Tuesday, August 09, 2005

CATastrophy

It’s that time of the year again, where every ad on every newspaper has the words CAT, TIME or IMS inscribed on them. Yes, Join TIME, study for CAT, Get into IIM, Instant Nirvana !

Life supar set machi!

Or if not you can write XAT, MAT, HAT VAT and then life will not be supar set, but set just the same.

So what do people do?

CAT ASPIRANT NO.1

Dude, I’ve taken a complete year off man! I’m only working on mock cats, trying to improve my conversion ratio, trying to learn vedic maths. I want to be in my zone during those 2 hours, so yoga is essential as well. No disturbance, see even my cell phone is off!

CAT ASPIRANT NO.2

Yes Dude, I really think that all the exams, I’ve ever written in my life mean nothing compared to the CAT, Im going to write in Nov. Those two hours are going to make or break my life. Which is why, I have joined the TIME extra long batch. The course also gives you a sneak peak in the making of an IIM, What he eats every morning, what music he listens to and even which actress he fantasizes about. Any information is essential you see, you can never be over prepared for CAT.

Yes, By now the CAT faithful, who is reading this blog is already seething. Sarcy cynical syal has to make fun of everything,partly true, yes. But rationally speaking isn’t there a part of you which feels that CAT is maybe over sensationalized. That, yes, there actually may be more to life or atleast success in it than CAT?

How important is CAT anyway? And is it worth all those mid night classes and yoga classes?

Well to start off, CAT itself is positioned as an Aptitude Test, where the word aptitude itself means that it is you’re in built ability to assimilate information. Now the basic reasoning, behind why these MBA schools came up with the CAT or any of these aptitude tests was to eliminate the mug pots and come up with the people whom they thought would have the maximum probability of succeeding in the real world or in other words people whom they thought had the maximum natural intelligence.

Now what good is all of this, if you have an Extra Long term batch (with vedic maths thrown in), with students mugging up formulae for close to a year and a half. What then is the difference between an aptitude test and any other exam we unfortunate souls have written ? And if IIM’s can be creating by making them go to class and slog for 1 and a half years, and if obviously IIM is the be all and end all of life, why don’t all parents send their kids to the classes from the age of 4. In fact, very soon there will come a time when pregnant mothers, will be advised to eat foods only rich in aluminium and minerals, why it increases their child’s “Data interpretation” levels.

Another aspect, which is often over looked is the over willingness of various companies to offer incredulous salaries to IIM grads. Now when a F.M.C.G company offers a fat salaried job to an IIM grad to essentially sell more of a F.M.C.G article, say soap, honestly does he have a better chance of selling more soap just because he has done an IIM degree? Also, how would you compare his chances of selling soap over the regular joe (road warrior) who has been selling soap for the last 10 yrs , knows the ins and outs of the trade and is very succesful at it. Is the IIM grad really worth that much more, and is he really going to sell that much more soap?

Yes, IIM is the best M.B.A in the country, with great international acclaim which will probably get you a job with a fat pay cheque when you complete your degree. But that does that mean once you get that dream job you are set for life? Is that really going to keep you happy for the rest of your days? Or is life a continuous learning process?

Is the CAT worth all the hype ? Is the CAT a make or break exam? Is it IIM or suicide? Or is it true that if you are good, you will make your mark in whichever field you pursue… Too many tough questions, for now a simpler one....

When is the next mock cat?

p.s So in order to tame the CAT, You have 2 options

a) You could slog for a year and a half mastering vedic maths,pranic healing and give CAT your best shot. (for what its worth)

or

b) You could write a blog anticipating that you’re not going to do very well in it , justify why and feel happy about yourself.

Now you don’t need to be Albert Einstein to figure out which path I’ve taken

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

great post bro...good job

Jasku

Karan said...

Interesting read from a person who once proclaimed with great confidence -

"Why get into NMI, FMS and all that shit? I think i might as well get into IIM"
LOL:p

Siddhu said...

LOL, Sudhir. I liked the portrait of CAT Aspirant #1 - the truth is, aspirants of the #1 category don't make it nowhere.

And not just at the post, but at an old quote Kurpasagar has reminded us of. (Btw, are u still going around wit the nom de guerre Karan, Kripter?

Sudhir syal said...

Thanks Jasku or Jesku, See you at

IIM- J (J- Jalandhar)


Maybe we can make some extra cash by putting up a juice stall.

Sudhir syal said...

I was just waiting for that famous quote of mine to requoted.

Lets see it took exactly 2 comments.

Who's karan anyway?

Sudhir syal said...

Thanks Sid.

The truth is we shakespeare's or (peters) who treat CAT like a platform to unleash our verbal diarrohea get nowhere ( With CAT atleast)

Just borrowed BRM Problem Solving - 1

Wish me well.

Anonymous said...

well i guess you have a third option. slog your ass off and act like it's all coo.. and then when you make it into a good non-IIM B-School you can proclaim that your life is still on track..

And i chose the road, less travelled by!!!

Donnovan

Rat said...

Chewy Ive written that damn CAT once and well lets just say its not meant for Rats !!!

Anonymous said...

you urself are a useless chooth. talking about IIM and CAT eh?

Sudhir syal said...

Yes Donnovan, and to add to that you are a great dancer as well. :-

Sudhir syal said...

Damn Rat,

Like I said its meant for members of the less intellectual species.

Sudhir syal said...

Yes, Mr.Anonymous, Your back!

So tell me only useful choots can talk about IIM or CAT is it??

Sisto said...

no one said that the CAT is an apitude test.

and the iim guys would hire the road warriors and make them sell soap and mark it up even more!

pranic healing? yoga? ... good masala!!! enjoyable read.

and all the best for the cat .... you "might as well get into IIM"

ciao
sisto

Sudhir syal said...

Can't say, I didnt expect that..Sistron.
Hope the Chennai masala, helps you out with the delhi droogs.

Anonymous said...

deleting my comment is'nt changing the truth dude. You are indeed one dirty mouth, and the shitload inside your head is'nt worth a dime. Everyone knows that!

Sudhir syal said...

Mr.Anonymous...u obviously have very little to do.considerin that u visit my own blog, more than I do.

Shows your loyalty to my blog, but dont get obsessed.

And since obviously, You have a clean mouth, and I dont, and everyone knows that..i.e Lord Vishnu, Shiva why dont u enlighten us with yr name...

Why u such a wuss...

Archster said...

One of the few blogs, despite its lenghthy posts... can still make me want to continue reading until the very end. (and thats a lot for someone with an attention span such as mine)

Funny, funny chappie you are. (while managing to pleasantly surprise us all, with seemingly profound posts such as 'The Road Not Taken')

Its nice to be back.

Anonymous said...

I dont come here to read your crap da fool! Just to mock you.

Plug your ass, and for a change DO something before you start advicing CAT aspirants.

Sudhir syal said...

Yes, Im going to DO something, humiliate you.

Firstly, if u didnt come to read my crap,how did u come to the conclusion that this post was "advice" to the CAT aspirants.

Secondly, Your comprehension of english is quite challenged, cause it is quite obvious that I am not advicing anybody here.

You have a small brain, and no its not your fault.

akshay said...

hmm... which of the two defined categories do i fall under? prolly somewhere in the middle. I am what you can call a CAT veteran (not much to be proud about.. but what the hell). I however totally agree with 'Life supar set machi!'
It just about encapsulates our mentalities perfectly... just as the dominoes ad does ( 30 minutes nahin to FREE! ) I thought it was brilliant! It could work only in India.. and work wonders! anyway.. nice post man. as was the prev one

Sudhir syal said...

Ok, I have a feeling this is Raghu or Madhusudhanan G.S, whichever one it is of the two..chill out this is hardly the place to take out yr frustrations...stick to the group

Sudhir syal said...

Thank u archster, Its great that yr back to blogville as well...looking forward to a lot more of your posts.

Anonymous said...

hello! nice blog pal...it was published in the Deccan chronicle..keep up the good work!
Dr.Madhavi

Sudhir syal said...

Thank you.

Dr.Madhavi.

Are u from hyderabad?

Anonymous said...

Hello Sudhir! I am a Dental Surgeon from Hyderabad...read you blog in the daily and tracked your blog space from there...keep up the good work!
rgds,
Dr.Madhavi

Sudhir syal said...

Thank you Dr. Madhavi, Its quite an honour for me to have a doc on my blog. My aunt is a dentist too, so are you an orthodontist or an endo..(Im trying to show off my little medical knowledge)

Anonymous said...

Hey Sudhir,

Landed up at your blog for the first time, and well, was pleasantly surprised to read that you are preparing for CAT.

All the best & keep rocking

Cheers :)
Neil

p.s. Howz Vivek doing? He's into bloggin too?

Sudhir syal said...

Hey Sunil,

Im guessin this is Sunil from ABN, and from IIM.

I feel honoured.

No,man Vivek does'nt even read my blog. :-

Thanks, and keep in touch.