CAT 2017 concludes smoothly, test paper on expected lines
EXPERT ANALYSIS The overall difficulty level of the 2017 paper was not too high though rigour was tested in every question, experts suggest students reported difficulties in the data interpretation and logical reasoning section
NEWDELHI: The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2017 for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) was held on 26 November in two slots.
This year, the computerbased test was conducted by IIM Lucknow. The test comprises three sections – reading comprehension, data interpretation and logical reasoning as well as verbal ability.
Candidates are required to devote 60 minutes to each section taking the exam duration to 180 minutes.
According to several experts, the test this year was on expected lines with one particular section — data interpretation (DI) and logical reasoning (LR) — being reported as difficult by various students.
“Overall, the 2017 test pattern is in line with the pattern of the last two years with negligible variations across the two slots,” said Ankur Jain, chief knowledge expert, Triumphant Institute of Management Education, a test preparation institute.
Unlike the GMAT which is also a computer-based test, the CAT is not a varying ability test which means that the question papers across the two slots are standardized. “Approximately 90% of the question paper is same for all candidates,” he added.
According to Jain, sectionwise, while the verbal ability section was marginally tougher than last year, the quantitative aptitude section was marginally easier. Agrees Rajesh, founder, 2IIM, an online CAT preparation repository, “While DI and LR have been reported as tough by students, rest of the sections were fairly on expected lines with the question paper being error-free.”
He explains that since 2015, a trend has been observed where one particular section has a slightly higher level of difficulty over the rest of the paper. “DI has seen an increase in difficulty level since 2015 but this year’s questions are certainly the toughest,” he said.
Yet, he feels that while the 60 questions of this section were not easy, students could have easily attempted to try. “If one gets eight or more right in this section, they are easily along the top 10 percent of exam-takers,” said Rajesh.
Both Jain and Rajesh agree that the real trick lay in how students managed their expectations and stress since the impact of the second section’s difficulty also influenced their ability to navigate the last section. “The third section can be the key differentiator in performance as how students regained their confidence after struggling with a tough section could have impacted their response to an otherwise straightforward section,” said Rajesh.
“Given that students can only proceed to another section after spending 60 minutes on the previous section, this exerts pressure on them as they cannot choose the section that deserves greater attention based on the difficulty level,” said Jain.
Both agree that those who have consistently taken practice and mock tests are likely to be better equipped in dealing with such a situation as that also eliminates immediate shock at encountering a relatively tougher section.
“This question paper certainly required rigour from the first question itself but if students have taken practice tests modeled on previous years’ patterns, they may not be entirely surprised by one section’s difficulty,” concluded Rajesh.
The IIMs are expected to declare results in January.
THE REAL TRICK LAY IN HOW STUDENTS MANAGED THEIR STRESS AFTER ENCOUNTERING A TOUGH SECTION