Why Simulation Even Matters

Mock tests are great. But mocking the exam environment is better. Many aspirants mess up not because they didn’t study, but because they weren’t used to managing nerves under pressure, their minds gave up halfway through DILR, and they got thrown off by minor distractions. 

Simulation helps train your brain for exam day. Just like how cricketers play practice matches before the World Cup, you need your warm-up innings too.

Step 1: Pick the Right Day and Time

Don’t randomly decide to “do a mock later today.” Choose a day, preferably Sunday, at 2:30 PM. Why? Because that’s when the real CAT happens for most slots. Train your body and brain to be alert and peak-ready at that exact time. 

Pro tip: do it after a light breakfast, just like you'd on exam day. Nothing too heavy.

Step 2: Set Up Like It’s the Real Deal

This means: Sit at a desk, not on your bed. Keep water, a pen, and ID (just for the feel). Use a computer, not your phone. No breaks unless the mock is over. No distractions, tell your family you’re “at the centre” for 2 hours. Try doing this with your phone on silent mode and far away. Instagram can wait, your percentile can’t.

Step 3: Use the Real CAT Format

Use a mock that simulates the actual CAT interface, timer on top, on-screen calculator, and question palette. If your coaching platform doesn’t have this, try test portals that mirror the actual format. Trust me, it makes a difference when your brain recognises the layout on exam day and doesn’t waste time figuring out the navigation.

Step 4: Follow the Exact Timing

40 mins for VARC, 40 mins for DILR, and 40 mins for QA. No pausing. No checking solutions in between. You wouldn’t do that in an exam hall, right?

Step 5: Post-Test Ritual: Only Analysis

Once you’re done, don’t just sigh in relief and log off. Spend a couple of hours analyzing: 

1. Which questions should you not have attempted?

2. Where did your brain freeze?

3. How was your focus across sections?

Note down patterns. Maybe you start strong but lose steam by QA. Or maybe you’re overspending time on RCs. Spot it now, not on D-Day.

Step 6: Build Exam Stamina 

Don’t expect your brain to stay hyper-focused for 2 hours from day one. That kind of mental endurance is built, like running a marathon. So, do one full simulation every week for the first month. Then, twice a week, when closer to the exam. By the final few weeks, your brain should be so used to the CAT routine that it switches to test mode automatically when you sit down. 

Train Like It’s War

To ace the CAT, you just need to be the most composed one. Simulating exam day at home isn’t overdoing it; it’s a smart strategy. Because when your brain has seen the movie before, it doesn’t panic during the climax. So wear that metaphorical battle suit, get into character, and go crush that mock.