IIFT-2016 is done and dusted and it is now time to come up with the analysis for the exam!
In terms of pattern and structure, the exam was similar to IIFT-2015. The exam featured one question less in comparison to the last year. In continuing with the trend of the exam, the exam again had differential marking scheme for the sections. Overall, there were four sections in the exam and two of these sections had two parts each. In terms of overall level of difficulty, the exam can be classified as an easy exam. But then again, the challenge with IIFT has always been managing time efficiently and not the difficulty of the exam itself.
Overall, to manage the overall and sectional cut-offs was a challenge and it was a tight rope walk to manage the exam.
The break-up for the four sections was as follow:
| Section | Sections | No. of Questions | Marks per Questions | Total-Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (A) | (B) | (C) | (D) | (E)= (C) × (D) |
| Section -1 | Quantitative Ability | 20 | 1.00 | 20 |
| Section -2 | (Part-1) Analytical & Logical Reasoning | 22 | 0.75 | 16.5 |
| (Part -2) Data Interpretation | 20 | 1.00 | 20 | |
| Section -3 | (Part -1) Reading Comprehension | 16 | 1.00 | 16 |
| (Part -2) Verbal Ability | 20 | 0.75 | 15 | |
| Section -4 | General Awareness | 25 | 0.50 | 12.5 |
| Total | 123 | - | 100 |
Overview cutoff for the IIFT 2016 Paper
| Time Allotted | 2Hrs. |
|---|---|
| Total no. of questions | 123 (100 Marks) |
| Marking Scheme | Different for different sections |
| Sections | 4 |
| Number of choices | 4 |
| Negative Marking | 1/3 |
The overall score at which one could expect a call from IIFT 2016 was around 41-44.
Remember, you need to clear the individual sectional cut-offs as well.
| Area Tested | Description | No. of Questions | Mark Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Ability | Algebra & Equations | 2 | 2*1 |
| P&C Probability | 5 | 5*1 | |
| Time & Work | 1 | 1*1 | |
| Geometry & Co-ordinate | 3 | 3*1 | |
| Logs | 1 | 1*1 | |
| Profit & Loss | 1 | 1*1 | |
| Sets | 1 | 1*1 | |
| Number System | 1 | 1*1 | |
| Progression | 4 | 4*1 | |
| Time, Speed and Distance | 1 | 1*1 | |
| Total | 20 | 20 |
Evaluation: The Quantitative Ability was Easy to Moderate. Some of the questions were calculation intensive. The key to ace this section was to identify the questions that could be easily solved within the given time restraint. Remember, the overall difficulty level of the questions was not too high but there was simply not enough time to solve all the questions in the exam.
Comfortable Attempt & Score: 12 Ques. & 9
Cutoff: Around 5.5 marks.
| Area Tested | Description | No. of Question | Mark Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR and LR | Diagram Based Analogy | 4 | 4 * 0.75 |
| Analytical Reasoning | 13 | 13 * 0.75 | |
| Membership | 1 | 1 * 0.75 | |
| Missing Number | 1 | 1 × 0.75 | |
| Wrong Number Series | 1 | 1 * 0.75 | |
| Alphabetic Series | 1 | 1 * 0.75 | |
| Syllogism | 1 | 1 * 0.75 | |
| Total | 22 | 16.5 |
Evaluation: This section was of Easy to Moderate difficulty level. There were four AR blocks. One AR block on (six daughters) was moderate while other three AR blocks (Six engineer, Export cargo, three countries) were easy. Remember, there were a couple of blocks in this section with debatable answer choices and there was a certain element of ambiguity in them. Hopefully, you did not get stuck on these sets and did not waste your valuable time on these sets.
Comfortable Attempt & Score: 10-12 Ques. & 7
Cutoff: Around 4.5 marks.
| Area Tested | Description | No. of Question | Mark Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Interpretation | Bar Graph | 5 | 5 * 1 |
| Tables | 10 | 10 * 1 | |
| Stacked Bar Graph | 5 | 5 * 1 | |
| Total | 20 | 20 |
With the help of approximations and proper usage of choices, you could have given a significant boost to your overall attempt.
Comfortable Attempt & Score: 10-12 Ques. & 9
Cutoff: Around 5 marks.
| Sr. No. | Description | No. of Questions | Mark Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Economy | 4 | 4*1 |
| 2. | Business & Economy | 4 | 4*1 |
| 3. | Women's Role in Economy | 4 | 4*1 |
| 4. | Technology and Innovations | 4 | 4*1 |
| Total | 16 | 16 |
Evaluation: The RC section was the surprise this year. In comparison to the last year, the paper featured shorter RCs and also, the level of the RCs was fairly easy. Quite a few students go with the pre-conceived notion of not solving RCs. In case you followed any such strategy, you might have been at a disadvantage. Overall, you could have easily solved at least 2 passages in the exam and in case English is your strength, you could have solved 3 to 4 passages in the exam.
Comfortable Attempt & Score: 9 - 11 Ques. & 7
Cutoff: Around 4.5 marks.
| Sr. No. | Description | No. of Questions | Mark Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability | Sentence Completion | 3 | 3*0.75 |
| Vocabulary Base | 15 | 15*0.75 | |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 2 | 2*0.75 | |
| Total | 20 | 15 |
Evaluation: The Verbal Ability portion of the exam had an extremely strong emphasis on Vocabulary and in fact, did not feature any grammar based questions. In case you worked on your vocabulary and have a good grasp over the English language, you are bound to do well in a section such as this. The section did not test you on hard-core concepts or verbal reasoning questions that we generally see in competitive exams; the exam focused on everyday language use and being a regular reader would have most definitely helped you out here.
Comfortable Attempt & Score: 11 - 13 Ques. & 7
Cutoff: Around 4.5 marks
Evaluation: This year GK section was dominated by questions on Current and Static GK. This section was very exhaustive and required routine reading of newspaper and Current Affairs Magazines.
Comfortable Attempt & Score: 10-12 Ques. & 3
Cutoff: Around 1.5 marks.
*Disclaimer: All the above given information is based on personal opinion of hitbullseye Expert faculty. Several factors have been considered before giving these cut-offs however, It has nothing to do with original cut-offs.
