The Common Admission Test is less than a month away.

So we got CAT expert A K R S Srinivas, director of Triumphant Institute of Management Education, Mumbai, to chat with readers about strategy, criteria for B-school admissions and a whole lot more.  

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Srinivas is an alumnus of IIM-Calcutta. He has an engineering degree in electronics and communication from Osmania University. He worked with Maruti Udyog [Get Quote] Limited in Gurgoan, Delhi and Kolkata before joining TIME, Hyderabad, as director of the CAT course. Teaching is his passion and he has been training students for CAT for the last 15 years.

For those of you who missed the chat, here is the transcript:

Part I: What is the admission criteria for the IIMs?

Part II: What is the admission criteria for the IIMs?

ronit: hello zeenal JBIMS doesnot consider cat score

ARKS Srinivas: JBIMS does take CAT scores.

sekhar: Hello sir, IIMB is offering an Executive MBA program for the corporate people. IF we take up that course, how will be the future prospects

ARKS Srinivas: Sekhar, it will not provide placement. However, it will give a brand name in your resume and should enhance your prospects in the long run.

manik: how gud is glakes chennai?

ARKS Srinivas: Great Lakes is a new institute. We have to wait and see how it turns out in the next couple of years.

pc: In last year CAT, i got 95 in DI, 90 in Quants. but only 45 in eng. please tell me how to improve.. am really confident with my maths, but scared about eng. Plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz answer

ARKS Srinivas: Hi PC. You should concentrate on the RC section, as well as on questions on paragraph forming, summary and fill-in-the-blanks. Take tests every two days with complete analysis and solving of the remaining paper.

priya: sir tel me plzzzz this is my 4th time tht with a percentile of around 78 in mocks with cl will i b able to gt a gud institute in cat?

ARKS Srinivas: Yes Priya, there are many institutes which take that kind of percentile. Your 78 percentile will probably become around 82 to 85 percentile. MICA, KJ Somaiyya, Welingkar, FORE, take such scores.

nayab1: sir i am a final yr engg student i gad very less % in first yr after that i have consitantly been in top 5 of my class . but my enng aggregate because of first yr comes down ....would this in any way hamper my chances of making it to the top iims

ARKS Srinivas: It won't. Be confident and crack CAT.

anuj: CAN EDUCATION LOAN PROVIDED TO THAT STUDENT WHO CAN NOT AFFORD,BUT GET ADMISSION THROUGH CAT

ARKS Srinivas: Yes.

MM: What kind of GD and Interview preparation is required once the CAT is over?

ARKS Srinivas: Rigorous!

Sanjukta: Hi Sir, I couldn't understand how 98 percentile in mocks translates to 99 percentile in actual test.. I have this doubt since when you keep 98% of TIME students behind you, how can you keep 99% of all aspirants (TIME n Other students) behind. Could you please let me know if I am wrong in understanding what percentile is about.

ARKS Srinivas: Hi. The fact that there will be enough of them not preparing and writing the exam just like that will push up your percentile. Remember that, out of 1,50, 000 people, 99 percentile is 1,500 students!

CRACKINGCAT: Sir,at wot marks (compared to the iim cutoffs) does Nirma give a call

ARKS Srinivas: 70 to 80 percentile.

Om: Hello sir, What is the elligibitly for CAT examination?

ARKS Srinivas: Bachelor's degree.

anuj: TWO YEAR GAP IN MY GRADUATION AND 10+2 CAN I GET ADMISSION IN ANY IIM

ARKS Srinivas: Yes, but you will have to defend that in the interviews.

vin: sir i havnt got the reply yet.... i wanted to know which all colleges are good for a two year exp guys in field of "systems" aprt from IIM/MDI/SPJAIN.. please name at least 4/5

ARKS Srinivas: IIM-Calcutta has PGDCM, NITIE is good, IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi are good. In fact, most of them will offer a decent Systems Management electives.

Gopal: Hi,I am an Engineer.My problem is I m gud at apti if its not CAT.I can easily score around 15-17 in 40 Min.But I dont know what happens over there Is it bcoz I attempt that ssection last as I know otherwise It"ll affect my score? Even I tried this in Bank P.O.,But In CAT I faired Miserably in this section...Though i secured 88%,94% in d last two CAT's but that was with 40-42% in apti What might be my cure...

ARKS Srinivas: Gopal, it is just a question of nerves. Think you are writing a simple examination and you will fare far better in CAT too. It's all in the mind, sir!

sureshparihar: i've comleted almost everything that i can.now wht u suggest i should go for?

ARKS Srinivas: Take mock tests every three days and analyse them thoroughly.

catguru: How do u rate SPJain? I have 2 yrs workex.

ARKS Srinivas: It is a good institute.

kris: minimun time reqiurement for cat prep?

ARKS Srinivas: Hi Kris, there is nothing like that. It depends on your present level of preparedness.

santo: ARKS sir, My speed is terribly low. I am able to attempt around 40-45 questions overall in AIMCATS. Need some tips ti increase the overall attempt to around 65-70. My accuracy rate is usually in 70's. Moreover I am 2+ yrs experienced.

ARKS Srinivas: Spend time on analysing your way of doing the paper. You will notice lots of places where you slow down. Cut that down and don't waste time on questions which are lengthy.

Shruthi: Hi ARKS, I have 2 yrs of work ex. How good will Executive Program in Business Management prove for me? The course content is good. How well is EPBM recieved by the industry?

ARKS Srinivas: It is normally for people with more than three to four years of work experience.

Part I: What is the admission criteria for the IIMs?

Part II: What is the admission criteria for the IIMs?

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