Optimizing Your Exam Strategy: When to Skip Questions in CAT
The Common Admissions Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance exam for MBA admissions in various reputed B-Schools. The CAT exam pattern consists of 100 questions, of which 28 are non-MCQs. The CAT exam paper involves two types of questions, i.e. multiple choice questions (MCQs) and Type in the answer (TITA) questions. The marking scheme for MCQs includes +3 marks for every right answer and -1 marks is deduced for an incorrect answer. The marking scheme for TITA slightly varies, where +3 marks are allotted for the correct answer, and no negative marks are allotted for the wrong answer.
The aspirant needs to understand the questions and their types to avoid negative markings. To achieve this, the student has to strategically plan time management to solve each section and also have the knowledge to prioritize the questions based on the difficulty level, time consumption, and accuracy. The section-wise strategy to wisely answer the questions and tips to skip questions when necessary have to be practiced by the students during the preparation time for better performance in the exam.
CAT exam Pattern and Time Allotment:
The students appearing for the CAT exam have to have a strong knowledge of the syllabus and also have to be smart in how to tackle the difficult questions. It is not expected all 100 questions have to be answered, it is always advisable that questions for which the answers are unsure have to be skipped. This will help to reduce the risk of negative marking. The CAT exam papers have MCQs with sections such as verbal ability and reading comprehension(VARC), quantitative aptitude (Quants), and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI-LR). The candidate has to understand the number of questions, type of questions, marks, and time allotted for each section:
| Section |
MCQs |
Non-MCQs |
Total Number of Questions |
CAT Exam Duration |
| Verbal ability & Reading Comprehension |
21 |
3 |
24 |
40 min |
| Quantitative Aptitudes |
14 |
8 |
22 |
40 min |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning |
14 |
6 |
20 |
40 min |
| Total |
49 |
17 |
66 |
120 minutes |
Section-wise preparation strategy:
The students have to familiarize themselves with the pattern of the exam and the topics related to it. There is no uniform strategy to tackle difficulty-level questions which varies from section to section. Candidates have to select the questions based on their expertise and less time-consuming.
MCQs:
The Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) consists of questions and a set of options, where one of the options is the right answer. The questions test the candidate’s knowledge and critical thinking skills. The students have to plan their strategy accordingly. Some of the important tips students have to keep in mind while solving the MCQs are as follows:
- Be careful while marking the option: use a rough sheet while marking the option and mark the option cautiously, first make sure of the right and check for the correct option.
- Understand the question: read the question thoroughly and understand it carefully before choosing the option. Be patient and read the question at least twice carefully, to avoid any confusion.
- Be Never Unsure: Never mark an unsure answer, it is fine to not attempt the questions for which you are not sure.
- Time management: the paper consists of 49 MCQs which have a specific duration of time allotted. Do not focus on those questions which sure for a long period, rather you can move on to the next question, or you can come back and answer the question at the end.
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC):
The verbal Ability questions focus on assessing the candidate’s English language skills, including grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. The candidate has to answer questions related to grammar rules, vocabulary usage, sentence rearrangement, and passage-based comprehension. The students have to consider some factors while attempting the questions in this section.
- Always attempt the passage that you are comfortable with first.
- Do not waste time on questions that require the least amount of time to answer.
- Do not rush while reading the questions, take quality time to read and understand the question carefully.
- Para summaries and odd sentences can be solved quickly using the same approach as that of MCQs.
- Try to solve para jumbles in the end, as it is a time-consuming concept.
Quantitative Aptitudes:
The Quantitative Aptitude questions test the candidate’s mathematical and problem-solving skills. These questions cover various topics such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, number systems, and data interpretation. Students have to understand their strengths and weaknesses in these topics and work hard to improve their weaknesses. Also, the students have to follow these instructions right from the beginning of the preparation, hence it becomes a good habit which helps during the exam.
- Identify the questions that can be answered quickly, and keep the questions that can not be answered for later.
- Attempt only if the concept is clear, else it has no harm in not attending to the question.
- Follow instructions like answers up to decimal places.
- Never calculate a problem for a long time, practice shortcuts, and easy techniques to reduce the calculation time.
- If you feel unsure of the method or problem statement, while solving a problem, it is advised by experts you skip the problem.
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning:
The Data Interpretation questions assess your ability to analyze and interpret data presented in the form of tables, graphs, and charts. The candidate has to extract relevant information, make calculations, and draw conclusions based on the given data. The Logical Reasoning questions evaluate the candidate’s logical thinking and reasoning abilities. These questions often involve solving puzzles, analyzing patterns, making deductions, and evaluating arguments.
While solving the questions in this section, the student has to spare some time to analyze the question and then answer. It is best advised that the students have to focus on accuracy and efficiency while solving this section. Candidates have to keep these aspects in mind before solving this section:
- Attempt only if you identify the correct approach to answer.
- Some of the questions can be tricky and can waste time, so apply the elimination process.
- Visualize or draw the diagrams as per questions.
- Take the help of a virtual calculator.
- Focus on memorizing all the number squares, cubes, and roots to save time.
General Tips of all sections:
- Regular practice: Practice regularly has it is the key to success. Take a section-wise test under a timer.
- Analyze your performance: After each section, assess and prepare the report of your performance.
- Focus on weaknesses: Pay more time and attention that hampers your performance.
- Learn time management: Develop the skill to judge the worth of a question (easy, moderate, tough) and decide quickly whether to attempt it or move on.
- Join study groups/ forums: Engage with peers who are also preparing for the CAT. This can provide new insights and methods for solving problems.
- Time-bound practice: Practice questions under strict time constraints to improve speed.
- Appear for frequent mocks: Write as many mocks as you can so that you may adapt the testing format.
For better preparation for the CAT exam and to avoid negative marking, the students are advised to follow the above tips. Most of the students are stressed about losing marks for an unanswered question, rather than a penalty over an incorrect question. But, students need not worry about it as there is no mark deduction for an attempted question. The students are safe if they do not attempt an answer that they are unsure of.
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FAQs:
- If I am unsure of an answer during a CAT exam, can I attempt it in the end?
Yes, you can attempt the unsure answer by reviewing it in the end.
- How do I attempt questions when there is a negative marking?
When you know there is a negative marking, attempt questions for which you are perfectly sure.
- What is the marking scheme for the CAT exam?
The marking scheme for the CAT exam is there are +3 marks for every correct answer and 1 mark is deducted for every incorrect answer.
- Is it wise to attempt all the MCQs if I am unsure about a few answers?
It is not wise to attempt all the MCQs, just attempt which you are sure of.
- Is it really necessary to make a strategy for the CAT exam?
It is really recommended to make a strategical preparation for not only the CAT exam but, also for all the exams, irrespective of competitive or not for that matter.
