IPMAT VARC – IIM Indore. Is it everybody’s cup of tea?

What happens in IPMAT VARC section of IIM Indore?

If you have come this far and decided to give IPMAT a shot, Kudos! to you. The good news is that this exam can be cracked with 1/ 2 / 3 months of dedicated preparation depending on where you are starting from. Each section requires its own strategy, and this blog will try to give you a jumpstart on what to do for the IPMAT VARC section of IIM Indore.

What is the Syllabus and Exam Pattern?

The IPMAT VARC section leans heavily towards verbal ability questions, taking up more than 70% of this section.

The IPMAT VARC section for IIM Indore consists of the following types of questions

1. Reading Comprehension passages
2. Fill in the blanks with the right phrase/ word
3. Choose the alternative so that the underlined part of the sentence is rendered correct.
4. Choose the sentence that seems most logically appropriate to complete the paragraph.
5. Choose the correct set of words
6. Choose the sentence with the incorrect usage of the word
7. Sentence Rearrangement

Every correct MCQ fetches you +4 marks and every incorrect answer leads to a -1. Questions which don’t have any options give you +4 marks if you get it right and 0 if you get it wrong. (So, +4/ -1, and 0 for non-MCQ questions)

How to Prepare?

Reading comprehension passages are usually between 350-450 words and take up only a small chunk of the paper. The preparation for reading comprehension is like a game of probability – Your chances of cracking the tough ones go up when you read (but what?) regularly.  However, even daily reading can make you second guess your answers under pressure. So to begin with, try to cut yourself some slack, and focus on question selection. Choosing those questions whose answers are obvious helps you navigate through the tricky ones with confidence and clarity.

Then come the inference-based questions which may appear to be vague or ambiguous at first. (I feel you!) Sometimes, when I get stuck between two options for several minutes, I usually do one of two things:

1. Ask the question “What is the author actually trying to convey? On what grounds can I eliminate one of the options?” Patience is key in this approach as it takes time to build in-depth understanding of the passages. This video may help you get clarity on how to approach such questions.
2. Move on to the next question without looking back. Some times it may be sensible to move forward with your head still in the game. It is absolutely fine to skip a question that you simply cannot crack at that moment.

Grammar or Game Over?

If you are well acquainted (not superlative!) with English Grammar, that is sufficient to solve easy to moderate level questions of IPMAT VARC. The verbal ability section of IPMAT has a mixed bag of easy to tricky questions. Some are vocab based, whereas some are contextual. For a few you need to know the meaning of idioms and phrases, and for others you must know the spelling. For those of you who are worried about tricky grammar questions and confusing parajumbles, I have only one thing to say to you… “Yeh Sab ke saath hota hai”. (It happens to everybody)

Along with regular VA practice, reading is essential to fine tune your grammar and learn new words. It introduces you organically to well-known idioms and popular phrases within a meaningful context. With planned and sustained efforts you should be able to clear the cut off comfortably.

The Verdict!

Finally, to answer the much-awaited question (Is it everybody’s cup of tea?), “Of course it’s a doable section”. You have already the first step if you determined to excel.

We at 2IIM have analyzed and provided detailed solutions to the IPMAT papers to help you with your preparation. You will have experienced and accomplished mentors who have themselves scored 100%ile in CAT to take you through the journey.

GO FOR IT!

Have a shot at a few questions from IPMAT VARC 2019 and 2020 paper to get started

Q.1) One of the statements below contains a word used incorrectly. Choose the option which has the incorrect or inappropriate usage of the word.

1. Last week we learnt about the right way to greet our customers.
2. “Get it write the first time” is an often-heard management slogan.
3. In India, driving on the Right side of the road is wrong.
4. The rite of afternoon tea is described in many of Enid Blyton’s book

To check your answer click here

This was easy right?……. The next question may be dicey!

Choose the alternative so that the underlined part of the sentence is rendered correct.

Q.2) Besides offering physiological rewards such as toned muscles, when regular karate is practiced the body can be turned into a dangerous weapon.

1. one can turn the body into a dangerous weapon through karate, if it is practiced regularly
2. the body can be turned into a dangerous weapon as a result of karate if practiced regularly
3. when karate is practiced regularly, the body can be turned into a dangerous weapon
4. karate, if practiced regularly, can turn the body into a dangerous weapon

Sign up as a trial user and view up to 40 hours of content for free: https://ipm.2iim.com