How to Prepare for CAT in 3 Months?

Common Admission Test for the year 2021 admissions is known as CAT 2020 and will be conducted by IIM Indore on November 22. The exam is almost nearby, candidates are worried on how and when to start the preparation for CAT 2020. Since, the MBA entrance exam is considered to be one of the toughest management entrance exams of the country, it is likely for candidates to be confused on part of its preparation. Here, in this article, we shall answer the strategy to be used for how to prepare for CAT in 3 months. Only after clearing CAT 2020, candidates will be able to get a call from IIMs for further selection rounds.

Strategies to be followed for CAT

The registration of CAT 2020 will begin from the first week of August as per the exam dates. Given below strategies can be used by candidates to prepare for CAT in 3 months-

Decide between coaching or self preparation- First and foremost candidates have to decide whether they want to start the preparation of CAT 2020 exam by themselves or they wish to take help from coaching institutes. For self preparation, it is important for candidates to have access to good study material. For self study purpose, online study groups can be joined or candidates can contact friends who are in the same line of interest. If candidates are going for CAT 2020 preparation with the help of coaching institutes then a number of coaching institutes are available which can help in providing a good preparation plan. 

Divide the preparation into 3 sections- As per the exam pattern of CAT 2020, there will be three sections in the exam. Hence, while making a strategy candidates should focus on all three simultaneously and not just one or two as all sections are equally important. For DILR, it is important to clear basics. For VARC focus on improving grammar, vocabulary and try to improve reading on a daily basis. For QA practising more and more questions will be beneficial. 

Solve previous year question papers of CAT- One of the best ways to prepare for CAT 2020 in 3 months is to solve previous year question papers of CAT or sample papers. With the help of these papers, candidates will be able to gauge the type of questions asked in CAT and will be able to devise strategy for the same.

Manage Time- Apart from the three sections, time management is equally important and is considered section four by many toppers and experts of CAT. Hence, candidates must know how to manage their time. Do not waste time on TITA questions of CAT just because it has zero negative marking. 

Do not forget the mock tests- Candidates preparing for CAT 2020 should never underestimate the power of CAT mock tests. For the purpose of preparation, IIMs provide an official mock test of CAT to candidates. Moreover, mock tests also provide a clear cut vision on how the actual exam will be. Candidates will get to know in advance how the exam day scenario is likely to be.

What is MBA ?

Master’s in Business Administration or MBA is a postgraduate degree with its importance with recognized not only in India but in other foreign countries as well. MBA is a two-year degree programme that provides an individual with a gateway to an abundance of job opportunities across India as well as overseas. Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree from any background be it commerce, science, arts, can opt for taking a postgraduate degree in MBA. Generally, four semesters form part of an MBA programme and its importance is not limited to only the Private sector. MBA graduates can hold managerial positions in Public and Government sectors as well. The MBA programme was introduced in order to meet the deficit of quality managers at the top level in various organizations. Candidates can pursue an MBA programme either on a regular basis or can opt for online or distance education basis. Apart from regular MBA degree, candidates with work experience can also opt for an Executive MBA programme to enhance their leadership and managerial qualities.
Read: IIM MBA Admission Process to know more details.

  1. MBA Eligibility Criteria

Candidates can opt for a regular full-time MBA or distance MBA. Although the basic eligibility remains the same in all institutions providing MBA degrees, some colleges may inculcate some changes in MBA eligibility criteria as per their requirement. The following mentioned are the basic requirements which a candidate should have in order to pursue an MBA degree as a postgraduation:

  1. Candidates must have a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline be it technology, science, commerce, humanities, etc, from any recognized University or Institution of National importance.
  2. Minimum percentage required in graduation degree is 50% as prescribed by most of the Universities/Institutes.
  3. Final year candidates can also apply to apply for an MBA, but they have to provide their final graduation certificate within a specified time duration.
  1. MBA Admission

Most of the B-Schools conduct their own MBA entrance exams in order to provide admissions to candidates in the two-year management programme. Whereas, some of the B-Schools admit candidates on the basis of national level tests like CAT/MAT/XAT/ATMA, etc. Admission tests of MBA can be divided into three levels.

S. No.Level of Test
1.National Level Test
2.State Level Test
3.University Level Test

Detailed analysis of the entrance exams for two years MBA programme is given below-

  1. National Level Test – There are certain exams which are common and are conducted at the National level. Scores of such exams are accepted by all participating colleges/institutes. Some of the top national level MBA entrance exams are CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA, CMAT, IIFT etc.
  2. State Level Test – Apart from the national level exams, there are some states that conduct their own entrance exams for MBA. Qualifying candidates can take admission in any of the participating colleges across the state. Some of the top State-level exams include MAH CETOJEE MBATANCETAP ICET, KMAT, etc.
  3. University Level Test – Along with above-mentioned tests for MBA admission, some of the institutes also provide admissions to candidates on the basis of test conducted by them. Such University level tests are NMAT/NMIMS, CUSAT, SNAP, IPU CET, IRMASAT, etc.

Eligible candidates who are willing to take admission in MBA programme in the top B-Schools of India are required to qualify any of the above-mentioned tests depending on their choice of college/university/institute.

Once the candidates qualify any of the above exams, they have to go through a screening/written ability test/personal interview etc depending upon the preference of institute and its selection procedure for MBA admissions.

  • Top B-Schools of India for the two years MBA programme

Due to the availability of a number of colleges for MBA, it may happen that one college/institute may sound appealing to one candidate, while the same does not to another candidate. Some of the top B-Schools providing MBA programme are given below:

  • B-School of India with Fee Structure of MBA Degree:
GovernmentFee* Approx.PrivateFees* Approx.
IIM Ahmedabad23 lacsXLRI, Jamshedpur10-20 lacs
IIM Bangalore21 lacsMDI, Gurgaon18 lacs
IIM Calcutta20.1 lacsSPJIMR, Mumbai17.5 lacs
IIM Indore16 lacsTAPMI, Karnataka6 lacs
IIM Lucknow14.16 lacsIMI Delhi17 lacs
IIM Kozhikode17.5 lacsIMT Ghaziabad15-18 lacs
NITIE Mumbai14 lacsIRMA, Gujarat10 lacs
Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, Mumbai8.73 lacsIBS Business School, Hyderabad14 lacs
IIT Delhi9.6 lacsSymbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, Pune5-15 lacs
FMS Delhi2 lacsNarsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai18.50 lacs

*Fees of MBA programme is tentative for some institutes and may vary as per the selection of MBA programme specialization.

  • MBA Specialization

MBA whether as a full-time programme or correspondence offers exposure to candidates in a variety of MBA specializations. Some institutes give the option of selecting MBA specialization in the very first year, while some institutes let candidates study basics in the first year of the MBA programme and then select MBA specialized area in the second year. Whereas, sometimes the candidates are given the option to select core and elective subjects either in the first year or the second year. Some of the major MBA specializations which are offered by B-Schools in India for MBA programme are given below.

Major Specializations of MBA Degree:

SpecializationSpecializationSpecialization
MarketingFinance & AccountingComputer Application
Human Resource ManagementEntrepreneurshipBusiness Communication
Information TechnologyEconomics & Social SciencesProduction & Operations Management
International BusinessBusiness EconomicsRetail Management
Public PolicyForest ManagementSupply Chain Management
TelecomAgriculture & Food BusinessDisaster Management
  • MBA Syllabus

Candidates who pursue an MBA degree are exposed to a wide range of subjects as the MBA syllabus is quite wide and aims to provide complete exposure to candidates about the business tactics. In the two year duration of MBA degree, the candidate begins with core subjects such as Organisational Behaviour, Sales & Marketing, Principles of Management, Business Communication, Entrepreneurship, Business Law etc., Almost all B-Schools offering MBA degree have classified these subjects as core and electives as this allows candidates choose between the elective subjects of their interest. Below-mentioned are some of the subjects that candidates study in while having MBA degree-

  1. Finance Management
  2. Principles of Management
  3. Principles of Marketing
  4. Business Laws
  5. Business Communication
  6. Organizational behaviour
  7. Economics
  8. Business environment
  9. Taxation
  10. Human Resource Management
  11. Ethics
  12. Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Scope of MBA Programme

Before candidates decide to opt for an MBA programme, it is essential that they understand the scope of the two years programme, the benefits associated along with the average pay package they can get. Currently, candidates from all domains are planning to take up the MBA Programme for uplifting their career path. The importance of having an MBA degree can not be neglected. Candidates having MBA degree are demanded in every industry.

Advantages of MBA Degree

  1. Upliftment in Career Growth
  2. Enhancement in Core Values
  3. Ingenious Attitude
  4. Time Management
  5. Innovative Outlook
  6. Expansion in Job Opportunities
  • MBA Programme – Top MBA Recruiters

Although MBA graduates are required in all domains, yet in India, there are certain top MBA recruiters that specifically hire MBA graduates. The hiring capacity may differ due to certain factors, but the core aim will remain the same. Recruitment can be done through any source like campus placement, direct hiring, agency recruitment, third party sourcing, etc. Some of the top recruiters hiring MBA graduates are listed below:

  1. Google
  2. Deloitte
  3. NTPC
  4. Citibank
  5. ITC
  6. Vodafone
  7. Larsen & Toubro
  8. Nestle
  9. Flipkart
  10. Microsoft
  11. Amazon
  12. Wipro etc.,
  • MBA Skill-Set

A candidate after completing his/her MBA duration is expected to work as a manager. Companies expect their managers i.e. MBA graduates to professionals and hence expect them to have not only good communication and leadership qualities but much more. Let us have a look at some of the skill-sets required from a candidate having an MBA degree:

  1. Managerial Skills
  2. Goal-Oriented
  3. Decision-Making Skills
  4. Analytical Thinking
  5. Problem-solving Skills
  6. Business Acumen
  7. Ability to work under pressure
  8. Persuasive Skills
  • MBA Salary Package

Keeping in view the current scenario, it is likely that MBA graduates will see a shift in the increase of the average package. As per the annual survey report submitted by GMAC, more than 50 per cent of the participating companies planned to increase the base salary of MBA graduates from the academic year 2019. Top government B-Schools, IIM Ahmedabad offered an average package of 30.40 lacs per annum in the year 2019 while Private sector-top institute XLRI Jamshedpur offered an average salary package of 22.35 lacs per annum in the year 2019.

Candidates holding an MBA degree are expected to take up the managerial responsibilities in their job profile. A manager’s job profile not only includes well-planned working, strategy formulation but includes execution of the plan, falling within the deadlines of work, leading/managing a group, coordination across departments, reporting daily tasks to concerned higher authorities and much more.

How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability

The quantitative ability is the mathematics section of CAT. QA can be a little difficult for the candidates to solve as it contains questions that require logical thinking. The difficulty level of the section rarely compromises which becomes another reason for the candidate to feel like QA is quite tough to crack. But difficult does not mean it is impossible. With proper strategizing, solving the quantitative ability questions will become a child’s play. In this article, we will be talking about how to prepare for the QA section of CAT.

How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability

The preparation of any section starts off with the basics, so it is advised to the candidates to start preparing from scratch. By doing that, they will know what QA is all about and how difficult it is as per their solving ability. 

With QA covering topics like Algebra, Number System, Arithmetic, Geometry, Modern Mathematics and other questions related to Higher Maths, the candidates might get a little worried. But there are a lot of best books for CAT preparation so that they will get some tips and tricks to practice better. 

One of the most popular methods is to solve various mock tests, sample papers and question papers of CAT. Solving them will really help the candidates to understand the section, the exam pattern and syllabus of CAT in overall.

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