The one-liner answer to your question is - Yes you can crack CAT while studying full-time at IIM Raipur but you should not. This is because it entirely depends on your motivation and dedication. Without that, you won’t be able to prepare for CAT well and even end up affecting your PGP score.
I know a person who was able to ace this. He prepared for CAT relentlessly alongside pursuing PGP. He worked day and night, sacrificed his sleep, and was able to get into IIM Kozhikode. But what you need to understand from this is that it was a very uncommon and rare situation. Other students of the same batch tried the same but one was able to crack CAT.
It all comes down to how serious you are about joining a better IIM. If you are confident enough to ace the CAT and not let its preparation affect your PGP scores, then we’ll do well. Go for it!
Preparing from RS Agarwal will not be of much use. Because the questions in IPM or BMS exams are of a slightly higher level and involve more than just conceptual usage, but also a little bit of trickery. These are usually practical questions rather than theoretical ones.
These types of questions are not found in the books of RS Agarwal or RD Sharma. Rather, they can be found in books designed specifically for IPM or CAT preparation. You do not need to go for RS Aggarwal or RD Sharma, but rather for books that are specifically designed for the IPM or CAT entrance exams.
In comparison to IIM Indore and DUJAT, IIM IPM Rohtak Aptitude Test does not include questions from 11th and 12th-grade mathematics. The IIM Rohtak Math section focuses primarily on Quantitative Aptitude.
The following is a section-by-section analysis of the paper:
There are ten to eleven questions on numbers and related topics. There are 13-14 questions on Arithmetic, with 5 on basic percentages, 2 on Time and Work and 2 on Boats and Streams, and 1 on Pipes and Cistern, Mixture, Profit and Loss, and Trains. There are three Trigonometry questions, two of which are based on heights and distance and the other on Trigonometric Identities. There will be a question from each of the following categories: Age Problem, Set Theory, Permutation and Combination, and Probability. There are also 3-4 Geometry questions and 4 Data Sufficiency questions.
Conclusion, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Number Series, and Code-based Comparison each have five questions. Following that, there are three questions each on Blood Relationship, Direction Sense, Set Theory, and Cause and Effect. Clocks and Calendars each have one question.
There are three passages, each with three, three, and four questions. Each passage is one paragraph long and contains 400-500 words. The questions on Vocabulary are given a higher weightage, with 6 direct questions on Antonyms and Synonyms, 5 questions on Spelling Mistakes, 4 questions on Analogies, and 3 questions on Word Usage. There are 3-4 Para Jumble questions and 4-5 Sentence Completion questions. Two questions, one each on conjunction and passive voice, are likely to be asked.
Your English grades have no bearing on your ability to perform well at either IIM Indore, or IIM Rohtak, IPM exams. The type of English skills required to pass the IPMAT (or any other entrance exam) differs greatly from what is taught in schools. You have plenty of time to prepare and will undoubtedly do well if you are consistent in your preparation.
Begin with Pearson's IPM entry guide. There are currently no IPM-specific books available from any other publisher. Check to see if you can answer the questions. If you believe that a book alone will not suffice, consider taking online classes from a reputable coaching institute.
Entrance is not the only selection criterion; you must also prepare for the PIWAT. Practice writing essays for the WAT (Written Ability Test). The actual topic could be anything under the sun, so you must be adaptable enough to come up with something creative in 20 minutes. Look for previous WAT IPM and CAT topics online and practice them. You'll get better with practice.
Then there's PI. The conversation usually revolves around your academics, general knowledge, hobby, or general HR concerns. For that, you must be well-versed in current events from the previous six months as well as your 12th syllabus. Do general knowledge and current events in addition to your regular preparation, and brush up on your academics a week before the interview.
Mock exams are unquestionably the most crucial part of the IPMAT Indore exam preparation. If you carefully analyze each mock exam, about 25 to 30 would be enough to pass this one. You won't benefit from mocking someone just for the sake of mocking someone. In essence, you're just wasting your time if you don't spend two to three hours analyzing each mock. Accordingly, 1-2 months should be sufficient for you to comfortably administer and evaluate 30 mock exams.
By taking practice exams, be sure to come up with a winning strategy that will help you perform well on the real exam.
The paper for the IPMAT IIM Indore is divided into three sections; 2 on Quantitative Aptitude and 1 on VARC. There are 40 questions in each section that must be answered within 40 minutes. There is a time limit for each section, so you can't tamper with them.
These are the few books you'll need for English (VARC). Norman Lewis Word Power Made Easy and a Grammar Book by Wren and Martin. Practice sentence correction and phrasal verbs. Because there are also five to six comprehension questions, increase your reading speed to at least 300 words per minute. Read a lot of books or watch English-language videos on any general topic. This is merely to sharpen your sentence-building abilities, which will assist you in situations where you must rearrange words into meaningful sentences.
Practice Algebra, Trigonometry, Matrices, Determinants, Relations, and Measuring for the QA (Math section). Calculus and vectors are not prevalent. R.D. Sharma's book, Objective Mathematics is suggested for you. Get an NCERT questions book if you want more math books. You must keep in mind that you only have a limited amount of time, so you must complete just 25, or 30 if possible, of the total 40 questions.
If you're smart enough and have a comprehensive understanding of elementary grammar and high school mathematics, the exam is simple.
Frankly, the preparation tips for the IIM Indore IPM Aptitude test and personal interview are best understood from a student who's been through the process recently, not a coaching instructor or institute.
The aptitude test to interview score ratio is 60:40. The study material for the course can't really help you much. Sharpen your math skills if they are lacking. It's a must because quant is a stress if your math skills aren't up to par. The computer provides you with a calculator, but it can only perform basic addition and subtraction. If you are proficient in English, verbal is simple. No point in opening the dictionary to figure out new words or trying to mug them up. Read the papers and any classic literature you can get your hands on. The rest would probably work out. The majority of the reading was at the CBSE level. Your reading speed is the only potential stumbling block. Reading newspapers will also help you if you are chosen for the interview. The term "electronic commerce" refers to the sale of electronic goods. Also, the break between the test and interview is a good time to brush up on your class 12 syllabus.
The one thing to remember is to never lie. They'll see right through you, and trouble may be on the way. Presentation is essential. Don't be scared to ask for a little time to ponder upon a question, but don't be overconfident.
The key is self-assurance. After all, the panelists and the test are only attempting to assess the breadth of your knowledge, your self-awareness, and the goals you wish to achieve. Don't compare yourself with others or think of the multitude of kids trying their luck too. You will succeed there if you are aware that IIM IPM is where your heart truly lies.
Recently IIM Rohtak has stopped taking admissions under the CAP process and now conducts its own PI round. This round is quite similar to the Personal Interviews of other B Schools. Some tips to prepare for this round are
The interviews now are usually conducted online so follow the general online PI etiquettes and you are good to go.
If you want to decide the toughness on the basis of the availability of seats then yes, it indeed is tough to get into IIM Indore. The seats available for the IPM program are 150. So the competition is pretty tough.
But in reality, the majority of the students just are writing the exam casually. Some students even give up after looking at the test structure, difficulty, and other confidence issues. So the ones who are serious about and have seriously prepared for the exam are competing with a much lesser number of students.
IIM Indore makes around 800–850 calls for an interview for IPM, which means one of every 6 good candidates gets a call for an interview. Around the top 180 students get a final offer (main list + waiting list).
So probability-wise you have a good chance of making it into IIM Indore provided that you are self-motivated and well-prepared.