Exam Day Tips for CAT 2021 - Key Tips to Help You Succeed

CAT 2021 Exam Day Tips - CAT 2021 will be conducted on Nov 28, 2021, and CAT aspirants must be ready to ace the exam but they are often left worried about how to tackle the pressure on the exam day. A certain level of tension is always good as it compels you to prepare well for the exam and provides the required adrenaline rush to handle the pressure. However, too much of it can lead to a candidate not being able to give his/her best attempt.

Well, it is rightly said that prevention is better than cure and the fact that you are reading this is a good sign that you want to be ready for every scenario on the day of the examination. Being mentally prepared for CAT 2021 will help you get a good score in CAT 2021 and get admission to your preferred Indian Institute of Management (IIM). Here, we have curated some of the best tips suggested by experts and CAT toppers that will help you rise over the pressure and crack the CAT 2021.

CAT 2021 Important Dates & Timings

Here are the important dates of CAT 2021 and the shift timings for the exam.

CAT 2021 will be conducted in 3 shifts. Check the table below to know the timings of CAT 2021 exam.

Along with a good knowledge of the subjects and a proper preparation plan for CAT 2021, candidates must also take into account all of the factors important on the exam day. Simple acts such as keeping all of the documents required with CAT 2021 admit card can help take the pressure off on the day of the examination. Candidates should check the following information to ensure that they are ready to crack the CAT 2021.

Exam Day Tips to Crack CAT 2021

Here are some of the best tips that will help you give your best performance on the CAT 2021 exam day.

Tip #1: Reach Exam Centre Early and Follow Instructions of Authorities

Always ensure that you reach the examination centre early to avoid any last-minute rush. Reaching early will also help you avoid crowding at the gate and be calm and composed through various checks and processes. You should also follow all instructions issued by the invigilators. Avoid getting into any arguments as that not only may cause your disqualification but may also ruin your temper to succeed.

Tip #2: Start with the Easy Questions

Does it feel like the first question itself has challenged your intelligence and you are going to solve it whatever the cost? Well, that might cost you the exam itself. Remember to skim the questions and start with the easy questions first. This can give you the required confidence boost and momentum, which might even make solving tricky questions easier.

Tip #3: Keep Your Eye on The Timer

The time you will get to solve each question in CAT 2021 is limited to 40 minutes and therefore it becomes very important to be aware of the time you have left. When too engrossed in an interesting question, it can get easy to lose a sense of time. Every second of the 120 minutes given to you is precious and if a question is taking a lot of time to solve, move on to the next and come back to it in the next pass.

Tip #4: Choose Your Battles Wisely

Whether you solve the most difficult question in the entire paper or the easiest, you are going to get 3 marks for both of them. Hence, it is better to drop any questions that seem too tricky or difficult to solve. You can always come back to them after demolishing the easy ones first.

Tip #5: Be Careful when Going for TITA Questions

TITA questions in CAT 2021 do not have any negative marking and hence they can seem quite alluring to attempt. However, you must be careful when choosing which TITA questions to answer in the exam. Again, keep a close check on the time you are taking to solve the question and be careful when entering your answer.

Tip #6: Read the Questions Carefully and Maintain Social Distancing from Silly Mistakes

Do not rush when reading the questions. Make sure you go through every detail carefully and re-read the question if you are unable to understand it in the first go. This will help you avoid a lot of silly mistakes caused by hurrying unnecessarily.

Tip #7: Focus on Maintaining Accuracy

While the proper answer to the speed vs accuracy debate is always 'balance', when you have to choose between them, it is better to go for accuracy. Quality matters a lot when it comes to success in CAT 2021. As per our analysis, the sweet spot lies in maintaining 80 - 90% accuracy.

Tip #8: Stay Focused on Your Work

No matter how fast you are, time is in short supply when attempting CAT 2021. Hence, it is better to keep a razor-sharp focus on your work and avoid glancing anywhere else. This will not only save time but also prevent you from being accused of cheating or using unfair means.

Tip #9: Use On-Screen Calculator

CAT 2021 provides students with an on-screen calculator and it is the only MBA entrance exam in India to do so. Hence, it is better to make good use of this calculator. However, one should be judicious when using the calculator as it can often take more time than doing mental calculations or simply using effective tricks to reduce calculations when solving questions. Hence, along with the guide to use the on-screen calculator in CAT 2021, we are also including some of the articles that will help you improve your calculations in CAT 2021.

Tip #10: Revise Where You Have the Luxury

If you have any time remaining after completing a section, make sure you spend all of it revising and double-checking your answers. This can not only help you find potential mistakes but also ensure that you have not made any silly mistakes such as erroneously selecting the wrong option or maybe even failing to save after selecting an option.

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