The release of CAT 2016 Sample Mock Test by IIM Bangalore surprised the CAT 2016 aspirants. This will help them to get the taste of CAT 2016 exam. The sample test contains 100 questions divided in 3 sections beginning with VARC with 34 questions; DILR with 32 questions and Quant with 34 questions.
The CAT 2016 sample test has indicated that the candidates preparing in-depth vocabulary and error correction topics on Grammar and other parts of English Language should focus more on Reading comprehension as it commands 70% weightage in VARC section.
While VARC and Quant sections have 10 Non-MCQs each, the DILR section has 8 Non-MCQs divided equally in DI and LR parts with 4 Non-MCQs each. The major expected surprise on confidentiality maintained so far by IIM Bangalore on the number and composition of questions in CAT 2016 has turned out to be of no value.
Sample Test with Changes
The sample test indicates the type and number of MCQs and Non-MCQs that can be expected in main exam. The sample test reflects number of changes in the structure and content of CAT 2016. Candidates should now proceed to take the test to understand the changes in the test pattern.
The Sample test will be available for the CAT 2016 aspirants till the CAT exam is over. With number of changes in the CAT 2016 exam pattern, the test is supposed to be a good and authenticated guide with sample questions. CAT 2016 aspirants can practice the sample questions as many times as they like and very well familiarize themselves.
Questions in CAT 2016 Sample Test
CAT 2016 convener Prof Rajendra K Bandi, did not share the number of total questions expected in CAT 2016 nor the sectional composition in the name of confidential information.
Now with the release of CAT 2016 sample Mock test, the pattern as appear in the mock test are expected to be of the type as would appear on CAT exam day.
The questions will be divided in 3 sections beginning with Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section comprising 34 questions. Second section will have 32 questions on DILR. The last section will be on Quant with 34 questions. Total allotted time to complete the test will be 180 minutes.
CAT Exam would Follow Trend?
The instructions in sample test however do confirm the notion and says that the actual number of questions, including the number of MCQ and Non-MCQ type of questions, could be different in CAT 2016.
But going by the trend for the last 2 CAT exam years, the sample test has proved to be the right indicator of the topics and type of questions in the CAT exam. Hence it can be anticipated that the pattern of CAT 2016 will also follow as reflected in the CAT 2016 sample test enabled by IIM Bangalore.
60 minutes Fixed to Attempt Each Section
Candidates cannot freely switch from one section to other during the overall time limit. Time constraint of 60 minutes will apply to each of the 3 sections to attempt the questions. Besides, candidates can not choose any of the 3 sections to start with. The order of the sections is fixed from 1 to 3 and the test taker will have to move accordingly.
Exam Pattern
Earlier the first section used to be Quant section but this time VARC section would be the first section of CAT 2016. Now Quant will be the last section of CAT 2016 among the 3 sections.
Out of 34 total questions in VARC there are 24 questions based only on 5 RC passages. While 2 RC passages are followed by 3 questions each, the other 3 RC passages are followed by 6 questions each. The other 10 questions in Non-MCQ format are based on jumbled paragraphs, picking odd sentence out of jumbled paragraph and summary.
Each of the 3 sections in CAT 2016 sample test has 8 to 10 Non-MCQs . This is expected not to have less than 8 Non-MCQ type questions, going by the pattern in sample test. The answer options are available on the screen, but you will have to type the correct one only in space given on the computer screen.
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No Negative Marking Questions
All the MCQs will carry maximum 3 core marks with a penalty of -1 (negative one) mark for each wrong answer. However, there is no provision of negative marking for Non-MCQs whether attempted it wrong or do not attempt it.
With 28 Non-MCQs present in sample test, if you can crack 8 correct and 16 wrong, you will get rewarded for 8 correct answers but will not be penalized for 16 wrong answers – a win-win situation.
60 Minutes Extra Time for PWD/DA Candidates
CAT 2016 test duration is for a total time of 3 hours. PWD/ DA candidates with scribe requirements will be allowed 20 minutes extra in every section implying 60 minutes more to them to attempt the CAT 2016 test paper. All candidates will start the test at the same time. Candidates are to remain at their seats for the entire duration of the test even if they complete their test early.
Since the test is published by the CAT Centre 2016, there should not be any doubt about the type of questions proposed to appear in the exam and the proposed CAT 2016 exam pattern. Aspirants should practice the test, understand its key points, and focus on similar type of questions in their CAT preparation.
At present there are 20 IIMs apart from other top B-schools like SPJIMR Mumbai, FMS Delhi, IMI Delhi, Great Lakes, IMT Ghaziabad, LIBA, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE Mumbai, JBIMS Mumbai, TAPMI Manipal, XIM Bhubaneshwar among others that will offer admission to MBA/PGDM 2017-19 on the basis of CAT 2016 exam scores.
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