Students opt for the last few days as they want to understand and interpret the
pattern of the test and seek more time to prepare
Over 1100 students from Assam and the northeast have registered
for the Common Admission Test (CAT) this year.
The test began on October 22 and will continue till November 18. Most students from
the region have registered to take the test on October 28. However, the last few
days from November 10 to November 18, are in prime demand for slots.
On Monday,
23rd Oct. 2011, only nine students appeared for CAT, out of the hundred slots available
at the Assam Engineering College, the venue for the test.
"Students opt for the last few days as they want to understand and interpret the
pattern of the test and seek more time to prepare," says Harsh Khemka, director
of IMS Learning Centre, a premiere CAT training centre.
With the new procedures being implemented in 2009, the test was divided into two
parts. A total of sixty questions were asked. In the first section, students were
asked thirty questions comprising twenty quantitative ability questions and ten
data interpretation questions. In the second section, students had to answer ten
logical reasoning questions and twenty verbal ability questions. Time duration for
both sections was seventy minutes each. The difficulty level was the same as last
year. In order to give impetus to diversity from different streams, a total of 10
extra marks will be awarded to non-engineering students this year. The number of
seats at the IIMs has been also increased to four thousand, i.e., a 30 per cent
increase.
"The new system is more feasible for students as there is a twenty day window period
to sit for the test giving students more time to prepare. There is a misconception
among students that CAT is an internet based exam but actually it is a computer
based test (CBT)", added Khemka.
"There is no dearth of talent in this region but students lack confidence
and so most of them appear for MAT (Management Aptitude Test) which they consider
easier. But the checking procedure for both tests is the same. As a result, they
end up in lower-grade B-schools," informed Khemka.
Courtesy: Times of India
