Part - I

A lot of MBA aspirants taking CET are primarily CAT aspirants. So before discussing how to crack CET, it is important to understand difference between the two tests. CAT is a test designed to select only top 1-2 percent from a large pool of students. As a result, it is a conceptual test, which is a good mix of moderate to difficult questions and where selection of questions is crucial. On the contrary, CET is a test to have uniform distribution on both sides of normal curve. As a result, CET is designed as a speed-based test, which consists of easy to moderate questions. So attempting all of 200 questions in 150 minutes is a definitely achievable task, if not easy. Again, in CAT one has to perform across all sections covering various areas of expertise while in CET there is no sectional cut-offs. Randomly distributed questions make things difficult if you want to attempt your preferred area of expertise across the test.

• You should start taking practice tests (around 3 weeks before actual CET) only after you have learned most areas of testing. Realize that there is no selection of questions involved in CET.

• Visual reasoning is truly CET special: not only for its unique appearance in CET but also for making difference in the merit list. These 30-35 questions provide a perfect level playing ground to all candidates irrespective of their areas of expertise due to educational background. An engineer or a commerce/arts graduate has equal chance to excel.

• Unlike CAT, there is no selection of questions involved in CET. You are there to attempt all questions. If you get stuck with some questions, don't spend extra time on them; work by method of elimination; if you still don't arrive to one unique answer, mark one of the possible options and go ahead. You won't be coming back to such questions unless it is a set of questions.

• To avoid it, select 3-4 areas such that your flow of attempting questions on those sections is more or less same. Understand that though these areas are totally unrelated (e.g., group of verbal, quantitative and logical reasoning), difficulty level of questions is not high enough to warrant a lot of concentration.

• The next test should be taken only after you have analyzed your last test thoroughly. There should be some value addition after each test.

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* Abhay More is the CET 2004 topper and a first year student at Jamnalal Bajaj Institute Of Management Studies, Mumbai.