CAT mandates that the test taker perform equally well in all sections of the test. It is not sufficient to get a good score in the test as a whole - the candidate also has to perform well in each of the three/ four sections of the CAT paper. Among the 2.76 lakh who took CAT this year, you should be able to score a certain number of marks more than minimum cut - off mark in each section to be eligible to get a call for the Group Discussion (GD) and Interview stage.
The minimum cut-off required in each section could vary from IIM to IIM and also for each of the other 30+ institutes that use CAT scores for their selection process.
It would be fair to assume that the cut - off scores required for many of the other institutes would be slightly lower than those required for the IIMs.
If proper planning is not done, there is a danger that one may actually get much more than the total minimum required marks to be eligible for the IIMs but one may not cross the cutoffs in a particular section. This brings us to the basic rule that applies to the CAT paper - do reasonably well in every section rather than concentrating on and doing extremely well in every section rather than concentrating on and doing extremely well in one/ two sections. Getting a very high score in one or two sections at the expense of the others would fetch you nothing and all your efforts will be for nothing.
The key to crack the CAT exam is to keep your cool and maintain your composure during the entire length of the test. This may sound deceptively simple but is easier said than done. The pressure levels would be high, CAT does not require/ expect you to attempt all or even nearly all the questions. It is test of speed but not only of speed. Accuracy is needed too!
To maximize your score by completing the easy ones rather than attempting the more difficult ones especially since, no extra marks are awarded for solving the more difficult questions.
The common tendency among students is to start the section from the very first question. By not reading a question or a set of questions, one is obviously at a disadvantage when compared to a student who carefully plans out the time limits within each section and ensures that he or she picks and solves the easy questions given in each section.
There is negative marketing in the CAT paper and for every wrong answer a certain score is deducted from your total. The IIMs do not disclose the way they calculate the negative marks for the wrong answers.
One Golden Rule that needs to be followed is to ensure that there is no question which is unread at the end of the test. This will ensure that all possible easy questions have been attempted or at least looked at.The easy ones could be anywhere - at the beginning, in the middle or at the end - just about anywhere.
