Wednesday 11 July 2012

CAT 2012 Verbal Ability@ Weak in Verbal Ability? 5 Ways to start & strengthen the area for CAT 2012

Not everyone is blessed with strong English. While some people have a natural flair for the writing, most of the people lack the knowledge of the basic rules of grammar. If you are aiming crack CAT in 2012, or the other MBA entrance exams, make sure that you are sound with your knowledge in the English language as your performance in the Verbal Ability section determines a major part of your score for CAT 2012 and other MBA entrance exams of the year. 

This article of MBAUniverse.com is meant for those MBA aspirants who are weak in English and have not been able to kick start their preparation for CAT 2012 yet. CAT brings surprise every year. For the takers of CAT 2012, the exam might bring in some surprises as well. 

If you are weak in the Verbal Ability section, you must identify the specific areas of your weaknesses. Once you are done with that, half your job is already made easy. As S K Agarwal, Author and Verbal Ability Expert – MBAUniverse.com says, “If you can identify your weaknesses in this section and wish to improve yourself in the module of Verbal Ability you need to start now.”

Getting Started
  ‘How do I start with my Verbal Ability preparation?’ This is the most common question which students are asking while starting with the preparation for CAT 2012. According to Agarwal, this is a very tricky question. Improvement required in Verbal ability may be in one or more of the following sections:  

1.Error corrections in sentences-error types may be of parts of speech in grammar e.g. Articles, singular/plural, nouns/pronouns/adjectives/adverbs/prepositions, use of relatives etc.
2.Error corrections may be in the use of  tenses-verb agreement according to the rules of standard written English, syntax used in construction of sentence, parallel actions etc. 
3.It can also be to test the knowledge of correct use of vocabulary words in various contexts including their synonyms & antonyms. 
4.Correction of wrong use of phrases/idioms in sentences or parts of paragraph.
5.Jumbled paragraphs, last sentence completion, RC.    

Agarwal suggests that when you start – start with that section which is more familiar to you since it goes on keeping your interest intact with line of preparation. Go on adding more sections with higher difficulty levels.

1.Grammar: It is very important that the CAT 2012 aspirant should be well versed with the fundamentals of grammar, which is the first and foremost step to achieve finesse in English. You should study usage of various distinctive parts of speech, correction of grammatical errors, application of Articles, nouns, pronouns, non-finites, Reported speech, Adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, verb pattern, singular/plural, usage of phrases etc. These are required to correct the grammatical errors. Earlier CAT had number of questions based on correction of articles, singular/plurals, use of relatives, verbs etc. Hence, you should have the knowledge of writing grammatically correct sentences.  

2.Tenses: It can be classified as the part which enables one to frame short or long sentences, write stories, essays etc. A little knowledge or incorrect knowledge of the same might land the student in trouble. It is of utmost importance to write the sentences in correct and applicable tenses, otherwise the entire learning will become futile.  You should understand and practice all the rules to use tenses in three time zones i.e. Past, present and future. 

3.Vocabulary: Enriching the word power is required not only for the purpose of getting grand success in CAT 2012 but through-out the life, you beam with a built up confidence filled with rich Vocabulary.  It would primarily require two aspects - understanding and knowing the word. The words which we have not come across earlier are to be recognized and interpreted. Later these        words are to be learned and kept in memory, by using and revising them. Hence, while getting ready to learn new words, take the periodical tips, their roots, prefixes-suffixes etc. 

4.Phrases/Idioms: Learn the correct usage of phrases, idioms in different contexts.  A word combined with a small other word changes its meaning and usage and may no longer be used in the same context.

5.Para jumbles & English Usage:
Once you get the grasp of vocabulary, correct formation of sentence, the grammar rules, the sequence of jumbled paragraphs, completion of last sentence can be practiced with much finesse and ease. However, more and more practice in this section is necessary to improve the reading skills and answering the related questions.

To know in detail about each of the above mentioned areas of Verbal Ability for CAT 2012 preparation, click on the following links: 

Verbal Ability for CAT 2012: Know the common errors in the Grammar questions & the ways to tackle

Reading Comprehension for CAT 2012: What they check & how to prepare

CAT 2012 Verbal Ability: Strategies to strengthen Grammar & English Usage

10 tips to prepare & improve your Vocabulary for CAT 2012 Verbal Ability

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012 preparation

CAT 2012 aspirants prefer two sections over three

They say change is the only constant. IIMs have made the phrase sound even more practical by introducing changes in the Common Admission Test or CAT almost every year. With a massive change in the pattern of the CAT last year, the test takers were introduced to a completely new test taking experience during CAT 2011.

MBAUniverse.com endeavored to know what is going on in the minds of the CAT 2012 aspirants and how comfortable they are with the current pattern of CAT exam. For this, a survey is being conducted on the topic, ’10 ways to improve CAT 2012’ on the CAT 2012 takers, with a sample size of 100 respondents.

After giving you the CAT 2012 aspirants’ take on having a choice of section to start the exam and time bound sections, today’s topic is, ‘Was three sections instead if two better for CAT?’ Majority of the respondents have affirmed the change made in last year’s CAT in terms of the number of sections, which means, they prefer CAT with two sections rather than having three sections.

Till 2010, the three sections in CAT were Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. But from 2011 onwards, the number of sections in CAT was crunched to two from three, by merging Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning section with Quantitative Ability and Verbal Ability sections respectively. Hence there emerged the two new sections in CAT, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning. 

According to Janakiraman Moorthy, CAT 2011 Convener, the change was made with the aim that the candidates don’t have skewed performances and that they devote equal time in both the sections. Most of the CAT 2012 aspirants who have responded to the MBAUniverse.com Survey feel that the new pattern with two sections is convenient in terms of test taking. However, there are some respondents, who feel otherwise as well. They believe that the pattern with three sections is better for preparation as well as for taking the exam.

Now let us see what the CAT 2012 aspirants have to say about the number of sections.

Sahil Sharma, a CAT 2012 aspirant from Jammu & Kashmir believes that the CAT takers should always be prepared for change and accept it as a challenge. He is in favour of writing two sections in CAT than three as he says, “I find the new pattern much more systematic. Instead of worrying about clearing the cutoffs of three sections, now I can focus on two sections only.”

Aniket Kumar from Baroda, Gujarat says, “The new pattern is a much better arrangement. There are some similarities between Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation in terms of calculation and interpreting the data. At the same time, there is a connection between Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning as Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning caselets are about taking out the right information which is hidden within the question. In that sense, I feel that merger of the sections are a good decision taken by IIMs.”

Ganpattlal Suthar from Mumbai finds the two sections advantageous as his weakness lies in Quantitative Ability. “Now that there are 20 questions in QA and 10 questions in DI, I can choose the right questions and qualify by clearing the cut offs. Though I have to make a right strategy, but still I believe it would be better than having three separate sections.”

Abhishek from Bhilai, Madhya Pradesh also shared similar views as Ganpattlal. “Firstly, we cannot do much about this change in the CAT pattern which has been brought by IIMs. So we have to get used to it. It is actually easier for me to focus on the combined sections. If I aim to attempt 20 out of 30 questions in a section, I can choose 10 questions from QA and DI or 15 and 5 or it can also be 10 and 15 if the questions are favourable. I can take the liberty to choose wisely among QA and DI questions in order to avoid heavy calculations and save time. But in case of three sections, I had to work on clearing cut offs of all three sections.”

Avnish Mishra from Chennai believes that having two sections in CAT has both its advantages as well as disadvantages. But when it comes to his personal opinion, he feels much more comfortable with two sections. “Technically there have not been many changes in terms of the question types and numbers. QA and VA still have 20 questions and DI and LR have 10 questions. But when you know that you have to solve two sections and not worry about the time management, planning for the test becomes much easier.”

Now let us see what those CAT 2012 aspirants have to say who prefer to have three sections instead of two in CAT 2012.  

Dilip from Hyderabad mentions, “In this new pattern, there is lesser choice in terms of attempting questions. I took CAT in 2011 and there were maximum questions on Geometry which is my weakness. And to top it, I had to attempt a decent number of DI questions too. Hence I would prefer to have three sections instead of two.”

Manvi Arora, a CAT 2012 aspirant from Delhi feels that having three sections in CAT would have been better. “It is difficult for me to attempt my weak sections when it is combined with another area. My weakness is VA. It takes a lot of time for me to solve RC questions and it would be even more difficult to solve the LR questions after that in just 70 minutes.”

To read the previous article on MBAUniverse.com Survey on ‘10 ways to make CAT 2012 better’, click on the following link:

CAT 2012 aspirants want flexibility in time to attempt the sections

CAT 2012 aspirants wish to choose the section to start the exam with


Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012.

CAT 2012: Master the art of Approximation to eliminate wrong answer choices in CAT 2012: Byju Raveendran@Live Chat

With the aim to throw light on the path of the preparation for CAT 2012 preparation, MBAUniverse.com has started the Live Expert Chat series on ‘How to prepare for CAT 2012’. With around 100 days left for the exam, the CAT 2012 aspirants are geared up to give their best shot in their preparation.

The last Live Expert Chat was held on Friday, July 6, 2012 with Byju Raveendran, CAT expert and founder, Byju’s CAT Classes. The participants posed questions varying from preparation to the chances of making it to the top B-schools according to their backgrounds and pattern of CAT.

Excerpts from the chat.

Q: Anuj: I want to know the best strategy to tackle Quant section.

A: We should always understand that questions from topics under Algebra such as Equations, Inequalities, functions compared to Percentages, Ratio Proportion, Profit and Loss etc are always more. An added advantage of being strong in Algebra is that many unconventional techniques like Assumption and Substitution can be used many a times reducing the time taken considerably. Always make it a point to revise things that you have already covered from the time of starting your preparation but do not exhaust yourself doing all this in the last few days.

Q: Karan Aghi: What should be my daily plan to study for CAT 2012? I was working for the past year but now I have given up my job and I am preparing for CAT 2012.

A: Having lots of time in hand is a good thing but ensure that you focus on your preparation strategy starting with an analysis of your weak and strong areas. As there are four different question types in CAT, you need to look at these sections individually and then make a weekly plan to begin the preparation. Then finally start taking mock tests to analyze your scoring and non-scoring areas. This will help you in your final lap to CAT 2012.

Q: Anuj: I have some work experience. How much weight would be given to it by IIMs and the top B-schools? Also, what should be the proper strategy to get sectional cut offs?

A: Every B-School has its own short listing criteria. It only comes into light after the CAT results are announced. So for now, I would suggest you to concentrate on just maximizing your score in the test. Also, with the new pattern being introduced last year, it might be beneficial for you in terms of clearing the sectional cut-offs. For instance if you are weak in DI, you can still compensate for that to a certain extent if you are strong in Quant, by solving some more Quant questions.

Q: Sambit: I am good at Math. But somehow, I am not able to score well in the Quant section. Could you please give me some tips to maximize my performance?

A: Use mock tests to identify the reason behind your low scores and maybe even lesser attempts. Solve questions from your strong areas first and then move on to weaker areas. Also spend more time trying to improve on those sections where your attempts and accuracy is low. CAT is an exam where common sense plays an important role and hence, methods like approximation and assumption using answer options will work wonders. CAUTION: Don't try all of this for the first time on the D-Day, in other words prior practice is a must!

Q: Shashank: How do I start to prepare for VA and LR?

A: Last year’s CAT pattern might prove to benefit those who are weak in Verbal Ability, as one can manage the VA-LR section to a certain extent if they are strong in Reasoning or vice versa. There is more flexibility because of inclusion of logical reasoning questions which has always followed a set pattern looking at the last 10 years of CAT. For VA, RCs are always going to be the game changer. RC preparation can be done even in the last few weeks by trying to solve an RC passage using the keyword approach. Identify the main theme from the RC questions and look for those themes from the paragraphs. This can be practiced even in the last few days by improving attempts so as to get more clarity while reading the passages. There is no shortcut to improve the reading speed, but the shortcut is to READ more and more!

Q: Shashank: With 100 days remaining, can we start preparing now, or it is late?

A: It is never too late to start preparing for an exam which tests nothing but your basic concepts and common sense. CAT is a two and a half hour exam, and 100 days is more than sufficient if you plan your preparation accordingly. You can also solve previous year CAT questions to analyze the common patterns.

Q: Aparna: I have 58.4 per cent marks in my 12th standard so will it create problem for me while going for the CAT 2012 and getting admission in B-schools?

A: Previous academic records is a criterion for short listing along with your CAT scores and other factors but each B-School has its own short listing criteria so a weak score in 12th or even your 10th can be compensated with a high CAT score. So now start the battle for CAT 2012!

Q: Anuj: How frequently should one give the mock tests and is there any shortcut to Geometry problems?

A: At this stage, you can attempt a mock CAT once a fortnight and as the D-Day draws close, you can take one or two mocks every week. The important thing here is that, you should spend as much or more time analyzing each mock CAT you have attempted. Every mock CAT should be a learning process where you can understand and improve on your weak areas, if any. Area based questions are a frequent type in Geometry, where dividing a regular figure into equal parts can help you arrive at the solution faster. Approximation is another tool you can use to eliminate wrong answer choices.

Q: Ebin: I am weak in DI. How should I start preparing for DI questions? Will it be okay if I attempt maximum QA questions and leave DI questions for the first section in order to clear cut off?

A: To begin with, leaving any section or question type completely is not a good idea. The good news is - question types under DI is covered through concepts related to percentages, averages and ratios so once you are familiar with these areas then all you need to do is to understand and interpret the data so as to start cracking the DI question sets. If you go through the previous CAT papers you will understand that there are only a few question types that are asked, that will give you real confidence.

Q: Shashank: Has the level or standard of questions asked decreased much after the computer based CAT started, or it is almost the same?

A: This is a good query that runs in the minds of most aspirants these days. The good thing is that the IIMs have always maintained a standard with respect to the sections, types of question, and the level of difficulty. The online version has made a difference to CAT in terms of creating a cloud of uncertainty but the questions haven't been a cakewalk for any CAT aspirant in the last two years!

Q: Anuj: What is the weightage of Data Sufficiency questions in the QA & DI section? Please mention the types and how to prepare?

A: If you look at the trend in the previous papers, Data Sufficiency questions range anywhere from 0 to 15 per cent of the questions which appear in CAT. Questions can be based on basic mathematical concepts, Data Interpretation or Reasoning skills. You can understand the type of question by reading the directions carefully, but you can keep the following tricks and traps in mind while attempting DS questions.

 Trick # 1: Answer obtained should be unique.

Trick # 2: There is no need to solve the question completely. Remember that we are only interested in finding out whether the given data is sufficient to solve the problem or not.

Trick # 3: Even a “no” is an answer. So if you can answer the question as “no”, you have sufficient data to solve the problem.

No here are some traps which you must be careful of while solving the DS questions.

Trap # 1: A unique answer does not mean we cannot have two different answers from the two statements separately.

Trap # 2: Treat each statement separately. Do not hurry once you realize that statement 1 is sufficient to answer the question. Do remember that you have a possibility of both the options alone being sufficient to answer the question.

Trap # 3: Do not forget to try both the statements together to get to an answer after both statements individually have failed to give you an answer.

Q: Anand: How do I prepare for the vocabulary section, if I have to start from scratch?

A: What you can always keep in mind is that half of your VA section is going to be RC based. If we look at the rest of the Verbal Ability part of CAT we can easily identify the other important topics, such as sentence completion, Para-jumbles and some grammar based questions. The simple tip is - start reading and immediately see a marked improvement in your RC attempts. Read Voraciously!

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012 Live Expert Chats.

CAT 2012 Verbal Ability@ 10 tips to prepare & improve your Vocabulary for CAT 2012 Verbal Ability

It is true that CAT does not give you direct questions on Vocabulary, such as synonyms, antonyms, etc. But you would definitely require a good stock of words to solve the other question types such as Reading Comprehension, para jumbles, fill in the blanks etc. Arks Srinivas, CEO, VistaMind Education and former Director, T.I.M.E. says, “Yes, while Vocabulary questions are not directly given in the CAT exam, the same words are given under English Usage name. Remember that the IIMs want you to be conversant with English that is in Vogue. So even if they do give words or vocabulary, they will be normally the ones that you come across in news papers and magazines.”

Hence it is absolutely necessary to be well versed with Vocabulary and phrasal verbs.  “Enriching the word power is required not only for the purpose of getting grand success in your ensuring CAT 2012 but through- out the life, you beam with a built up confidence filled with rich Vocabulary,” mentions S K Agarwal, Author and Verbal Ability Expert – MBAUniverse.com.

You must build a right strategy for your preparation. Unless you make a right plan, you will end up wasting your precious time. Agarwal suggests 10 tips to prepare for Vocabulary to help you score high in the Verbal Ability area of CAT 2012 exam.

1. Do not memorize long lists of new words: If you try to mug up long list of words before the exam, it will not be much helpful for you. Most of them are forgotten the next day as you just memorize them and not understand the meaning and root of the word. The words which are learnt in context and those which can be put to use in speech and writing shall form the part of the vocabulary.

2. Read at least one newspaper in detail: Do not go for surface reading or sweep the headlines only.  Select the editorials, articles; mark the new words as well as the words that you know but they have been used in different context. Try to guess the meaning of the word used in particular context. Then check the guess in dictionary, its correct spelling, pronunciation, and then finally, practice the new word. Frame sentences containing the word. Try to think how many times you have used the word during the day.  Speak out the sentences to yourself, standing before the mirror or whatever means you find to use the same.

3. More and more reading:  Read as much as possible.  Listening can be of use but the fast pace of speech does not give you sufficient time to think about the words, you do not understand. Whatever stuff you are reading, it has to be ensured that you have understood the same, with the difficult words duly searched and used.  If you do not understand the passage, you will get bored very soon. And by the time you reach the end of a sentence, you will forget what the beginning meant. If the reading material appeals to you, you will put in more effort and the new words you are faced with, will be more likely of use to you. You can opt for such authors who give you rich but clear vocabularies. Words once left you flummoxed will soon become familiar friends.

4. Listen carefully to conversations, speeches, the radio, television: Here you are able to have the visuals along with the audio. Do not simply relax but be attentive, while viewing and listening to news broadcasts, current affair programmes, documentaries etc.  It is advisable, to listen carefully to the persons, who in your opinion speak good English-as you feel the words spoken by them are in right spirit. Try to work out what it is, that makes their language effective. Concentrate on the words that you do not recognize and work out from the context what they could mean.

5. Usage restrictions must also be duly taken care of: You must also take care of the usage restriction when trying out synonyms given in dictionaries and thesauruses. The synonyms may have roughly the similar meaning as the word you originally looked up but the context in which they can be correctly used may be quite different.  People as well as ideas, books and other products of their minds can be abstruse. But we cannot say that a person is recondite, arcane or esoteric, though all of these words may be given as synonyms. The right word is supposed to be placed in the right place.  When we talk about a handsome woman or a pretty boy, murdering a sandwich, cantankerous motor car; the listener is forced to interpret the word in a special way.

6. To avoid confusions, try to keep your first attempt at using a new word close to the way it was used when you made its acquaintance: Look at these sentences -  He is an utter idiot(Correct), This idiot is utter (Wrong). Utter can be used only before the noun it qualifies.  Suppose you come across a sentence – My friend is a consummate Accountant. Consummate, as you search for, means ‘greatly or supremely accomplished or skilled’. After some time you frame a sentence My friend’s accountsmanship is consummate, it would be Wrong. The word ‘Consummate’ can be used only before the noun it qualifies but not like the adjectives ‘Accomplished’, ‘Skilled’ that can be used either before or after the noun it refers to.

7. Choose a good dictionary: Always look carefully at the examples given after a definition. They are chosen to show how the word is typically used.

8. Build up your word-Bank: Never be afraid of learning long words. At times they are easier to be well understood than any short word. The technique is to break the long word in parts as it must definitely be having particular root (the basic part), prefix or suffix which has a certain meaning. For example-Gregarious, root-Greg=crowd, herd – living in flocks or herds. Prepare chart of roots, other prefixes, suffixes to the words, understand what you have prepared and start working on it.

9. Prepare Flash Cards: A simple and traditional method to improve the word power is to prepare the small cards with the words to be learned, written on one side and their synonyms & antonyms on the reverse side. Carry them with you, say, 10 to 20 words, use them vigorously. Use them in writing, conversation. Use every opportunity to revise them.  Try to have a vivid mental picture of the word. Memory works better on pictures than on reading and lectures etc.  Grab the opportunity to use the word in conversation. 

10. Recommended Reading:

i) You can opt for such authors who give you rich but clear vocabularies like Evelyn Waugh, Anthony Burgess, James Thurbar, George Bernard Shaw, Graham Greene, Salman Rushdie, Herman Hesse,.

ii) Use a very good Dictionary, preferably the one that explains the meaning, amount of information with grammar & syntax as well. This may be Oxford, Cambridge or even better go for a good encyclopedic dictionary. The aim is- the best one will be that makes you feel comfortable to understand and follow the vast realm of variety of words.

iii) The quiz & other material being provided by us constitute an extract from the best available literature, science, fiction etc. Be attentive to solve and understand them. Word list is endless and enrichment with them is an ever growing process.  Neither age nor time is a constraint. Nonetheless, your involvement with keen interest is required. Books on Vocabulary, word power, verbal ability available in market should be as per your choice as they give you the opportunity for quick revision in selected context i.e. by Norman Lewis, Wilfred Funk, Maxwell Nurnberg etc.

iv) Periodicals and magazines like India Today, Times, Reader’s Digest, News week, and the ones that is of interest to you, should be studied. Our target is to build the vocabulary with interest and ease. The selection of magazines, periodicals, therefore, must be accordingly made.

To read the previous MBAUniverse.com article on Vocabulary, click on the following link:

Boost your Vocabulary to crack Verbal Ability for CAT 2012

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012.


Tuesday 10 July 2012

Take one mock test per week in these 100 days to CAT 2012: Arks Srinivas @MBAUniverse.com Chat

With around 100 days left for CAT 2012, the serious MBA aspirants have started their preparation in full force. When you start the journey, only then you can know the difficulties which are laden in the path. To help you know these difficulties better and to offer you the solution to uproot them and make your journey smooth, MBAUniverse.com is hosting a series of Live Expert Chat on the topic, ‘How to prepare for CAT 2012’.

The first chat of the series was held on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 with Arks Srinivas, CEO, VistaMind Education and former Director, T.I.M.E.

Excerpts from the chat:

Q: Aravind Nair: How many questions shall I attempt from each section to clear cut offs? I took CAT last year too but found it difficult to attempt questions within 70 minutes in one section.

A: The CAT is normally designed to see that the student does not answer all questions. In fact, by trying to attempt all questions, you will make more errors and thereby getting lesser Equated Score. The idea in CAT is to attempt only those questions which are your forte. Having said that, you may have to still prepare well, so that you are in a position to attempt at least 20 out of 30 questions in each section of CAT 2012.

Q: Kaylynn: How to prepare for the Data Interpretation part? Are there any particular books which we should follow? Are these questions calculation intensive?

A: Data Interpretation has basically the following types of questions/areas. Number Oriented (Tables, Bar Charts, PIE Charts, Line Graphs, Averages etc); Percentage Oriented (Again from the above areas ); Games and Tournaments; Venn Diagrams (sometimes this is given in QA too). To prepare, one has to be absolutely familiar with the GRAPH types and the TYPES of questions that come in related to those GRAPHS. Solving around 10 sets each of each type of GRAPHs can really help a lot. Some questions are clearly calculation intensive and quite a few are not. While there are no specific books, if you follow the booklets given by any coaching institute as well as do the MOCK CATs, it should be sufficient.

Q: Sri: My vocabulary is not very strong. But I have heard that CAT does not give much weight on the vocabulary questions. Is it true? Or shall I focus on preparing for vocabulary?

A: Yes, while Vocabulary questions are not directly given in the CAT exam, the same words are given under English Usage name. Remember that the IIMs want you to be conversant with English that is in Vogue. So even if they do give words or vocabulary, they will be normally the ones that you come across in news papers and magazines. Hence concentrating on building vocabulary is not very essential as it is in GRE.

Q: Pankaj Goyal: My weaknesses include RC and Vocabulary. What should I do in these four months time?

A: The fact that you have identified your weaknesses means you are half way through. Start spending time on your vocabulary and reading every day for one hour. More than Vocabulary, you have to prepare on Grammar which will ensure that your RC becomes strong.

Q: Aravind Nair: Please give me some suggestions on time management.

A: I guess you are asking about the exam time? Frankly, this would be a long answer to give. It depends on your strengths and the state of preparedness. However, the basic objective of the exam (and hence your strategy should follow that) should be to ensure that you attempt as many questions that you know as possible. Avoid guessing and see that there are no questions left out unread before your time is up.

Q: Gaurav Singh: I have started my preparation one month back and aiming for a good CAT score for IIMs. My background is engineering so I am familiar with the QA and my English is also not so poor. Will these three months be enough for CAT 2012 preparation?

A: Absolutely! You have more than 100 days to prepare and I am sure, given sufficient effort, it is easy to CRACK CAT 2012.

Q: Richa Gupta: I am very weak in geometry. How much questions are asked from the geometry section in CAT? I'm also poor in DI. What is the best way to proceed for CAT 2012?

A: As per Geometry - please prepare. Since there are 40 different (possibly) sets of questions possible there is no guarantee whether you will get more or less questions in Geometry. However, all said and done, Geometry is a very important area. I repeat what I said to two others in this chat. 100 days is too long a time and you can easily prepare.

Q: Arvind: Are Higher Math questions relevant for CAT? How many questions can come from this area? How to prepare for the same in these few months?

A: In CAT, Higher Math is restricted to Permutations and Combinations. In XAT, Probability also appears. Other than that there is no other higher math area such as Calculus or Trigonometry. Algebra appears in the form of Indices. Logs, Quadratic Equations and Progressions. Take a topic at a time and solve more 100 questions in each topic and you would be good.

Q: Sandeep: I have got 88 per cent in Xth, 65 per cent in XIIth and 57 per cent in B.Tech (ECE). Do I stand a chance to making it to IIMs or a top B-School? How good should be my CAT scores?

A: While technically, there are chances to make it to the IIMs also, realistically your real chance depends on getting a 99.5 percentile in CAT 2012. Also, there are enough top B-schools including MDI and XLRI (for XAT) which would consider your case provided you do a good job of your Written Exam and Personal Interview.

Q: Ravi: I am a final year B.Tech student. I have just started preparing for CAT 2012. I am a slow learner and now I am really scared. Shall I drop the idea of taking CAT 2012 and prepare for next year?

A: The fact that you are a B.Tech student itself should give you confidence to attempt CAT. If the CAT 2012 is similar to that of CAT 2011, then you would have questions pertaining to your comfort zone (provided you are comfortable though!), viz., QA and Analytical Ability respectively. You have more than 100 days for preparation. And I am sure that if you give in the right effort, 100 days are more than enough.

Q: Bhushan: Since last 10 months I am preparing for CAT and other B-School exams. Last year I cracked few exams in most of the exams and my percentile is above 96. I need to know what should be my approach towards CAT 2012?

A: You are getting a very good percentile at this stage. Getting a good percentile also depends on the number of people taking the exam. But, the time is enough for you to spend time on improving on your weak areas. Take one mock CAT per week. Analyze thoroughly. Find out your weak areas, spend time on one weak area per week and then write the next Mock CAT. This should be your strategy of preparation.

Q: Eshant Deval: I have not joined any coaching till now. Is it possible to CAT without coaching? Please guide me sir.

A:  Coaching institutes give your preparation a direction and give you the material required in a comprehensive fashion. Also, going to a coaching class will make you consistent in your preparation. Apart from this, there is no guarantee that by joining a coaching institute you would get into the IIMs or not joining one will not stop you from getting into these top institutes.

Q: Bhushan: I am from medical background facing some problem in mathematics. Though I have completed whole syllabus Also, I am from vernacular medium. I am still not so confident about it. I need your advice.

A: There are enough MBBS graduates who get into the IIMs. Vernacular medium will not mar your chances. Practice is a simple but the most important word for your preparation. Please do.

Q: Rishabh: What should my approach towards Quant? How much time should I utilize for my daily Quant prep?

A: Since Quant has about 15 odd topics, take the next one month to familiarize yourself with these topics. By August 15th you should get independence from Basics. Then, the next one month take tests in each topic. The last one and half month (September 15 to October end) use the time to revise thoroughly all areas.

The next Live Expert Chat on the topic ‘How to prepare for CAT 2012’ will be held on Friday, July 6, 2012, 5 pm onwards with Byju Raveendran, CAT expert and founder of Byju’s CAT Classes.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012 Live Expert Chats.


CAT 2012 aspirants want flexibility in time to attempt the sections

With CAT 2012 still shrouded in mystery, which is expected to see some light by the middle of July, MBAUniverse.com is trying to gauge the temperament of the CAT 2012 aspirants through a Survey on the topic, ’10 ways to improve CAT 2012.’ The survey is being conducted on the CAT 2012 takers, with a sample size of 100 respondents.

The questions which were asked to the aspirants were on the number of sections, number of questions, duration of CAT 2012, option to start with a section of their choice, time bound sections, the time duration to wait in the test center among few others.

One of the questions was, ‘Will having flexibility in attempting both the sections within 140 minutes be better than time bound sections?’ Majority of the aspirants prefer having the flexibility of attempting the two sections in CAT 2012, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning in 140 minutes rather than having time bound sections of 70 minutes each.

According to the CAT aspirants, who are in favour of the flexibility among the sections, it is not necessary that there would be equal time needed for solving both the sections. Ganpatlal Suthar, a CAT 2012 aspirant from Mumbai says, “There should be inter mobility between the two sections of CAT 2012. I need more time to solve the Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation as it involves more calculation than Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning.”

Similar views were shared by Pradeep Kumar from Jaipur, Rajasthan. He feels, “I may not attempt the equal number of questions from both the sections. Since Quantitative Ability is my strength, I would attempt more questions from that area than the second sections. 70 minutes might appear less for me in the QA & DI section, which I could have strategized accordingly if I had the entire 140 minutes for both the sections.”

Gaurav, a CAT 2012 aspirant from Gorakhpur feels that the time management is an individual aspect of the test takers. “I don’t think that I would be able to give my best shot if I get equal time for both the sections. I will not attempt same number of questions in both the sections. I took CAT in 2010 and 2011and have realized that reading all 60 questions and selecting among them would be the best way rather than going through 30 questions twice and deciding which ones to attempt.”

Now let us see what they have to say, who are in favour of the time bound sections in CAT. Their view is that, having 70 minutes for each section gives a test taker enough time and focus to concentrate, “I like this format where there are 70 minutes each for the two sections of CAT. I am completely focused and don’t bother about what is to come in the next section or what I have done in the previous section,” states Avnish Mishra from Chennai.

Saida Rao of Bangalore is of the opinion that it is an effective way of managing time. “IIMs have taken a good decision by making the sections time bound. It gives me complete focus and concentration to attempt a particular section, Otherwise it would have been pretty confusing for me to tackle both the sections at one go and ended up doing more questions from the area of my strength and neglecting my weak area.”

To read the previous article on MBAUniverse.com Survey on ‘10 ways to make CAT 2012 better’, click on the following link:

CAT 2012 aspirants wish to choose the section to start the exam with

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012.




CAT 2012 Verbal Ability: Strategies to strengthen Grammar & English Usage

Often the root cause of weakness in Verbal Ability section of CAT exam is lack of proper knowledge in the grammar. This eventually leads to wrong usage of words in sentences and incorrect usage of tense, articles and punctuations. If you are aiming for CAT 2012, then you must take care of these aspects so that you do not commit mistakes and lose marks or leave that question entirely. This article of MBAUniverse.com will talk about the components in English Usage and grammar of CAT 2012 Verbal Ability and preparation strategy for the same.

As per the analysis of CAT, grammar or English Usage consists of almost 35 per cent of the CAT questions of the Verbal Ability section.  As said by S K Agarwal, Author & Verbal Ability Expert - MBAUniverse.com, it is not just about English language. For any language, having a strong base in grammar is a must. “No language can survive without a strong grammar base. Attraction to and sophistication of the English language- written or spoken, would have been lost, had there not been the pillars of strong and firmly grounded grammar. We just cannot imagine the use of any language without grammar,” he says.

It is not just about CAT 2012 or other MBA entrance exams that you need sound knowledge of the English language. Even when you go for the next level of GD, PI and WAT rounds as well. “You must not only know the rules of the grammar and usage of it but also must be well aware – how to use it in standard written English, so that a concise, appropriate and relevant message can be conveyed,” suggests Agarwal.

What & How to prepare

Start afresh with the preparation for grammar, if you have not started it yet. You all have studied grammar in childhood but that does not necessarily mean that the knowledge would be retained by you. If you have sound base of grammar in English, following the rules and putting them in correct usage would be enough to get a good score in Verbal Ability.

Following are some of the rules of grammar which you must follow while preparing for grammar for CAT 2012 Verbal Ability.

Rules of Tenses: If you do not know, how and where to use which tense and the order in which it should appear, you have more probability to lose marks while attempting the correction of grammatical errors in sentences.  Please remember this is use of correct form of verb which describes the correct use of tense. We cannot use Past Perfect or Past continuous where simple past is to be used.  You cannot write- ‘I had gone to see my friend yesterday’, since only Simple Past is used with yesterday, so the correct sentence would be- ‘I went to see my friend yesterday’. Besides ability to use Perfect or continuous tenses in their correct perspective should be always with you all the time. So have the clear concept in regard to usage of all the tense forms.

2. Concept and usage of Articles, Nouns, Pronouns- Especially relative pronouns, Adjectives, Adverbs, syntax of a sentence, conditional forms of sentences, parallel forms of sentences, Reported speech, usage of various Passive forms, agreement of Subject-verb, Use of Infinites, gerund, participles are very much necessary to form a strong base of grammar. Errors for correction, related to captioned parts of speech or formation of sentences have figured number of times in CAT.    

3. Usage of singular & plural number, Objective & possessive cases, Prepositions, various types of phrases, Idioms- You must also well understand these facets while preparing for CAT 2012.

How to prepare

According to Agarwal, this is an easy as well as very tricky problem to solve. To start the journey of preparation, let us assume that we are going to learn the language, the grammar of which is not known to us. Either study on our own or approach someone who knows more than us. First part seems better but the problem is how and where to start from, who will clarify the doubts and confusions, if I am stuck somewhere (which is inevitable as I am in a learning phase)? So, go for the second option- it has many advantages. The person, Institute, approached will have clarity of concept and usage, will help and guide when I am stuck. Hence, going topic wise and grasping the usage with some expert guidance always bring better results. But start the journey in whatever way you like. Once you start the study of grammar, it will take you, in a slow or fast manner, to the designated goal.   

Right Application of Grammar – While reading and practicing the various usages in grammar module, we have to remember to put the correct word and its form at the right place. If the concept is fully understood and ample practice is done on it, there is no point that you will miss it. Lack of logical thought process, hurry to use the half- understood concept make the things worse and compound the confusion more. It is therefore, necessary to practice more and more. Grammar, like mathematics, enriches you with more confidence, when it is practiced more.

Books & guides

Following are the suggested readings to improve your abilities in English Grammar:

1.    High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin
2.    Practical English Grammar-by Thomson & Martinet
3.    Practical English Grammar Exercises by Thomson & Martinet ( Vol.1 & 2)
4.    A Practical English grammar structure Drills (1 & 2)
5.    Living English Structure
6.    Exercise & Practice books on English Language/ General English for Sr. Secondary/12th  standard-CBSE/ICSE/State Boards 
7.    The Oxford English Grammar (Oxford University Press)

To know about the common mistakes made in grammar and ways to tackle it, click on the following link:

Verbal Ability for CAT 2012: Know the common errors in the Grammar questions & the ways to tackle

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012.


CAT 2012@ Should there be more than 60 questions in CAT 2012? Have your say at MBAUniverse.com

CAT undergoes amendments of some or the other form every year. The test takers have no other alternative but to prepare themselves accordingly. Till 2009, the number of questions in CAT varied from 75 to 90. Since 2009, the year when CAT changed its avatar from paper pencil based format to computer based format, the number of questions has remained the same, which is 60.

There are 30 questions in each of the sections, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning sections. While Quantitative Ability and Verbal Ability areas have 20 questions each, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning area consist of 10 questions each.

Before the change in the pattern in 2011, there were three sections, Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. Each of the sections had 20 questions which made the total number of questions 60.

It is a fact that no CAT taker attempts all the questions. They always skim through the questions and select from the total number of questions which they are absolutely confident about and which would be able to fetch the sectional and overall cut offs. As there is negative marking involved in CAT scoring system, you need to be extra cautious while answering the questions so that you don’t lose your marks.

But if the number of questions is less, your choice of attempts would also be less. Does this imply that if CAT 2012 has more questions, it would be an opportunity to attempt higher number of questions of your choice?
To get the readers’ and the CAT 2012 takers’ views, MBAUniverse.com is conducting a poll on the question, ‘Should there be more than 60 questions in CAT 2012 to allow more choices to a candidate?’What is your say in this regard? Do you feel that more than 60 questions would give you the opportunity to select questions from a wide array of topics and questions?  Or do you feel that having more questions would mean that you would have to take more time to go through all the questions and deciding, which will be more time consuming than usual.

What is your take? To share your views, participate in the MBAUniverse.com Have Your Say section. Cast your opinion by clicking on Yes, No or Can’t Say. You can also share your views with us by commenting on the MBAUniverse.com Forum, on the topic of the poll question. Voice your opinion by saying if there should be more than 60 questions in CAT 2012, or not and the reason for that.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more questions on ‘Have Your Say’. 


CAT 2012 aspirants wish to choose the section to start the exam with

With the CAT pattern undergoing change last year, the CAT takers have a mixed feeling towards it. While the takers can’t really do much about it and brace themselves for the change, MBAUniverse.com took a sneak pick into the wish list of the CAT 2012 takers.

MBAUniverse.com conducted a survey on the topic, ’10 ways to improve CAT 2012’ with a sample size of 100 CAT 2012 aspirants. The questions which were asked to the aspirants were on the number of sections, number of questions, duration of CAT 2012, option to start with a section of their choice, time bound sections, the time duration to wait in the test center among few others.

The question which received a unanimous answer was, “Do you want a choice on which section you would like to start your CAT 2012 exam with?” All the respondents have responded with a ‘Yes’.

Till CAT 2010, the test takers had a choice of starting the exam with the section of their choice. It even gave the choice to move to and fro in all the sections. With the change in the pattern, the test takers felt a sudden challenge to let go of the liberty to start with the section of their convenience rather than planning the test taking strategy to choose which section to start the test with.

Gagan Preet Kaur of Pune says, “It would have been much easier for us if we got the chance to choose which section to start with. This new format has left me with no choice but to give extra emphasis on Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, with which we are ought to begin the CAT 2012.”

Vamsi Sridhar, a CAT 2012 aspirant who is preparing for the past six months mentions,”Verbal Ability is my strength and it would have been a real confidence booster for me to start CAT 2012 with that section. I have always started my exams with the questions which I am confident of answering correctly. I wish I could do the same with CAT 2012. This would be my first attempt, hence I am really nervous.”

Another view point is that, the Reading Comprehension passages as well as the Logical Reasoning puzzles are time consuming, so having started the exam with the section would have been convenient for many CAT takers. As Ravi Kanth of Hyderabad says, “I take time to solve the Reading Comprehension passages. I have taken CAT earlier too and every time I started with the Reading Comprehension questions. After completing them, I would have moved to other questions peacefully. But this new arrangement is a bit difficult for me.”

Similar views have been shared by other CAT 2012 aspirants whom MBAUniverse.com had reached out to. Even when some of the CAT takers’ strength lies in Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, they feel that having a choice of sections to start the section would have been definitely better.

Avnish Mishra of Chennai says, “Though I don’t follow a particular strategy of which section to go with first, I feel a choice would have been good. Or at least if we could first browse through the questions of both the sections and then decide which section to start with, like in previous years’ pattern, I would have been able to manage my time in a better way.”

Navin Soni of Ludhiana has a different story to tell. “Generally test takers choose the section of their strength, but I follow the other rule. I start with my weak section, get over with it and move to my area of strength as I know I can score better in that section, and hence put more focus on that. Once I get over with that, I get back to my weak section, revise and rectify the mistakes of the errors which I can pick out. But since there is no alternative now, I am practicing in the existing pattern and trying to get used to the same.”

Abhishek Arun of Mumbai tells MBAUniverse.com, “Having the choice in your hand is definitely gives you more confidence. This new pattern makes me feel even more nervous. But I really don’t have a choice, hence preparing even harder this time.”

MBAUniverse.com will bring out the other views shared by the CAT 2012 aspirants on the theme of ways to make CAT 2012 better.   

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012.

CAT 2012 Preparation@ Know how to crack CAT 2012 by self study method: Advisory from CAT Toppers of past years

When you plan to take CAT 2012, the first question that comes to your mind is how should I prepare for CAT 2012? Going for coaching is not a feasible option for many. They often lack confidence about what if they are not able to crack CAT? After all, preparing for CAT is a tedious process and it needs focus to reach the desired level while others prepare under the guidance of experienced faculty members.

You can be rest assured that you can crack CAT through self study method. A lot of past years’ toppers have cracked this tough nut with ease. This article of MBAUniverse.com will share with you the past years’ toppers’ strategies on how you can crack CAT 2012 by self preparation method.

Discipline & focus is the key:  The first condition which you should wholeheartedly follow is that you should be disciplined in your approach. Since there would be no external guidance for you, you will have to be your own driving force. Make a proper time table, which will equally cover all the areas of CAT 2012 and devote equal time for each of them. Be sure that you will be successful in following that. “You should divide your time equally for each of the sections. Give equal weightage to all the four components of CAT 2012, Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning,” mentions Arjun Gupta, who scored 95 percentile in XAT 2012 and has joined XLRI Jamshedpur.

Work hard on your weak areas: Now that there are just more than three months left for CAT 2012, we can assume that you have already started your preparation. By now, you must have identified your strong and weak sections and areas. You have to schedule more hours of study for these sections in order to make them stronger. “Try and identify your topics of strengths and weak ones and focus more on weak ones. Be thorough with every exam's pattern so that when you enter the room you know exactly what you have to do in those two to three hours,” advices Kumar Anubhav, who scored 99.15 in CAT 2010 and an IIM Rohtak student.

Get the right books & preparation material: Since you are studying on your own, you need to get the right books and materials which can help you to prepare for the tough MBA exam like CAT 2012. The CAT preparation books which are invariably mentioned by the experts are as follows:

‘High School English Grammar and Composition’ by Wren and Martin, ’Verbal Ability’ by Arun Sharma, ‘How To Prepare For Quantitative Aptitude For The CAT’ by Arun Sharma, ‘Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Examinations’ by Abhijit Guha, How to prepare for the Data Interpretation for CAT’ by TATA-McGraw Hill publications, ‘How to prepare for the Data Interpretation for CAT’ by Arihant Prakashan, Reasoning and DI for MBA Exam’ by Arun Sharma,  ‘Business English and Communication’ by Clark Grade C to name a few.

Apart from that, you must keep yourself absolutely updated on the current affairs. This will not only keep your GK cells on toes, but also help your aptitude on Data Interpretation. “My advice would be to read more e-books, e-newspapers etc. This would also prepare you for the computer based format of CAT,” says Anustup Chattopadhyay, 96.3 percentiler in CAT 2010 and an XLRI Jamshedpur student.

Section wise tips: To give you a clear idea about the preparation strategy for the sections of CAT 2012, the toppers share their strategies and suggest you the right way to prepare for CAT 2012.

Quantitative Ability: For Quantitative Ability, brush up your basics well and focus on your calculation in order to lower the mistakes and emphasize on accuracy. “Practice is what makes Quantitative Ability friendly to anybody. Just practice a lot and you won’t need to mug any formula and any trick. Things will turn out eventually in your favor,” says Anubhav.

Data Interpretation:  Data Interpretation is all about studying and understanding the data that are in question. “DI involves a lot of calculations and learning Vedic mathematics is not a bad idea. Analytic skills are tested extensively in DI, so practice well,” suggests Gupta.

Verbal Ability: This is an area which is dreaded by many, as several students find it difficult to have a grasp over English. If you are one of them, then reading and practicing is the best method to get a grasp over it. “Read newspaper's front page, editorial and business page necessarily within 35 minutes. Develop reading habit before sleeping. I know it’s hard talking to people in English around you so try and talk at least to yourself in English. That way sometimes you will need words and that will increase your vocabulary itself. Rest is same for the section. Performance is directly proportional to practice here,” says Anubhav.

Logical Reasoning: There is no formula in Logical Reasoning. You need to think logically in order to find out the solution of the problem. You need to organize your thinking ability and organize your thinking step by step in order to find out a solution. “Unlike Quantitative Ability and Verbal Ability, there is no limit to the possibilities in Logical Reasoning. It is most unlikely that any caselet that you have solved before will ever turn up in CAT. The section has only one thing to learn: approach,” states Anurag Goyal, an alumnus of FMS, University of Delhi.  

Manage your time efficiently: In the new format of CAT, there is equal time distribution for both the sections of Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning. While it is an advantage for you to manage the sections equally, it is equally important to know how to make the best use of the 70 minutes in each of the sections. Subhashish Bhadra, who scored 100 percentile in CAT 2011 shares his experience on time management during the CAT 2011 exam, “Go through the entire questions in the section and make a note which are the questions you would be attempting. In this way you save time in making your choices and hence make lesser mistakes.”

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012.

CAT 2012@ Topper Mantras: CAT 2011 100 percentiler Subhashish Bhadra on his journey to success


Subhashish Bhadra scored a whopping 100 percentile in CAT 2011. The confident CAT aspirant from Delhi’s St. Stephen’s College was sure about his performance as he had made a systematic approach for his preparation. In today’s MBAUniverse.com Topper Mantras, we present to you the interview of CAT topper Subhashish Bhadra.

Subhashish is an Economics graduate from Delhi’s prestigious Sr. Stephen’s College. He did his schooling from Delhi Public School, R K Puram. He has a penchant for public speaking, quizzing, poetry and economics research.

Though he got through IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta and Lucknow but he has decided not to pursue MBA this year and go for a consulting job.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: What was your score in CAT 2011?

A: I got 100 percentile in CAT 2011. My sectional scores are Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation - 99.80 percentile and. Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning - 100 percentile.

Q: How many GDPI rounds have you had? Please share your experiences in detail.

A: I appeared for the IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta and Lucknow GD, PI & Essay Writing sessions. The IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta experiences were similar. The interviews were focused on my academics. Hence, it was imperative to know my own subject matter quite well. The IIM Bangalore and IIM Lucknow interviews were more generic, and it was based more on the personal type of questions, along with a healthy dose of academic questions. As for the GDs, which are held only at IIM Calcutta and IIM Lucknow, the experience was not very pleasant. You get very few opportunities to speak, and hence it becomes important to make sense while you're speaking.

Q: Which are the institutes that offered you final admission? Which institute have you decided to take admission in and why?

A: I was offered admission by IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta and Lucknow. I have decided to not pursue an MBA at this point, and would be taking up a job instead.

Q: How did you prepare for CAT 2011?

A: I started my CAT 2011 preparation in September of my pre-final year. Till March, I just attempted to attend each and every class, without much practice at home. In June-July of the final year, I joined a coaching institute and started solving their worksheets. In August that year, I joined a test series of a reputed CAT coaching institute. After that, it was all about solving as many questions from the QA, D and LR sections as possible.


Q: CAT saw a major change in the format & pattern in 2011. How did you prepare for it? Did this new pattern cause any hindrance in your preparation or exam taking strategy?

A: I do not think the format change made much of a difference. The number of questions and the type of questions from every question type remained the same, and hence there was no change in preparation. At best, I benefited from the coupling of the QA and DI sections because it diversifies the question set, and hence enable those weak in either of the sections to do well, and clear the sectional cut-offs.


Q: What was your preparation strategy for the Quantitative Ability Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning?

A: For the Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section, I used my coaching institute workbooks and the test series. Having gone through a lot of other material in the market from other coaching institutes, the idea was to solve different and new questions, and then to get doubts cleared by my teachers. As for the Verbal Ability section, I did not put in any effort since I was convinced that, having taken the GMAT, my Verbal Ability was up to the mark.


Q: What was your strategy for time management?

A: I sought to run through the entire section once and attempt every question. In that way, I tend to make more mistakes than usual, but am mostly able to manage because of a higher number of correct questions too. However, I don't think it is an advisable strategy to follow, especially in the verbal section where reading and processing speeds might differ from individual to individual.


Q: What was your strategy for GD, PI & Essay Writing rounds?

A: Having been a debater and quizzer most of my school and college life, I was fairly opinionated on a broad array of issues and hence, did not put in any special effort for GD/PI preparation. However, for someone who has not been into these extracurricular pursuits, I would say that reading newspapers is the best way to go about it. The longer you read, the more in-depth your knowledge is. However, one thing that I had to do was to revise my entire economics course. To not know your own subject matter would be a massively embarrassing thing.


Q What is your message for the MBA aspirants who will take CAT 2012 and other exams of the season?

A: Firstly, I would say that one has to realize that the CAT is an aptitude test. There is a limit to which hard work can improve your aptitude. At the end of the day, an enhancement of aptitude requires a process of de-learning and re-learning. Unfortunately, that makes a coaching institute quite necessary in most cases. The choice of your coaching institute makes all the difference - if you don't like the process, I don't see how you'd be able to keep at it for long enough. Secondly, I would suggest that any aspirant start early and go slow, maybe even just two to three hours a week. The idea is that aptitude is a way of life, not something you can acquire too soon.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more Topper Mantras.


CAT 2012 Vocabulary@ Boost your Vocabulary to crack Verbal Ability for CAT 2012

We have been talking about the preparation strategy of Verbal Ability in the past few articles on CAT 2012 preparation. We have discussed about the common question types in Grammar and English Usage and Reading Comprehension basics. The other important area in the Verbal Ability section is Vocabulary. Though vocabulary does not constitute direct questions in CAT exam but having a strong Vocabulary base will always help you earn brownie points in this section.

It is not only about cracking CAT, but in the other walks of your life as well. This article of MBAUniverse.com will show you the importance of having a strong vocabulary base and how you it can help in your CAT 2012 preparation.
As mentioned in the previous article on CAT 2012 Verbal Ability past years’ trends, the share of Vocabulary consists of 10 to 15 per cent.  The questions are asked in the form of sentence correction, appropriate usage of words etc.
Your preparation to strengthen your vocabulary will start by a self assessment of where you sand at present. Your current preparation of vocabulary will lead you to your next stage. For example, if you already have a sound grasp on words, you should go the next level. But if you don’t have sufficient knowledge on words, then you should seriously start working on it in a systematic way.

Having a good vocabulary can help you in Reading Comprehension as well. As Arks Srinivas, CEO, VistaMind Education and former Director, T.I.M.E. says, “A good vocabulary enhances reading speed as well as comprehension.”

Get the right sources

According to him, the best way to prepare for Vocabulary is by going through the words that appear in your mock tests or practice tests.  “The best way to improve vocabulary is to concentrate on the words that appear in the Mock Tests and see that you are thorough in these. Since the words that are given in CAT are the words in vogue, it is very likely that by going through the MOCK Tests and Individual tests, you would come across almost all words that may appear in CAT 2012,” states Srinivas.

Another easy method to prepare for Vocabulary is by picking out words from books, news papers or magazines whose meaning you cannot figure out. “While you are reading an article, passage, book - pick out the words which are of interest to you- find out their meaning-try to understand the context in which they are used and follow the structure of sentence,” suggest SK Agarwal, Author & Verbal Ability Expert – MBAUniverse.com.

Apply the words relevantly

The next step is to implement what you have learnt. The best way of doing so is by utilizing the words in writing. “When you write, try to frame good sentences using the new words.  This will give you ample opportunity to rectify the errors in sentences, improving the vocabulary, improving the speed and accuracy of reading and the skill to pick out the wrong sentences as well as how to complete the sentence or paragraph,” Agarwal adds.

One caveat here, Building a strong vocabulary is not a matter of few days, but you will have to hone it over the years to excel in it. But in case you have not been able to concentrate on your vocabulary building, duration of three to four months is not bad enough.

As Agarwal suggests, “In my view, Vocabulary cannot be built up overnight nevertheless, during this period a stock of fairly good vocabulary can be prepared with a scheduled and proper planning. The way is to learn a few words regularly and put them to correct use. Inculcate a regular reading habit. Get an instinct for reading good material.”


But if you think that just selecting a handful of words and memorizing their meaning from a dictionary will do you good, you would be choosing the wrong way. Mugging the words can never be a way. It is advisable to learn a few words on regular basis, get their correct usage remembered for ever, by writing letters, paragraphs, short essays, Articles to news papers or whatever the way, the student thinks best.”

While you implement the newly learnt words, you will understand the various ways of applications of a particular word. Using the word in your regular conversation with your friends and family members can also give a boost to your word power.

Follow the right methods

A good way to remember the meanings of the words is by learning the roots of the world. “Try to get to the roots of the words. Their prefixes/suffixes make a pattern of the same. This will help you in formulating and following their meaning even if you are not familiar with them,” states Agarwal.

Making flash cards can also help. Write down different words in cards along with their meanings, synonyms and antonyms. Place them in such areas from where they are easily visible to you. This will help you memorize the words and their usages without much effort. But don’ forget to implement them regularly in your daily conversations or writing articles, paragraphs, letters etc. “The best & most fruitful way to this tricky module is to go for more and more reading,” Agarwal suggests.

Solving crossword puzzles, playing Scrabble, Taboo etc. can not only boost your word power, but also help you remember the meaning of the word throughout as you don’t just mug it up, but understand the implication and use it in a relevant way. 

To read the previous articles on CAT 2012 Verbal Ability preparation, click on the following links:

Reading Comprehension for CAT 2012: What they check & how to prepare


Verbal Ability for CAT 2012: Know the common errors in the Grammar questions & the ways to tackle

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012. 

CAT 2012@ Reading Comprehension for CAT 2012: What they check & how to prepare

In the previous article of MBAUniverse.com, you have known about the common six categories of questions which are asked in the Verbal Ability section of CAT, in the grammar portion. Other major areas in the CAT include Reading Comprehension, English Usage and Verbal Reasoning. If you are preparing for CAT 2012 and find Verbal Ability your weak area, fret not. MBAUniverse.com will guide you throughout your preparation journey for CAT 2012.

In this article of MBAUniverse.com, we will guide you on Reading Comprehension preparation, which is an integral part of the Verbal Ability area. Reading Comprehension is given 35 to 45 per cent weight in among the other questions of this area.


With the change in the pattern from paper pencil based test to the computer based test, the Reading Comprehension passages have also undergone some changes. S K Agarwal, Author & Verbal Ability expert – MBAUniverse.com mentions that the length of the passages have reduced from 1200 words to 700 to 800 words.

What does Reading Comprehension check?

The Reading Comprehension section basically checks your understanding of English language, word power and how well you can comprehend a given passage. RC is the ability to read and understand unfamiliar materials and to answer questions about them. Your focus while reading should be NOT to READ fast but to COMPREHEND fast.

Expert Suggestion

One of the most tried and tested method to excel in Reading Comprehension or the entire section is to read as much as you can with proper understanding and implementing the knowledge you acquired while reading. As Gautam Puri, Vice Chairman, Career Launcher states, “Merely reading is not enough; you must read the right books, newspapers, magazines and journals to prepare for the questions on Verbal Ability.” He also adds, “Understanding the English language and its nuances can only be inculcated with regular reading. Read on a variety of subjects and get comfortable with them; national and international dailies, the edit page, the finance section, famous speeches, English literature, all should be given some amount of time.”

Arks Srinivas, CEO, VistaMind Education and ex Director, T.I.M.E. suggests, “For Reading Comprehension, get familiar with the type of questions and paragraphs is the key. Make sure that you spend at least half hour every day on this area so that you are either taking a slip test or reviewing one.”

Practice is the key for excelling in Reading Comprehensions, “There is no limit to practice. Suppose we draw a line from zero preparation to say, a certain level of preparation leading to CAT 2012. The student, who is going to appear in CAT 2012 has at least, an idea of his level of preparation. Grammar, Vocabulary, comprehension passages and other practice exercises should become a part of the regular study till the result of the examination to the desired level is not received,” says S K Agarwal.

Improve your reading Speed
Speed reading is one of the tried and tested methods which help in improving the performance in Reading Comprehension area. “For Reading Comprehension, increasing speed of reading by around 50 words per min from whatever the present state you are in should be the target,” says Srinivas.

To read the other articles on Verbal Ability, click on the following links:

Verbal Ability for CAT 2012: Know the common errors in the Grammar questions & the ways to tackle

Verbal Ability for CAT 2012: Past years trends & preparation techniques