BANGALORE: The Common Admission Test (CAT), which holds the key to the 13 IIMs and other major B-schools in the country, has gone for a format makeover. The test will be conducted between October 22 and November 18, 2011. Though the number of questions remains the same,CAT 2011 will have two sections instead of three, and an additional five minutes to tackle the test.
According to an official statement released on Monday byPrometric, the testing agency and IIMs, CAT 2011 will have only two sections - the first will focus on quantitative ability and data interpretation and the second on verbal ability and logical reasoning.
"These two sections will be implemented sequentially with separate time limits. The examination will be 140 minutes. Candidates will have 70 minutes to answer 30 questions within each section, which will have an on-screen countdown timer. Once the time ends for the first section, they will move to the second and will no longer be able to go back," said the statement.
"This is a move to be student-friendly. There are many students who lose out on a seat as they would have failed to perform in one of the sections," said prof Janakiraman Moorthy, convenor, CAT 2011. An additional five minutes have been added to the existing two-andhalf hours. This includes a 15-minute tutorial that will guide students through the process.
Bhilai, Jammu and Dehradun have been added to the existing 33 test locations. The number of testing days will remain 20.
Check-in time has been reduced by half-an-hour from the previous two hours. With this change, the afternoon sessions will start at 3.15pm.
WHAT'S NEW
Three sections reduced to two No option of going back and forth Additional five minutes 30 min reduction in reporting time Three new locations 30 more outlets to sell vouchers.
~TNN