New format for CAT 2011, Karnataka News - By Indiaedunews.net

The Common Admission Test (CAT), which is for the 13 IIMs and other major B-schools in the country, has now gone for a format makeover. The test will be conducted between October 22 and November 18, 2011. CAT 2011 will have two sections instead of three, and an additional five minutes to tackle the test. But the number of questions will remain the same.

According to an official statement released on Monday by Prometric, the testing agency and IIMs, CAT 2011 will have only two sections � the first will focus on the quantitative ability and data interpretation while the second one on verbal ability and logical reasoning.

The statement also said that these two sections will be implemented sequentially with separate time limits. The examination will be 140 minutes. Candidates will have 70 minutes to answer 30 questions within each section, which will have an on-screen countdown timer. Once the time ends for the first section, they will move to the second and will no longer be able to go back.

Prof Janakiraman Moorthy, convenor, CAT 2011 said that this is a move to be student-friendly. There are many students who lose out on a seat as they would have failed to perform in one of the sections. An additional five minutes have been added to the existing two-and half hours. This includes a 15-minute tutorial that will guide students through the process.

The number of testing days will remain 20. And Bhilai, Jammu and Dehradun have been added to the existing 33 test locations.

The afternoon sessions will now start at 3.15pm as the check-in time has been reduced by half-an-hour from the previous two hours.