How to Do Time Management for CAT 2024 Exam - Expert Tips & Strategies

How to Do Time Management for CAT Exam 2024 - Time becomes more valuable when you are planning to crack one of the toughest exams, the CAT. But the question that bothers CAT aspirants is, How to do time management for CAT? Can I crack CAT? Managing time is the most crucial aspect when it comes to CAT exam preparation. Ever thought about what you will do with the best books for the CAT or study material when you do not know when to start your CAT exam preparation? Read this article to learn how to manage your time for the CAT exam.

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This Story also Contains

1. How to Manage Time for CAT 2024 Exam?
2. Toppers' Say on Time Management for CAT Exam
3. What to Ask Yourself Before Doing Time Management for CAT?
4. Why is it important to properly manage time for CAT 2024?
5. Before Exam Day - How to do Time Management for CAT?
6. During Exam Day - How to do Time Management for CAT?
7. Do you know the art of leaving?

How to Manage Time for CAT 2024 Exam?

In CAT 2024, it is important to manage your time effectively. The entire exam will last for 120 minutes, which means each of the three sections has a time limit of 40 minutes. To perform well, candidates must answer questions 42 to 48 accurately. It should be noted that switching between sections is not allowed during the examination. To excel in the CAT exam, MBA aspirants must acquire effective time management skills before and after the exam. Although the number of questions may vary in sections, the allotted time remains consistent. Therefore, it is important for candidates to understand how to tackle each section within the given time frame.

The advantages of time management during CAT exam 2024 are:

• Focused Attention
• Reduced Stress
• Flexibility

Toppers' Say on Time Management for CAT Exam

When we say how to do time management for the CAT, it does not only refer to the overall timings of the CAT exam but includes the sectional timing as well. One of the theories on time management is “goal-setting theory,” which is based on the concept that a person can be more motivated to perform any task if they have a clear and specific goal to achieve.

As per the topper of the CAT, Vishesh Garg, “Time management should be considered the fourth section of the CAT examination. It is not just preparing verbal ability, reasoning, and quantity, but preparing all three and attempting them within 3 hours of the stipulated time.”. For him, time management & hard work will lead to success for sure.”

Another CAT topper, Ashish Sen, said, “Time management combined with my knowledge of my strong and weak areas benefited me to get 99+, which I never expected. I managed to schedule the preparation time along with placement preparation. During the exam, I found 2 sections in DILR time taking and chose not to attempt them. Coming to QA, I knew which questions I would solve in 60 minutes and attempted only 20 questions.”

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What to Ask Yourself Before Doing Time Management for CAT?

There is no doubt about the fact that the CAT is radically different from entrance exams as it requires candidates to answer a large number of questions in a restricted time period, thus forcing CAT candidates to choose which ones to leave and which ones to answer. Thus proper time management for CAT 2024 becomes crucial. The IIM entrance exam requires focusing on both simultaneously, i.e., accuracy and speed. Remember, CAT is never about solving the maximum number of questions, but the correct ones.

Why is it important to properly manage time for CAT 2024?

As per the exam pattern of CAT 2024, candidates will have 40 minutes to solve any particular section. In 40 minutes per section, candidates will have to solve both multiple-choice questions as well as TITA questions. Henceforth, it becomes imperative for candidates to understand and manage their time well. This moves on to another time management theory, Pareto’s 80/20 rule, which states that 80% of the task is completed with 20% of the efforts that you put in.

Before Exam Day - How to do Time Management for CAT?

1. Make a Proper Time Table

• Making a timetable will allow candidates to move as per schedule.

• Always remember that planning before execution should be made compulsory

• Another time management theory for CAT is the ABC System theory, which states that to use time more effectively, a person needs to priorities the tasks that need to be undertaken

• Shivam Chandak (one of the toppers of CAT) said, “I had not joined any coaching, but I took the test series and also did previous CAT papers. I think self-study is sufficient when one has a clear picture of his/her schedule. That being said, I think good coaching will improve one's chances, provided he/she maintains self-study along with it.”

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2. Start With The Unknown

• Since you have a good 6 to 9 months of time duration in hand, you can always start with those CAT syllabus topics that are unknown or that you find difficult.

• Use the technology and search those topics over the internet on Google, Bing, etc.

• Make sure to find apparent and meticulous ways of solving questions using time management tricks

• If you are unable to understand or find any topic, make sure you contact a few of your friends who are on a similar track and are preparing for CAT or have attempted in previous years

• To start ahead with the unknown, it is advisable to spend one hour daily on each topic and simultaneously make notes on the same.

3. Practice Mocks With Set Schedules

• To gain an understanding of the CAT exam day scenario, giving mocks is extensively recommended. The mock test of CAT will help candidates assess themselves, understand the exam pattern well, and see the preparation level required.

• Candidates can take a mock test of CAT 2024 before and after the preparation, depending on their personal preference

• Do not take a mock test of CAT for granted. CAT topper Aditya Devalla said, “He used to regularly take the mock test and devote at least four to five hours. He practiced a lot of questions on Geometry so that he was able to solve it with ease, as solving more questions gave him the confidence to respond correctly on the day of the exam.”

• Topper Abhilasha Balakrishnan said, “He attempted mocks regularly, identified his strengths and weaknesses in every mock, capitalised on his strengths and worked on his weaknesses, and repeated this cycle. By the time CAT arrived, he had given around 20–25 mocks, which gave him exposure to a lot of questions and DILR sets. Rest; it was just being present on the day of the exam and applying all of this properly.”

4. Keep Reverse Strategy

• Do not try to work out your brain on what is unimportant. Solve the previous question papers of CAT using the reverse strategy, especially for those questions that seem difficult to leave. Understand the questions and look out for the options. In the reverse strategy, candidates first have to go through the options given and then try to put the question with options to find the most suitable answer.

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During Exam Day - How to do Time Management for CAT?

1. Solve Easy Questions First: On exam day, as soon as you start your CAT question paper, it is advisable to start with easy questions. Here, easy questions mean those that candidates are comfortable solving, i.e., easily understandable questions, quickly solved, and require less time. Finding such questions becomes easy only when you know the time management for CAT. For questions that appear to be unknown or time-consuming, mark them for later on. While you are in the exam hall to give the CAT, before starting a section, spend some initial time scanning the questions. On the top right corner, a small button on the screen will allow candidates to look at the entire section in a single view.

2. Attempt TITA Questions at the End: Every year, IIMs include more than five TITA questions in the question paper. TITA questions are attractive because there is no negative marking. Candidates tend to waste a lot of time on TITA questions on account of no negative marking, as they forget they have MCQs to solve as well. However, candidates forget that TITA questions are time-consuming. Henceforth, it is advisable to do TITA questions at the end when you are done with the MCQs of that particular section.

3. Make an Average Time for Each Question: Before starting the CAT question paper, it is advisable to set an average time per question. If you are unable to do so, try taking an average time per section, and along with that, leave some additional time to review what you have answered to ensure chances of accuracy.

4. Apply Reverse Strategy For MCQs - To properly utilize the technique of time management for CAT, try solving the multiple-choice questions with the reverse strategy for those questions that are difficult and non-understandable.

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Do you know the art of leaving?

To save time and do sectional time management for CAT, it is crucial to remember that you know the art of leaving. Leave those questions unanswered that you think are difficult, time-consuming, or out of your reach.

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