Time will be stipulated for each section
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Visakhapatnam: The Common Admission Test (CAT) of IIMs being held on November 29 would be a tough for candidates weak in English and from engineering background due to the new question format. In the new format verbal ability and reading comprehension are in a different section and there will be non-multiple choice type questions. Time will be stipulated for each section.
“Candidates weak in English and engineering students used to skip verbal ability and attempt logical reasoning questions to clear the sectional cut-off as both were in the same section. However, the new format will not allow this as reading comprehension and verbal ability is in a different section,” said Dr Uday Kiran, an IIM-Lucknow graduate and a teacher at a CAT coaching centre.
The new format would not allow students to switch from one section to another as an hour is fixed for each section. Moreover, arts students have an advantage this time as virtual calculator can be used. “The three sections are like three different examinations now. A candidate has to spare one hour each for all the three sections. Candi-dates good at mathematics were giving more time to the quantitative part and attempting minimum questions from the English section to clear the cut-off. However, candidates now have to attend questions from all sections and give equal time to them. The format will give equal chance to students from all streams,” TIME (Hyder-abad), CAT course director Ramnath Kankad-andi said.
The new format would be tough for engineering students, CAT aspirant Surya Teja said. “Descriptive question means non-multiple choice type questions. I was happy thinking that we have to describe some questions but it is not so,” Rakesh Kumar, an arts students appearing for CAT 2015 said.
2.18 lakh candidates have registered for CAT 2015 and the number of candidates from AP would be around 6,000. The number of candidates from Telangana is 9,000. Although there is an IIM in Vizag locals have not shown interest in it going by the number of candidates taking coaching at different institutes. One of the major hurdles for AP students in clearing CAT is their Telugu medium they have studied in.
India has now 19 IIMs, including six new ones, starting operation this year. "There is a good chance of getting into an IIM now. So more students should write CAT instead of thinking it is tough. Even, with 90 percentile, candidates can get a seat in IIM Visakhapatnam," Mr Murty added. One of the major hurdles for AP students in clearing CAT is the Telugu medium they have studied in.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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