The Common Admissions Test is an entrance exam for MBA aspirants held by one of the IIMs based on a rotational policy. Based on the percentile they obtained in the CAT, candidates can apply for admissions in IIMS and most other B Schools in India. It is also applicable for the various management programs of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), and other institutions.
An IIM, based on rotation, conducts the exam once every year, and the medium
for the exam is online. The syllabus for the CAT exam is not formally defined or
announced. The IIM that is going to conduct the exam for that year releases a
sample question paper a few months in advance. For preparations, aspirants
generally study the topics that have appeared regularly in previous years, sample
papers, and CAT exam papers. You can find all the important questions which have the potency to repeat in the current year on https://www.percentilers.in/. The exam has three broad sections, each of which has a time limit; for previous
years, the time limit was an hour. However, the time limit is 40 minutes for CAT
2020. Here is a broad overview of the question breakdown per topic:
1. Quantitative Aptitude (QA or Quant) - Number System (4-5), Algebra (6-7),
Mensuration, Geometry(7-8), Arithmetic (10-12), and others (2-3).
2. Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (34 questions, equally divided
between LR and DI) - Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets, Syllogism, Blood
Relation, Seating Arrangement
3. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension - RC passage-based questions
(24), inferences, sentence completion(2-3), para-summary (2-3), para
jumbles (2-4), odd sentences(1-2), and others (1-2).
The CAT essentially focuses on these three topics. However, there has been
extensive research done to provide aspirants with a syllabus they can refer to
during preparation. It is important to remember that the CAT focuses on more
complex versions of middle school concepts.
Quantitative Ability
This section gauges the candidate's ability to solve questions based on
arithmetics and mathematics. The syllabus includes the following topics:
● Number Systems
● Profit, Loss, and Discounts
● LCM and HCF
● Speed, Distance, and Time
● Percentages
● Time and Work
● Ratios and Proportions
● Averages
● Quadratic Equations and Linear Equations
● Complex Numbers
● Simple and Compound Interest
● Logarithms
● Sequences and Series
● Inequalities
● Probability
● Surds and Indices
● Set Theory, Function
● Permutation and Combination
● Mixtures and Alligations
● Trigonometry Blood Relations
● Coordinate Geometry
● Geometry
● Mensuration
Preparation for Quantitative Ability
The secret to cracking QA lies in your understanding of the basic concept behind every question. Start from the basics. The NCERT textbooks are considered a
A good starting point. The virtual calculator and the use of pen and paper in this
section can cost you precious time. Learn how to solve questions without them.
The best way to do this is to learn tricks that you can apply in any scenario for a
question type; the flexibility will ensure that you do not have to memorize too
many shortcuts. You should also identify your weaknesses and strengths as it
will help you choose which questions you will attempt on exam day. series of mock exams uses Artificial Intelligence to give students personalized feedback about their strengths and weaknesses. check out this link https://www.percentilers.in/ Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
This section gauges the candidate's ability to understand the nuances of the
English language. It is a preliminary way to assess their communication skills and
success in networking and building business relations. The syllabus of VARC
includes the following topics:
● English Usage or Grammar
● Vocabulary-based (Synonyms and Antonyms)
● Fill in the blanks
● Sentence Correction
● Jumbled Sentences
● Meaning-Usage Match
● Analogies or Reverse Analogies
● Summary Questions
● Verbal Reasoning
● Facts-Inferences-Judgments
● Reading Comprehension
Preparation for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
The secret to cracking VARC is an intrinsic understanding of the nuances of the English language. You should ensure that you are well versed in all the grammar
rules and their exceptions; trends suggest that exception-based questions are
more likely in the exam. Practice reading formal and informal texts and
inferencing their meaning. Start at a middle school reading level and gradually
increase the difficulty as time passes. Create a notebook where you can take
note of all the new words you come across and should find their synonyms and
antonyms. Many candidates underestimate the complexity of the VARC section,
which costs them a high percentile in the CAT. Focusing on the VARC section
can boost your final result, so do not underestimate it.
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation
This section gauges the candidate's critical thinking ability and their ability to
process data. The syllabus of quant includes the following topics:
● Tables
● Caselets
● Bar Graphs
● Column Graphs
● Line Charts
● Pie Charts
● Venn Diagrams
● Calendars
● Clocks
● Number and Letter Series
● Cubes
● Seating Arrangements
● Logical Matching
● Logical Sequence
● Logical Connectives
● Binary Logic
● Blood Relations
● Syllogism
Preparation for Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation
The secret to cracking LRDI lies in your abilities of critical thinking and problem- solving. As with quant, try to start at the basics of every concept. Each concept
has tricks and shortcuts that can help you solve the questions faster; you must
find and remember these tricks. It is also helpful to remember keywords that
frequently appear in logical reasoning. You should spend a lot of time practicing
LRDI; is one section that you should work on every single day, even if it is only
for 15 minutes. Other than the usual sample questions, solve puzzles like the
sudoku regularly. It will help you improve your speed and accuracy while solving
problems. As with quant, you should avoid using the calculator when possible.
However, you should use a pen and paper in this section to avoid silly mistakes.
Since it is undefined, the CAT syllabus is vast and can be daunting and
disheartening for candidates. It will help to take note of the entire syllabus
outlined in this article and refer to it whenever you are making study plans,
revision plans, or are feeling overwhelmed. Give yourself enough time to prepare
for the CAT - most aspirants take a year, but you can take more or less based on
your familiarity with the syllabus. It's more important to be confident in what you
do know than it is to have an in-depth understanding of every single topic, as you
will have to leave some questions on exam day.
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