Is CAT Exam Tough? Complete Details

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by Tanishq Sharma ago 18 views0

Is CAT Exam Tough

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is held once a year and is considered one of the prominent National level exams in India. This test is conducted by the IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) to provide admission to the students in its Management program and also in other prestigious business schools courses. As India’s most recognised exam for getting into Management courses, many students question if the CAT exam is tough before beginning with the preparation.

CAT is a competitive exam and is challenging which requires consistency and a lot of preparation. The CAT exam is considered difficult due to a variety of factors. These factors include the intense competition for limited seats at top business schools, the exam pattern and question types, strict time limits, etc.

This blog explores some of these crucial factors that make CAT a tough exam.

Top 7 Factors Making CAT a Tough Exam

The factors that increase the difficulty of CAT exam are:

1. Competitive

Every year lakhs of students apply for the CAT, but the number of available seats in top Institutions, specifically the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), are comparatively very few. This difference between countless applicants and limited seats leads to a very small acceptance rate which increases the difficulty of the exam.

2. Exam Pattern

CAT is a computer-based test consisting of three sections, Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The negative marking scheme in the CAT’s exam pattern is a crucial factor that significantly contributes to its difficulty.

Each right answer is awarded +3 marks, while for each wrong multiple-choice question (MCQ), 1 mark is deducted. This penalty creates a pressure on the candidate during the exam. A few wrong answers due to negative marking can reduce a candidate’s total score, impacting their percentile which eventually leads to not getting the desired University.

3. Time Constraint

The time limitation is the most important factor that increases the difficulty level of the CAT. The exam is not about just knowing the answers but also about answering every question correctly within the allotted time. The duration of the exam is 120 minutes and 40 minutes is allotted for each section. It is necessary for the student to complete each one of the sections within the given time limit which puts a pressure on the student increasing the chances of errors and making the exam difficult.

4. Huge Syllabus

The CAT syllabus covers a broad variety of topics under different sections, which makes the syllabus lengthy and complex that requires a disciplined and structured preparation strategy. Due to such a lengthy syllabus, the exam gets tough for the aspirants.

5. Question Framing and Complexity

The phrasing of questions in the CAT exam play an important role in making it challenging. The question complexity makes the exam tougher as they rarely involve direct application of formulas. Instead, candidates need to deeply understand the concepts and apply them to the questions to show their problem-solving skills.

6. High Cut offs

High cut-offs is one of the key reasons why the CAT exam is so tough. To get into the leading IIMs such as Ahmedabad and Bangalore, students need to score around 99 percentile and above. Whereas, getting into other top-tier Institutions requires approximately 95 percentile and higher.

7. Exam Pressure

Exam pressure is a psychological factor that could significantly enhance the level of difficulty of the CAT, irrespective of a candidate’s level of preparation. Students prepare for a whole year which creates a pressure on them to achieve the cut-off criteria. The anxiety negatively impacts the overall performance of the students, making the exam tough.

Top 7 Tips to Prepare for CAT Exam

Following are some of the tips which can be followed by students to effectively prepare for the one of the toughest exam i.e., CAT:

  1. Understand the CAT exam pattern and syllabus.
  2. Create a well-planned study schedule.
  3. Use quality study materials to prepare for the exam.
  4. Practise CAT Previous Year Question Papers to identify strengths and weaknesses.
  5. Learn formulas and shortcuts to solve Quantitative Ability questions.
  6. Revise the important topics on a regular basis.
  7. Seek guidance from mentors or experts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the answer to the question whether the CAT exam is tough or not depends on the students preparation and capability. However, factors like tough competition, time limitations, huge syllabus, complex question framing, high cut-offs, and the pressure of negative marking all add to the difficulty of the CAT exam.

To achieve high percentile and get admission into the Country’s top Management courses, students should overcome these factors by focusing on building strong fundamentals, developing effective time management skills, etc. With the right focus and consistent effort, students can convert this tough exam into a gateway towards their academic success.

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