CAT 2017 must-read expert Tips #4 - Logical Reasoning

CAT 2017 New Pattern – Expert Tips #4: LOGICAL REASONING; don’t ignore it for IIM Call

Logical Reasoning (LR) in CAT 2017 can prove to be the game changer in the revised CAT Syllabus and CAT Exam Pattern to boost or doom your percentile score. Despite scoring 97 or 99 you may not get shortlisted by any IIM, in case your Logical Reasoning remains weak.

12 to 16 questions on Logical Reasoning in CAT 2017 with a maximum score of 48 will consist of 4 Non-MCQs also without any penalty of negative marking. It may take your CAT percentile up to a very high level or can slide it down below the qualifying level of 70 or 80 required by IIMs, depending upon your attempting the question sets.

Logical Reasoning was separated from Verbal Ability section in 2015 and now has found a place with Data Interpretation as a separate section in CAT 2017. Questions on both DILR taken together have formed a new 3^rd section now which is as important as other sections. Earlier till 2014 Logical Reasoning was clubbed to Verbal Ability section and Data Interpretation was clubbed to Quantitative Ability Section.

Official CAT Mock: LR questions reduced
Questions on Logical Reasoning could be either 12 or 16 as revealed by Official CAT Mock test released by IIMs on October 30. If you can crack 7-8 questions in LR section correct, you may score a high sectional percentile of 90+ in CAT 2017. CAT 2017 exam is on November 26 and hardly a week remains to brush up, and revise your last minute preparation on Logical Reasoning for CAT 2017 exam day.

MBAUniverse.com is publishing a series of expert tips in view of the changes in CAT exam syllabus and exam pattern to help the CAT 2017 aspirants to crack different sections in CAT exam with high score by following certain tips, tricks and short-cuts suggested by the CAT preparation experts. In the CAT 2017 Expert tips series, this is the expert tip-4 to add more percentile in CAT 2017 score through questions on LR in CAT 2017. Prof  S K Agarwal-expert on CAT preparation shares insights on how to prepare, approach and quickly crack the questions on Logical Reasoning in CAT 2017.

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CAT 2017: Follow the turns and twists

CAT 2017: Follow the turns and twists in revised CAT syllabus and CAT exam pattern to score 95+

How keen you are to crack CAT 2017 with 95+ score would be evident, if you answered one simple question – what changes in CAT 2017 exam pattern and syllabus are introduced by IIM Lucknow. As you are aware CAT is such an exam that does not repeat itself and at one or other point every year there are some changes brought in the exam. This fact is not revealed by IIMs in their notification, registration, exam format or any other release but if you could go deep into the CAT Mock test released by IIMs a month before the actual CAT exam, everything would be clear before you. 

CAT 2017: Changes in syllabus & Exam pattern from IIMs
The CAT 2017 Mock Test released by IIM Lucknow on October 30 can be taken as the official document that determines the exact nature of exam pattern. More you attempt and advance in each of the 3 sections of CAT 2017 Mock test, more will be understood what is lying in stock for you on CAT 2017 exam day which is hardly 15 days away and falls on November 26, 2017.

None other than the official CAT 2017 Mock test which is released in full length by IIM Lucknow can offer you the right approach to analyse your areas of errors as per the correct CAT exam pattern. The right approach to know what has changed in CAT 2017 exam pattern and what could get you higher score is to analyse each of the 3 sections in the official CAT mock test.

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Know all the changes in CAT 2017 exam pattern and how to adapt your preparation

Know all the changes in CAT 2017 exam pattern and how to adapt your preparation

With an aim to make CAT 2017 exam more user friendly, IIM Ahmedabad and TCS have gone ahead and made some distinctive changes in the CAT 2017 exam pattern. Know how to adapt with these changes for your CAT 2017 exam preparation 

CAT 2017 exam pattern has undergone a lot of changes since last year including Exam dates, Registration process, results, exam pattern, CAT 2017 paper pattern, etc. With an aim to make CAT 2017 exam more user friendly, IIM Indore and TCS have gone ahead and made some distinctive changes in the CAT 2017 exam pattern.

This might be surprise news for many CAT 2017 aspirants who were busy preparing for their exams based on the pattern of last year as they now have to re-adapt themselves with the new and changed CAT 2017 exam pattern.

This article will provide you the detailed changes in CAT 2017 exam pattern and expert tips on how to cope up with these changes and align your CAT preparation schedule.

Important changes in CAT 2017 Exam Pattern

1. CAT 2017 exam duration has been increased to 170 minutes i.e. 2 hours and 50 minutes. Earlier the time limit was of 140 minutes. The CAT 2017 exam Syllabus will remain same though.

2. Candidates have been given the flexibility to switch between sections at any point of time during the examination.  Thus you have the option to devote less or more time in a particular section as per your choice.

3. The number of questions per section has been increased to 50 questions. Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation will consist of 50 questions and Logical Reasoning and Verbal Ability will have 50 questions each. Earlier these sections had only 30 questions each.

4. This year in CAT 2017 exam, there will be no tutorial before start of examination. Candidates are advised to check and practice the tutorial from the official CAT 2017 website prior to testing date.

Impact of changes in CAT 2017 Exam Pattern

With so many changes in CAT 2017 exam pattern, aspirants have to make some amendments in their preparation schedule and style to achieve excellent percentile in CAT exam.  
• With the flexibility to switch from one section to other, aspirants must keep a check on their time spent on each question and section.

• Aspirant now has to attempt a total 100 question in 170 minutes while earlier it was 60 questions in 140 minutes. Thus the time per question has been reduced from 2.3 mins per question to 1.7 mins per question now.

• Increase in number of section question means greater representation of various smaller topics and different types of question. Thus, CAT 2017 aspirants now don’t have the liberty to leave any topic aside during their CAT preparation.

• With increase in exam time, candidates must adapt themselves to sit for 3 hours continuously while staring at the computer screen.

• With reduced Minute per question, candidates now need to be very choosy and sure as to which question to attempt and which to leave as attempting wrong or lengthy questions will kill their precious time.

• remember, sectional cut off is still prevalent for Admission to IIMs and other top B schools. Hence, candidates have to keep a check on their number of attempts in both the section. With an option of free movement between sections, chances of miscalculation and over-attempts are more.

How to adapt to New CAT 2017 Exam Pattern

Some suggestions for CAT 2017 aspirants to quickly adapt to the new changes in CAT 2017 exam pattern are:

1. Starting attempting mock test for 170 minutes with 50 questions in each section. Note the total time you spent on each question and section.

2. Follow a trial and error method to know the best possible strategy for your exam day. Since, now you have the option to switch section, hence decide which section you want to attempt first and in which order.

3. Analyze your results of every mock test to find out the best strategy which works for you.

4. Increase your accuracy and speed to attempt right question in less time to improve your sectional and overall scores.

5.  With increase in number of question, make sure you don’t leave out any topics without practice.

What do the CAT Expert suggests

CAT 2017 aspirants shouldn’t be afraid of the increase in length of the test.  The time is also increased and every candidate has sufficient time.  The best part is the facility to navigate and switch to and fro both the sections.  There could be questions in one or other section where candidates may consume less time vis a vis the question where more time is required to solve. So practically the new pattern will be beneficial to them. Level of difficulty may remain the same while composition of questions may change to some extent. Aspirants are advised to focus on all the topics and practice them more.

For Latest updates on CAT 2017 exam Preparation keep a check on the below link for LIVE Updates: CAT 2017 How to Preparation

CAT 2017 Syllabus - Plan your CAT preparation

CAT 2017 Syllabus out for preparation: Plan your CAT preparation for next 45 days

You can have access to CAT 2017 syllabus now, although CAT 2017 exam centre has clearly stated ‘The CAT exam does not have a defined syllabus for CAT preparation. However, you can attempt the mock test to understand the pattern of exam and types of questions.’

The biggest problem before the CAT 2017 aspirants is – where to get the CAT exam syllabus and how to know about the topics in each section which are covered in CAT 2017 syllabus? But the problem stands solved and you can prepare in accordance with CAT syllabus.

CAT 2017 syllabus defined!

Yes, now CAT is out of bag! As stated by IIM Lucknow, CAT 2017 syllabus is according to the CAT official Mock Test. The topics and question types that you see in CAT Mock test are based on CAT syllabus and you need to prepare following their question pattern. Besides, the MCQs and non-MCQs contained in official CAT Mock test would be on the same pattern as will be asked in CAT 2017 exam.

How you can prepare as per CAT syllabus now?
The CAT 2017 Mock test is not yet released by IIM Lucknow. It is expected that CAT 2017 Mock test will be released after October 18, a month before the CAT 2017 exam date which is November 26, 2017.

But you still have detailed CAT 2017 syllabus which is official also. If you take the last year official CAT Mock test, you will find that it fully agrees with CAT 2017 syllabus. In fact, last year official CAT Mock test, is just short of the CAT 2017 exam paper. It will help you to understand in depth the CAT syllabus for CAT 2017preparation. Now you can intensify your preparation for next 45 days as per the topics covered in CAT syllabus which is expected to be the replica of CAT 2017 actual test paper.

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5 challenges you must be prepared for CAT 2017 exam

CAT 2017: 5 challenges you must be prepared for; keep your preparation plan ready to change

With the CAT 2017 registration and error correction process already closed, now the only focus of CAT aspirants is on the CAT 2017 preparation for which only 50 days are left. There may be number of situations coming with different type of challenges before the CAT aspirants till the CAT 2017 exam is not over. CAT aspirants need to anticipate them, keep themselves ready to hold the bull by the horn and get ready for the CAT exam day. Despite announcing number of features in CAT 2017 exam, IIM Lucknow has stopped short of announcing the exact CAT 2017 exam pattern, CAT syllabus, sectional composition of the questions among other things.

Confidentaility holds back required information
There are many firsts introduced by IIM Lucknow in convening CAT 2017 and many  information items regarding the CAT 2017 exam pattern and content on which nothing has been divulged by the CAT 2017 convener in the name of confidentiality are there.

Situations may require change in preparation plan
All this could call for different topics, changes in the share of MCQs and Non-MCQs, increase and decrease in number of total or sectional questions among others, creating situations that may require sudden shift in your preparation strategy, going back to learn and prepare some forgotten type of questions.

It happened in last year CAT when the exact format of the exam could be known just a month before through the official CAT Mock test and almost all the CAT aspirants had to switch their preparation schedule and had to plan it differently. On the same lines CAT 2017 is keeping most of the things behind the curtain that could affect your preparation in the last 1 month and could impact on your percentile score.

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CAT Syllabus 2017: VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude

CAT Syllabus 2017

CAT Exam Syllabus has never had any boundaries and this fact also applies to define the CAT syllabus 2017. CAT Syllabus 2017 is based on past trend of CAT exams and the CAT exam syllabus is the outcome of the topics which have earlier appeared in CAT exam although the type of questions, their composition, format and number may change in each subsequent CAT exam.
 

The key point in syllabus for CAT exam is that there is no repetition of CAT questions in any CAT exam although difficulty level of the questions in CAT exam would not go out of CAT exam syllabus.
 

IIM entrance exam syllabus or CAT Syllabus 2017 is not pre-defined by CAT 2017 convening IIM nor the CAT syllabus 2017 was outlined earlier also by the CAT exam convening IIM Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Indore or Kozhikode.
 

Syllabus of CAT exam 2017 is based on the mentioned guidelines and current structure of CAT exam. Past tendencies reflect that CAT exam syllabus 2017 and pattern overall tests the candidate on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Quantitative Aptitude; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. CAT exam Syllabus covers all the major topics on these test sections. CAT 2017 syllabus is proposed to be based on the past paper patterns which contain questions from all these sections.

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