competitive.

QUALITATIVE STUDENTS:

Students can only get into the top B schools, mainly IIM's, by passing CAT. It is possible that even a student will not be willing to take exams such as NMAT, SPANAP, or XAT. However, they will most likely take CAT. Because CAT exam results are not considered for admission to most colleges, unlike other MBA entrance exams.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

The CAT exam is not the hardest, but it is one of the trickiest to crack. The following factors make CAT a difficult exam to crack.

To pass the exams, mocks

1. Students are highly competitive and of high quality
2. Negative marking of criteria
3. The questions asked are more difficult and logical.
4. Reservations for seats in the top B schools via CAT

Also read : CAT online class

THE MARKING CRITERIA

Competing with thousands of students, accuracy is crucial. Each wrong answer will result in a negative mark.

All this aside, if your foundation is strong and your concepts are clear, the CAT may be the easiest exam. The competition will help you.

Is there an online CAT test? IIMs responded to this question by saying that although they acknowledge that the CAT paper design was PC-based, but that it is not an online exam, the IIMs said that feline is not an online exam. It is an advanced, Computer Based Test (CBT) and not an Internet-Based Test. Applicants will not take the exam via a website. Instead of reading the questions in a printed booklet and covering the ovals on appropriate responses sheets, the hopeful will use a computer to read them and tap on the correct answer.