MAT Dec 2013 Exam Analysis
The MAT exam, conducted on December 1, 2013, had 200 questions to be attempted in 150 minutes. These 200 questions were from five test areas viz. Indian and Global Environment, Language Comprehension, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning with exactly 40 questions in each. Each question had equal marking and one-fourth mark was deducted for every wrong answer. For the sake of convenience, 1 mark has been taken for every correct answer.
| Number of Questions |
200 |
| Marking Scheme |
1 mark per question |
| Negative Marking |
0.25 marks per question |
| Number of Sections |
5 |
| Number of Choices |
4(1.2,3,4) |
| Duration |
150 minutes |
Overall summary of the MAT exam paper
The consolidated score is evaluated by taking only four areas into account. Indian and Global Environment (GK) is not part of the consolidated score. Hence, the scoring is done out of a maximum possible score of 160 marks (@1 mark for 160 qs). However, the score card (by AIMA) does not give the net marks. It gives the scaled score and the percentile in each and every section.
It also gives the overall composite score and the overall percentile. It is estimated that a net score of 65 marks (excluding the score in GK) will fetch an overall percentile of more than 95. Any net score of more than 80 marks (excluding the score in GK) is considered outstanding and is equivalent to an overall percentile of more than 99. A net score in excess of 90 marks (excluding the score in GK) is adequate to get to an overall percentile of more than 99.9
Let us analyze the different types of questions from each of the test area along with the overall difficulty level of each of the test area.
Mathematical skills
The paper predominantly had questions from the Arithmetic areas like (Percentages, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Geometry, Time and Distance, Averages, Mixtures and Alligations). The questions involved only the basics and those who would have done adequate practice would have found those questions quite easy. The success in this particular test area depended on one's basic conceptual skills, and calculation skills. Overall, the test area can be classified as MODERATE- DIFFICULT. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 35-40 min for a good net score of 13(for at least 90 percentile from this section alone).
| Area |
Description |
Marks |
Difficulty Level |
Estimated Good Marks |
| Arithmetic |
Time & Work, Pipes and Cisterns |
5 |
Moderate-Difficult |
11 |
| Time & Distance, Boats and Streams |
7 |
|||
| Averages, Mixtures & Alligations |
4 |
|||
| LCM, HCF |
1 |
|||
| Equations, Ratio, Proportion & Variation |
4 |
|||
| Percentages, Profit, Loss, Partnership |
6 |
|||
| Geometry & Mensuration |
4 |
|||
| Simple Interest, Compound Interest |
2 |
|||
| Higher Math |
Trigometry, Heights and Distance |
3 |
Difficult |
2 |
| Permutation and Combinations |
0 |
|||
| Probability |
4 |
|||
| Overall |
40 |
Moderate-Difficult |
13 |
Click here for Part 2 of MAT Analysis
Content Courtesy : T.I.M.E
