Non MCQ type Question In CAT – What to expect?

CAT 2021 had 66 questions in total out of which 18 questions were Non-MCQs or direct answer type questions. Non-MCQs or direct type questions are common in the CAT exam pattern. Non-MCQ questions in CAT have no negative marking and every correct answer will fetch you 3 marks. Though these questions are time consuming, but with non negative marking they are questions that can lift your overall percentile.

In this article,

• Non-MCQ questions from CAT 2021 Slot 3 Paper
• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
• Quantitative Ability
• Why Were The Direct Answer Questions Included In The CAT?
• From Which Section Can You Expect Direct Answer Type Questions?
• Will The CAT Direct Answer Type Questions Be Attracting Negative Marking?

Non-MCQ questions were first introduced in CAT 2015. The time limit to take the exam was increased from 170 to 180 minutes with the number of questions as 100. Since then, 18-20 Non-MCQ questions are usually asked in CAT, based on previous year papers.

Non-MCQ questions from CAT 2021 Slot 3 Paper:

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

Q1. The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) below, when properly sequenced would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer:

1. Businesses find automation, such as robotic employees, a big asset in terms of productivity and efficiency.

2. But in recent years, robotics has had increasing impacts on unemployment, not just of manual labour, as computers are rapidly handling some white-collar and service-sector work.

3. For years politicians have promised workers that they would bring back their jobs by clamping down on trade, offshoring and immigration.

4. Economists, based on their research, say that the bigger threat to jobs now is not globalisation but automation.

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Q2. Five jumbled up sentences, related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd one out and key in the number of the sentence as your answer:

1. They often include a foundation course on navigating capitalism with Chinese characteristics and have replaced typical cases from US corporates with a focus on how Western theories apply to China’s buzzing local firms.

2. The best Chinese business schools look like their Western rivals but are now growing distinct in terms of what they teach and the career boost they offer.

3. Western schools have enhanced their offerings with double degrees, popular with domestic and overseas students alike—and boosted the prestige of their Chinese partners.

4. For students, a big draw is the chance to rub shoulders with captains of China’s private sector.

5. Their business courses now largely cater to the growing demand from China Inc which has become more global, richer and ready to recruit from this sinocentric student body.

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Q3. The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) below, when properly sequenced would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer:

1. Restitution of artefacts to original cultures could faces legal obstacles, as many Western museums are legally prohibited from disposing off their collections.

2. This is in response to countries like Nigeria, which are pressurising European museums to return their precious artefacts looted by colonisers in the past.

3. Museums in Europe today are struggling to come to terms with their colonial legacy, some taking steps to return artefacts but not wanting to lose their prized collections.

4. Legal hurdles notwithstanding, politicians and institutions in France and Germany would now like to defuse the colonial time bombs, and are now backing the return of part of their holdings.

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

For Questions 1-3

Three reviewers Amal, Bimal, and Komal are tasked with selecting questions from a pool of 13 questions (Q01 to Q13). Questions can be created by external “subject matter experts” (SMEs) or by one of the three reviewers. Each of the reviewers either approves or disapproves a question that is shown to them. Their decisions lead to eventual acceptance or rejection of the question in the manner described below.

If a question is created by an SME, it is reviewed first by Amal, and then by Bimal. If both of them approve the question, then the question is accepted and is not reviewed by Komal. If both disapprove the question, it is rejected and is not reviewed by Komal. If one of them approves the question and the other disapproves it, then the question is reviewed by Komal. Then the question is accepted only if she approves it.

A question created by one of the reviewers is decided upon by the other two. If a question is created by Amal, then it is first reviewed by Bimal. If Bimal approves the question, then it is accepted. Otherwise, it is reviewed by Komal. The question is then accepted only if Komal approves it. A similar process is followed for questions created by Bimal, whose questions are first reviewed by Komal, and then by Amal only if Komal disapproves it. Questions created by Komal are first reviewed by Amal, and then, if required, by Bimal.

The following facts are known about the review process after its completion.

1. Q02, Q06, Q09, Q11, and Q12 were rejected and the other questions were accepted.

2. Amal reviewed only Q02, Q03, Q04, Q06, Q08, Q10, Q11, and Q13.

3. Bimal reviewed only Q02, Q04, Q06 through Q09, Q12, and Q13.

4. Komal reviewed only Q01 through Q05, Q07, Q08, Q09, Q11, and Q12.

Q1. How many questions were DEFINITELY created by Amal?

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Q2. How many questions were DEFINITELY created by Komal?

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Q3. How many questions were DEFINITELY created by the SMEs?

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Quantitative Ability:

Q1. A four-digit number is formed by using only the digits 1, 2 and 3 such that both 2 and 3 appear at least once. The number of all such four-digit numbers is

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Q2. Anil can paint a house in 12 days while Barun can paint it in 16 days. Anil, Barun, and Chandu undertake to paint the house for ₹ 24000 and the three of them together complete the painting in 6 days. If Chandu is paid in proportion to the work done by him, then the amount in INR received by him is

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Q3. Mira and Amal walk along a circular track, starting from the same point at the same time. If they walk in the same direction, then in 45 minutes, Amal completes exactly 3 more rounds than Mira. If they walk in opposite directions, then they meet for the first time exactly after 3 minutes. The number of rounds Mira walks in one hour is

Case Sensitivity: No

Answer Type: Equal

Based on students feedback, mentioned below are a few doubts that CAT aspirants had along with their explanations to help the CAT aspirants attend these questions comfortably:

Why Were The Direct Answer Questions Included In The CAT?

In CAT 2015 Non-MCQ questions were introduced. Around 10-15 questions were asked in which the candidates were required to type the direct answers instead of multiple-choice questions. This major change was done to reduce the scope of guesswork and reduce the impact of “shortcuts” that the multiple-choice questions provide. Also, Non-MCQ questions have no scope for elimination options.

In CAT 2015, the on-screen calculator was introduced for computation in the exam. This, in turn, requires the aspirant to be extra careful and answer the question only if they know the exact answer.

From Which Section Can You Expect Direct Answer Type Questions?

We can safely assume that Logical Reasoning questions and Reading Comprehension questions in CAT won’t be having Direct answer type questions as aspirants won’t be having a keyboard.

Aspirants can expect a huge percentage of questions from the Quantitative aptitude and data interpretation part.

An important tip would be not to skip these questions if you are sure of the answers. If you are being given a para jumble question, then it would be better to skip because answering a para jumble question mostly requires the choices to answer for elimination.

Will The CAT Direct Answer Type Questions Be Attracting Negative Marking?

It has been a debatable topic for the aspirants and the authorities if the direct answers are going to attract any negative marking. By analyzing CAT previous year papers, it is confirmed that CAT direct answers type questions won’t be having any negative marking for incorrect answers. The purpose of negative marking is to discourage guessing answers. It would have been unfair if negative marking had been awarded since the answers are charged to subjectivity.

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