Analysis of CAT 2011 and Learnings for the CAT 2012 candidate

So CAT 2011 has drawn to a close and we shall soon move to the next stage-of Essay Writing, Group Discussions and Interviews. Before the focus shifts to the second stage, let us take the opportunity to take stock of CAT 2011 and analyse what it means for those who plan to take the test next year. This is particularly important as the early birds would already have begun their preparation for CAT 2012.

CAT 2011 went off without any major glitch; and most candidates felt that the test was better administered this time than previous years. Leave aside technical issues, the main positive was that there was better standardization across the different slots. In earlier years, many complaints had been received that some slots saw tougher sets of questions; and hence a normalization factor had to be applied.

The better standardization served to reduce the unpredictability of the exam. In fact, with the number of sections as well as the number of questions in the two sections, the order of sections etc already being specified along with sectional time limits, there were less decisions to make for the candidate and hence, less areas where he could have gone wrong.

There was a clear attempt to balance out the two sections. In earlier papers, we had seen those who were strong in a particular section get a high score by maximising their attempts in this section, even if they failed to clear or just scraped past the sectional cut-offs. The introduction of sectional time limits now means that the candidate needs to be reasonably proficient in both, and not just one, section.

Now let us come to the exam itself. The questions as a whole were not too difficult. There were some fairly easy, straightforward questions, and a few tough ones. In all, a total attempt of 42-45 would have been adequate.

Amongst the two sections, these attempts should have been around 20-24 each, with a slightly higher number i.e closer to 24 being attempted in the Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning section.

Learnings for the CAT 2012 candidate

• First and foremost, accuracy is vital. Since you have defined time limits for each section and a relatively fewer number of questions in CAT, you must try and ensure an accuracy of around 80 percent at least.
• Striking a balance is key during your preparation. You cannot attempt a disproportionate number of questions from just one section and have to be reasonably good in both sections to clear both the sectional and overall cut offs. So prepare accordingly!
• Similar to this point is that the combination of two parts in each section (i.e Quant along with Data Interpretation and Verbal along with Reasoning) has meant a better and more even spread of questions. The focus is on conceptual clarity, so candidates must make sure that they are strong on the basics and the fundamentals.
• Even though the number of decisions that a candidate needs to make has reduced, the choice of questions that he/ she attempts is important. As mentioned, there were some easy and some tough questions. Make sure you spot the easy ones! Within a section, there were choices to be made: for example, in the Verbal cum Reasoning section, many students felt that attempts pertaining to Verbal should have been maximised.
• Finally, note that administration staff was very strict about the documents to be carried and some candidates were turned away due to their not carrying original proofs etc. So make sure that you carry all the required papers and verify these before you leave for the centre!

Source: Sidharth Balakrishna

Sidharth Balakrishna is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta and has been employed with the world's top Marketing, Management Consultancy and energy firms. Besides his regular Corporate job, he has written a number of books and articles for various reputed publications, is a Faculty with top Business Schools and has held seminars across the country.
His books include the following, all published by Pearson, the world's largest Education company:

• ‘An Introduction to CAT-Tips from an IIM Alumnus'; available from http://pearson.vrvbookshop.com/book/an-introduction-cat-sidharth-balakrishna/9788131763599
• ‘Reading Comprehension for the CAT- A Winning Approach by an IIM Alumnus'; available from http://pearson.vrvbookshop.com/book/reading-comprehension-cat-sidharth-balakrishna/9788131760598
• ‘Case Studies in Marketing' available from http://pearson.vrvbookshop.com/book/case-studies-marketing-sidharth-balakrishna/9788131757970

Sidharth is also a Career Counselling Expert and a member of the Interview Panel to select MBA students at various MBA institutes.

He can be contacted at bsiddharth_2001@yahoo.co.in