The test had 60 questions in all spread over three sections.

Though the sections were not clearly

defined in the instructions (as in CAT 2009), one was expected to identify the sections and distribute
time accordingly.

An analysis of the three sections:

QUANTITATIVE (Q.1 – Q.20)

This section of the test was of moderate to tough level of difficulty. The section consisted of:

- 2 questions on Number System.

- 6 questions on Algebra.
- 5 questions on Arithmetic.
- 2 questions on Modern Math.
- 3 questions on Geometry.
- 2 questions on miscellaneous topics.

Though the section covered all the topics, the distribution was more towards Arithmetic and Algebra.
Questions on Geometry (Q. 3, 11, 17) were found to be easy. There were no exceptionally tough or
exceptionally easy questions in this section (see the table given below). Hence, as all the questions
carried equal marks, one could have picked questions from his area of interest first. Most of the questions
tested fundamentals and did not involve much calculation.

The problem sets in this section can be classified as:

Problem S. Overall Level

Key Concepts and Brief Description Topic
No. of Difficulty
Easy to
2 and 14 Base system, Remainders Numbers
Moderate

4, 5, 8, 9, 15 H.M., Quadratic equations, Sequences, Summation,

Algebra Moderate
and 18 Functions, Graphs, Product of roots etc.

7, 10, 13, 16 Clocks, Time speed and distance, Profit, Ratios, Time Moderate to
Arithmetic
and 19 and work and Mixtures etc Tough

Easy to
6 and 20 Permutations and Combinations Modern Math
Moderate
Easy to
3, 11 and 17 Circles, Trigonometry, Similar triangles, Medians etc. Geometry
Moderate
Easy to
1 and 12 Locus, Logic based distribution of items. Miscellaneous
Moderate
LOGIC AND DATA INTERPRETATION (Q.21 – Q.40)

This section of the test had moderate level of difficulty. The section consisted of:

- 2 table based DI sets. (3 questions in each set)

- 1 Bar graph based DI set. (3 questions)
- 3 individual questions on Logical Reasoning.
- 3 questions on Data Sufficiency
- 2 sets carrying 2 + 3 = 5 questions on Logical Reasoning.

A careful selection of questions in this section was very important. Some easy sets were there which
could have been solved very quickly (see the table given below). One could avoid attempting individual
LR/DS questions first as they involved more reading and analysis per question as compared to the sets.

The problem sets in this section can be classified as:

Problem Level of
Key Concepts and Brief Description Type
Set Difficulty
A table based set where one needed to
find out the correct ranges for the missing Calculation and Moderate to Tough
21 to 23 values on the basis of the Directions Analysis
given. Involved less calculation and more
analytics.

Individual 'arrangement based' Logical

24 Logical Reasoning Moderate
Reasoning question.

Time Speed and Distance based Data Data Sufficiency Moderate

25 Sufficiency question. It was important to
select the appropriate option correctly.

Simple calculation based set in which data

26 to 28 Calculation Easy to Moderate
was given through a bar - chart.

Numbers based Data Sufficiency question. Data Sufficiency Easy to Moderate

29 It was important to select the appropriate
option correctly.

A set of 3 Logical Reasoning based

Logical Reasoning Easy
questions. The set involved arrangement
30 to 32
of people according to various conditions
given.

Individual 'arrangement based' Logical Logical Reasoning Moderate

33
Reasoning question.
 Numbers based Data Sufficiency question. Data Sufficiency Easy to Moderate
34 It was important to select the appropriate
option correctly.

Individual 'distribution based' Logical

35 Logical Reasoning Moderate to Tough
Reasoning question

A table based set where one needed to

find production on the basis of efficiencies Calculation and Moderate
36 to 38 Analysis
given and compare data. Involved
moderate calculations and some analytics.

A set of 2 Logical Reasoning based Logical Reasoning

39 and 40 Easy
questions

VERBAL (Q.41 – Q.60)

The Verbal section of the test had moderate to tough level of difficulty. The section consisted of:

- 3 RC Passages (Total 9 questions).

- 5 questions on Paragraph Jumbles.

- 2 questions on Para Completion

- 2 questions on Sentence Completion
- 2 questions on Incorrect Usage

The section was not so easy to handle because a lot of questions were deceptive. One needed to spend
time on solving questions and selecting the correct questions would have been important.

A good number of attempts would have been 12 – 15.

The various questions are now described in detail:

Overall
Problem
Brief Description Level of Strategy
S. No.
Difficulty
Reading Comprehension
Should have been attempted at the end. The
41 to 43 (Passage on High
toughest passage in the paper.
Cosmopolitanism)
 Should have been at least tried. A good chance
44 & 45 Para-Completion Questions Moderate
of getting one correct.

Q6 – High
Sentence Completion (2
46 & 77 Q7 - Question 7 was comparatively easier.
blanks)
Moderate
Reading Comprehension Must attempt. The subject matter of the passage
Easy-
48 to 50 (Passage on Sebastian was easy to understand. The questions were also
Moderate
Nokes) logic based.
The longer paragraphs were confusing but the
Moderate -
51 to 55 Paragraph Jumbles. shorter ones should have been attempted
High
correctly. Good chance of getting 2 or 3 correct.
Although the passage was easy to understand
Reading Comprehension
56 to 58 Moderate the answer options were close. Needed some
(George Orwell)
amount of thought.
Question 60 used a very common phrasal verb
59 & 60 Incorrect Usage Moderate incorrectly and hence should have been
attempted.