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Is it worth taking a one-year drop for CAT?

Praqtise — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:28:03 +0000

Manoj and Swati have cleared MBA entrance examinations with good percentile and have begun getting calls from many of the top B-schools in India. However, neither Manoj nor Swati have secured a call from the B-school where they want to study. Manoj plans to take a one-year drop for CAT and other MBA entrance examinations. The following is a conversation between Manoj and Swati:

Manoj: Hey, Swati, how are you?

Swati: I am fine, how are you?

Manoj: I am fine too, but I am a little worried because I haven’t gotten a call from either of the top IIMs, which is where I wanted to study.

Swati: Yes, even I am a little worried because even I haven’t gotten a call from the IIMs. However, I have received numerous calls from the newly opened IIMs and many other B-schools across India.

Manoj: Yes, even I have received numerous calls from the other IIMs and most other B-schools. However, I don’t think I am going to accept the calls. I think I will take a one-year drop for CAT and appear for CAT and other MBA entrance examinations again. I will surely get into one of the top IIMs if I have more time to prepare.

Swati: Let me stop you right there. My mother tells me that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Do you understand what it means?

Manoj: Of course, I know what it means. But I have always wanted to study in one of the top IIMs, and that is where I will study, even if it means a one-year gap after graduation.

Swati: You may be making the right call for yourself, but I think I will accept an admission into the best B-school into which I get admitted. I don’t want to waste another year going through the same repetitive routine every day. I believe, even after graduating from a slightly inferior B-school, I can capitalize on the entire year, instead of taking a gap year for CAT, toiling it away.

To drop or not to drop, that is the question!

This is the case with most students who do not get accepted into the B-schools of their choice. However, is it a wise decision to wait another year in the pursuit to secure an admission into an institute of your choice? Or is it a more prudent decision to accept an admission into a slightly inferior B-school and capitalize on the time that you would otherwise toil away. Some believe that taking a gap year for CAT and other MBA entrance examinations and getting into a B-school of their choice will open a world of fortune to them. Others think that waiting another year to get into a marginally better B-school would not make much of a difference.

There is no decisive answer to this question. It is entirely based upon the thought process of every individual. No one choice is better than the other – both the choices have their advantages and their disadvantages. You are the best judge of what is a better option for you out of the two. However, after reading this blog, you might have a better answer to the question than you had before. This blog will provide a better understanding of the gap year after college pros and cons as well.

One-year drop for CAT – Is it worth the wait?

Taking a gap year for CAT is often a risky choice because of the uncertainty involved. If you wait for another year, there is no guarantee that you will score better than before. Even if you score better, what if the others score better than you? If that happens, there are chances that you will score lower percentile than before. Another risk is that even if you get an interview call from the B-school of your choice, you might have to learn how to explain gap year in MBA interview. There are workarounds to this question, but it is sure to arise in the interview, and you must have a satisfactory answer for the interviewer. Here are some points that you should consider if you plan to take a one-year drop for CAT and other MBA entrance examinations to get into a better B-school.

Prioritize top B-school based on your percentile

After the results of the entrance examinations are out, make an exhaustive list of colleges which will accept you based on your percentile. Narrow down to a list of five or ten top B-school which are likely to accept your application based on your scores. If you get into either of the colleges from your list, then there is no scope to drop a year and apply again next year. If you plan to take a one-year drop for CAT to get into IIMs, make sure that you aim for only the best. Waiting for another year to prepare for MBA entrance examinations only to get into a marginally better college cannot be justified.

Let’s say that you are likely to get into a B-school that usually stands between ranks 11-15 in most rankings. Waiting for another year will be actually worth only if you are able to secure a b-school in the top 5 ranks. As an aspirant, you are likely to be more emotional when deciding on such things. It is, therefore, better to seek advice, ideally from a B-school pass-out.

Economic changes that can affect your prospects

If drastic economic changes take place during the year when you plan to take a drop, it can also affect your chances in top B-schools. For example, during the catastrophic economic meltdown in 2008, many people lost their jobs. Many of them turned towards further education and appeared for MBA entrance examinations. Then, what happened was, that top B-schools started selecting candidates with work experiences, as compared to those without. So, if you are a student, and you don’t have work experience, this is an important consideration that you should bear in mind.

Probable changes in fee structure

The fee structures in the top B-school keeps on changing often. Most of the top B-school increase their tuition fees every year to cover the costs that they incur. Hence, if you plan to take a drop and wait to get into one of the top B-school, this is an important financial consideration you must bear in mind. We had some insights from an IMT, Ghaziabad alumnus, after getting into a conversation about waiting another year to get into a B-school of their choice. He could not get into the B-school of his choice on his first attempt. Hence, decided to take a gap year after graduation. On his second attempt, he got into IMT, Ghaziabad.

When he commenced business studies, the fees to complete business studies at IMT, Ghaziabad was around 10.5 Lac. Whereas, had he gotten into IMT on his first attempt, he would have been able to complete his education in a mere 8 Lac rupees. One might think that as the fees increase, so must the placement packages – however, that is not the case. The average placement packages don’t increase much in comparison with the changing fees. Hence, if finances are a constraint, then you must think about this before taking a one-year drop for CAT and other examinations.

Don’t just prepare for the entrance examinations

If you have decided to take a one-drop for CAT and other examinations, you must plan your activities meticulously. You cannot justify a one-year drop for CAT and MBA, by saying that you were preparing for the entrance examinations. Hence, you must be able to answer the question – How to explain gap year in MBA interview – with efficacy. Most people can easily prepare for the entrance examination within three to four months, even when they have a job. Here are a few things you can do while preparing for the MBA entrance examinations:

Contribute to a social cause of your choice and be an active participant
Apply to short-term online courses from reputed websites
Look for a part-time job, which can help you gain perspective into the subjects in which you want to specialize

There are numerous personal and professional factors which affect the decision whether or not to drop for one year. However, aforementioned are some of the major factors which you must consider before making a decision. Even after considering all the points, if you still decide to take a one-year drop for CAT, then you should plan the year meticulously. For more information to help you plan your drop year, you can also seek the help of experts at Praqtise.

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Top B-schools in India that stand out for Regional Presence

Praqtise — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 06:32:50 +0000

Look out for the hidden gems!

Anubhav and Rohit are two colleagues working for a leading investment bank. Both are excellent finance professionals who want to give their career an additional thrust. They wish to pursue an MBA from one of the top B-schools in India. However, Anubhav has a few concerns which he shares with Rohit.

Anubhav: ‘I really love working in Mumbai, but there is one thing that I do not like…’

Rohit: ‘And what would that be?’

Anubhav: ‘Only one or two of the top 10 MBA colleges in India have their campuses in Mumbai. Presuming that our exams go well, this would mean that we have to move out of here. I’m not very keen on that as Mumbai is perhaps the ideal place to be for building a career in finance.’

Rohit: ’Hmmm, I understand what you are saying. But I don’t think you are seeing things clearly. Mumbai has numerous excellent colleges. Just look at our colleagues, not everyone is from an IIM! We have industry veterans from colleges you would not hear a lot about.’

Anubhav: ‘You are right! It’s strange though, why are these colleges not in the limelight as much…’

Rohit: ‘Well, let’s call a spade a spade- not everyone can be in the top 10! A college in Mumbai cannot always have the luxury of a sprawling campus. But, they can still offer career opportunities comparable to the ones from the top 10. This is because they have the trust of the regional industry network.

Anubhav: ‘You are right! Well I guess I don’t have to necessarily leave Mumbai then. And besides, getting into IIM Ahmedabad means going to a dry state right…’

Rohit: ‘Haha! You are absolutely hopeless…’

The advantage of picking a reputed regional college

Not all colleges hold a national appeal. However, this does not mean a lower quality of education or inferior career prospects.

On the contrary, there are certain distinct advantages of pursuing MBA from regional colleges:

Being in the lap of the industry: From the perspective of recruiters, campus placements represent a significant investment in time and effort. Regional colleges offer a pool of bankable talent very close to home. This discourages many companies from traveling far for recruitments. As a result, many regional b-schools are able to offer profiles comparable to the ones at top ranking institutes.
Lower cut offs: MBA entrance exams are insanely competitive. Once a student crosses the 90%tile mark, luck does play an important part. Getting 1-2 questions right or wrong can make a huge difference. An aspirant who has barely missed out on the cut-offs of dream institutes need not be discouraged. Rather than wasting another year, they can apply to top ranking regional colleges. The pedagogy and placements will definitely be up to their expectations.
Unique courses: As we’ll see in in this post, regional colleges show a greater propensity in offering unique courses. Specialised degrees in healthcare management, banking and so on are more prominent among regional b-schools.

Our pick of the top b-schools in India that are hidden gems

Firstly, we would like to say that by no means is this list exhaustive. Secondly, we have an entire section dedicated to the best b-schools in India. Hence, in this list we are including only those colleges that we have not covered previously.

Here are some of the top b-schools in India on the basis of their regional presence:

Goa Institute of Management

Better known as GIM, the college was established in 1993. GIM offers two main post-graduate programs. The first is the flagship PGDM program. Students can specialise in the conventional domains of marketing, finance, IT, general management and HR through this program.

The second course if the PGDM program in Healthcare Management (PGDM HCM). The course is intensive and covers major aspects of the healthcare business comprehensively. It is among the few courses that offer a unique specialisation.

The course fee for PGDM is approximately INR 14 lakhs, whereas that for PGDM HCM is approximately INR 7 lakhs. Hostel fees depend on the type of option chosen the student (single/double occupancy, AC/Non-AC).

GIM 2016 Placement Summary

International Management Institute, Delhi

Established in 1981, IMI Delhi is the oldest of the three IMI campuses functioning today. There are 3 courses available for students- PGDM, PGDM (HRM) and PGDM (B&FS).

The PGDM course equips students with cross functional knowledge. PGDM (HRM) and PGDM (B&FS), as the names suggest, provide domain specific knowledge in HR and Finance respectively.

Tuition fees for self-sponsored students are nearly INR 15.5 lakhs. Hostel and mess charges amount to around INR 1.5 lakhs. Tuition fees for students who are being sponsored by companies are above INR 28 lakhs.

Summary of IMI Delhi 2017 Placements

Vinod Gupta School of Management, IIT Kharagpur

Better known through its parent institute IIT Kharagpur, the b-school was established in 1993. The flagship program is the 2 year full time MBA program. The program does not specify any Majors qualifications. Students have to go through the core courses and choose seven electives depending on their field of interest.

The cumulative fees (tuition, hostel etc.) are below INR 10 lakhs.

SOM IIT KGP 2016 Placement Summary

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai was established 2004. It offers two full time programs, the PGDM and the PGPM program. The PGPM is unique as it is one of the few courses with program duration of 1 year. The Institute does not specify Majors options; it follows the format of having fixed core courses along with electives from different domains.

The course fees for the PGPM program are around INR 18.5 lakhs. For the PGDM program, the course fees are around INR 15.5 lakhs.

Great Lakes PGDM 2016 Placement Summary

Great Lakes PGPM 2016 Placement Summary

Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research, & Entrepreneurship Education

Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research, & Entrepreneurship Education (SIMSREE), more commonly known as Sydenham, was established in 1983. Located in the heart of Mumbai, SIMSREE offers two full time programs- MMS and PGDBM.

Both the programs offer Majors degrees in Finance, Marketing, Operations, systems and HR. Hostel facilities are available but only for students living outside Mumbai.

The core course fees are around INR 70K per year.

SIMSREE 2016 Placement Summary

What are your thoughts on the above mentioned colleges? Are there similar institutes that you would place on this list? Please let us know in the comments.

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GIM Logo

GIM Placement Summary

IMI Logo

IMI Placement Summary

SOM IIT KGP Logo

SOM IIT KGP Placement Summary

Logo of Great Lakes Chennai

Great Lakes PGDM Placement Summary

Great Lakes PGPM Placement Summary

SIMSREE Logo

SIMSREE Placement Summary

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Top B-Schools in India for MBA in HR Management

Praqtise — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 06:36:02 +0000

Naisha and Nishit are very good friends who have been preparing to appear for the CAT for over a year. Nishit is keen on pursuing an MBA in HR and is discussing the same with Naisha. Here is a conversation between them:

Naisha: Have you decided what you are going to specialise in?

Nishit: I’m not sure yet, but I think I will pursue MBA in HR.

Naisha: Why do you want to pursue MBA in HR?

Nishit: I think interacting with people has always been one of my best skills. I think if I can bring that to use in my professional life, I would be able to grow both, personally and professionally.

Naisha: You have a point there. However, do you know what the best colleges to study human resource management are?

Nishit: I’m not sure yet because I haven’t had a lot of time for research. Most of my time is taken up by the preparation schedule.

Just like Nishit and Naisha, many students are so busy preparing for the entrance examinations, that they overlook one of the most important aspect – selecting their field of specialisation. And even they have decided upon their field of specialization, there are many students who have not researched as to which are the top institutes which offer their field of specialization.

Praqtise Fact File: Human resources field is the most in-demand job field for recruiters and represents over half of the total job listings. The most common job roles are HR assistant, Director or HR, Human Resource generalist, and HR manager. (Human Resources MBA, 2016).

MBA in HR management

Masters of Business Administration in human resource management offers the opportunity to study human behaviour and psyche from a business perspective. Here, you have to understand the perspectives of both, the employers and the employees. The most important job role of a human resource manager is staffing – acquiring the right talent for the right job role. However, an even more important role of a human resource manager is that of forming a bridge between the employees and the employers. Hence, it can be said that human resource managers are an extremely important part of any business. Moreover, there is humongous potential for growth in the industry as a human resource manager.

If you decide to pursue human resource management, here is the list of top Business Schools that offer the best programs and courses for MBA in HR. There are different rankings available for all these colleges across the Internet, so to avoid confusion, we have just selected a list of top MBA colleges.

Xavier Labour Research Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur

Postgraduate Programme in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations

XLRI offers a two-year post graduate diploma programme in HR management. The HRM course is the most prestigious programs offered by XLRI, and the oldest too. It has been ranked as the best programme in India across the Asia-Pacific region. The programme aims to equip the students with not just the skills required to manage human resources, but also contribute to the development of the organizations as well as the individuals.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai

M.A. in Human Resources Management and Labour Relations (HRM & LR)

The M.A. in HRM and LR offered by the TISS is professionally equivalent to an MBA course from other reputed colleges. It helps students develop into a competent yet sensitive HRM graduates, ready to take on the challenges of the business world. The program explores the critical areas of contemporary HRM as well as their relation to other business functions.

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Pune

Master in Business Administration

This course provides the students with the skills essential for the successful management of the human resources and introduces them to the current corporate practices. The course also focuses on interpersonal and people management skills to further the scope of HR management.

Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD), Pune

Post Graduate Diploma in HR

The post graduate diploma course focuses equally on theory and practice; practical aspects of HR management serve to leverage the theoretical concepts. The students are provided with an extensive exploration of the issues of HR management in the context of global business environment. The course helps students acquire skills and knowledge and develop practical business sense relevant to the competitive global market.

Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon

Post-Graduate Programme in HR

MDI offers a post graduate programme in HR management to develop professionals with a well-rounded business perspective. The motive is to enable students to take on the critical role of HR professionals in business organizations. The course turns students into holistic HR managers with the capability to manage uncertainty and complexity. It furthers the sensitivity of the student towards the people, their potential, and the needs. The PGP-HRM programme is designed by experienced faculty members. It is also continuously improvised to ensure a rich academic and industrial blend.

Indian Institute of Management- Calcutta

Executive MBA in HR

The executive MBA in HR intends to cover HR management at macro as well as micro levels. Further, it aims to equip the students with contemporary knowledge and practices informed by valid research findings. The course covers both, basic and strategic HR management issues such as acquisition, retention, and management of talent.

Conclusion: A Praqtical Look

The following are the average CTC offered to HR MBA graduates in top MBA colleges:

Name of Business School	Average/Median CTC (in lakhs per annum) in 2015
XLRI, Jamshedpur	17
TISS, Mumbai	16.8
SIBM, Pune	13.05
SCMHRD, Pune	11.95
MDI, Gurgaon	15.57

Which field of specialisation would you want to pursue during MBA? Let us know in the comments.

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HR functions

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Normalization – Do you need to answer all questions in CAT exam?

Praqtise — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 13:51:49 +0000

Priyanka and Pankaj are going to appear for the CAT exam. They have completed their BBA from a very good college and have been preparing for over a year. However, Pankaj does not know much about the concept of normalization which is being applied to the results. The following is a conversation between Pankaj and Priyanka:

Pankaj: Hey, how is the preparations going on? CAT exam is now around the corner. I hope you are studying hard.

Priyanka: Of course, I am. I want to get into one of the best MBA colleges in India.

Pankaj: So, have you been taking CAT mock tests?

Priyanka: Yes, I have been taking a CAT mock test every week. I have been consistently achieving over 95 percentile in them. However, I am still sceptical about the scores because these mock tests do not account for normalization.

Pankaj: Yes, that is true. Can you tell me more about normalization? I do not have much idea how it works.

Priyanka: How can you not know? It is one of the most important factors affecting our results!

Just like Pankaj, many students, who seek admissions into the top business schools in India don’t know about normalization and how it affects the CAT results. Read on to find out more.

What is normalization?

Normalization is the process which is applied to the results to ensure fairness and equality in comparison of performances of candidates across the country. Normalization process adjusts for location and scale differences of score distributions across forms. After normalizing the overall score, the next step is to normalize scores across sections. The scaled scores obtained after normalization will then be converted into percentiles. However, authorities do not share the actual method used for normalizing scores. We can still be sure that numerous factors, like locations, difficulty, score, mean, mode, deviation, highest score etc. affect the normalization multiplier.

Praqtice Fact File: The process of normalization is an established practice that has been used to compare scores across multiple exams. It has been adopted in the educational tests being conducted on a wide scale, like Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).

How normalization will affect your CAT exam scores?

Normalizing is a natural outcome in CAT as there are multiple papers for the same exam.. The people who design the question papers are very careful to ensure that you overall difficulty level of all the papers is the same. However, the difficulty level across question papers will vary as a result of the human factor. Normalising helps in comparing the scores objective

Let’s understand this further with an example. Assume that the intelligence and capability distribution of the students in all the slots is the same. Now, the students should score an equal number of marks on average if the level of difficulty across the question papers was equal. However, the actual test results may suggest otherwise. Consider the following test results:

Batch1 average score – 100 and batch2 average score – 110.

As per our assumption, the students in both the batches are equally intelligent and capable, which means that the question paper which batch1 got was more difficult. Hence, for normalising, the marks of all the students in batch1 are multplied by a multiplier, 1.1 in this case, so that the authorities can compare the scores objectively.

This is a very basic example with a very strong assumption that a very high level of difference in the difficulty level of the papers. Hence, in real-life scenarios, the examination authorities would use several other factors and inputs, like the highest score, mean, median, standard deviation, lowest score, etc. to determine the multiplier. However, unless the exam authorities disclose the actual methodology , all we can do is guess.

Should you change your strategy to counter the effect of normalization?

The answer is, no! There is no way to know for certain how the scores of a batch of students will be normalized. Hence, the best you can do is outperform all the students in your batch to counter the effect of normalization. You do not need to change your strategy to tackle the CAT exam to counter the effect of normalization. And you do not have to answer all questions for countering the effect of normalization. Instead of answering more questions, answer the questions more efficiently to better tackle the CAT exam.

Normalization is not an aspect that is within your control. There are is no specific standard for normalization. This means, no one knows what factors will affect the process and to what extent. In such a case, the simplest way to tackle normalization is to perform your personal best. Do not alter the strategy that you have formed for the CAT exam. There is no mantra to counter the effect of normalization, so stick to the game plan that suits you best.

Let us understand this further with an example. Consider that you and your friend appeared for the CAT exam. Both of you took the exam in different slots, different batches, and different geographical locations. Assuming you both scored precisely the same marks, the effect of normalization may change your percentiles. It is possible that despite answering 53 questions correctly while attempting only 53 questions, you may score 99.25 percentiles, while you friend scores 90.25 percentiles.

Conclusion: A Praqtical Look

There is not and there cannot exist an optimum strategy to counter the effects of normalization. The best way to achieve the best score is to outperform yourself every time you take a practice test. Do this and you can forget about normalisation in the CAT exam!

How concerned are you about normalisation? Have you thought about it as a problem that needs your attention? Please tell us in the comments.

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The difference between those who crack the CAT exam and those who don’t

Praqtise — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 13:02:54 +0000

Sanoj and Pranav are very good friends who are in the last year of their engineering. Both are planning and discussing what to do after graduating. Pranav suggests that they should take the MBA entrance exam and try to get into a good college. Sanoj says that he has heard that the CAT exam is very difficult and that not many can crack it to get into a good college. Pranav, however, convinces Sanoj that studying MBA will open many new opportunities in life and Sanoj agrees, though reluctantly. Both start preparing for the entrance exam for MBA.

Sanoj and Pranav prepare together for the exam, but Sanoj is skeptical that scoring good marks in CAT exam is not an easy task. Both study very hard for the examination, Pranav, with a positive attitude, and Sanoj, with a skeptical attitude. When the results come out, Pranav scores higher than Sanoj and get into a very good college, whereas, Sanoj barely gets into a decent college even after so much hard work. What could have been the reason?

Praqtice Fact File: MBA entrance examinations are designed to challenge the smartest of individuals and to create such a level of pressure that would reveal their weaknesses.

Mindset makes a lot of difference when preparing for the CAT exam

The pressure created by MBA entrance examinations like CAT may demotivate a lot of people, but cracking the CAT is all about taking it up as a challenge. When you are preparing for MBA entrance exams, your mindset certainly makes a lot of difference. You may think all that is required to crack the CAT is to thoroughly prepare the CAT syllabus. However, your mindset plays an important role in helping you crack the CAT successfully. A positive mindset which accepts it as a challenge goes a long way in helping you get into one of the top MBA colleges in India. If you prepare with a negative attitude then it affects not only your preparation for the entrance examinations, but also your performance in the entrance examinations.

Lack of confidence can have a negative effect on not just your performance in the examinations, but also the group discussions and personal interviews that follow.

How does mindset make a difference?

If you think that the CAT toppers are only successfully because of their high IQ, think again. If you think that only students who devote 18-hours a day to prepare for CAT exam, can ace the examination, think again. It is not just IQ or Hard work that makes all the difference in how you score in MBA entrance examinations. MBA entrance exams force you to delve into areas that you might not enjoy. For example, some people may not enjoy reading long passages or solving questions with a lot of mental calculation involved. However, if you develop a mindset that allows you to accept these areas as a challenge, then you can easily crack the CAT.

How to create a positive mindset when preparing for CAT exam?

A lot of students often wonder how to prepare for CAT. Every student, at one point, has wondered what he is doing differently from those students who ace the entrance examinations.

Here are a few insights that can help you change your approach to CAT preparation

Aim for small improvements

Improvement will be incremental and will require time and dedication. Setting small targets and achieving them will help in developing a sense of accomplishment. It will give you the courage to take up tougher aspects of the exam without feeling overwhelmed.

Do not underestimate the effort

Sometimes, despite ongoing efforts and continuous practice, the students might not get the expected results. This will surely to deter their will to continue. However, it takes more effort, perseverance, and a positive attitude to see positive results. It might simply be the case that you were less prepared than you thought. Treat it as an opportunity to learn rather than feeling intimidated by the effort needed.

See how far you’ve come, not just how far you’ve to go

It is necessary to overlook the results and focus on the efforts to build a positive attitude. MBA entrance exams force many individuals to move beyond their comfort zone. Aspirants have to read novels or perform arithmetic calculation mentally, things they would possibly never have done otherwise. You can appreciate the changes that the process of preparing for the MBA entrance examinations has brought into your lives.

Conclusion: A Praqtical Look

CAT exam is supposed to be one of the toughest competitive exams out there. There are those who start preparing in advance, yet appear for the exam with very little confidence. Then there are those who just walk into the CAT exam confidently, despite not preparing for it, and still ace it.

While one may not consider such instances to be meaningful examples, we can definitely see how a different mindset leads to a great difference in results.

How important do you consider mindset to be for performance? Please tell us in the comments.

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5 Dream Jobs After MBA where a degree makes a difference!

Praqtise — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 12:25:35 +0000

“In these jobs, an MBA degree will help you run the fast track in the rat race!”

Getting your dream job after MBA can be a tall task, which may come with a lot of hurdles. The placement process is sometimes as convoluted as the CAT question paper itself! However, it is not just getting the dream job that counts, but actually having the requisite skill set to excel in that dream. In most cases, the jobs after MBA start at the bottom rung, with you having to work yourself tirelessly towards the top of the corporate ladder. However, there are a handful of dream jobs where a degree from some of the best MBA colleges in India, such as NMIMS or SP Jain will actually help in the path to the top.

‘Living the Dream(s) after MBA.’

There are many dream jobs, but living the dream will depend ultimately on the individual. Getting a job after MBA in any of these four streams, however, provides a nice cushioned career path, with almost guaranteed results. All you have to make sure of is that your chosen MBA specialization (MBA Finance, MBA Marketing, MBA HR or MBA Operations) is in line with your career aspirations. To make it slightly easier for you, we have recommended the suggested specialization with the respective dream jobs.

‘MBA in Finance –Financial Analyst jobs after MBA’

PRAQTISE Fact File: One of the best MBA colleges in India for finance is IIM Calcutta. The finance program in the college is well known for academic and placement superiority.

Financial Analysts need to be insightful with plenty of analytical ability. They must be on their toes for emerging trends in the markets. They must have excellent communication skills and above all, need to be smart (almost to a point of being arrogant). Arrogance and communication skills are usually very different after the MBA degree. They do not remain the same as the fish market style of GD-PI during CAT preparation. In fact, after MBA, the individual usually becomes polished and confident of talking in public forums. It emphasizes the importance of simple things, like reading business newspapers and insight papers by established academic institutions.

Becoming a financial analyst after an MBA could very well help in reaching your career goals. Most financial institutions hiring from premier MBA colleges look for a well-rounded and insightful individual. Bagging the right job with the right degree backing, could open limitless possibilities in this field.

‘The Marketing MBA – Marketing Manager jobs after MBA.’

Marketing departments at various firms require fresh young blood to drive their marketing strategies and plans. MBAs serve as prime candidates with key insights into the generation Y mind set. Not only does this mean significantly higher compensation than your peers, but it also means working with some of the biggest brands, such as Procter and Gamble or Coca-Cola.

The marketing manager role involves overseeing the promotion and maintaining the image of a business line/product/service or brand. Depending on the job, hey may be managing the marketing of a whole line of business, or that of a particular product. MBA colleges produce marketing specialists who influence people’s lives daily, with the consumers being blissfully unaware!

To excel in this domain, one must have a fresh perspective, stellar presenting skills and above all a creative bent of mind. While some argue that creativity while studying for MBA, the degree is what equips one with the necessary technical capabilities. Extracurricular activities are the ideal outlet for your creative energy. Recruiters do prefer students who balance academic and extracurricular endeavours . So go for a student council position or join one of the various committees and student governing bodies to showcase the creative nature of the MBA. That is where it will really help if the student sees himself as a marketing guru.

‘MBA HR– Recruiting Manager jobs after MBA.’

Human resources MBAs are surprisingly underrated. A person looking to build a career as a human capital specialist can see very early fruits of his MBA. Not only is the job fun and sociable (until you need to fire someone!) but the importance of developing networking and people skills cannot be overstated. Backed by technical knowledge of HR concepts, the MBA in HR is unstoppable if he or she plays their cards right and leverages upon their MBA experience.

Networking is the key skill here, along with managing people. However, this is a job best suited for individuals who seek out interaction and thrive on collective effort.

‘MBA Operations– Supply Chain Manager jobs after MBA.’

Supply chain management is all about efficiency. The modern MBA programme promotes efficiency- be it through improving productivity or managing time. Any MBA student can attest to this fact.

Specializing in operations management allows for students to take efficiency to new levels. Supply chain management is all about finding a balance between productivity, quality and efficiency. It puts him leagues above his colleagues in achieving career success and in jumping out of the rat race.

‘Consultant – Technical consulting jobs after MBA’

Accenture, McKinsey, Bain and so on, we have all heard these names being referred to in high regard. Consultancy jobs are definitely among the most rewarding jobs after MBA. Also, the sheer prospect of being able to work on real life organizational problems for different sectors is as exciting as the pay packages.

A management degree grants a definite edge when vying for such jobs. As a result, companies pick candidates with the desired grounding in management education. For a student, it is a chance to go from solving cases to solving problems in real time.

‘Jobs after MBA – the Verdict.’

An MBA degree especially from the best MBA colleges in India, such as the IIMs, XLRI, SP Jain etc. opens up wonderful job prospects for you. For getting these highly coveted job roles, an MBA degree can be considered to be a massive springboard.

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good financial analysis

marketing management

recruitment-management

supply chain management

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Jobs after MBA – International or National

Praqtise — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:51:05 +0000

The final reward

A fat pay package job – The final reward of your years of toil though the educational system. Let us be point-blank pragmatic here, while your endless educational expedition does leave you learned and wise, the only tangible reward that you can flaunt are the jobs after MBA. What better way to land yourself a fat pay-package than an MBA from a top B-School. There is enough discussion among anxious CAT candidates that securing a good B-School is the penultimate step to success.

And why not! It is almost certain after that that you would land yourself in a respectable company, with a respectable position. Over the last few years, apart from the best Indian companies, top MBA colleges have managed to get International companies on their campus too. This gives a choice to the students to eye at a career outside India. While this option looks extremely mouth-watering, let us dissect it a little further. We shall look at the countries you actually get to go to, the salaries offered and other pros and cons of international placements.

The idea is to leave the reader better informed. Are International Jobs after MBA actually as good as the top-notch offers from Indian Companies? If one finds international placements really attractive – what is the right way to prepare for the same?

Dissecting International jobs after MBA

It will be interesting to know that international placements have postings across the globe. The lustre around an international placement might die for some if you get posted in an unknown country of Africa. Some important things you have to consider are –

Location

Most B-Schools do not easily reveal their international recruiters on their website. Yet a detailed analysis of the placement reports shows that 90% of the international jobs after MBA are located in The Middle-East, Africa and South East Asia. Some well-known recruiters are Olam International (Africa and South East Asia), Landmark Group (Middle East), Goldman Sachs (USA and South East Asia), Deutsche Bank (USA and South East Asia).

An international location means experiencing and adapting to climate, food and culture. How smooth this transition will be is likely to differ from case to case. “Dubai feels a lot like India! The food is wonderful, maximum expats are Indians or Pakistanis so you tend to feel at home.” – said Abhinav after working in Jumbo Electronics for three years. He was placed there from IIFT, known for its flagship International Business course, in 2012.

On the other hand, Anubhav of FMS 2012 batch, has a different opinion about his placement location Abidjan (Ivory Coast, Africa) in Olam International – “It took me some time to get used to the culture here. The place is beautiful but I am a vegetarian so I had to literally innovate with the food here.”

Good research of the location that you would get is very important to have the right composure. While some students revel in the alien culture, some get extremely anxious.

Relevance of the pay-package

Converting a foreign currency to Indian equivalent just through the conversion ratio might not work! PPP (Purchasing power parity) is a much important way to guess the value of the package.

Comparing with Indian Jobs

In all these parameters discussed above, do overseas jobs after MBA stand to be outright winners? Not really! India is a diverse country geographically, culturally, and economically. Location, local rents, and cost of living in each location vary drastically. Yet, within the country, transfers and movements are much easier.

Also, a secondary consideration is that you would have a much colourful social life in your country! You will have to make difficult choices – a fat pay-package or staying closer to home, long-term savings or a happening social life! Like in every decision in life – you will have to leave a few things behind!

Future professional growth prospects

An international placement does not guarantee exceptional career growth. On the other hand, domestic placements are not necessarily inferior. A number of factors are at play, including geographical location. A job in Africa or Middle East is likely to pay handsomely, but will not paint a clear picture in terms of long term growth.

The state of the economy of any country has a very direct impact on the job market . A country experiencing sluggish growth will offer limited prospects. The sentiment prevailing in the country regarding immigrants also plays a key part.

It is a different story when it comes to working within India. You can apply to work in parallel industries and improve your job profiles gradually.

Preparation to get your Dream International Job

If international placement is looking attractive to you, how do you ensure that you get one of those jobs after MBA ? It is always good to have a rough idea of which are your dream companies as early as possible. This helps in developing a profile which is attractive to them.

The first step is to get noticed. Your resume should bring out your best professional qualities and give a glimpse of your personality. Plan your resume keeping the company you are applying for in mind. Company related, industry related and geography related preparation would be very necessary.

So are you excited to travel outside India for a job? Do write to us if you wish to know more!

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Cheque

Location

Burger

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Ideal time versus accuracy ratio in MBA entrance exams

Praqtise — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:47:10 +0000

How to decide how much time to dedicate to each question in MBA entrance exams?

Anisha and Sagar, who are very good friends, are preparing for different MBA entrance exams. When taking a break from studies, they like to play a game where they are supposed to burst maximum balloons in minimum time but with a limited number of darts. Sagar usually loses this game. He uses all his darts in the given time but is unable to burst more than ten balloons. However, Anisha is an expert at this game. She plays the game with concentration and patience. She takes sufficient time to decide which balloon to target and when. This is the reason her success rate is always higher than Sagar.

Similarly, in the entrance exams, you should know which question to attempt and how much time to devote to each question.

In MBA entrance exams, time versus accuracy is the classic dilemma faced by many students. Students don’t know how much time to devote to any given question. Hence, the students find themselves confused about the number of questions to attempt within the given time-frame to get the best score. This article we will try to shed light on the practical methods and ideas to help you decide the ideal time versus accuracy ratio that you should maintain while attempting any entrance examination.

Preparing for the Common Admission Test (CAT)

CAT is one of the most difficult entrance exams in India for admission to top B-schools. The CAT exam pattern usually changes each year. According to experts, CAT is no longer a speed-based exam. Earlier, the CAT exam had 160-180 questions which were to be attempted within 2 hours. However, now the CAT question paper has 100 questions which are to be attempted within 3 hours. Despite the sectional restrictions, you have more time per question. Hence, when you are focusing on CAT preparations, focus more on accuracy than trying to attempt all questions. We’ll look the approach to reach your personal ideal time versus accuracy ratio in a while.

Praqtical Fact file: CAT 2016 exam structure

Section	Number of Questions
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	34
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)	32
Quantitative Ability	34

Preparing for other MBA entrance exams

Many top Business Schools conduct their own entrance examinations which have a different format than CAT. Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM) conducts the SNAP, Xavier’s School of Management (XLRI) conducts the XAT, All India Management Aptitude Testing Service conducts the MAT, All India Council for Technical Education conducts the CMAT. Many of the top management schools across India accept scores of these exams. Exams like SNAP, IIFT, and MAT, have more questions to be solved in a shorter period. Thus, here the focus of the students must be more on speed than accuracy. Whereas, in CAT and CMAT, there are a lesser number of questions to be attempted in a longer period. Hence, here the focus of the student can be on accuracy more than speed.

Praqtical fact file: Number of questions and time in different entrance exams

Exam	Number of questions	Duration of exam
CAT	100	3 hours
SNAP	150	2 hours
IIFT	115-135	2 hours
CMAT	100	3 hours
MAT	200	2.5 hours

The ideal time versus accuracy ratio

Stage 1

Understand the MBA entrance exam for which you are going to appear. For example, if you are taking the CAT, understand the CAT syllabus, the pattern and the type of questions the examination. Every exam is different in the way it tests the student. Some exams test your conceptual clarity, while others test your ability to perform well under time constraints. So, get a clear idea about the exam and its pattern.

Stage 2

Prepare thoroughly and revise the syllabus for before taking the exam. Make sure that you are clear about all the concepts in the syllabus.

Stage 3

Test yourself on a regular basis. Appear for mock tests for all the MBA entrance exams. Solve previous year’s papers. When you are solving previous years’ examination papers, take a note of questions you can attempt in the given period. Then verify the number of correct answers. Analyse the ratio of the number of correct answers versus the number of questions attempted.

For example, in CAT, suppose you attempted 70 questions out of 100 in 3 hours. This means you took, on an average, 2.5 minute per question. However, only 50 answers out the 70 attempted, are right. The ratio of your accuracy versus attempted question would come to 0.7 as opposed to 1 if all questions were correct. Had you attempted only the 50 questions which were right, the time per question would have been 3.6 minutes. With an increment of 1.1 minutes (44%), you can increase the possibility of answering more questions correctly. This would also mean losing lesser marks in negative marking schemes.

Stage 4

Give multiple mock exams and test this ratio to see if there is an improvement in scores.

Praqtical Look

The approach mentioned above is just one way of improving performance in the MBA entrance exams. There might be other better ways too. We cannot generalise the ratio for all. Each person has different strategies for different entrance examinations. By analysing the time taken to attempt each question correctly and by trying to reduce the time while maintaining the accuracy, you can perform great in any entrance examination. Try different approaches, and find the one that works best for you.

What are your thoughts on speed and accuracy? Do you have a strategy worked out? Please share with us in the comments.

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Image Sources:

[1] [2] [3]

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MBA colleges in India with best international tie-ups

Praqtise — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:21:14 +0000

Student exchange programs: A brief introduction

Raghav has recently completed BBA from a prestigious institute. On the last day in college, he is sitting in the canteen with two of his best friends on campus, Lynda and James. Lynda and James are foreign exchange students who have often described to Raghav how their time in India has been a great learning experience for them. They got to experience a new culture, meet new people, and learn far more than they could learn from books and classes. Raghav plans to pursue MBA and owing to the experience of James and Lynda; even he wants to get into a college which offered student exchange programs. However, Raghav is not sure which MBA colleges in India have the best student exchange programs. Raghav is not the only one who is unsure about this. There are a lot of students who are not unaware of such opportunities.

A post graduate degree is not just about studying in the class but about getting exposed to new experiences. Most MBA colleges in India promote summer internship programs, but students often find internship placements within India. Exposure to a foreign country and culture can be significant catalysts for the development of your career. The experience gained in the summer internship programs contribute to the building of a management perspective. Exchange programs can make a huge difference in defining the success of your career. Just like Lynda and James, if you have considered an exchange program, you should know which Institutes in India offer the best student exchange programs.

How have we come up with this list?

We have referred to the rankings of MBA colleges in India in two of the best magazines: Outlook India’s 100 best B-school and Business Line business school ranking. The top 12 colleges from the list have been mentioned below:

Business line business school ranking 2015-16
Outlook India’s 100 best B-school

Now let us look at the student exchange programs that the top MBA colleges in India have to offer.

IIM-Ahmedabad

IIM-A is the top college in both the ratings we considered. The student exchange program of IIM-A is incredibly vibrant. IIM-A has 79 partner Universities across the world which send and receive exchange students from the IIM-A. IIM-A provides an excellent opportunity to learn as well as experience new cultures.

Praqtical fact file: few of IIM-A partner universities out of 79

Asia	Asian Institute of Management, Makati City, Philippines Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani, Thailand
Australia	Australian Graduate School of Management, Sydney The University of Melbourne, Australia
Europe	Copenhagen Business School, Frederiksberg, Denmark EDHEC, Cedex, France
North America	Stern School of Business, NYU, New York The Anderson School at UCLA, Los Angeles
South America	Universidad De Lo8 Andes School of Management, Bogota, Colombia Universidad ESAN9 Peru
Canada	McGill University, Montreal Sauder School Of Business, Vancouver
South Africa	University of Capetown, South Africa Gordon Institute of Business, Johannesburg
New Zealand	University of Otago, New Zealand
Dual Degree Programs	ESSEC, Cedex, France
	The University of Bocconi, Milano, Italy
	HEC School of Management, Paris, France
	European Business School (EBS), Oestrich-Winkel, Germany
	University of Cologne, Germany
	ESCP Europe

IIM-Calcutta

IIM-C is the 2^nd best B-school in India per both the rankings. The PGP program provides the opportunity to spend a term at a partner university with which the college has a MoU. IIM-C has a tie up with 83 international institutes across the world.

Praqtical fact file: few of the partner institutes of IIM-C

Europe

The London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

Asia Pacific

The University of Sydney Business School, Australia

Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, China

America

Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration, Brazil

Ivey Business School, Canada

XLRI, Jamshedpur

XLRI is one of the best B-schools in India. It is 3^rd best as per the Outlook magazine. Below is the list of foreign Universities which have tie-ups with XLRI for student exchange programs:

The United States of America	AB Freeman School of Business Tulane University Weatherhead School of Management Case Western Reserve University Darden School of Business University of Virginia Carlson School of Management University of Minnesota
Europe	ALBA Graduate Business School, Greece Audencia Nantes School of Management, France Bordeaux Business School, France EM Lyon Business School, France Grenoble Ecole de Management, France IESEG School of Management, France Malardalen University, Sweden ESADE Business School, Spain Universiteit Antwerpen Management School, Belgium University of Gdansk, Poland Muenster School of Business Administration and Economics, Germany University of Muenster, Germany
Australia	Graduate School of Management, La Trobe University
South East Asia	Asian Institute of Management, Manila Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok

IIM Bangalore

IIM-B is the 3^rd best institute according to Business Line rating. IIM-B offers an excellent student exchange program and has partnered with more than 50 Universities across the world. Some of them are as follows:

Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne, Australia
Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Warsaw School of Economics, Poland
London Business School, University of London, UK
Yale School of Management, USA
And much more

Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi

FMS is one of the top B-schools in India. FMS offers numerous collaborative and exchange programs in various institutions across the world. Some of the tie-ups by the Institute are:

Foreign Exchange Programs

Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan.
IAE de Lyon Business School of the Universite Jean Moulin of France.
Indo-Korean Youth Exchange Program, Ajou University, South Korea.

IIM Kozhikode

IIM-K is one of the top B-schools in India and offers great student exchange programs. IIM-K have partnered with universities across the globe, some of which are:

MAYS Business School, Texas A & M University, USA
Jonkoping International Business School, Sweden
Plymouth University, UK
Leeds University Business School, UK
Audencia Nantes School of Management, France

IIM Lucknow

IIM- L is also one of the best B-schools in India and enjoys the 5^th position in the Business line rankings. IIM-L offers excellent student exchange programs owing to their international association and tie-ups with numerous universities across the globe, some of which are as follows:

Europe	Universite Catholique de Louvain, Belgium Copenhagen Business School, Denmark ESSEC Business School, France Ecole de Management, France Universite Jean Moulin, France REIMS School of Management, France ESCP-EAP, European School of Management, France European Business School, Germany Leipzig School of Management, Germany ESADE Business School, Spain Jonkoping International Business School, Sweden The university of St. Gallen, Switzerland
USA	George Mason University University of Connecticut Kelly School of Business
Canada	Brock University Carleton University Michael G Degroote School of Business
China	Beijing Jiaotong University

Praqtical Look:

The ranking showed top 10 B-school based on various parameters like placement, faculty, infrastructure, industry exposure, ROI, etc. But MBA is not just about these. Taking up a term in a new country is moving out of your comfort zone. You can experience a new culture and meet new people. Moreover, the challenges you face in a foreign country and the way you resolve the issues teach you valuable life lessons. The exchange program isn’t a year in your life; it’s a lifetime in a year.

Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below.

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How to prepare for different MBA entrance exams?

Praqtise — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:21:15 +0000

Anuj is an employee at one of the best IT companies in India. However, he wanted to transition from an engineer’s job to a management job. So, he decided to take up MBA. He spoke to Mahesh, one of his friends, about this. Mahesh’s brother is preparing for MBA entrance exams. Their conversation was as follows:

Anuj: I quit my job a week ago to devote my attention to preparing for entrance exams.

Mahesh: That’s a good decision. It would have been difficult to work and then study.

Anuj: I might have ended in the situation of a jack of all trades, master of none.

Mahesh: So now, for what all exams do you intend to appear?

Anuj: CAT, I guess.

Mahesh: Why just CAT? My brother is appearing for other exams as well.

Anuj: What other exams?

Mahesh: Well, he said, IIFT, SNAP, XAT, CMAT and few others.

Anuj: Oh, I have heard of them. But I don’t know how to prepare for them. Are they any different from CAT?

Most top B-schools in India have their individual testing criterion, while many colleges accept admission based on various standardised tests. But if you are planning to get into one of the top Management Schools then you have to prepare for multiple MBA entrance exams. Though Anuj’s situation may not be the situation for many candidates, but the question remains the same. How to prepare separately yet simultaneously for different MBA entrance exams? We have compiled comprehensive information and tips for various exams in this article. You can use this article as a guide while preparing for exams.

CAT 2016

Common admission test (CAT) is a test conducted by the IIMs each year. Cracking the CAT can get you admission into IIMs and many other top B-schools.

Praqtical Fact file: CAT 2016 exam structure

Section	Number of Questions
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	34
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)	32
Quantitative Ability	34

This year, CAT exam pattern has included non-MCQ questions. This means that the candidates must work strenuously to understand the basic concepts. Since the section duration is 1 hour, students must maintain speed and accuracy. Preparing per section and taking the mock test for CAT could be the best way to prepare for the exam.

Practical Fact file: CAT 2016 exam pattern

Aspects	Details
Duration of the Test	3 hours
Total Number of Sections	3
Sectional Duration	1 hour
Total Number of Questions	100

XAT 2016

XAT is Xavier Aptitude test is conducted by Xavier Association of Management Institutes. This test score is accepted by many B-school across India. Here, along with the standard sections of Quant and DI, VA and LR, you have to focus on the preparation for sections such as Decision Making, Essay Writing, and General Awareness.

Praqtical Fact file: XAT exam structure

Section	No. of question	Duration
Decision making	25	140 min
Verbal and logic ability	30
Quantitative ability and data interpretation	36
Essay and general awareness		35 min

The Decision Making section tests your interpretation skills and logic. These kinds of questions require a logical approach and a clear understanding of the situation. The Decision Making section is a combination of RC and LR, so, proper practice of these two sections might help as well. Solving previous years’ papers can also help.

In the essay writing section, the topics are usually abstract in nature, and you must relate it to a subject of relevance. Reading skills are the best way to prepare for Essay Writing. The more you read, the more you would know the current issues and relate it to your topic. Exercise writing an essay of 200-300 words each day to be familiar with the habit of writing using a pen and paper.

IIFT 2017

IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade) offer numerous programs, especially in International Trade & Business. The exam is held in an offline format. The duration of exam will be 2 hours, but the number of sections may vary. Last year, three sections were incorporated.

English comprehension
General knowledge and awareness
Logical reasoning and quantitative analysis

IIFT is an examination which allocates differential marks per question to each section. There is a penalty of 1/3^rd marks for each wrong answer. This year, the experts are expecting that three sections will be included in IIFT MBA 2017. The English section requires applicants to have good knowledge of the language. The questions may include RC, verbal reasoning, para-jumbles, vocabulary based question, etc. Thus, the thorough practice of the language and different type of questions is necessary.

For the GK and awareness section, an applicant must be abreast with current affairs and static GK. Reading the newspaper regularly along with specialised magazines and blogs can help. The questions can be broadly based on international trade, sports, economy, politics, etc. The QA and logical reasoning section is similar to that of CAT. However, the length and level of difficulty of questions might vary. Conceptual clarity and practice of previous years’ papers might come in handy.

Praqtical fact file: Last year’s IIFT exam pattern

Section	No. of Questions	Marking Scheme
Data Interpretation	19	1
RC	16	0.75
Quantitative Ability	25	1
Logical Reasoning	20	0.75
General awareness	28	0.5
Verbal Ability	20	0.75

SNAP 2016

Symbiosis National Aptitude Test is a national-level test organised by Symbiosis International University. It is 2.5-hour paper-pen based exam.

Praqtise fact file: SNAP 2016 exam pattern

Name of Sections	No. of questions	Total Marks
General English: Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability	40	40
Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	40	40
Current Affairs (of last two years)	30	30
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	40	40
Total	150	150

In SNAP, the candidate gets +1 and -0.25 of the marks for each correct and incorrect answer respectively. The candidates can refer to the previous years’ papers, model papers, practice papers, etc. for getting comfortable with the exam pattern of SNAP. The English section of the paper is like CAT. However, the level of difficulty might vary. Along with this, the candidates must also practice their verbal reasoning and ability skills.

In the Quant, DI, and data sufficiency section, the candidates’ mathematical and data sufficiency skills are tested. This section covers topics such as Arithmetic, Geometry, and Business Mathematics. Thus, the candidates must polish their formulas and concepts to be quick in mental calculations.

For the current affair section, one must be aware of current issues in India and the world. The candidates must follow newspapers and yearbooks to prepare for this section. In SNAP, the Analytical & Logical Reasoning section is the most important one. This section consists of questions that test the candidates’ analytical and logical skills. Thorough knowledge of basic concepts and the practice is the best way to tackle this section.

NMAT

Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test is conducted by GMAC. The NMAT test scores are widely accepted in numerous colleges across India. The duration of this test is 2 hours and the total number of questions to be answered is 120. The sectional details of the exam are as follows:

Serial Number	Sections	Number of Questions	Time Allotted (in minutes)
1	Language Skills	32	22
2	Quantitative Skills	48	60
3	Logical Reasoning	40	38
Total		120	120

This test basically aims to assess the basic knowledge of the aspirants and their problem-solving skills. The test has 3 sections. The first section tests the student’s language skills, in other words the fluency, proficiency and reading skills. This section consists of 32 questions to be answered within 22 minutes.

The second section, Quantitative Skills, aims to test the mathematical skills of the candidates. It consists of 48 questions, and the time allotted is 60 minutes. This sections requires the students to mathematically skilled, and to be able to perform calculations without a calculator.

The third section, Logical Reasoning, tests students on their reasoning skills. There are 40 questions in this section, which are to be answered within 38 minutes.

Other MBA Entrance Exams

The other entrance exams, namely CMAT, MAT, ATMA and IBSAT are of a similar pattern. If you are well-prepared for CAT and XAT, you can appear for these tests. Apart from CMAT and MAT, which have sections of General Awareness, the other exams have standard sections of Quant, Verbal Ability and Reasoning. The difficulty level is much lower than CAT or XAT.

Apart from these, most of the states in India conduct state-wise entrance examinations for MBA. These entrance examinations are usually a lot easier than entrance examinations like CAT, XAT, NMAT, etc. For each of these exams, it is a must to have conceptual clarity. You must read a lot as all exams have a dedicated VA section. Take multiple mock tests for getting familiar with the pattern. Taking mock tests help the candidates prepare their strategy for the final examination.

Praqtical look:

As stated above, conceptual clarity, reading and practice are the key to getting a good score in any exam. Apart from these, the candidates’ confidence and dedication can further their chances of securing admission to the best B-school.

Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below.

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