On the whole the level of the test was close to Actual MAT. The important thing was time management. One had to pick the easy questions and leave any questions which were difficult or time consuming.
Reasoning was of relatively easy level with very less time consuming questions. The section contained 5 sets on AR (42-56), each containing 3 questions, all of which were of easy level. Two separate questions (58, 60) on AR were also easy.
The questions (61-64) were based on statements - conclusions and were of easy to moderate level. The questions (65-69) were from series and were of easy to moderate level. Questions (70-74) were based on assertion and reason and were moderate level and should have been attempted. 4 questions on Relations & directions (3 easy & 1 difficult). Some questions on Critical Reasoning (50-54) were of medium to high difficulty level.
An average student could have gathered 85-90 percentile plus by attempting around 34-36 questions with around 80-85% accuracy.
Quant was of relatively easy to medium level with a very few time consuming questions which made them avoidable in time pressure. Majority of the questions were easy to moderate. Out of 40 questions, 23 were easy, 8 moderate and 9 difficult.
It was a balanced paper it terms of all the mathematical topics. The various topics covered were – Geometry & Mensuration (5 Q- 3 easy & 2 Difficult ), Work & chain rule (7 Q-5 easy, & 1 medium), P & C (8Q-4 easy, 1 medium & 3 Difficult), TSD (5 Q-3 easy , 1 medium & 1 difficult), Algebra (2Q-1 easy & 1 Difficult), Ratio & partnership (5 Q- 3 easy & 2 medium), SI/CI (4 Q- all easy), (1 Q- medium level), Percentages (4 Q—3 easy & I difficult level), and Basic numbers (1 Q- medium level). On the whole, this was a paper quite close to the actual MAT paper.
A student who is even average at quant could have gathered 90 percentile plus by attempting around 29 - 31 questions only with around even 80 - 85% accuracy.
DI section was of easy to moderate level with just one or two time consuming sets which could have been avoided in time pressure. Out of 40 questions, 16 were easy, 12 moderate and 12 difficult.
The two sets on Line graph were of moderate to difficult. Data Comparison was easy to moderate level. A set of Data Caselets had five questions which were mostly difficult. A set on Bar Graph (Q 156-160) had 2 difficult, 1 medium & 2 easy questions. Another set on Multiple graphs was of moderate to difficult level. A set on Pie chart (Q131 – 135) was quite calculation intensive which had 4 easy & 1 difficult questions. And lastly, Data Sufficiency had 1 easy, 2 moderate and 2 difficult level questions. The student who is even average at DI could have gathered 90 percentile plus by attempting around 19 - 21 questions only with around even 80 - 85% accuracy.
The set of questions (1-4) was based on sentence rearrangement. All the questions based on it were easy except Q3, which was moderate. The set of questions (5-7) was based on sentence correction. Most of the questions were based on subject-verb agreement and tense balance. The questions were moderate except Q 7, which was easy. The first passage (8-11) was based on dreams and aspirations of the author. The questions based on it were moderate except questions (8 & 9), which were easy. The second passage (12-15), was based on exploitation of earth’s resources. All the questions based on it were easy except Q12, which was easy. Third passage (16-19) was based on climate change. The questions were either moderate or easy. The fourth passage (20-23) was based on U.S take on grand area. All the questions based on it were easy except Q 20, which was easy. The fifth passage (24-27) was based on negotiation skills. The questions based on it were either moderate or easy. There were three questions (28-30) based on part error. The questions were based on right usage or forms of the words. All the three questions were difficult. There were four questions (31-34) based on finding the essence of the passage. All the questions were easy except Q 31, which was moderate. The set of questions(35-37) was based on one word substitution. All the questions based on it were moderate except Q36, which was moderate. There were two questions (39-40) based on sentence completion. The questions were easy. The overall feel of the paper was moderate. One could have scored by attempting 30-32 questions with 80% accuracy.
This section of the paper was moderate. The paper covered Business and economy, book’s authors, international and national, finance and banking, sports, Politics, history, science and technology. Very less time should be devoted to this section of the paper. In order to generate a percentile of 90+ a student should have ideally attempted 16-18 questions with 85 – 90% accuracy.
The overall feel of the paper was of easy category. Now talking of strategy as a general rule you should not get struck in any question unless you are sure about its solution. Taking the Verbal, the general strategy is that never leave a RC passage on the face of it that it is either lengthy or the language is difficult, without reading the questions given below as some of the question could be direct and do not require full reading and understanding of the passage. Taking the Reasoning section, since many of the questions on AR were in sets of 3 questions, thus do not get struck in any one set. If arrangement is difficult to be deciphered, then move on to the next set and so on, so as to reach till the end of the section. The general strategy for Quant section would be to solve easier questions and leave all the questions which were difficult or time consuming. GK section should have been devoted very less time and attempting only those questions which one knows. One should have a good knowledge of grammar and vocabulary to score well. Also one should read a lot to have hold on reading comprehensions.
