MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning 2023: Pattern & Syllabus, Topics, Difficulty Level, Preparation Tips, Books
Content Writer | Updated On - Jan 19, 2023
MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning 2023 will consist of questions from topics like blood relations, syllogisms, statements & assumptions, seating arrangement, critical reasoning, etc.
- As per past trends, 15-20 questions in MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section can be expected from only 2 topics, viz. blood relations, and statements-cause & effect.
- A total of 40 MCQs of moderate difficulty level are asked in MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning. Check MAT 2023 Exam Pattern
- As per the marking scheme of MAT 2023 exam, every correct answer will award you 1 mark, and each wrong answer will cost you 0.25 marks.
- Apart from MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, MAT Syllabus has 4 more sections: Indian and Global Environment, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills, and Language Comprehension. Check MAT 2023 Syllabus
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MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning 2023 Highlights
MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section is a difficult section to attempt as the questions are considered to be both lengthy and confusing. However, it is also very scoring and requires only a sound strategy and ample amount of practice to score well. Having a clear idea of MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Pattern is important before starting preparation for MAT 2023 exam. Given below are all the essential details regarding MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section:
| MAT 2023 Intelligence & Critical Reasoning Exam Pattern | |
|---|---|
| Particulars | Details |
| Marks Allotted | 40 |
| Number of Questions | 40 |
| Type of Questions | MCQs |
| Marks Awarded | +1 for every right answer |
| Negative Marking | -0.25 for every incorrect answer |
| Time Suggested | 30 minutes |
| MAT 2023 Exam Duration | 150 minutes |
| Considered for Percentile Calculation | Yes |
| Weightage in Percentile Calculation | 25% |
Check detailed MAT 2023 Exam Pattern
MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning Syllabus 2023
MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning does not require rote learning or application of the candidate's ability to memorize. It tests the mental aptitude of the candidate in analyzing the given data and providing the correct conclusions. To start preparing for MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, candidates must go through MAT 2023 Syllabus for Intelligence & Critical Reasoning tabulated below:
| MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Syllabus | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fact-inference-judgment | Passage Conclusion | Clocks |
| Calendars | Statement-Argument | Analogy |
| Blood Relations / Family Tree | Logical Sequence | Assumption |
| Premise | Conclusion | Seating Arrangement |
| Linear and Matrix Arrangement | Team Formation | Input-Output |
| Series | Syllogism | Cubes |
| Rows | Set theory, Venn Diagrams, and Network Diagrams | Puzzles |
| Logical Reasoning based on Rankings | Critical Reasoning | Quantitative Reasoning |
| Direction sense | Decision Making | Incorrect Terms |
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- MAT Mathematical Skills Syllabus
- MAT Language Comprehension Syllabus
- MAT Data Analysis & Sufficiency Syllabus
Weightage of Important Topics in MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
| Topic | Number of Questions | Level of Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Blood Relations | 10 | Easy-Moderate |
| Statements- Cause & Effect | 8-10 | Moderate |
| Analogies | 3-4 | Moderate |
| Statements-Assumptions | 3-4 | Moderate |
| Direction sense | 3-4 | Moderate |
| Critical Reasoning | 4-5 | Difficult |
| Series/ Logical Sequence | 3-4 | Easy |
| Syllogisms | 3-4 | Moderate |
| Incorrect Terms | 2-3 | Easy |
MAT 2023 Exam Preparation Books – Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
| Name of the Book | Publisher/Author |
|---|---|
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | Peeyush Bharadwaj |
| Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT | Nishit Sinha |
| A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning | RS Agarwal |
| Shortcuts in Reasoning (Verbal, Non-Verbal, Analytical & Critical) for Competitive Exams | Disha Experts |
| A New Approach to REASONING Verbal & Non-Verbal | B.S. Sijwali and Indu Sijwali |
| General Intelligence and Critical Reasoning for MAT/ CMAT/ MHCET/ NMAT Exams | Disha Experts |
| How to Crack Test Of Reasoning- REVISED EDITION | Jaikishan and Premkishan |
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MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Preparation Tips
- Practice is the only way to score more than 30 marks in MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section. So, practice as many questions as possible (at least 20-30) every day to ace MAT exam.
- Read the question carefully and analyze the demand of the question before jumping to conclusions.
- Practice maximum questions from important topics like syllogisms, blood relations, and statements-cause& effect to increase speed and accuracy.
- Refer to Books by renowned authors like Arun Sharma, and R S Aggarwal to clear all the basics and derive short tricks to solve complex puzzles and arrangements.
- Never presume any information not provided in the question. Consider only the information given while choosing the answers to each question.
- Read all the answer choices carefully to choose the correct answer and eliminate the wrong answers.
- Solve 2-3 MAT ICR Mock Tests every week to understand the types of questions and improve your time management skills.
- Always choose the conclusion that definitely follows from the information given to you in questions based on syllogisms and statements & assumptions.
Check more MAT 2023 Preparation Tips
Common Mistakes To Avoid while Solving MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Questions
- Rushing Through the Data: Do not rush through the data given in questions. Read the question carefully and analyze the demand of the question before jumping to conclusions. Read the entire information carefully as missing out even a single point can lead to incorrect conclusions
- Spending Too Much Time on One Question: Never spend more than 40 seconds on a question. If you are unable to understand the question, leave it and move to the other questions.
- Not Paying Attention to Important Terms: Candidates often read the factual data and while solving miss out on certain important terms that make a major difference in the meaning of the sentence. It is very important to pay attention to important terms like:
- All, some, none
- Only and Only If
- Unless, Not, and Definitely
- Negative Prefixes like un-, dis-, non-, etc.
- Not Learning Short Tricks for Questions on Family Relations: Not learning abbreviations and short tricks for family relations topics can take away a lot of your valuable time in solving these questions.
- Not Thinking Critically: This section demands logical thinking and an analytical approach to solving questions. Factual interpretation of information is not sufficient to answer these questions.
MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning Sample Papers
By solving MAT sample papers and previous year question papers of the Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section, candidates can get an idea of the type and difficulty of the questions they can expect in MAT 2023 exam. The Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section of MAT exam has 40 questions of easy-moderate difficulty level. Time management is the most important to score above 30 in this section. As there is no sectional time limit, candidates are suggested to allot not more than 30-35 minutes in solving MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section.
MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning 2023 FAQs
Ques. How to improve in Intelligence & Critical Reasoning for MAT 2023?
Ans. To improve in MAT 2023 Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, every candidate has to start by practicing sample questions for each subtopic. Learn the short tricks and methods to solve the questions accurately and in less time. Make sure that you understand the core concepts and only then move on to the next topic. Practice at least 5-10 questions daily on all the topics that you study. Prioritize harder-to-solve topics while preparing, and solve them towards the end.
Ques. I have never attempted a management exam before. What are the things I should keep in mind while preparing?
Ans. As someone who has never attempted an Intelligence & Critical Reasoning paper before, you need to clear your basics and learn the method to solve each type of question before moving forward. Practice doing solved examples first, and solving these would give you some confidence. Once you are good at solving and can solve the questions quickly, start solving sample papers and previous years question papers for MAT
Ques. Which are the most important topics for MAT 2023 Intelligence & Critical Reasoning?
Ans. The most important topics for MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section are Family Relation, Statements-Cause & Effect, Statement –Assumptions, Reasons, analogies, direction, series, Incorrect Terms. They are repeatedly asked in the exam and are generally solved in a short time span.
Ques. How much time is required for preparing for MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning?
Ans. For MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, candidates have to give at least 1.5 hours a day for thorough preparation until the time of the exam. If this is your weakest section, give more time to it and prioritize preparation for MAT IC.
Ques. What is the fastest way to prepare for MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning?
Ans. The Fastest Way to prepare for MAT IC is to practice using sample papers of MAT and the previous years’ question papers. By practicing these, you can easily understand what kind of questions are asked in the paper and you will have a good idea of what to expect.
Ques. Which topics have the maximum weightage in the Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section of MAT exam?
Ans. In the Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section, blood relations and statement (cause & effect) account for about 50% weightage. Candidates can expect 8-10 questions each on these topics. Apart from these 2 topics, questions will also be asked from topics like direction test, syllogisms, analogies, and logical series & sequences.
Ques. What is the overall difficulty level of MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning?
Ans. Based on the analysis of the previous years’ MAT exams, the Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section is considered to be of moderate difficulty. The questions on syllogisms, blood relations, and critical reasoning are a bit lengthy and tricky but doable. The questions on direction sense, ranking, and series are easier and take less time to attempt.
Ques. What are the best books for MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning preparation?
Ans. Some of the best books for MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning preparation are:
- Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit K Sinha
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
- Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey
- How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
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