Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are all set to conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2021 examination on November 28, 2021. This is a much-awaited entrance exam scheduled to be held across the country through the computer-based format. Candidates are in for some tough competition ahead as those who qualify will get a chance to study at one of the prestigious IIMs. With top IIMs located in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta and Delhi offering limited seats, candidates must be on their ‘A’ game while appearing for this exam.
They must not be burdened by the competitiveness of the exam and instead take it as a challenge and boost their preparation. With merely 6 weeks left for IIM CAT 2021 examination, here is a preparation strategy to help aspirants cement their selection in the top IIMs.
IIM CAT 2021 will cover three important subjects, namely Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). Candidates will get 40 minutes to solve each subject section. Moreover, one candidate can move to another section only after the completion of 40 minutes. So, here the most important aspect to keep in mind is time management. Candidates have to spend 40 minutes on each section and hence, they should use this time wisely. The sequence of questions to solve is as follows –
Easy > Medium > Difficult also interpreted as Extremely Sure > Sure > Not sure at all
To implement this strategy in the paper, candidates must make it a point to practice this during their mock exams. Make it a habit to skim through the entire paper once, tick the questions which are simple to solve. After solving the easier ones, repeat the same process for medium-level questions. The extra good chunk of time remaining can then be utilised in solving difficult or tricky questions.
It is a misconception that Engineering students or those with a Science background have an advantage over others, especially in the QA section. IIM CAT 2021 will cover very basic-level mathematics questions. So, with consistent practice, chapter-level test series and full-fledged mock exams, candidates can easily solve the QA section, irrespective of their educational background.
Pro-Tip: In the last six weeks, focus more on the subjects or chapters which are difficult while revising the simpler ones during breaks. For example, a student with strong control over English may struggle in the QA section. So, during the 6-week preparation stage, the priority of subjects should be –
QA > DILR > VARC or QA > DILR = VARC
At this juncture, rather than starting a whole new tricky topic, focus on solving subject-specific mock exams. In the case of QA, candidates must take at least 30 minutes every day to revise important mathematical formulae while recollecting the way they were derived. In the case of VARC, candidates are advised to read any one of the national dailies every day such as The Times of India or the Hindustan Times. In the case of DILR, rather than resorting to notes or long explanations, focus on getting more practice. If this is a struggling subject, make it a point to solve 20 MCQs every day, in the morning and at night, before sleeping, to get some extra practice.
IIM CAT 2021 will also be given by many working-class professionals. For such individuals, juggling between work and study might get difficult. To help them boost their preparation, here are two BONUS tips –
# Tip 1: While travelling to the office or in-between work, try to read a popular and good English newspaper. This will help in building a better vocabulary, acquiring a better understanding of the English language and using time smartly!
# Tip 2: Rather than staying-up late to study, try to get a good night’s sleep and wake up early morning to prepare for the exam. Sleep deprivation will only affect the cognitive functions of the brain. This will make candidates struggle to retain information for longer periods. Hence, early morning silence is always better than a late-night, caffeine-infused one!
