CMAT test Taking Strategy

Stage 1: Concentrate on building your basics and improve your accuracy

The focus should be on ground zero preparation aiming at improving fundamental concepts to help re-learn the basics and setting solid foundation. The relevance of this stage is not only to understand the concepts but also to deal with short-cuts and tricks to work smart. Building mental calculation and reading habits would add up to the credibility of this phase. Vocabulary building will also play a rational role in this phase.

Stage 2: Concentrate on increasing number your attempts

The motive is to find out strength and weakness areas. The focus should be on SWOT analysis of your preparation in stage 1. Followed by it, work towards improving on weak areas the weakness by providing exhaustive practice. One should divide syllabus into four different areas:

Dedicate 2 days to practice questions in A and try build 100% accuracy in the questions from these areas.

Dedicate 3 days to practice questions in B and try to move them in A.

Dedicate 1 day to practice questions in C and D to improve accuracy and try to move them in B.

Stage 3: Accelerate your preparation for JBIMS

In every mock that you take, try to increase your attempts slowly and gradually. Before every mock that you take analyse the questions that you either attempted wrong or didn’t attempt in the previous mock. Without that it won’t make any sense to take the mock. Your analysis should include questions like ‘why did these questions went wrong?’ Or ‘why didn’t I attempt these questions?’ and so on. Also, make sure that the mistakes once done should not be repeated.

Strategy that can be followed:

Strategy 1: Divide your paper into two half’s. First two hours attempt all that you know and rest one hour try to solve remaining questions by eliminating options.

Strategy 2: Solve questions section wise. You should ideally take 45-50 minutes to solve quant section, 40-50 minutes to solve verbal section, 45-50 minutes for Logic section and 10-15 minutes to solve G.K. questions.

Irrespective of strategy one should ideally attempt around 80-85 genuine questions to target JBIMS, which means ideally there should be very little scope to leave any topic from Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Logical Ability and attempt practically all questions because General Knowledge is a very grey area and one cannot be sure of questions that can be asked. Though one should read G.K. books such as Manorama Year book for static G.K. (Sports, Parliament, President etc).

Tips to be followed:

1. Admit to yourself that “I will not know all of the answers.” No matter how hard you have studied.
2. If you feel nervous on a question, skip to the next question. Don’t waste time on a question that you don’t know.

3. Never panic about test. You will still be the same the person whatever marks you get, so it doesn’t matter how well you do.

All the best

Jaimin Shah

CPLC