Sunday, July 31, 2011

Chnages in CAT pattern - Cosmetic. Period.

So here was a "Jor Ka Jhatka" that the CAT convenor for the year seems to have given the MBA aspirants. A harmless interview on this year's cat -the proverbial "dheere se lage". I am referring to the changes in CAT-11 unveiled recently.
But is it really "Jor Ka Jhatka"? Not really. Here is why.

Ok !! Lets focus on similarities
** CAT remains a computer based test. :-) Well it would not have been otherwise. Would it?
** It still has 60 Questions. So no surprises there.
** It stays an objective type questions on Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. So if you have been preparing for CAT - relax you are still on the right track.
** In fact, they have announced 5 extra minutes (thats after they added 15 min to the historical time of two hours, two years back). It is now a 140 Min. test.

So what is the bombshell about? Here are the changes and their implications

** The test now comes in a two sections package - instead of three sections earlier.
So instead of three sections of 20 qs. each you will now face two sections of 30 Qs. each. Doesn't make a bit of a difference - does it? You have exactly the same number of questions as earlier and roughly the same time (in fact more).

** The two sections now are Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (QA & DI) and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VA & LR).
This should mean that in terms of design what has been done is that the earlier section of Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DI & LR) has been divided into two halves (approx. 10 qs from each section) & each of them has been merged with the other two, respectively. If this interpretation is right, there is hardly any change from the earlier pattern.

** The two sections will now be TIMED sections. You will get exactly 70 minutes to negotiate each section.
Now for a person preparing for CAT and wishes to take a balanced show at it - this also does not make much of a difference. Think about it - if you have been preparing for last year's CAT pattern - you were most probably following a strategy of giving each of the three sections 45 min each. so what would you do if you were told that there will be now two sections of 30 qs. each. You would distribute the time of the third section equally among the other two. The timed sections are equivalent to you following the same strategy by default. That's all.

So then - does this new patter makes any difference at all? Yes, it does. Here is my take.
It takes the sheen away from those performers who used to take uneven time for these sections. There are a few students who try and cut down time from one section and give more time to one other section to maximise their scores. They will feel the heat as there strategy has been killed.

At a macro level - this change should help non-engineers as most engineers try and finish off the language section quicker so that, they can spend more time with the mathematical sections. This helps them score better overall. This may not be possible now.

But honestly, I think even this is not true anymore. From the time CAT became a computer based test, it provides an average of two minutes per question - which is fairly comfortable time to attack a test of the level that CAT is. So any additional time given to a section does not really mean better score in that section.

So friends, I think the changes in the CAT should rattle only those performers who carry this fact in the mind that it has changed. Otherwise the changes appear only cosmetic. Stay focussed. All the very best.