With NTA to likely conduct CMAT 2023 on March 26 this year, let’s speak about some preparation tips for this national level MBA entrance exam. Whether you’re all set to register yourself next month, or want to prepare for CMAT 2024, these tips may help each one of you. These tips may also give you some last-minute strategies that may do wonders over your year-round preparation.
Focus equally on all the five sections
You need to give equal importance to all the five sections of the CMAT – language comprehension, quants and data interpretation, general awareness, logical reasoning, and innovation and entrepreneurship. As per the marking scheme, you’ll get a +4 for every correct answer, and a -1 for each wrong answer. So, you don’t want to fetch any negative marking for your wrong answers, resulting in an overall impacted score. It is thus important to focus on all the five sections equally, without leaving any one behind. Getting a good score cannot be done by focusing on only a few of the topics, and neglecting the others.
Clear all your basics
You must be thoroughly clear with all your basics for each section. For instance, for the language comprehension section, you need to be acquainted with verbal ability and reading of English; for quants and data interpretation, you should be clear with arithmetic, graphs, tables, and charts; for the general awareness section, you should have all the knowledge about the current affairs at the national and international levels, for the logical reasoning part, you should be well prepared with logic based arguments, visual reading, series completions, Venn diagrams, analogies, and more; and finally, for innovation and entrepreneurship, you should have knowledge regarding innovative business practices, government plans and policies, and global entrepreneurs and personalities.
Learn about time management
Time is absolutely important. You get three hours to complete the five sections of CMAT. With 20 questions each section, you thus have 180 minutes to solve 100 questions, giving you an average of 1.8 minutes per question. Manage your time so that you take no longer than 36 minutes for each section. You thus need to have a good speed, but in the process, do not compromise on the accuracy. After all, every wrong question will deduct 1 point from your right answer scoring too!
Practice question papers and mock tests
Practice makes one perfect, which is why you’re advised to practice as many previous years’ papers as you can. This will help you know what kind of papers are set for the exam, and how the questions are strategic to make a trap for you. Mock tests also give you the feel of how it will be during the actual exam. Practicing all of this will help you be better prepared to appear well when you sit for the actual exam in March.
CMAT is a fairly easy exam if you prepare well. All you need to do is be clear with the basics and prepare for all the five sections equally. You can as well prepare for it on your own. However, if you feel you need assistance, you can opt for CMAT online preparation with a trusted partner like Ekoching. Here, you’ll get complete access to all the video lectures, practice questions, and mock tests, that will get you thoroughly ready for your CMAT test.
