The Ideal Time to Begin CAT Preparation in 2021: A Guide

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What is the perfect time for an MBA aspirant to start their CAT Preparation 2021?

21 Jun 2021
- admin
As an MBA aspirant, it is important to be aware of the first step (of many) in the quest for admission to their coveted B-School. The Common Entrance Test or CAT entrance exam is conducted every year around the end of November/ early December for admission to MBA courses. The CAT entrance score is the first step for candidates to get an interview call from respective institutes depending on their ranking. While CAT scores are accepted by top 100 B-schools, there are more than 200 other B-schools and Universities that will also accept CAT 2020 scores. While the National Education Policy has plans to conduct entrance exams for undergraduate courses, for MBA programs the CAT is the one to go for.

Before we get on to the important question as to what would be the right time to start preparation for the CAT entrance, it is important to know the mechanics of the process. While aspirants repeating the CAT may be aware of these points, it would serve them well to refresh.
- CAT is conducted by any one of the IIMs in rotation once every year tentatively at the end of November.
- Till 2019 it was conducted in 2 slots of 3 hours each. However, due the pandemic, the format underwent a change in 2020 and was conducted in three slots of 2 hours each. The format for 2021 is not yet known.
- The CAT exam scoring has a concept of percentile which is derived through a formula depending on the complexity of the papers. This means one does not necessarily pass or fail but is given a score relative to the performance of the other candidates.
- The CAT syllabus tests candidates on Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Quantitative Aptitude, as also the ability of candidates to perform with accuracy under time pressure.
- The CAT pattern tests the student on the above sections based on concepts learnt in school from class 9th – 12th.
- Most of the questions are multiple choice based. However, about 6 questions in each section are also open ended.
- A correct answer fetches 3 marks and for every incorrect answer, one mark is deducted. Thus, accuracy becomes a key factor since a difference of each mark can substantially affect the percentile.
Starting Preparation

With limited number of seats and intense competition, MBA aspirants often aim to write entrance exams for MBA admissions for various institutes like the CAT, CMAT, SNAP, NMAT, XAT, GMAT. However, CAT scores are accepted by most premier MBA institutes. Also, the syllabus is overlapping to a great extent and thus preparing well for CAT would be good enough for the other exams as well.

There are two categories of aspirants who attempt the CAT:
- Working Professionals – Work obligations leave little time on hand and this category of students has to divide and extract time out of their busy schedules. For them, they need to start preparing as early as possible. Rather than devoting 20 hours over the weekend, it would be better to devote 3-4 hours every day to study & prepare. This requires them to start early, follow a schedule and be disciplined in their approach. If need be and if manageable, they could look at joining online coaching classes to refresh concepts. The key is to be adept at multitasking.
- Final year college students – These aspirants are also juggling multiple tasks of a different kind. Final year exams have to be written, attending classes, assignments, etc. all takes up a substantial chunk of their time. At the end of the day, they are also facing time pressure leaving less time for them to prepare. For them, it also pays to start early by enrolling in classroom coaching classes. This gives them adequate time to catch up on concepts. Maintaining a schedule to revise and practice for 20 hours a week is easier on their other commitments.
Conclusion

The general consensus is that most of the students would manage to get good scores with a work schedule of 3-4 hours a day with a total preparation time of about 300-400 hours. However, a lot of emphasis also has to be placed on speed, accuracy and strategy once the concepts are in place. If one is not good in a particular section, they need to start earlier with a focused approach.

There are various thoughts given by previous candidates and pundits with regards to the ideal time for CAT preparation. There have been aspirants who have cracked the CAT with 2-3 months of preparation and then there are those, who have taken two years to get through with a good percentile. Since no individual is alike, preparation time cannot be quantified or generalized.

Therefore, if someone asks as to what is the perfect time for an MBA aspirant to start their CAT Preparation 2021, the answer is NOW.

At one of the most sought after B schools in India, SOIL Institute of Management, for the one year MBA, PGPM in Human Resource and PGPM in Business Leadership, we follow the traditional selection method, i.e. a profile based admission process and not an exam based. This is because we believe that academics and exams scores alone do not give a full view of the personality, other achievements and overall profile of the candidate.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PGPM – BL and PGPM – HR

Students must fulfil the following criteria –
- A Bachelor’s degree from any recognised institution with at least 50% in graduation.
- Above 60% in 10th & 12th Standard Examinations.
- At least 2 years of prior work experience is required.
- Valid CAT*/NMAT/GMAT/XAT* scores are accepted. (Non-Mandatory but adds weightage to your profile)
In the case of the 2 years MBA Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in Business Design, SOIL Institute of Management is the only B school in India that conducts a workshop for Design Thinking in order to identify and shortlist the talented candidates. This process helps the candidates find out more about themselves as opposed to just being a selection process.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PGDM – BUSINESS DESIGN
- Applicants should hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized institution.
- Candidates are required to have a completion certificate before 15th June 2021 of their full-time undergraduate degree.
- Graduation type: 3 years / 4 years or 5 years integrated program.
- Stream: Arts / Commerce / Science / Engg. (B. Tech / B.E) etc.
- The applicants are required to appear for GMAT / CAT / NMAT / XAT / MAT.
- Freshers and candidates with less than 5 years of work experience can also apply.
- Applicants should submit multiple examination scores; SOIL PGDM will consider the best score while shortlisting applications.
Irrespective of the program, SOIL Institute of Management always lays stress on finding your purpose, recognizing and leveraging your gifts, strengths and skills towards a greater good, to achieve your dreams.