NMAT by GMAC exam first week analysis

NMAT by GMAC 2015 kicked off on October 6, 2015. A computer-based test, NMAT by GMAC scores are used for admission for management courses by 15 institutes/ colleges.

On Day 1 of the test, we found out that no new surprises have been introduced. The test takers have played it safe this year.

We decided to talk to Parasharanchari, COO at Endeavour Careers, to figure out how did the first week of the test go. Here’s what he had to say:

  

No surprises…!! GMAC managed to produce a near-copy of last year’s NMAT test. 

Be it the sectional pattern or level of difficulty or variety of questions, everything was nearly same. This was a typical NMAT test made for an aspirant who is ready for a speed test and won’t hesitate in leaving 10-15 speed-breakers lying randomly. 

 

NMAT by GMAC section wise analysis:

Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

(48 Questions, 60 minutes)

This section can be classified into two parts:

1. Quant, which had about 28 questions
2. Data Interpretation, which had 5 sets of 4 questions each

 Apart from six speed-breakers, all the problems of Quant were suitable for speed test since most of them were simple application-based questions. With six questions of Numbers and six of Geometry, the paper had a good mixture of ratio-based questions (Time-Speed-Distance, Time & Work, Alligation Mixure, Averages) and higher arithmetic questions (P & C, Progression, Logarithm).

Data Interpretation part was calculative. There were two sets of Tables and one set of Pie Chart, Bar Chart and Mixed Chart each, primarily testing aspirants’ approximation and calculation skills.

Good Attempt:

Overall, the section can be termed as easy to moderate and attempting 34-36 questions with 90+ % accuracy can be termed a good score.

  

Analytical Reasoning

(40 Questions, 38 Minutes)

 AR had a mix of 30 Logical Reasoning questions and 10 verbal reasoning questions. There were questions on blood relationship, table-based arrangements, arrangements, data structure, series and coding-decoding. Approximately 10 random but logic-based questions improved variety in the test paper. Six questions were from strengthen-weaken arguments and four questions from statement conclusion questions. Together, these 10 questions formed a part of verbal reasoning. Except five speed breakers, section was easy and manageable. 

Good Attempt:

The section was easy but the sheer variety of the questions makes me rate it as Moderate and reaching around 28-30 attempts with 90%+ accuracy can be considered a good score.

 

Verbal Ability

(32 Questions, 22 minutes)

In VA section students have to attempt questions at a breakneck speed – 40 seconds per question. It consisted of a good count of grammar-based fill-in-the-blanks (precisely 10) and five synonyms/antonyms made the task possible for test takers. This was further supported by four questions of para-jumbles and four questions of spot the errors. Only “time-consuming” part of the paper were two Reading Comprehensions with four questions each. Most of the questions of RCs were direct and easy.

Good Attempt:

The section can be termed as easy and around 24-28 attempts with 90+% accuracy can be termed as a good score.