BIG change in CAT 2020 Paper Pattern

BIG change in CAT 2020 Paper Pattern- As we approach the end of 2020, there has been another unexpected turn in the unfolding saga of CAT (Common Admission Test) changes. This time, however, it is unrelated to Covid-19, although it appears to be influenced by it.

The sudden announcement of the change in the CAT pattern came as a surprise to many aspirants who had been preparing for the past nine months, meticulously planning and strategizing for the exam day. While the announced change so far only applies to the paper duration, there is still no clarity on the number of questions in each section. The media release did mention that the paper would be limited to 120 minutes, with each section having a time limit of 40 minutes. However, we will have to wait a few more days to learn about the specific number of questions, which is expected to be revealed in a week or ten days.

So what do these changes imply, and how should they be received – with excitement, caution, or indifference?

The positive outcome of this change is that reducing the test duration by one hour means less exhaustion and more productive time. In the three-hour format, it was common to see students lose focus and concentration after 120 minutes. With this change, more students will be able to maintain their mental stamina until the end of the paper, which is definitely a positive sign.

However, there is a downside to the change as well. With less time available, aspirants will have limited opportunities to make up for any lost time. In the previous format, if you spent too much time on a difficult question, you could compensate for it because you had 60 minutes per section. However, in the new format, time wasted on one question or section can have a lasting impact on your overall performance. This change will put more pressure on aspirants to perform well from the beginning.

Luck will also play a bigger role in this new format. If you start off poorly, it can be difficult to recover. The initial questions you choose will determine whether you can overcome your anxiety or if your anxiety will hinder your performance.

The number of questions and their difficulty level will also play a significant role. More questions mean more choices, while fewer questions mean fewer options. BIG change in CAT 2020 Paper Pattern – Without knowing the specific number of questions, it is challenging to comment on this aspect.

Based on our guess, the number of questions is likely to decrease by 1/3. Therefore, we can expect around 24 to 25 questions in each section, with a total of 72-75 questions in two hours.

There are a few things that every aspirant should keep in mind for this new pattern:

1. Leaving any topic untouched would be unwise. With more questions per topic, it is risky to ignore any particular topic.
2. You should adjust your strategy for the upcoming mocks. Look for easy questions and attempt them right at the beginning. Train your eyes to spot these easy questions quickly. This may not work immediately, but after a few mocks, you should be able to identify the easy questions in the Quantitative Ability (QA) section and easy sets in Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (LRDI).
3. As for the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section, it’s difficult to assess the difficulty level. Speed reading becomes crucial to cover all the questions and to answer the easy ones quickly.

These are the things to keep in mind. There is no need to change your overall preparation plans as the change in the pattern does not impact the syllabus or the amount of time you spend studying daily.