Mixed reactions to CAT pattern this year

The registration for CAT already started on August 6 and the last date for registration is September 20. The test is on November 29, the result will be declared in the second week of January 2016.

M. Kiran, a B.Tech student in IIT-Madras, preparing for CAT, said last year as there was no time limit for each section, many students could not complete the last section. “I feel the division will help us in at least attempting all the questions from each section. Within 60 minutes we will have to complete it,” he said. He also felt that introduction of non-multiple choice questions will help bring out a student’s potential.

There will be four major changes this year. Instead of 170 minutes, the exam duration will be three hours with 100 questions. For each section, 60 minutes will be allotted. The exam will be divided into three sections, which include Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC). Candidates will not be allowed to go to another section while answering one section.

For the first time, onscreen calculator will be allowed and a few questions will be non-multiple choice questions wherein a student have to key in the answers. Not only Kiran, P. Sridhar who sat for CAT examination last year, felt that this year’s pattern is more organised and will help in attempting all questions from all sections.

While some feel non-multiple choice will help realise the potential of a candidate, others do not support non-multiple choice questions. “I feel there is no need for this detailed writing. It would have been better if the entire paper had been multiple choice as it always had been,” said Moumita Roy, a candidate.

Gautam Lakhamraju, director, admissions and marketing at Great Lakes Institute of Management said, “Without a time limits for sections, sometimes students tend to spend too much time on a particular section and too little on others.”