Choosing An Appropriate Title

March 9th, 2010

A common question seen in MBA entrance exams in the Reading Comprehension section is the choice of an appropriate title from the given options. What are the things to be kept in mind before you choose the best title among the given options?

  • Firstly, remember that you have been asked to choose the ‘most appropriate’ title among the given options, not what you may consider to be the best possible or perfect title for the passage. What this also indicates is that if you can eliminate the other options as inappropriate for some reason or the other, then you could possibly arrive at the correct answer. So, you should use the ‘elimination technique’ to your advantage, at least to narrow down your options.
  • Next, remember that the title must ideally cover not only the core idea (the content) of the passage, but also express the author’s tone. The tone refers to the sentiment, emotions or feelings of the author towards the subject.

For example, consider a title that says “The dismal state of Indian hockey”. From this, you immediately not only realize that the passage will talk about the sport of hockey, but also what the author’s feelings or tone is towards the current state of affairs. This is due to the usage of the adjective “dismal”.

  • The title you mark as the correct option should be neither too broad (not really specific to the topic or issue that the author has written about) nor too narrow in scope. Too ‘narrow’ titles may focus on only a couple of paragraphs of the passage and not the passage as a whole. Remember that a title is like a common theme that runs through the passage i.e. it integrates the various ideas or issues discussed.
  • Do not choose a title on the parameter that it appears catchy, interesting, funky, or creative. One of the reasons why this must be avoided is that all these are somewhat subjective concepts. What you consider as catchy or funky might appear silly to others.
  • Another important point: a title is not a conclusion. This is a mistake that students commonly make. The title is not meant to reflect the conclusion that could possibly be drawn by a reader on the basis of what the author has said. Rather, a title summarizes the author’s ideas or points succinctly. What this means is that a title should not be an inference or it should not extrapolate a judgement on the basis of what the author has written; instead, it must come from what is directly stated in the passage.

- SIDHARTH BALAKRISHNA

The author, an MBA from IIM Calcutta, has been involved in MBA coaching for several years. He is an English and GD-PI expert at MBAGuru, India’s fastest growing CAT coaching institute. He has also written the best-selling ‘An Introduction to CAT-Tips from an IIM Alumnus’ published by Pearson Education. He can be contacted at bsiddharth_2001@yahoo.co.in

Link to his book: http://www.pearsoned.co.in/web/books/9788131729694-Introduction-to-CAT-Tips-from-an-IIM-Alumnus.aspx

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Preparing for General/Business Awareness

February 14th, 2010

In addition to their usual preparation, candidates are advised to prepare a little for General Awareness and Business Awareness. While some of the written B-school entrance exams test this, it is also vital for Group Discussion and Interviews.

As far as the written exam is concerned, some students struggle with this section, ending up with fairly low marks. This is a pity, for this section can be scoring. Keep in mind that it does not take any time to ‘solve’ a question. If you know the answer, you just have to mark/click the correct option. Hence you can get a decent score in this section by investing just a few minutes! Topics pertaining to General or Business Awareness often appear in GDs. Since content is important for GDs, the greater the knowledge you have for such topics, the better it is.

Let us now look at what you can do to practice for GA/BA.

Read a good newspaper daily: This is vital. You must read a newspaper daily, particularly the front page, the business pages (at least of any daily newspaper) and a little bit about politics and sports, in order to be clued in to the big events that are playing themselves out on the national and international stage.

Remember that the more you read and follow a story as it unfolds, the more details you will remember about it, which will be very useful for GDs.

Watch the news regularly: The TV is not always your best friend and may distract you, but you can use it to keep yourself up-to-date with major developments across the world.

I advise you to watch the news regularly; and keep track of both general news and important Business-related information.

Be aware of certain types of questions and prepare accordingly: Some kinds of questions often make an appearance in tests. For example, questions pertaining to mergers and acquisitions (M&A), new brand or product launches, winners of important awards such as the Booker, Nobel, Jnanpith, Dada Saheb Phalke, Padma awards, sports prizes, etc often make an appearance. Another type of question that appears is about the Chairmen of Committees established for particular purposes (for example, the Godhra riots were probed by the Nanavati Committee).

Try and make sure that you know the answers to such questions.

Make notes and revise the information you have gathered: After doing all this, try and make notes; you should not forget the details about the information that you have gathered! Revise these notes close to your exam date/date of your GDs/Interviews.

Another useful way to make sure that things remain in your mind is through discussions with friends, colleagues etc.

In addition, you may find it beneficial to look through the year-end issues of some magazines. These may summarize the important events of the year.

Finally, you could look at some magazine that provides a question bank for General/Business Awareness questions. But make sure that this is done only after your other efforts!

-Sidharth Balakrishna

The author, an MBA from IIM Calcutta, has been involved in MBA coaching for over five years. He is an English, GD-PI and Business Awareness expert at MBAGuru, India’s fastest growing CAT coaching institute. He has also written the best-selling ‘An Introduction to CAT-Tips from an IIM Alumnus’ published by Pearson Education. He can be contacted at: bsiddharth_2001@yahoo.co.in

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The art of Learning

January 21st, 2010

I observe that a huge chunk of student community preparing for CAT and other MBA entrance exams joins coaching institutes of various hues and color in the hope that they would get the best quality faculty, best quality material, excellent experience of service delivery, very good management where their grievances if any would be redressed the moment they mouth the complaint, and the list of their wants goes on.

Did you notice that the entire focus of the students and even most of the coaching institutes is upon improving the above mentioned variables to the maximum extent possible, little realizing that the success of the student (here, securing admission to the B-school of desire, after clearing all the hurdles of the admission process of that B-school) depends only on one person: the student himself (without prejudice to the female gender, for ease of writing). By saying so, there is no attempt on my part to undermine the importance of all the variables. No doubt they are important, but unless the ‘receiver’ of that service is mentally prepared for that, all the efforts of the ‘deliverer’ (which includes all the variables mentioned) come to a naught. And none of these outside variables has any control over the germination of the seed of the mental preparedness of the ‘receiver’.

So, the first requirement for a student to learn anything in any coaching institute (or any educational institute, for that matter) is his mental preparedness. And so the first question which any aspiring student should ask himself is:

Is he mentally prepared for management education and all that it takes?

Only when the student answers it in the affirmative can the next step of learning begin. As a next step, the student after some basic research joins a coaching institute. Once he joins, there is a risk that he may leave the entire efforts of learning to the coaching institute and its faculty, and the moment this happens, his learning immediately stops and what begins is his focus on what is being delivered to him and its quality. If he likes it, he savors it like some sweet fruit; otherwise he starts complaining and expects the organization to fulfill his demands in the next minute. Would it not be pertinent here to ask the big question: WHERE IS THE LEARNING?

Whatever a student gets from the coaching institute are the resources for him and he should utilize those resources to the fullest extent possible. And for that, he must learn the art of learning. That brings us to the next question: How does one LEARN? A faculty teaching any concept in the best possible manner may not necessarily lead to learning of a concept by the student. Student’s learning happens when a particular concept hits him in the deeper recesses of his mind to that extent where he experiences a sort of ‘Aha’. It’s a pleasing experience! The deeper this experience of ‘Aha’ is, the stronger the probability of learning and heightened retention power. To gain this experience of ‘Aha’, one has to spend adequate amount of time with the concepts and this means that merely reading a particular chapter n number of times may not yield desired results. One can understand the importance of this experience when one realizes that such an experience is a result of creation of new networks between nerve cells of our brain. Each new network created means newer and newer learning. Moreover, the stronger the experience of ‘Aha’ is, the stronger the strength of this network and hence longer retention power. At this point, I would also like to mention that such creation of networks between nerve cells is always painful, which explains why any kind of new learning always entails a baggage of pain associated with it. Consciously neglecting this pain with the sole objective of gaining the pleasure of having learnt something new and fruitful is the real clue to the art of learning.

To experience this experience, besides mental preparedness (as already mentioned), one must be genuinely interested in that topic at hand. The interest in that topic may or may not be there already. A faculty teaching that topic in the class usually tries his best to generate interest for that topic in the minds of the students, but may not always succeed for the simple reason that getting interested in that topic lies completely in the hands of the student and not the faculty. If one is disinterested in a particular topic, then no amount of reading that topic or a faculty teaching that topic can create interest in that topic. Student’s interest in a particular topic or subject is either inbuilt or has to be created by himself. And in case the student is not able to create interest by any of the means, it becomes a major impediment to his learning quality for that subject and he continues to remain relatively weak in that area.

There is one more reason why one should be genuinely interested in any topic at hand. By being so, one’s thinking process gets naturally activated which goes beyond what is being written or taught. This step helps a student to experience mental growth with respect to that topic. Once this process happens across various subject areas, the overall growth is achieved and the student takes off to a different platform built on strong foundations. It is this strong foundation which creates scope for further learning and gaining higher level of skills required of in all the management entrance tests.

While we are talking so much on the various aspects of learning, how can we forget the importance of ‘common sense’ which plays an important role in the learning process? I can vividly recall an instance when I was in grade V and in my final terminal exams was asked the following question of Math:

 Q.         Find the value of 23 × 57 × 79 × 0 × 53

 I first multiplied 23 with 57 and the result with 79 and then got stuck with what to do with 0. Nobody taught me how to multiply a number with ‘zero’! Nobody is taught the table of ‘zero’, ain’t it! I had practiced numerous questions on multiplication in my fifth grade in order to gain good marks, but despite that I could not attempt this question and had to leave it as it is. You must be wondering what the big deal in this question is and that the answer is simple: ‘zero’. And when you say so, you are missing the whole point. I am trying to bring out the difference between learning Math and having common sense. The above question is not at all Math question, though it looks like one. If you see Math in the above question, you would never be able to get the answer and will be always stuck up where I was stuck up. But with simple common sense, one need not even do any computation and can easily speak the answer. There is no substitute for common sense in any area of study, leave alone Math. And ‘common sense’ is not and cannot be taught in formal education at all. It can only be appreciated and learnt from experience.

Therefore in any learning process, one must always look inwards, taking all the inputs from outside resources because the responsibility of success or failure in any endeavor rests completely with the person himself and not at all on external agencies.

 Ashu Jain

Ashu is an engineer from the prestigious Punjab Engineering College (PEC) and an MBA from the Pune University. One of the most experienced CAT mentors in the country, Ashu is known for his passionate yet objective approach to student relationship and for his exceptional Quant mentorship skills. At MBAGuru, INDIA’s Fastest Growing CAT Coaching Institute, Ashu anchors Academics.

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Get started with RC

January 21st, 2010

1.    Why RC?

We all know the importance of ‘reading’ in our lives. Just to reiterate the same – ‘Reading makes a man wise’. Some other motivations for reading can be:

  • Advancing your knowledge in general
  • Helping in managerial life
  • Progressing in GDs/Interviews
  • Last, but not the least – ‘Improving your scores in CAT’!

2.    History

Over the years, CAT pattern with respect to RC has changed. Earlier, the focus was SPEED – having a very high reading speed. Questions used to be primarily fact-based. The number of questions was somewhere around 50 and the passage length used to be 1500-1600 words approximately. Now, over the last 3-4 years, the focus has shifted to comprehension, having a deep understanding of the passage, and in-depth reading. Now, there are usually 3-4 passages, each of 700-800 words followed by 4 – 5 questions.  The kinds of questions also vary from title-based, central-idea based, tone-based to inference based. Each question tests in-depth reading.

3.    Reading Speed

Though the focus is on comprehension, a good reading speed is always beneficial. So, keep reading at a decent speeds (250 wpm +), which will help in managing your time well while taking the test. But, comprehension cannot be compromised.  Your primary focus should be on in-depth, logical reading so as to attempt questions accurately. Speed will come with practice and more test-taking.

4.    What to read for at least 1½ to 2 hours everyday.

  • Newspapers, must read: Editorials, Front page, Business page and International page
  • Magazines: Every week to 15 days, read a business magazine and a political magazine.
  • Novels: Read novels of varied topics (1 Novel/2 weeks)

5.    Topics in RC

Any topic under the sun can come, but pay attention to areas like philosophy / psychology/ Arts/ Sociology etc. Variety is very important as you need to familiarize yourself with different kinds of writings.

6.    Always pay attention to the passage rather than using your own knowledge / thinking in the air.

7.    RC is not as abstract and vague as it seems. It can be made as objective as Mathematics and questions can be handled reasonably accurately.

Garima Gulia

Garima is a graduate in English Literature from the Delhi University and has pursued her Post-graduation in management from IIM Indore. At MBAGuru, India’s fastest growing CAT Coaching, Garima is one of most popular mentors for English among thousands of MBAGuru students.

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Right Approach to Crack Quant

January 7th, 2010

A question commonly asked by students is: “Sir, I am going for a Management Degree Course. In management entrance tests, why am I being tested on my Math skills?”

In this article, we will try to not only answer the above question, but also give you the right direction in terms of preparation for CAT and other Management entrance tests. We will also guide you to build the right approach (which is what matters finally) that will ensure that you crack the Quant section in the CAT or any Aptitude exams.

Before we do that, let us begin with the following question.

Simplify: (19)8 – 17(19)7 – 41(19)6 + 58(19)5 + (19)4 – 384(19)3 + 75(19)2 + 21(19) + 3.

A]        40                        B]      41                        C]      51                        D]      61

Before jumping into solving this question, let’s understand why an Aptitude Test asks questions like these.

1. Is the objective to check your calculations?

A very simple answer to this is a clear “NO”, because you are sitting there for an aptitude test for a management course, or in short an MBA, and after completing your MBA you will become a manager. Of course, you are not expected to find the value of each term (in the above question) and then doing the addition and subtraction to find the answer. That would waste lot of your time and obviously that’s not the objective of the question.

Exam main sirf yeh question karna hai, yah baki paper bhi karna hai !

If you end up solving this question in this manner, you are proving that you are not an effective manager. Have you ever seen a manager doing calculations by hand or mentally? Understand that 10 times more difficult calculations than this can be done within fraction of seconds on a laptop. So, if as a future manager, you would not be required to do such calculations and think the things you don’t have to do in future, would CAT or any other aptitude test ever test you on that? NEVER! So that simply means CAT never tests your calculations or your calculation speed.

2. Is CAT testing your knowledge?

If CAT paper is testing your knowledge, then they should ask the following questions.

In the recent past, the inflation was in negative but still the prices of the commodities that we purchase on daily basis were rising. Can you explain the reason for this?

(relevant to a B.Com/Economics graduate)

What are the marketing tools one should use to advertise a newly launched product?

(relevant to a BBA student)

These questions would be much better questions to gauge your knowledge rather than questions on additions/subtractions.

But then these questions are not being asked to you which simply means that CAT does not want to select you on the basis of your knowledge.

Now a big question is: What does any Aptitude Test actually want to check by giving such questions (as the one at the beginning of this article). To answer this, let’s understand a few things.

After you pass out of a B-school, you will take on the role of a manager in an organization. Therefore, a good Aptitude Test is designed to check whether a candidate has the caliber to become a manager or not. How do they check it and what qualities they look for? Let us understand that.

3. When you become a manager, you will face a lot of complicated situations. An effective manager is one who simplifies those situations and not the one who complicates them further?

Take any 2 multiples of 6 for e.g. 12 and 18

12 + 18 = 30; 18 – 12 = 6

6 and 30 both are multiples of 6.

That means if I have two multiples of 6 i.e. 6a and 6b and if I add or subtract any of them

6a + 6b = 6(a + b), the answer would always be a multiple of 6.

To understand this, no hardcore knowledge is required. The same logic can also be applied to the question given at the beginning. Numbers from (19)8 to 21(19) are all multiples of 19. Hence result of their addition/subtraction would also always be a multiple of 19. That is,

(19)8 – 17(19)7 – 41(19)6 + 58(19)5 + (19)4 – 384(19)3 + 75(19)2 + 21(19)  + 3 = 19n + 3

A question which looked very complicated initially now seems quite simple. The way you look at a problem determines the process to be applied to solve that problem. The only thing required is to start looking at things from a different perspective/angle. Don’t just take a “quant” question as a “mathematics” question (remember that you are not being tested to be Maths professor). Take it as a situation that you need to simplify. Why most of the times the question looks complicated is because the examiner wants to test whether you get scared in a difficult/complicated situation or whether you have the capability to see things differently and make them simpler. Of course, a manager is paid so well not because of hard work, but because of smart work.

One important thing that why these situations are in the form of mathematics questions. The answer is: Whether a person is a vegetable supplier or a CEO of a big company, all have studied the basic mathematics in their life. So quant becomes an obvious choice which could test everyone on the same platform.

Having understood that a manager is supposed to simplify the matters and not complicate them, let us understand the other quality associated with an effective manager: Optimal utilization of all the resources. This would bring in more efficiency in the system.

So an aptitude test also wants to test whether you implement what you say, or do you just say it for the sake of it. When the question was given to you, what are the resources you were equipped with?

Simplify: (19)8 – 17(19)7 – 41(19)6 + 58(19)5 + (19)4 – 384(19)3 + 75(19)2 + 21(19) + 3.

A]        40                        B]      41                        C]      51                        D]      61

The first resource was the information from question which you used and simplified the situation. The second resource was options. Options were also given to you with the question. So CAT wants to test whether you can use your hidden resources and get the work done, or not?

To finally answer the question, let me tell you that once you reach the stage that the expression is of 19n + 3 type, you can use options (read, resources) and realize that 41 is the only option which is of 19n + 3 type. So, the correct answer is 41. You can now realize what it takes to act like an effective manager. You need to train your mind by exposing yourself to such difficult situations time and again, till “being an effective manager” becomes your habit.

4. Another objective of an aptitude test is to check whether you can get maximum output with minimum resource, or can you work under constraints. A manager most of the times has to face a situation where there would be lack of some or the other resource. So a good manger is one who can give the maximum output in those constraint/minimum resources. Now when we talk of the aptitude test, this quality is also tested. You know that if you had unlimited time, you would have solved all the questions in the aptitude test with 100% accuracy. The above mentioned question can also be done by simply calculating if unlimited time was there. But what an Aptitude Test does is to give you restricted time limit and check whether you can give the maximum output in constraint resource. The output are the marks out here and you could only maximize the output not by calculating the values, but solving the questions with the RIGHT APPROACH and that is

When you start an aptitude test, don’t just start calculating. First analyze the situation (question), simplify if by looking at things from a different perspective, solve by using all the resources (including options) optimally and then only you can get the maximum possible output (marks) in the minimum possible resources (time). This can be termed as the TWI Approach i.e. Think Without Ink. This will also help you to improve the decision making skills.

- NIKHIL CHAWLA

Nikhil is an alumnus of NMIMS, Mumbai – one of the top 10 B-Schools in India. A passionate mentor and coach, his energy during interactions with students is to be seen to be believed. Nikhil’s QA sessions are as much of a hit as his motivational sessions which fill the students with tremendous self-belief and positivity.

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