Preparing CAT-2009

Preparing CAT-2010

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the most talked about test among MBA pursuers in India. This test is conducted once in a year for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) and other affiliated b-schools all over India.

When to start preparing for CAT 2010?

CAT is held in the month of November, and if one starts preparing now, one will have enough time to have a solid grounding on all the areas. But how much time is enough time? People often do ask this question, and are often confused as to how this time till CAT be utilized. It is important to do a Self Evaluation for CAT.At the outset, it is important to do a self evaluation. You must know your competency level in each of the sections of CAT. There are three sections in which the test is divided. Quantitative, Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency, and Verbal Ability (English). Everyone has a different level of competence in each of these sections. The best way to find the level of competence is to take the test. Take the previous years CAT paper, and try to solve it in the stipulated time. Be honest with yourself and try to solve as many as you can. Compute the score taking into consideration the negative markings if known. Then find out the cut-off for that test and evaluate your performance. Here is how

• If you clear the cut-off: If you cleared the cut off in one or all sections, your half the task is done. About 2 months of practice and you could be through.
• If you miss the cut off: If you miss the cut off by 3-8 marks, you will need some more practice in that section. About 5-6 weeks of grounding on basics and then another 5-6 weeks on mock tests should be enough. 15-20 hours a week should be enough for you. Impetus should be given on the sections you are not so comfortable in.
• If you missed the cut off by 20% or more then you will require more time. A sincere effort of around 5-6 months will be required, with the last few weeks for mock CATs only. You should spend more time in learning the basics. Evaluate section-wise. If you scored less in Verbal, then while practicing you will have to spend more time in verbal than other sections. We will come to section-wise preparation in a while.
• If you missed the cut off by more than half, you will have to work really hard, if you want to clear the CAT cut off. You will need to spend about 30-35 hours per week, for about 6-7 months, and about 5-6 weeks in the end for tests only. You will need to divide your time equally for each section. If you have more time, use it to your advantage. Start preparing as early as possible. Practice more and you will find that you are getting used to the questions more and more.
• For students in college and first timers, re-evaluation is needed. May be this test was just a difficult one, so take another test and re-evaluate. If this was the first time you took a test like this, then prepare for a few days, refresh formulae and then take it again. For most of the candidates still in college, it?s a good idea to evaluate properly before coming to a conclusion on the time required for preparation.
• For people with non engineering background, it is important to evaluate the DI/DS, and Quants section properly, while spending less time in Verbal.

How to start Preparing for CAT?

Once you go through this self evaluation, you will come to know your limits and capabilities and also an approximate time you will need for preparation. According to experts, 10-12 is the maximum one should spend for CAT preparation. If you are starting early, divide your time into phases.

• The first phase, say 30% of the time should be spent in getting your basics right. Don?t focus too much on tests now. In areas where you are weak, start from the scratch. If you are weak in verbal, start reading, and make it a habit. This will be the time you should start learning new words. Over time you can improve and build a good vocabulary slowly. Also create notes of things you think will require re-visiting. Like formulae or short-cuts.
• The next 30-40% of the time should be spent in preparing CAT specific things. Start listing out your weak points, make a list of questions you think you regularly falter at. Now focus on these select areas, and start giving sectional tests. Measure your performance over time by creating a small mark sheet. This way you would know where you need to concentrate more, and invest more time.
• The last phase, (30% of total time you had kept), just before CAT should spend in giving mock tests. Take tests in a complete test environment, the way you would take the real test. It would be good if you take the test daily at the same time, at 10.30, to simulate the actual test. This makes your mind tuned to work and think at this time. This really helps.

How to do section-wise preparation?

The next step will be to find out how to prepare section wise. It is important to give appropriate time to each section for preparation. Let?s see what to do for each section.

1. Verbal Ability (VA): You will be tested in vocabulary, verbal reasoning, critical reasoning and grammar in this section. This is the most dreaded section for most CAT takers simple because of the level of uncertainty around this section. The level of difficulty and the number of questions vary from year to year. Here is an analysis on how the questions in this section varied from year to year.
   

   (Year)	(Total Questions)	(Questions on VA)
   2005	90	30
   2006	75	25
   2007	75	25
   2008	90	40

   Broadly the questions in this section can be divided into 4 sections. Let?s discuss in details how to prepare for these.

   1. English Usage, Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary: For vocabulary, you need to follow a regular practice regime. To know how to improve your vocabulary read this article. For RC, you must be accustomed to read from a variety of subjects. We tend to read faster when we are familiar with a subject. So increase your familiarity with a lot of topics. This will widen your horizon, and you won?t feel that you haven?t read such article before. This would improve your speed, and accuracy as well, as you will be able to comprehend them easily.For reading comprehension, a good reading speed is also a must. This requires a lot of practice. Read the editorials of leading newspapers regularly, analyze them and note down the points and the new words that you learn. With one hour of practice per day for 7-8 weeks can do your RC skills a lot of good.
   2. Paragraph Forming: You will be presented with four to six sentences in jumbled form. You are expected to arrange the sentences in such a manner that the sequence forms a coherent whole. To crack such questions, an understanding of sentence construction is essential. You should start reading extensively for mastering such problems. The more you read, the more you will understand how sentences are constructed. Read variety as well, and you will find complex sentences seem simple. Say 2-3 such tests per day for last 3-4 weeks before CAT. Analyze your answers properly. If you are wrong, try to understand why you are wrong.
   3. Critical Reasoning: Critical Reasoning section is similar to the Reading Comprehension (RC) section, the difference being that the passage is comparatively small and all the questions asked are essentially inferential. Concentrate hard on what the author has to say, rather than the logical output of the passage. The best way to prepare for critical reasoning is to read a lot of magazines and newspapers, and practice hard. Most of the critical reasoning questions are difficult to comprehend in first attempt, so lot of practice and reading is required. In the beginning it might look like a difficult section, but a consistent effort every day could really make the difference. So start early.
   4. Grammar: The grammar part is the easiest in this section. Those good in English wont find this very difficult. This is a good section to score quickly. If you find yourself lousy in grammar, consult a good book on English grammar. Read right from the start, and cover the basics. It would be good if you start early for this, and practice as many types of questions as possible before CAT.
2. Quantitative Ability (Quants): You will be tested in topics ranging from Number Theory, Algebra, Geometry and Mensuration, Permutations and Combinations, Probability etc. You should start with the basics, revise the formulae, and practice hard. Many people just rely on short-cuts and quick-problem solving techniques for cracking this section. Note that such tricks are not always helpful. Working hard and practicing as much as you can is the only key to cracking Quants section. If you think you are a bit slow in quants, and you are scoring just about 50% of the cut-off required for CAT, you might require upto 6-7 months of regular practice to prepare for Quants. Here is how you could span you Quants preparation:
   • Refresh your basics: Go back to your class 10 maths book, and take a look at the basics. You might have forgotten a lot of them. Make a note of the important formulae, for future reference, and practice questions from each topic. About 3-4 months will be required to revise and refresh all the concepts for this section.
   • Take exhaustive Tests: Once you are confident of yourself, and fundamentals are clear, test yourself. Take sectional tests in Quants, and assess your score. Make notes of the areas you get score less, and try to improve upon. You should take as many tests as you can before CAT, so that you are used to all types of questions being asked. This should take 2 months.
   • In the final 2-3 weeks of CAT, you should take more CAT-type tests, like full length mock tests, and focus more on accuracy.
3. DI/DS :Data Interpretation (DI) questions are based on some information like Table, Graphs, or Charts, based on which you will be asked to deduce further information. You will be tested on how quickly and correctly you can deduce the information required. This is another section which is very uncertain in CAT. A good score in this section depends on your calculation speed and your analytical abilities. Many calculations involved in DI are complex and often require high level of analytical ability. Also many of the times it requires just presence of mind, and right thinking.In Data Sufficiency (DS) you will be tested on how to reason quantitatively. You will not be asked to solve complex problems here, and neither will be the questions tough. They will just be tricky. Given a set of conditions, mostly 2 of them, you will need to find out whether either of them, both of them, or none of them is required to make a deduction. The questions in this section are based mostly on basic principles of mathematical topics, so it is important that you are thorough with these. And again, it goes without saying, a lot of practice is required to master DI/DS.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on CAT

1. When should I start preparing for CAT 2010? The earlier the better. I would say start now.
2. How much time should I invest for CAT 2010?This depends on the level of preparedness you have. Have you done your self-evaluation yet? Do a self evaluation, and then you will be able to understand for yourself how much time you need. In any case one doesn?t need more than10-12 months of serious preparation.
3. How many hours per day are required for preparing for CAT?This depends on a lot of factors. If you are a well prepared student, with clear fundamentals in all subjects, you might be able to crack the CAT in 6-8 weeks with just 1-2 hour of study per day. And if you are a first timer, and starting from the basics, you might require about 35-40 hours a week for 15-18 weeks.
4. Which coaching institute should I join for CAT? No coaching institute can guarantee you a IIM call. Only hard work is the key. But sometimes it?s necessary to get proper guidance and good study materials. If you do not need any of these, you need not join any coaching institute.
5. What is the eligibility for admission to IIMs and other B-Schools?For admission to IIMs, a bachelor degree is required (In any field). Students in final year may also apply for CAT, provided they submit the proof of the degree during admissions. For most IIMs and a lot of other B-Schools, 50 percent marks in degree level is a must.
6. What types of questions are asked in CAT?Surprisingly, the questions asked in CAT are very easy, and a 10th standard student also will be able to solve them. But solving them in the given time is important. Also a matter is the accuracy with which you solve them, while trying to solve maximum in the given time.
7. What if I donot get selected in CAT this year ?Do not lose heart. Might be that you did not do well on the day it mattered. You can use your preparation and take other tests as well. There are a lot of other good institutes, and you should consider them as well before starting all over again for next year.
8. What is the pattern of the CAT exam?The general pattern for CAT is a 3 section test. DI/DS, Quants and Verbal Ability (English). But the pattern may vary this year.
9. What is negative marking? How much is the negative marking in CAT ?Negative marking means, for wrong answers you will be penalized with some marks ie, some marks will be deducted for that question. The amount of negative marking may vary this year for CAT 2009. As per previous years CAT, on third to one fourth of the total marks of a question is deducted per wronf answer.
10. How important is my reading speed for Reading Comprehension (RC)?Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to reading speed. On an average you need to have a minimum reading speed of around 350 words per minute (wpm) to be able to score a good score in RC. If your speed is less than this, do not lose heart, with regular reading and practice, you could improve your reading speed.
11. Should I study all three sections daily or just one?You should study all three sections. Don?t forget, you need to clear the cut off in all these sections to get a call. Most of us have a tendency to spend more time in subjects we are already good at. This should be avoided.
12. What is a CAT affiliated b-school?If you take the CAT, and get a valid score, you could use this score for admission to other B-schools across India. These are called CAT affiliated schools as they accept CAT score as the initial screening criteria. You will have to apply to these schools separately. Depending on the school, you may have to go through the GD/PI process as well .For a list of b-schools that take CAT score, visit TODO.
13. Which books should I consult for CAT preparations?There are a lot of books available in the market for CAT preparations. Apart from books, you should focus more on test papers, both sectional and full length. Also you should consult a good grammar book for English usage and grammar section. Also keep a dictionary handy for quick reference. Also subscribe to and read as many newspapers,
14. Where can I find tips and tricks to crack CAT?Remember working hard is the only key to success. So work hard, Also you need to prepare smartly. A few tips are shared in this forum.

GATE- Graduate aptitude Test in Engineering

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all-India examination administered and conducted in eight zones across the country by the GATE Committee comprising faculty from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordinating Board – GATE, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.

Many students are not aware that several institutions in India offer specialized postgraduate programmes in various disciplines. Attractive scholarship / Assistantship for postgraduate courses in engineering / Technology / Architecture /Pharmacy at Engineering colleges / institutes in the country, are available to those who qualify through GATE. Some Engineering colleges / institutes specify GATE as a mandatory qualification even for admission of students to post graduate programmes.

The aspirant is required to find  out the procedure of final selection and about the scholarship / Assistantship from the respective Institution to which the candidate seeks admission. GATE qualified candidates in Engineering will also be eligible for the award of junior research fellowship in CSIR Laboratories. Objective To identify meritorious and motivated candidates for admission to Post Graduate Programmes in Engineering, Technology, Architecture and Pharmacy at the National level. To serve as benchmark for normalisation of the Undergraduate Engineering Education in the country. Why should we take GATE: M.Tech degree leads to specialization and furthering of interest in a certain area which may lead to Ph.D M.Tech degree is best for those wishing to apply for Faculty/Research positions in educational Institutes/R&D centers.

Gate forms are available from October, 1st week onwards. Last Date for filling up forms is November, 1st week Exam Date is on the 2nd Sunday of February Results are out  in mid march March.

The examination is a single paper of 3 hours duration and generally consists of Section A (Objective Type) which is of 75 marks and Section B (Problem Type) which is of 75 marks. Total: 150 marks. One has  to opt for one’s subject and study as per the syllabus mentioned in the GATE brochure. The subjects of our interest are Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering., Electrical Engineering and Instrumentation Engineering.

Other subjects are also available such as Mathematics, Physics, etc. Results of qualified candidates in GATE will be an  All India Rank and indicate percentile score. For example, a percentile score of 99 means you are in the top 1% category of the candidates who appeared for GATE. Candidates who get less than 70 percentile get no score card. GATE scores are valid for 2 years. You may reappear the GATE exam if you are not satisfied with the earlier score and the new score (if better than the old one) will be used for admission purposes.

Once the   GATE results are out, students must apply to individual Institutes to get their application forms. Institutes advertise M.Tech admissions in leading newspapers from 1st April till end July. However some Institutes do not advertise and therefore students have to get the forms themselves. In the application forms, you have to mention your GATE score alongwith other details. The concerned Institute may conduct written test and/or interview for the purpose of admission. General thumb rules: If your Gate score in Computer Science is 96 percentile or more then you can try for IITs, if between 85 – 96 percentile, then apply for top RECs, JADAVPUR, SHIBPUR, ROORKEE, etc. If less than 85, you have to look for appropriate institutes.

Scholarship: During the pursuit of M.Tech, you are paid a scholarship of Rs. 5000.00 per month by the Government of India. This amount is enough for living expenses including purchase of books, etc. The scholarship is paid for the entire 18 months M.Tech period.

 We encourage 3rd year students to  appear GATE along with Final Year students since: GATE score is valid for 2 years. The syllabus as required by GATE is generally over by 5th semester. Anyway, it will be a good try! If it is a bad score you can always try again.

Gate-2010

Gate GATEway to a high-tech career It is literally a gateway to higher education and a promising career in engineering. Eligibility criteria A master’s degree in any branch of science or M.Sc. in Mathematics. Students in the final or pre-final year of these programmes are also eligible. A bachelor’s degree in engineering/technology/architecture/pharmacy would also suffice. Candidates in the final or pre-final year may also apply.

Candidates in the second year or above of the B.Sc. four-year Integrated Master’s Degree Programme, or in the third year (or above) of the five-year Integrated Master’s Degree Programme in engineering/technology. Candidates with professional qualification equivalent to BE/B.Tech. through a UPSC/AICTE-recognised examination. GATE exam The examination is a single paper of three-hour duration of the objective type.

Negative marking is adopted for some questions in the paper. The results of qualifying candidates will be ranked on an all-India basis and indicate a percentile score. A percentile score of 99 means one is in the top one per cent category of the candidates who appeared for GATE. Candidates who get less than 70 percentile get no score card. GATE scores are valid for 2 years. One can reappear for the GATE exam if one is not satisfied with the earlier score. The new score (if better than the old one) will be used for admission.

Students have to apply to individual institutes and get application forms after the GATE results are out. M.Tech. course admission details are advertised in leading newspapers from April 1 till July end. However, some institutes do not advertise and students should approach them directly for the forms. The concerned institute may conduct a written test and/or interview for admission. Students of M.Tech. are paid scholarships by the Government of India for the entire 18-month period. Importance of coaching Dr. Gokhale, who had been secretary, GATE examinations for 1997-98, notes that the examination is widely recognised in industrial and academic circles.

He observes there were many coaching Institutes in cities like Hyderabad and Chennai.Coaching was necessary, according to a former principal of a private engineering college. “The Chemical Engineering Department at the Government Engineering College, Kozhikode, offers coaching to students now as a small initiative,” says Prof. V.K. Sasikumar, Head, Chemical Engineering Department, Government Engineering College, West Hill, Kozhikode. However, experts advocate preparing for GATE by practising the old question papers following the time limits strictly, since time management in GATE is also crucial.

Also practising the questions helps one to familiarise oneself with the GATE exam pattern. Some institutes have recently started conducting separate written tests or interviews or both for PG admissions, apart from considering GATE scores. Importance of PGDr.Gokhale observes that even a student who has completed B.Tech. at a State engineering college can look forward to doing M.Tech. in a more reputed institute like an IIT or NIT by taking GATE and thus increase his value in the job market.

Prof. R. Sreedharan, who has been monitoring admissions, including M.Tech., at NIT-C over the years, observes that some of the students of self-financing engineering colleges outside Kerala try to get into an IIT or NIT by cracking GATE. R&D institutions Prof. Sasikumar says that with India becoming the hub of research and development (R&D) activities and many companies abroad outsourcing these activities to Indian research institutions like CSIR, M.Tech. students have a big chance to grab more opportunities in the research sector where a PG degree carries weight.

Dr.Gokhale points out that after the 9\11 attacks in the U.S., a slump in the IT market had re-oriented the engineering students towards higher studies. With opportunities galore in the R&D and other sectors, taking the GATE is increasingly becoming the preferred option for students. Unlike their seniors who kept going back to academics after a few years’ work, present-day students prefer to complete higher studies at a younger age as they set for themselves ambitious career goals. The next GATE exam is on,

IIM-B catapulted itself to 6th rank in job market

Bangalore: Employers are making a beeline for IIM-B, as per global survey 2009. The Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, (IIM-B) has registered itself among the top 10 preferred B-schools in the Asia Pacific region. The QS Global top 200 business schools 2009 survey has put IIM-B at sixth position in the region.

IIM-Ahmedabad, IIM-Calcutta and ISB Hyderabad are at 11, 12 and 13th rank respectively. Many factors were considered in which four major areas are — quality of students, specialization, success of alumni and activities of alumni network.

The global survey has shown up interesting trends in gloomy times. Business schools in India are becoming a hub for employers as the country’s economic demand for professional managers has been increasing despite the recession. The report lists 200 business schools currently preferred by most international employers for hiring MBA graduates.

The report says that MBA employers around the world are targeting a broader selection of regionally strong B-schools from which to hire MBA graduates. This trend may be accelerated by the recessionary environment, even as overall MBA hiring numbers fall.

The pressure of globalization means that beyond the traditional MBA employers, there are growing number of regional MBA employers who may not have the budget to pay the salaries demanded by MBAs from elite schools. As a result, MBAs who are pro-active in their search and flexible in terms of salary expectations are expanding their horizon even in the time of recession, pointed out the survey.

Interestingly, B-schools in the Asia-Pacific region are stamping their authority in the MBA market. “In fact, the number of Asian and Australian schools in the QS global survey has increased from 10 in 2004 to 40 this year — a massive jump reflecting their growing status. It also reflects the importance of Asian recruitment amongst employers.

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has the reputation to be the most exhaustive research on global B-schools. Its effort has been appreciated by Harvard and Wharton schools.

In the top 30 league, the Delhi University (22nd rank) figures for the first time and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (21 rank). The list consists — 72 schools in North America, 70 in Europe, 40 in Asia Pacific region, 12 in Latin America and 6 in Africa and West Asia.

CAT 2009 : GOES ONLINE

The dream of hundreds of thousands of students aspiring to get into the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will now be answering the Common Admission Test (CAT) online from this year onwards.The CAT, scores in which decide admission to the IIMs located in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Indore, Kozhikode, Lucknow and Shillong, will now be a Computer Based Test (CBT), a statement issued by IIM-Bangalore said on Monday.

The CAT scores not only determine admission into the IIMs, but also to several other reputed management institutes. According to the statement, the test will be conducted in a window of about 10 days at the end of the year.The institutes claim that the computer based CAT will be candidate-friendly, flexible in the selection of test date, ease registration process, provide better physical environment and test experience, and enhanced security in terms of biometric identification of candidates and video monitoring.

But experts from training and coaching centres are worried about how this may affect the students’ preparation.While about 95,000 candidates took the CAT in 2003, the number rose to about 250,000 in 2008, indicating a whopping 163 percent rise.According to the IIMs, this has resulted in severe strain on the administrative system of the institutes to conduct the CAT in its existing format.

IIMs have been conducting CAT in paper-and-pencil format for the last 33 years. Ninety percent of those who appear for the CAT are estimated to be proficient in working on computers.The coaching centres are also troubled that the format of questions is still unclear.

Students will have to wait for clarifications as details about the computerised CAT will be available along with the CAT advertisement that will be released later this summer, the IIM-Bangalore statement said. IANS