The MBA program is the most sought-after career choice in India. Earning an MBA can be a way to build management and leadership skills, accelerate your career and elevate your employability prospects.
However, you need to crack the CAT exam to earn an MBA degree from a recognized B-school. CAT exam is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institute of Management for admission into graduate management programs.
CAT is your ticket to top B-Schools, but the exam is not a cakewalk. Every year, the competition is more challenging, and you have to be very determined and consistent to sail through the exam.
This article discusses one of the critical tools that will help you crack the exam – solving the CAT 2020 question paper. The CAT 2021 exam is round the corner, and solving the CAT question paper 2020 is crucial to have an edge. It is more critical when there has been a change in the CAT exam pattern.
Importance of solving CAT 2020 exam paper
- Learn and improve time management – While solving previous year papers, you learn how to manage time and complete the question paper within the set timeframe. Sometimes you may end up spending more time on a single question and thereby leaving less time for other questions. To avoid getting into hot water on exam day, try solving papers before the primary exam day.
- Helps discover tricks and shortcuts to solve paper faster – Completing 76 questions within 120 minutes is not easy. What comes in handy are ‘tricks and shortcuts’. The more questions you practice, the better you can apply tricks and shortcuts to solve the paper faster.
- Analysis of exam pattern and marking scheme – The CAT exam pattern has changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Following is an overview of the new exam pattern –
| CAT 2021 Sections | Questions | Allotted Time |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 26 | 40 minutes |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 24 | 40 minutes |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 26 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 76 | 120 minutes |
Solving mocks is of utmost importance to understand and adapt to the new exam pattern.
- Boosts confidence – Being confident on exam day is essential, and confidence comes only with practice. When you solve numerous previous year question papers, you get a hold of the difficulty level, exam pattern, scoring topics, and marks allocation. All this will make the final exam paper look much more friendly, and you will be able to approach it confidently.
- Helps you understand your weaknesses –If you are worried about the D-day, start giving mocks or practicing for CAT in a CAT simulated environment. Give the test correctly, see the outcomes, and cross-analyze the answers. Also, try and take the mock tests per your CAT exam time slot. All this will give you an understanding of the topics that need to be revised thoroughly, where you are lacking and how you can improve.
Conclusion
CAT is an aptitude exam, it’s a game of high accuracy and correct choices, and only mocks can help you ace them. Mocks teach you techniques to manage time, help you learn how to apply shortcuts, and boost your confidence. So why wait? Start with your first mock exam right now.
Take CAT Mock Test online for free at https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam-mocktest