Analysis of CAT Test 2018

The CAT examiners made a swing between sections in terms of difficulty, with Quant being the most difficult for most students. DILR was moderately difficult but not too difficult. Verbal was similar to last year or slightly easier. The exam was similar in structure, overall pattern, and difficulty to last year's. Contrary to common belief, the CAT examiners seemed more concerned with a candidate's aptitude than their ability to manage a disruptive pattern.

Exam Structure & Pattern:

The paper was divided into three sections, namely, 'Quantitative Aptitude', ’Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning', and 'Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension. Each section contained 34, 32, and 34 questions. Each section was limited to 60 minutes.

These sections were segmented for Slot I as

These sections were segmented for Slot 2:

Section-wise Review

Review of The verbal section can be described as easy to moderate in difficulty. Students found RC easier than last year. Verbal Ability tends to have lower accuracy than Quant and DI.

Slot 1 Verbal section consisted of 4 passages each with 5 questions and 1 passage with 4. There were 4 questions about misfits, 4 about summaries, and 4 about Para Jumbles. Although the passages were relatively easy, there were many options that could affect accuracy. It would have been easier for students who had a good grasp of reading. Para-jumble questions were fairly easy.

Slot 2's verbal section was very similar to Slot 1 in terms of composition, with an easy-to-moderate level of difficulty.

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning: DILR was a pleasant surprise to the students. Five sets were available. One set dealt with ATM note dispersion, wherein Rs. The cash could only be taken in Rs. 100,200 and 500. Combination questions were also available. A set of questions on the Number Grid System allowed for a Matrix consisting of 3*3 or 5*5 with the condition that no adjacent numbers should be identical horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. There was also a straight Pie chart Data set, which was quite manageable. Pure AR was difficult and complicated.

Slot 2 Di was slightly more difficult than slot 1. Each set consisted of 8 sets with 4 questions. Two blocks were simple and manageable. It was simple to create a block that included room allocations for 7 students. A block that dealt with mobile's profitability, cost, and revenue was also possible. Blocks relating to college ranking and coding should be avoided. They are lengthy and difficult. Rest were moderate to difficult, of which only 1-2 could be done with good application.

Quantitative Aptitude Review The common perception is that the Quant section was very difficult with no-clear options. Each question dealt with Number System, Venn Diagram, Higher Maths, Probability, and a further 1-2 questions. Algebra and Geometry each had 5-6 questions, with 8-10 questions about Ratio/Time Distance/Work. Arithmetic, Geometry, and Algebra were all difficult.

Slot 2 quantitative aptitude was difficult and challenging, similar to slot 1. There were 4-5 questions about ratios, which were extremely calculative. Five questions were asked about Geometry. Two were straightforward and easy, while the rest were more difficult. Only one question was asked about permutation or the Venn Diagram. There were 4 questions on time and work that required calculation and application. The questions were moderately difficult but not too hard. Each question on the function and number system included 1-2 questions. Algebra consisted of 7-8 questions that were difficult to hard. Three to four questions were moderately difficult on the time, speed, and distance topics.

Attempts and Expected Percentile Table together with B-Schools Cutoffs

Table – Morning Slot

Table - Evening Slot

B-School Cut-offs

B-Schools use CAT scores as a primary screening tool for shortlisting candidates for the GD/ PI round. Other factors that are considered when generating calls include academic performance, +2, Graduation, and duration of work experience. The cutoff scores for older IIMs are usually higher than for those for new IIMs. The CAT cutoff scores for non-IIMs is lower than the IIMs. In recent years, however, IIMs have shifted to profile-based shortlisting, with a lower cut off CAT.

Verdict

There were some surprises in CAT 2018. The Quant section was difficult in both slots. DILR did a mixed review, with Slot 1 reporting it as comparatively easy and Slot 2 reporting a higher difficulty level. Both slots had moderate verbal.