holycat : WILL THE VARC PATTERN FOR THIS YEAR REMAIN SAME AS THAT OF LAST YEAR, I.E. 4 RC AND 8 VA?
asim : Cannot be predicted, be prepared for all eventualities

a : GOOD EVENING,SIRS. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO APPLY FOR NON CAP IIMS AND HOW MUCH FEES WOULD IT BE? WHAT ALL IIMS TO APPLY FOR SEPERATELY?
asim : First of all you should apply to all the IIMs in the CAT application form. Later on (After CAT results )you need to apply to JAP (for 4 new iims), iim rohtak, iim sambalpur, iim udaipur. There is no clarity regarding other baby IIMs, they are expected to releas info soon.

dlcab5a203 : I HAVE ENTERED MAXIMUM MARKS 500 BUT IT IS SHOWING 5006 AND IF I HAVE ENTERED WRONG MAXIMUM MARKS THEN PERCENTAGE OF MARKS WILL BE ALSO WRONG AND NOT PROCESSED FURTHER IN CAT APPLICATION FORM PLEASE HELP ME OUT
tarannumraza : Hope you reviewed the form before submitting. You can mail to the concerned authority about this.

cat_student1983 : WITH JUST 2.5 MONTHS LEFT FOR CAT HOW SHOULD I IMPROVE MY PREPARATION AND PERFORMANCE?
tarannumraza : Focus on revision,practice (specially of tests) ,analysis. Based on analysis, work on the weak areas.

a : HOW TO COMPLETE DILR SYLLABUS? I AM ONLY ABLE TO ATTEMPT 1 SET AT MOST.
mandar : How to complete DI LR syllabus, the answer is practice as much as you can.

a : I AM UNABLE TO DO THE QUESTIONS WHERE THEY ASK FOR AUTHOR'S POSITION IN VARC. NO SPECIFIC CLASS WAS ALSO ASSIGNED TO THAT. CAN YOU PLEASE GUIDE ME ON THAT?
tarannumraza : Author's position is based on the tone the author has used towards the central idea/issue discussed.The study material and handouts take care of this. Do go through the same.

niti : I AM GIVING MOCKS MY SCORE IMPROVED BUT STILL IT IS AVERAGE
asim : Do not worry, analyse your AIMCAT performances and figure out types of questions that are troubling you and work on those, if needed discuss your doubts with faculty member and do loads of practice. All the best

holycat : WILL THE VARC PATTERN FOR THIS YEAR REMAIN SAME AS THAT OF THE LAST YEAR, I.E. 4(16) RC AND 8 VA?
tarannumraza : One cannot be sure of that. Whatever the pattern, it will be the same for everyone, so it is a fair playing field. In any case, your preparation of the basics will take care of any new pattern.

a : UNABLE TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SUMMARY OF THE PASSAGE FROM THE OPTIONS. HOW TO GO ABOUT IT?
tarannumraza : The summary should reflect the central idea and tone of the author. You can use the process of elimination: The option should be eliminated if it contains a new idea/ is a distortion/is factually incorrect acc to the paragraph/is incomplete/ focus is shited to secondary idea/ is repetitive.

niti : I KEEP PRACTICING QUANT BUT MY SCORE IS NOT IMPROVING
mandar : Find out why score is not improving. Is it because of negatives ? or it is because of you are not able to attempt enough number of questions. Once you find out what it is, i suggest meet faculty member at your centre,you'll get some clarity.

sagar : HOW TO IMPROVE IN RC PASSAGE . BY USING ELIMINATION METHOD , I ELIMINATE THE CORRECT ANSWER . PLEASE GIVE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I SHOULD REMEMBER WHILE ATTEMPTING RC PASSAGE
tarannumraza : You should keep the idea flowin mind. If there is an example, then what is the purpose of placing the example...whenever the author uses words like 'but'/'however' etc., there is a turn in the idea flow. focus on the adjectives/adverbs used bythe author: is the author's tone positive/negative/neutral? some questions can be answered on the basis of overall understanding. Some are specific area based.

mansi : SIR ANY RESOURCES SUGGESTION FOR CAT LEVEL GRID PUZZLES?
asim : You can use advanced level sectional tests, LOT 2 material and the AIMCATs.

anu : SIMILAR QUESTION HOW SHOULD I IMPROVE MY PREPARATION FOR NMAT WITH ONLY 2 MONTHS REMAINING
asim : xcept for the section on Logical Reasoning, all the other sections of NMAT get well covered with a good preparation for CAT. However, it is advisable for a student to work on his/her speed mathematics as some of the questions under Data Interpretation tend to be calculation intensive. Also, 108 questions in 120 minutes means that the candidate needs to be really quick in solving the questions. The questions in reasoning section of NMAT are: Series, Analogies, Odd man out, Coding & Decoding, Symbols & Notations, Missing numbers in the figures and Direction sense. Analytical puzzles (Blood Relations, Linear Arrangement, Circular Arrangement, Distribution, Comparisons and Selections). Critical reasoning (Assumptions, Conclusions, Inferences, Strong & Weak arguments, Courses of Action, Cause & Effect, Assertions and Reasons), Deductions, Input / Output, Decision Making and Venn Diagrams You can study these topics from Reasoning Study Material - SM 1002605,and SM 1002607. SM 1002607 covers the topics - Series, Analogies, Odd man out, Coding & Decoding, Symbols & Notations, Missing Numbers in the figures, Input/Output, Blood Relations and Direction Sense. These topics were introduced to the CAT students in Logic Basics - 7, 8 and 14 (LRHO 1002307, 2308 and 2614). One can quickly be thorough with these topics by solving the exercises from SM1002607. Particularly the questions based on Coding & Decoding and Symbols & Notations test the speed of the students. SM 1002605 and 2607 have two exercises for each of the topics in analytical puzzles. There was a thorough discussion of each of these kinds of puzzles in Logic Basics - 1, 2,3, and 4 (LRHO 1002601, 2602,2603,and 2004) and in LRPEs and LATs. Venn Diagrams are discussed in Logic Basics 5 and 6 (LRHO 1002605 and 2006). SM 1002605 has four exercises (Ex 7(a), (b), (c) and (d)) on Venn Diagrams. Students may solve the exercises 7 (a) and (b) first and then from 7 (c) and (d). As far as NMAT pattern is concerned, exercises 7 (a) and (b) are more relevant. SM1002607 has four exercises (Ex 13(a),(b),(c),and(d)) on OMET model critical Reasoning. Among the critical reasoning topics, Strong & Weak arguments,Courses of Action, Cause and Effect, and Assertions and Reasons were discussed in LR classes for CAT students. The NMAT model deductions were discussed in logic basics 10 (LRHO 1002610) class. The practice exercises for NMAT model Deductions/Syllogism questions are provided in SM 1002605 exercises 8 (c) and 8 (d). Input / Output & Decision Making questions are provided in SM 1002607 (chapter 8 and chapter 9). Input/ Output questions are quite regular in NMAT exam. Finally, T.I.M.E.’s OMETs for NMAT are the best source for preparation.They are very close to the actual NMAT paper and one should give maximum importance to these question papers as they provide very good exam practice to the candidates. The candidates can accustom themselves to the NMAT pattern by taking these mocks.

a : SINCE UDAIPUR IS OUT OF CAP IIMS HOW TO APPLY FOR IT? CAN THERE PLEASE BE A SESSION ON HOW TO APPLY FOR THE IIMS INDIVIDUALLY WHICH CANNOT BE APPLIED THROUGH CAT FORM ALONE?
asim : They are expected to release more info in next few weeks. Wait for it. We will doing a webinar on "IIM Admission process after few weeks ", we will inform you ( you can also keep checking our Youtube channel )

pal21 : HOW TO IMPROVE QUANTITATIVE ABILITIES AND READING COMPREHENSION ? IS THERE ANY TRICK YOU CAN SUGGEST TO IMPROVE RCS ?!
tarannumraza : For RC, read carefully making a mental map of the idea flow. If required ( for lengthy paragraphs/ difficult passages) write down the key words for each para as you read. This brings clarity in terms of the central idea, idea-flow and the author's tone. Many questions are based on the overall understanding of the passage & you will be able to answer them faster & with accuracy. It is also very important to read the question carefully.

mansi : WHEN WILL MISSED AIMCATS BECOME ACCESSIBLE SIR?
asim : Next month (oct)

vaishnavi : ARE AIMCATS MORE TOUGH THAN ACTUAL CATS.AS GETTING LOW SCORE I M WORRIED
rajesh : have you tried to meet a mentor

drcab5a014 : IN QA THERE IS A TOPIC OPERATOR BASED QUESTIONS IN THE BASIC STUDY MATERIAL SHOULD I SOLVE THAT TO. MY COURSE IS WILL GET COMPLETED THIS WEEK. AND WHAT ABOUT STATISTICS IS IT OKAY TO SKIP IT FOR CAT
asim : Its advisable to prepare all topics mentioned in the T.I.M.E. study material

drcab5a014 : HOW TO REVISE QA AFTER COMPLETING THE SYLLABUS
mandar : In my opinion, revision of quant is solving new unsolved question!! You must be having lot of questions from every area, which are unseen, unolved. Just pick some questions and solve, whenever you intend to do revision.

sagar : GIVE SOME IMPORTANT TIPS FOR INCREASING MY SCORE IN LRDI, QUANTS
mandar : No standard answer to this question, but still i would advise following. 1) Have a close check on negatives, and work on that. 2) Check if your selection of questions is right. Largely you should be attempting questions which fall in category easy, moderate or difficult. 3) Its a game of accuracy.

drcab5a014 : STARTING FROM WHICH YEAR SHOULD I SOLVE PYQ
asim : Last 10 years

anu : SIR PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION
rajesh : what has been your preparation till now

niti : HOW TO IMPROVE QUANT
mandar : Make a plan. Only practice can help you.

a : THANK YOU FOR THE RESPONSE, ASIM SIR. SO THIS MEANS THERE IS NOTHING MORE FROM OUR END TO DO FROM OUR SIDE AS OF NOW? AND ONLY COMPLETING MY BACHELORS, IS IT OKAY IF I DO NOT APPLY FOR DOCTORAL OR PHD PROGRAMMES FROM THE LIST?
asim : You can skip PHD programs if you are not interested in research or teaching as a career option.

kg : I'M STRUGGLING IN QUANTS SECTION
mandar : Only way out is practice. Try to identify real issue, and address it.

drcab5a014 : IN AIMCATS I'M CONSTANTLY SCORING IN 40S. I'M DOING ANALYSIS GIVING SECTIONALS STILL NOT ABLE TO IMPROVE. AND IN VARC MY ACCURACY FLUCTUATES ALOT. HOW STABLIZE IT
tarannumraza : Make sure that you go through the online sectional tests ( intermediate/advanced, lot2 booklet) in between AIMCATs. Proper analysis of tests is also required. You can attempt SAMCATs too.

kg : I'M STRUGGLING IN QUANTS SECTION
mandar : Practice will help you

lnca5a061 : SIR WHAIS THE
mandar : What is your question?

lnca5a061 : SIR WHAT IS THE STRATEGY FOR ANALYSING MOCKS
asim : Step-1: Attempt all those questions in that section that you left unattempted during the AIMCAT. Step-2: Try solving questions that may still be left over. Only after giving all the questions a good try, check the answer key to find out which questions you could answer correctly and re-attempt all those questions that you answered wrongly. You would be able to learn a great deal from this step since you would actually be pushing yourself to think harder and find out where you have made mistakes. Do not look at the solutions until you are finished with this step. Step-3: You can refer the solutions and compare your approach with that given in the solutions. You should keenly observe and learn anything new that you may find in the solutions. At the end of this stage of your analysis, you should try to categorize the questions into levels of difficulty based on the understanding required and the amount of time that you would take to solve each of them in an exam situation. This is a very important step that will help you in identifying the level of a question, a critical input required when trying to choose the right questions to attempt in the AIMCAT or the actual CAT. Step-4: Carefully look up the extensive analysis – Section-wise, Area-wise, Difficulty Level wise and much more – that is provided to you on the Student Homepage after the results are declared. The AIMCAT results and analysis that are made available on the website are meticulously designed, comprehensive, and personalized analyses that are intended to give you valuable feedback regarding your performance. This feedback will guide you towards a better, more focused and effective preparation and can set you on a path of continuous improvement. Another practical way to boost your learning is to sometimes study, if possible, with your peers in small groups of not more than three to four members. You can analyze and discuss each AIMCAT as a group, after each member is through with his share of individual analysis. This a very good approach to maximize your learning. The group should ideally be formed with members with strengths in different areas so that there is scope for everyone to gain from the joint effort.

kg : SPECIALLY IN ALGEBRA
mandar : Practice equations ( one variable More than one variable), then quadratic equations, then inequalities

help : IT IS VERY WRONG ON MY PART TO ASK THIS BUT INSPITE OF BEING AN ENGINEERING STUDENT, I AM STRUGGLING WITH QUANTS BECAUSE OF WEAK BASICS. I HAVE NOT STARTED MY PREPARATION FULLY YET BECAUSE OF SOME ISSUES AND HAVE NOT COMPLETED MOST OF THE SYLLABUS. PLEASE HELP ME OUT. I AM SCORING 35 IN ALL THE 3 SECTIONS TOGETHER WITH VARC BEING THE HIGHEST.
asim : This is a very common concern for many CAT aspirants, even among engineers. Don’t worry—weak basics in Quant can definitely be strengthened with the right approach. Learn the basic concepts, refer to the basic study material and the class videos, follow it up with loads of practice. I recommend you attend doubt clarification sessions and discuss your subject doubts with faculty members reguarly.

hocc5t469 : HELLO SIR HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING IN MOCKS, I HAVE NOTICED THAT I FORGET THE CONCEPTS , BECAUSE MAJORITY OF QUANTS QUESTION , IT SEEMS THAT I CAN SOLVE, BUT ACTUALLY I GET STUCK IN BETWEEN. AND IN MOST QUESTIONS , IF I GET THE INITIAL FEW STEPS OF SOLVING I CAN SOLVE, IF I FORGET THE INITAL FEW STEPS, IT GETS DIFFICULT, WHAT EXACTLY AM I FACING, HOW CAN I IMPROVE
mandar : One can forget formulae, but not concepts!! If you are forgetting concepts, means you need to work on concepts again.Once you work on concepts, then only yuo'll see improvement in score.

hocc5t469 : ARE SIMCATS EASIER THAN AIMCATS ?
mandar : SAMCATs are generally easier than AIMCATs.

tina : SIR I'M WORRIED ABOUT GETTING 99+ PERCENTILE IN CAT, USED TO GET THAT IN AIMCATS BUT GETTING 98 AND EVEN 96 ONCE NOW
mandar : Stop worrying. Worrying will not help. If you are getting 98, 96 %tile, means your preparation is on right track. How you perform on the D Day matters. In my opinion, you don't have to do anything drastically different. Just believe in yourself, don't take too much of pressure.

tina : ALSO SIR IS IT NECESSARY TO DO LOT 1 BOOKS ON DILR? IS IT OKAY IF INSTEAD I'VE DONE ALL SECTIONALS, MOCKS AND PYQS ALONG WITH LOT 2 MATERIAL
rajesh : our materials and tests and practicing all this will give you all the more confidence

tina : SIR HOW ARE PEOPLE GETTING 170-180 IN AIMCATS?
rajesh : how have you been strategising and how have your aimcats been

tina : SIR SHOULD I DO SAMCATS AT THIS STAGE WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER TO BUY MOCKS OF IMS OR CAREER LAUNCHER? PLEASE HELP
rajesh : our tests and aimcats etc are the best i would say-you dont need to buy any other

help : IS THERE STILL HOPE FOR ME TO SCORE 99%ILE IF I START GIVING 12 HOURS?
rajesh : have you tried to get a mentoring session from anyone at your center

tina : SIR TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AIMCATS IM CONSISTENTLY GETTING AROUND 98 PERCENTILE NOT IMPROVING
mandar : I think, this question can't be answered in chat session. I suggest, you meet faculty member at your centre, analyse your performance, then some solution can be suggested

deepak : I AM NOT ABLE TO SCORE IN MATHS HOW CAN I IMPROVE THIS SECTION
mandar : First step is to clear concepts. Once that is done, only practice can help you to improve in quant.

hocd5a131 : HELLO SIR I GOT LOW SCORE IN PREVIOUS AIMCAT I AM FACING PROBLEM SPECIFICALLY IN VARC AND QA... AFTER SEEING A QUESTION I HAVE AN IDEA OF THAT TOPIC AND I HAVE PRACTICED THE SIMILAR QUESTION BUT IN AIMCAT I AM NOT ABLE TO GET IT RIGHT . IN VARC I AM NOT GETTING RCS CORRECT . IN DILR I AM ABLE TO DO 2 SETS CORRECTLY . CAN YOU SUGGEST DIFFERENT WAYS TO IMPROVE MY PREPARATION.
tarannumraza : For the RCs: consider them as open book tests. Read in a calm manner making mental notes of the key idea of each paragraph. You can jot down the key words if that helps. Remember that all questions have to be answered according to what is stated in the passage directly/indirectly. An answer option may be correct according to the passage but not the answer to the question asked. Do not attempt an RC in the last few minutes of the 40 min section. You will see improvement with practice: Booklets, online sectional tests/SAMCATs. Not just the AIMCATs. You can even revise the handouts where some questions were not covered.

kg : IMPORTANT TOPICS IN ALGEBRA FOR CAT PREPARATION
mandar : Do all tpoics. Normally questions are seen on all areas in different different years.

hocd5a131 : SIR I HAVE RECENTLY FINISHED THE CONCEPTS OF NUMBER SYSTEM GEOMETRY AND PERMUTATION AND COMBINATION I HAVE SOLVED HANDOUTS AND WANT TO SOLVE MORE QUESTIONS ON DAILY BASIS CAN YOU SUGGEST ME SOME MATERIAL OTHER THAN THIS
mandar : You don't need to refer any other material. Solve questions from second set of books, you have sectional tests , etc

s : WITH IIM K BEING THE CONVENOR THIS TIME, HOW IS THE PAPER GOING TO BE? THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL, THE CHANGE IN THE WEIGHTAGE. HOW TO REVISE? WHAT TO FOCUS ON? IS THERE A SPECIFIC STRATEGY TO GO ABOUT IN ALL THE SECTIONS WHILE PREPARING?
tarannumraza : Do not worry about this. Focus on revision of basics/ attempting higher level questions/ working on weak areas. Whatevet the difficulty level of the paper , there is normalisation across the slots, so it is a fair playing field. Aim to maximize your score.

bhcbb5a403 : I FINISHED MY QUANT SYLLABUS, NUT WHEN I AM DOING AIMCATS I AM NOT ABLE TO SCORE MUCH. WHTA SHOULD I DO
mandar : i think only practice can help you. Also, meet faculty member at your centre, discuss with him/her. may be you'll have some clarity.

s : IS CRASH COURSE ENOUGH TO SCORE 99%ILE?
mandar : for some students its enough. It depends on various factors.

ay : I COMPLETED ALL THE VARC ADAVANCE SACTIONAL TEST AND BOOKLET BUT STILL I AM GETTING AVG 15 TO 20 MARKS
tarannumraza : Do attempt the RCs in a timed way. Attempt the online sectional tests- Intermediate and advanced

s : S: IS CRASH COURSE ENOUGH TO SCORE 99%ILE? MANDAR: FOR SOME STUDENTS ITS ENOUGH. IT DEPENDS ON VARIOUS FACTORS. ...............WHAT SHOULD ONE DO TO ACHIEVE IT, SIR?
mandar : This question can can't answered on chat remotely. What exactly you need to do is your question. For this, you need to meet faculty member at your centre, have face to face interaction with him/her, you'll get better clarity

samar : HOW TO MAXIMIZE ACCURACY IN RC PASSAGE AND REDUCE TIME , ANY TIPS ?
tarannumraza : If you have understood the passage well, then read the questions carefully to understand what exactly has been asked. Eliminate the options if you can - this helps in arriving at the correct answer. Remember that a restatement is never an answer to an inference and assumption question. The words used by the author help you decipher the tone & central idea.

samar : HOW TO PREPARE IN THE REMAINING TIME LEFT? WHAT SHOULD BE THE DAILY OR WEEKLY GOALS FOR ALL SECTION AND MOCKS.?
mandar : Nothing special you need to do in remaining time. Just stay focussed, believe in yourself. Lets say if you are not able to solve a quant question on particular topic, or in LR DI, doesn't mean your preparation is incomplete. Don't run around for other material. If so far you have been preparing sincerely, you don't have to do anything drastically different.

samar : HOW TO IMPROVE ON QUESTION ATTEMPT WITH ACCURACY, WITH HAVINGLESS QUESTION WRONG?
mandar : set small targets. once you consistently achieve that, improve target etc

hycbb : ALSO SIR, MY VARC IS LITERALLY ON EXTREMES, SOMETIMES I SCORE GOOD AND SOMETIMES I DON'T , WHAT DO I DO? IN THIS AIMCAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEMPT 16 Q BUT THEN ONLY 8 WERE RGT, HOW DO I IMPROVE AND WORK ON THIS??
tarannumraza : Thia up & down generally happens when the pratice in between AIMCATs is missing. Make sure that you attempt the online sectional tests. Can even take up a SAMCAT 2 days before the AIMCAT.

joshi : SIR STARTED SEQUENCE AND SERIES CHP BUT SOME FORMULA ARE DIFFICULT AS EVEN AFTER APPLYING STILL I AM GETTING WRONG ANSWER IN THIS CASE WHAT TO DO ?
mandar : i think meet faculty member at centre, you'll get better clarity

samar : WHICH VA QUESTION SHOULD BE AVOIDED(LESS SCORING ONES)OR KEPT FOR LAST AND WHICH SHOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO ATEMPT FOR SCORING
tarannumraza : This is a very individual thing. What may be easy for one can be difficult for another. Identify and focus on your weak areas as of now. There is enough time to improve.

joshi : AS IN CLASSES IT IS BEEN TAUGHT BUT STILL AS EVERY QUESTION ARE DIFFERENT SO RARELY I GET CORRECT ANSWERS SIR I AM REFERRING SM1002010 BOOK FOR SEQUENCE AND SERIES
mandar : Every question is going to be different, and thats why we always say focus on concepts!! Once concepts are in place, generally you should be able to solve most of the questions.

samar : I FEEL MY WEAK PART IS REVISION AS I SOMETIMES DO SILLY MISTAKES OR FORGET BASIC RULES, ANY TIP ON THAT?
tarannumraza : Make a note of the key points & go through it before the AIMCAT. This will help you conciously avoid the careless mistakes.

r : I THOUGHT I WAS DOING VARC WELL BUT MY ACCURACY IS JUST 60%. I HAVE ATTEMPTED 15 QUESTIONS AND HAVE ONLY GOTTEN 9 CORRECT.
tarannumraza : More careful reading of the questions and options will help. Attempt tests in a timed mode; the online sectional tests- intermediate , advanced and the second lot booklets.

joshi : IN VA I FIND PARA JUMBLE SO DIFFICULT AND EXHAUSTING IN THIS CASE OVERALL FOR VA HOW TO TACKLE SUCH QUESTION AS I GET CONFUSED IN THE OPENING SENTENCE WHEN THE SENTENCE GET COMPLICATED
tarannumraza : Read the sentences and focus on worrds that link to other sentences: n-pr, conjunctions that introduce contrast/ take the idea forward, chronological order, idea-example, problem-solution, cause-effect... Form pairs and arrange as per ideaflow.

r : I AM STRUGGLING IN CHOOSING THE AUTHOR'S POSITION OF THE PASSAGE AND CHOOSING THE SUMMARY. WHAT IS MEANT BY AUTHOR'S POSITION AND HOW TO GO ABOUT IT?
tarannumraza : The start and the end of the passage will help to identify the tone along with the modifiers and examples used by the author.