SNAP 2015 analysis: Innovative, fast-moving & difficult!

By Parasharan Chari

First let's take a stock of the paper before proceeding to SNAP 2015 analysis:

Total Questions: 150

Total Marks: 180

Total time: 120 minutes

Innovative... Fast Moving... Difficult are the words that can describe SNAP this year.

Although the pattern of the SNAP 2015 paper remained the same but a lot of innovative questions were seen. Students who would have apprehended a difficult section earlier and switched over would have advantage.

Compared to previous few years SNAP 2015 exam is definitely on a difficult note.

SNAP 2015 student reaction: Unexpected questions in GK section

Detailed section wise analysis of SNAP 2015 is as follows:

Watch SNAP 2015 analysis and student reaction video:

SNAP 2015 analysis Section 1:

General Awareness, 40 questions, 1 mark each

This section can be considered as most challenging section of paper. More than 80% of the questions were static. Questions on the Whatsapp valuation, the day on which Narendra Modi was sworn in as the PM, NDA and total seats in Loksabha were the only few dynamic questions and the options for the same questions were really close. Rest static questions were based on history, constitution, full forms, business etc.

Good Score: A well-read candidate could only have attempted approximately 9+ questions in 12-14 minutes. Managing high accuracy is a little challenging here and hence 6+ can be considered a good score.

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SNAP 2015 analysis Section 2:

General English, 40 questions, 1 mark each

High focus on vocabulary based questions made this section a quick attempt one. There was just one Reading Comprehension passages comprising five questions which was easy. Surprisingly there were no questions on para-jumbles, logical continuation or discontinuation. There were seven questions based on concepts of grammar. There were questions on idioms, word usage, odd one out, figure of speech, synonyms and antonyms and most of them were technically simple but would have taken the student community by surprise. The fresher variety of questions – which can’t be put under the aptitude bracket - included American to British English and French and Latin origin-based questions.

Because of such a break-up, scores in this section can go either way i.e. either a lottery (for candidates having strong command over vocabulary) or a no-show (for candidates depending upon RC and Verbal reasoning-based questions like para-jumbles).

Good Score: Assuming a decent number of candidates would have prepared really well on vocabulary, 30+ questions attempted within 30 minutes can qualify as a good attempt. With 82-85% accuracy, a net score of 23+ can be considered a good score. 

SNAP 2015 analysis Section 3:

Analytical and Logical Reasoning, 30 questions, 2 marks each

Contrary to the general trend of SNAP year on year, this section was difficult. There were newer varieties like smiley-based, orientation based (ceiling fan: Table fan), cash flow based, words and numbers (WOE 1089 Misery) questions which could have surprised a student who started this section. There were just two sets of arrangement and conditional reasoning of five and four questions respectively which were easy and must do questions. Independent questions, especially on series, were technically difficult. There were two questions on statement and argument, which were a little weird and hard to mark. Overall, a good candidate would have spent no more than 45 minutes in attempting this section would have been under difficult times.

Good Score: An ideal attempt will be 20+ and a good score can go up to 35+.

View SNAP syllabus 

SNAP 2015 analysis Section 4:

Quantitative and Data Interpretation & Sufficiency, 40 questions, 1 mark each

This section followed the conventional style of aptitude tests and hence, the break-up of questions was proportionately distributed. About 1/3rd questions were based on arithmetic and 1/4th on algebra. There were just three questions based on Geometry and 4 questions based on modern maths. Data Interpretation was just 1 set of 4 questions. Surprisingly, there were no Data Sufficiency based questions and for the fact that this section was easy, 2 incorrect questions (1024! & a question on SICI) added to the woes. Overall, the time taken to attempt this section can go up to a little more than 30 minutes.

Good Score: Candidates with good command over concepts and strong speed will end up attempting 32+ questions. Good score in this section can be 28+.

Overall difficulty level (SNAP 2015 analysis):

If we consider a serious candidate to be very good in two sections, good enough in a third section and average in the fourth, then an overall good score can reach 82+.  Apply bell curve logic and we get approximately top 1.5% of test takers scoring in the range of 82 or more, and another 3% or so scoring in the range 77+.

This more or less becomes the cut-off of top two institutes affiliated to SNAP i.e. SIBM and SCMHRD respectively.

The next rung of institutes, comprising SIBM – Bangalore, SIIB – International Business and SCMHRD – Infrastructure Management, may consider a cut-off of approximately 90%ile, scores for which may be in the range 65-75 marks.

The subsequent rung of institutes will be SIOM, SCIT, SSBF, SIMS and SITM, and they may consider a cut-off in the range of 55-60 marks or approximately 80%ile. Further, SIHS, SICSR, SIG, SIMC and SIIB –ABM / E & E, offering specialised courses in management may consider a cut-off in the range of 40 to 45 marks. 

Good luck to all the SNAP 2015 takers for the results!

SNAP 2015 results will be declared on January 11, 2016.

Read more:

Top Full time MBA/PGDM institutes in India accepting SNAP

Planning to take SNAP 2016? View our SNAP prep section.

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