CAT 2016: Key points to remember before entering examination hall

CAT 2016

The big day for all MBA aspirants is arriving in four days. CAT 2016 is scheduled to be held on December 4, 2017 and it’s now time to prepare for not the exam but the exam day.

What to do? What not to do? When to reach the exam venue? What all to carry? And many more questions must be running through your mind. Don’t worry, all you need is go through the CAT2016 Test Day Video.

This year, CAT has issues a test day tutorial video for the candidates appearing for the exam this year.  The 12-minute video is a handy tool for the candidates as they can listen and memorize all important instructions they need to follow inside the exam hall. Knowing all the instructions beforehand will help you keep calm and maintain confidence in the exam hall and keep away confusion, panic and first-time jitter.

With just four days to go, what better time it’d be than now to know what all you have to do on the day of the exam, at the exam centre and while taking the test.

Before the exam:

• Visit the test centre a day prior to the exam day so that you can decide upon the mode of transport.
• Report at 7:30 am for the 9:00-12 noon session and by 1 pm for 2:00 pm-5:00 pm session.
• You will be barred from the exam if you arrive late.
• Don’t forget to carry the print out of your admit card.
• Carry the original copy of any ID proof.
• Do not carry any unnecessary items. There’s no arrangement of lockers at the test centre.
• Persons accompanying the test takers will not be allowed inside the test premises. So, if your parents or guardian is accompanying you to the exam centre, make ample arrangement for them during waiting hours.

Inside the exam hall:

• At the notice board check your test lab allocation for your seat number and test allocating system.
• Inside the test lab, your thumb impression and photo will be captured. You will be then asked to sign in the attendance sheet.
• Please ensure there’s no discrepancy in your signature on the admit card/ID proof and the attendance sheet.
• Pen and rough sheets will be provided to you at the exam centre. Mention your name and registration number on each rough sheet.
• Don’t forget to return the pen and rough sheets at the exam centre.

During the exam:

• Do not touch the keyboard, only use mouse to mark the answers.
• Login to the test screen only after the invigilator’s announcement to do so.
• Login to the system. Read the instructions CAREFULLY and then proceed.
• Sigh the declaration, displayed onscreen to open the test link.
• The question paper will be divided into three sections:

1. Section 1 –VARC
2. Section 2- DILR
3. Section 3-Quant

• Quant section will carry few MCQ questions with options for answer and some Non-MCQ questions. There will be negative marking for MCQ questions but no negative marking for non-MCQ questions.
• There will be a virtual keyboard provided that can be used for non MCQs.
• Each section is allotted 60 mins. In total the exam will be of 180 minutes. PWD candidates will get extra 20 mins for each section, so the total time for them will be 240 minutes.
• The timer will be on display on the screen at all times showing the remaining time. As soon as 60 minutes are over, the section will be auto submitted and you will be moved to the next section.
• There is an option to leave questions for later and solve the easier ones first. However, you will have to mark those questions for ‘review’ to be able to attempt later. Please ensure you revisit those questions within the time limit of that particular section because at the end on the session time those questions will be considered answered even if they haven’t been reviewed.

And last but the most important instruction - You will not be provided bio breaks.

Understand these instructions carefully and memorize them for a smooth examination session on December 4, 2016.

All the best!

Click here for more on CAT 2016 preparations

CAT scores are used for admission to 19 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and various other top B-Schools. Are you eligible for the IIMs? To know more, click on the image beside.