he number of books and articles on CAT can easily fill a mid-sized library. I will not denounce them, though I do believe they suffer from a major flaw -- they presume the same profile for all the people taking CAT each year.

This is certainly not the case; the profile is at least as varied as the number of languages spoken in India.

There are final year students with different backgrounds -- engineering, commerce, literature, science, pharmacy, medicine, etc.

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A vast pool of working professionals also take CAT. They come from various industries -- software, BPO, sales, manufacturing, electronics, advertising, etc.

As a result, all these people -- whether they are students or professionals -- need different strategies to tackle CAT. One needs to understand their problems and tailor their schedules accordingly.

In this article, I would like to talk about how software engineers can utilise the limited time they have on hand to prepare for CAT.

• Cat: A reality check

The life of a software engineer is a classic example of Murphy's Law (if something can go wrong, it will). For months together he won't have much to do. But the day he decides to take CAT, he will be put on a 'highly critical' project and all his plans to study will go ka-boom!

Most 'highly critical' projects have a lot of external and internal deliverables. And any deliverable means at least one week of slogging (don't forget to add a couple of all-nighters as well).

Under the circumstances, it becomes extremely difficult for him to prepare for the exam in a regular manner. Which is why most either give up or go about preparing for CAT in a half-hearted manner.

I believe software engineers can do their job well and prepare for CAT. Here are a few suggestions that should help them along.

Avoid that guilty feeling!

Most engineers fall into the vicious trap of feeling guilty when they start working towards CAT. As a result, much of their preparation takes place behind closed doors, hidden from the public eye. They believe if somebody in the company comes to know of their intention to take CAT, it will hurt their growth prospects.

Perish the thought. Please understand you are not cheating on the company. You are simply trying to further your career. No one has any problems with that. As long as you are sincere about your work, nobody gives a damn about what you do in your spare time or over the weekend.

Share your study material

Given the limited free time a software engineer has, it becomes extremely difficult for him to attend a coaching class. So share your study material/problems with your friends/colleagues. This will help your clear doubts faster. You will also have the support of a group that understands your problem (of simultaneously managing a job and studies).

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Tests, tests and more tests... NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Merely taking mock CATs is not going to help you crack CAT. What will help is analysing each and every exam you take. For every two hours you spend taking a mock exam, spend another four analysing your performance. It's agonising but, trust me, at the end of the day, this is the one thing that is really going to make the difference. If this exercise is carried out religiously -- Sunday ke Sunday -- I am sure it will help you increase your score tremendously.

All work and no play...

This holds true for any competitive exam.

Given the limited amount of free time software engineers have, they indulge in one of two things:

1. Working at the company

2. Studying for the exam

This is not done.

Do indulge in your favourite past-time -- watch cartoons, go to the cinema, pub-hop, walk along the beach. Anything that helps you relax and unwind. This is extremely essential and helps you focus better when you sit down to study.

CAT is an exam full of glorious uncertainties. Embrace those uncertainties as you methodically prepare yourself for November 21. Stay calm and focused and you'll make it to the other side.

Vikram Gupta is majoring in finance and marketing in the Post-graduate Programme in Management from IIM Lucknow. He cleared CAT in 2003.

Image: Rajesh Kakera

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