<p>Any test has two aspects — namely the structure of the examination and the content of the examination. For the CAT both have changed over time. The structure of a test provides the framework within which the questions (content) are placed.<br /><br />Thus, the number of sections/questions, sectional and overall time limits, marks per question, quantum of negative marking etc. are the components of the structure while the questions that are asked in the test form the content.<br /><br />However, throughout its history, while the content has slowly and gradually changed, it is the major structural changes that have kept changing the face of CAT.<br /><br />First and foremost, it may hold one in good stead to analyse the trend of changes in the CAT examination since 1990. Remember, history repeats itself. If we look at the CAT examination as it has evolved over the years, we can identify five distinguished phases in its life cycle<br /><br />Phase 1 – The Nineties<br />Until 1995, the CAT consisted of four distinct sections, namely, Quantitive Ability (QA), Data Interpretation (DI), Reading Comprehension (RC) and English Usage (EU). <br /><br />The total number of questions in these papers varied from 180 to 240, split almost equally between QA + DI and RC + EU. The student had a mere 120 minutes to attempt the questions and thus had to perform under the highest level of pressure. <br /><br />A number of these questions were direct and therefore the test primarily tested the test takers’ ability to judiciously pick the right questions and answer them in a very short time. Students were also required to decide on the sequence of attempting the sections, time allocation to the four sections, and managing time on their own, thus ensuring that they spend sufficient time across sections to get the minimum cut-off score in each section. <br /><br />The CAT of 1996 and 1997 was essentially a continuation of the earlier structure with minor variations. In fact, 1997 was the last time we saw area/sectional time limits in the CAT, a concept that is making a comeback in 2011. Here, the four sections were grouped into two sets comprising two sections.<br /><br />The first was the language skill paper consisting of RC and EU with 100 questions while the second was mathematical skills consisting of QA and DI with 85 questions. Students were allocated one hour for each set separately, thus ensuring that they spend equal time on quantitive and language skills. The time pressure remained unabated with a total of 185 questions to be attempted in 120 minutes.<br /><br />Phase 2 – The Big Change (1998-2003) <br />CAT 1998 introduced possibly the biggest change in its format. Superficially, by combining EU and RC into a single section, the number of sections was reduced from four to three. However, from a paper with almost equal focus on mathematical (QA + DI) and language skills (EU + RC), CAT 1998 and all subsequent CATs till 2010 became biased towards mathematical skills. From the year 1998, all CAT papers have had two-third questions from QA + DI and only one-third from EU + RC.<br /><br />It appears that the IIMs had decided that mathematical skills are more important than language skills in the corporate world. This could also be a direct result of the placement trend at these prestigious institutes where finance companies represented a majority and thus sought students with the highest levels of mathematical skills.<br /><br />These papers had 150-165 questions to be attempted in 120 minutes. Time pressure, sectional time management and prioritisation of sections and questions remained the key factors in cracking the CAT. The content or the questions also changed and there were very few direct questions with the focus being more on logic based questions. <br /><br />Phase 3 — The 21st century (2004-2005) <br />CAT 2004 brought in a completely new concept of a varied marking scheme wherein some questions had more marks than others and so a right answer could help you score 0.5 marks or 1 mark or 2 marks. In 2004, the paper has 123 questions totaling 150 marks. The same year also saw a significant shift in content. There were fewer direct questions, and the shift towards testing students on logic was seen across the three sections. <br /><br />These two CAT papers can easily be considered the best ever from the point of evaluating the managerial aptitude of the students. The paper was by far the toughest as it gave students less than one minute per question, offered no respite in the form of sectional time limit, and called for a reasoning oriented approach in both the English and Quantitive sections.<br /><br />This corresponded to the real life situation in corporate India where managers need to make quick decisions under time pressure with limited resources and inadequate information. Often, managers are required to take a call, knowing fully well that some of their decisions maybe wrong. Thus, risk taking is an integral part of corporate life.<br /><br />Given the limited availability of time, the CAT required students to choose questions before actually solving them, by relying on sheer logic and experience in identifying the right questions. <br /><br />Phase 4 – The Recent Past (2006-2010) <br />This phase saw some semblance of consistency creep in; the compartmentalisation into three sections has remained and the number of questions has seen a slow decline. The total number of questions has remained less than 100 thus giving students the luxury of more than one minute per question.<br /><br />Over the last two years, the number of questions has further reduced to a mere 60, to be attempted in 135 minutes, thus giving students more than two minutes per question. This is a trend which will continue in CAT 2011.<br /><br />In terms of content, the CAT has moved back and forth from a greater percentage of direct questions to a logical test and now back to a higher percentage of direct questions. Thus we are seeing the CAT evolve into a knowledge test as compared to the aptitude test that it first started off as. In the earlier days, the CAT tested students on speed and required only a reasonable level of accuracy.<br /><br />Today, it requires the highest levels of accuracy and tests students on knowledge. This, in turn, will also be reflected in the student profiles and industry demand as a larger percentage of students are placed in the financial sector where knowledge becomes paramount.<br /><br />This may also be the reason why the selection test is also taking knowledge as a parameter for testing students. This is further strengthened by the latest changes in the selection procedure which now takes into account students’ marks in standard 10th, 12th and their graduation marks, for creating a GDPI shortlist.<br /><br />But students should not worry, remember that the change is common for all students and thus you are on the same platform as your counterparts. Also, remember that as compared to the challenge of an examination in an undefined environment, the CAT 2011 is much easier.<br /><br />The CAT in its earlier versions had a number of unpredictables — the number of questions, undefined sectional time limits, etc. Now the paper is far more structured and hence, easier. <br /><br /><em>(The writer, is Vice Chairman and Managing Director, CL Educate Ltd.)</em><br /></p>
<p>Any test has two aspects — namely the structure of the examination and the content of the examination. For the CAT both have changed over time. The structure of a test provides the framework within which the questions (content) are placed.<br /><br />Thus, the number of sections/questions, sectional and overall time limits, marks per question, quantum of negative marking etc. are the components of the structure while the questions that are asked in the test form the content.<br /><br />However, throughout its history, while the content has slowly and gradually changed, it is the major structural changes that have kept changing the face of CAT.<br /><br />First and foremost, it may hold one in good stead to analyse the trend of changes in the CAT examination since 1990. Remember, history repeats itself. If we look at the CAT examination as it has evolved over the years, we can identify five distinguished phases in its life cycle<br /><br />Phase 1 – The Nineties<br />Until 1995, the CAT consisted of four distinct sections, namely, Quantitive Ability (QA), Data Interpretation (DI), Reading Comprehension (RC) and English Usage (EU). <br /><br />The total number of questions in these papers varied from 180 to 240, split almost equally between QA + DI and RC + EU. The student had a mere 120 minutes to attempt the questions and thus had to perform under the highest level of pressure. <br /><br />A number of these questions were direct and therefore the test primarily tested the test takers’ ability to judiciously pick the right questions and answer them in a very short time. Students were also required to decide on the sequence of attempting the sections, time allocation to the four sections, and managing time on their own, thus ensuring that they spend sufficient time across sections to get the minimum cut-off score in each section. <br /><br />The CAT of 1996 and 1997 was essentially a continuation of the earlier structure with minor variations. In fact, 1997 was the last time we saw area/sectional time limits in the CAT, a concept that is making a comeback in 2011. Here, the four sections were grouped into two sets comprising two sections.<br /><br />The first was the language skill paper consisting of RC and EU with 100 questions while the second was mathematical skills consisting of QA and DI with 85 questions. Students were allocated one hour for each set separately, thus ensuring that they spend equal time on quantitive and language skills. The time pressure remained unabated with a total of 185 questions to be attempted in 120 minutes.<br /><br />Phase 2 – The Big Change (1998-2003) <br />CAT 1998 introduced possibly the biggest change in its format. Superficially, by combining EU and RC into a single section, the number of sections was reduced from four to three. However, from a paper with almost equal focus on mathematical (QA + DI) and language skills (EU + RC), CAT 1998 and all subsequent CATs till 2010 became biased towards mathematical skills. From the year 1998, all CAT papers have had two-third questions from QA + DI and only one-third from EU + RC.<br /><br />It appears that the IIMs had decided that mathematical skills are more important than language skills in the corporate world. This could also be a direct result of the placement trend at these prestigious institutes where finance companies represented a majority and thus sought students with the highest levels of mathematical skills.<br /><br />These papers had 150-165 questions to be attempted in 120 minutes. Time pressure, sectional time management and prioritisation of sections and questions remained the key factors in cracking the CAT. The content or the questions also changed and there were very few direct questions with the focus being more on logic based questions. <br /><br />Phase 3 — The 21st century (2004-2005) <br />CAT 2004 brought in a completely new concept of a varied marking scheme wherein some questions had more marks than others and so a right answer could help you score 0.5 marks or 1 mark or 2 marks. In 2004, the paper has 123 questions totaling 150 marks. The same year also saw a significant shift in content. There were fewer direct questions, and the shift towards testing students on logic was seen across the three sections. <br /><br />These two CAT papers can easily be considered the best ever from the point of evaluating the managerial aptitude of the students. The paper was by far the toughest as it gave students less than one minute per question, offered no respite in the form of sectional time limit, and called for a reasoning oriented approach in both the English and Quantitive sections.<br /><br />This corresponded to the real life situation in corporate India where managers need to make quick decisions under time pressure with limited resources and inadequate information. Often, managers are required to take a call, knowing fully well that some of their decisions maybe wrong. Thus, risk taking is an integral part of corporate life.<br /><br />Given the limited availability of time, the CAT required students to choose questions before actually solving them, by relying on sheer logic and experience in identifying the right questions. <br /><br />Phase 4 – The Recent Past (2006-2010) <br />This phase saw some semblance of consistency creep in; the compartmentalisation into three sections has remained and the number of questions has seen a slow decline. The total number of questions has remained less than 100 thus giving students the luxury of more than one minute per question.<br /><br />Over the last two years, the number of questions has further reduced to a mere 60, to be attempted in 135 minutes, thus giving students more than two minutes per question. This is a trend which will continue in CAT 2011.<br /><br />In terms of content, the CAT has moved back and forth from a greater percentage of direct questions to a logical test and now back to a higher percentage of direct questions. Thus we are seeing the CAT evolve into a knowledge test as compared to the aptitude test that it first started off as. In the earlier days, the CAT tested students on speed and required only a reasonable level of accuracy.<br /><br />Today, it requires the highest levels of accuracy and tests students on knowledge. This, in turn, will also be reflected in the student profiles and industry demand as a larger percentage of students are placed in the financial sector where knowledge becomes paramount.<br /><br />This may also be the reason why the selection test is also taking knowledge as a parameter for testing students. This is further strengthened by the latest changes in the selection procedure which now takes into account students’ marks in standard 10th, 12th and their graduation marks, for creating a GDPI shortlist.<br /><br />But students should not worry, remember that the change is common for all students and thus you are on the same platform as your counterparts. Also, remember that as compared to the challenge of an examination in an undefined environment, the CAT 2011 is much easier.<br /><br />The CAT in its earlier versions had a number of unpredictables — the number of questions, undefined sectional time limits, etc. Now the paper is far more structured and hence, easier. <br /><br /><em>(The writer, is Vice Chairman and Managing Director, CL Educate Ltd.)</em><br /></p>
