With SNAP, finally the 2018 season saw its first ‘easier than last year’ exam. The paper was more in tune with the kind of papers seen pre-2016. The types of questions were much more conventional and even the Special Questions, basically a variant of the TITA questions seen in CAT, didn’t pose any issues. Overall, the paper was easier than the previous two years. There were four sections viz. General English, Quantitative Ability, Current Affairs and Analytical & Logical Reasoning in the paper with 30+5, 30+5, 20+5 and 30+5 questions (MCQ+Special Questions) in each section respectively. The sections were jumbled up. There were 1 mark given for each correct MCQ answer and 0.25 marks penalty for each incorrect MCQ answer. The same for the Special Questions was 2 and 0.5 respectively. The total time given for the paper was 120 minutes.
The English section was dominated by RC and vocab. The Reasoning section had only one question on Verbal Logic.
Overall, the English and Quant sections became easier. Even LR, while continuing its saga of a couple of incomprehensible question types, was easier than last year. Current affairs was along the lines of last year.
A detailed analysis of the paper is as follows:
There were 2 RC passages in the paper. Each passage contained 5 questions. The first passage was on Google’s attempts to track the movement of the user. One question was on the title of the passage. Rest were fact based. The second passage was on the opening up of the economy. All the questions were fact based.
The vocab questions were more or less easy. There were 2 questions on synonyms and 1 question on antonym. Furthermore, there were two other vocab-based questions that were visible under the newly constructed special questions segment. One question was about the plural form of “crisis” and the other referred to the meaning of “arbitration.” The Fill in the blanks questions were based on grammar.
Overall, it was an easy section to attempt. An attempt of 30-32 in 25-30 minutes with 85% plus accuracy is desirable.
A detailed break-up of the question patterns is as follows:
| Question type | No of questions | Level of Difficulty | Good attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synonym/Antonym | 3 | Easy | 2 |
| FIB (Vocab) | 5 | Moderate | 4-5 |
| RC (2 passages) | 5X2=10 | Easy – Moderate | 8-9 |
| Sentence Jumble (Special question) | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Idioms and proverb (1 special question) | 2 | Moderate | 1 |
| Verbal Analogy | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Grammar (Identify the participle) (Special question) | 1 | Moderate | 1 |
| Word usage | 2 | Easy | 2 |
| Sentence improvement | 2 | Easy | 2 |
| Direct/Indirect speech | 2 | Easy | 2 |
| Odd one out | 2 | Easy | 1-2 |
| Spot the error | 2 | Easy | 2 |
| Vocab based (Special questions) | 2 | Moderate | 1-2 |
| Overall | 35 | Easy-Moderate | 30-32 |
The quantitative ability section turned out to be easier as compared to previous years. The weightage to Geometry and Modern Math increased and there were no questions from number system. The lack of a calculator meant that estimates had to be used while answering quite a few questions.
This section surprised students as there were no questions from DI and DS which made quant less time consuming. Also the question based on log tan 1+logtan 2.. was the same as that in one of our mocks.
While the questions weren’t very difficult it was important for students to spend a good amount of time on this section. An attempt of 23-25 in 45 minutes with 85% accuracy would be good.
| Topic | No of questions | Level of Difficulty | Good attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentages | 5 | Easy-Moderate | 3-4 |
| SI/CI | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| TSD, Time & Work | 3 | Moderate | 2 |
| Averages | 1 | Easy-Moderate | 1 |
| Mensuration | 5 | Easy-Moderate | 3 |
| Simplification | 6 | Easy-Moderate | 3-4 |
| Geometry | 3 | Easy-Moderate | 2 |
| Logarithm | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| P&C | 4 | Moderate | 2 |
| Probability | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Set Theory | 1 | Easy-Moderate | 1 |
| Linear equations | 3 | Easy-Moderate | 2 |
| Trigonometry | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Total | 35 | Moderate | 23-25 |
The Reasoning section of SNAP finally veered away from weird questions, as has been the norm over the last 2 years. The paper tested reasoning skills along with basic Physics knowledge (read the pendulum and candle questions).
The set on sitting arrangement was long and expressed as a passage instead of point format, making it all the more tedious. However, if one was willing to spend about 12-13 minutes then it would have lead to 7 correct answers. Questions from coding decoding and paper folding were best left alone if you are not good with visualization.
Overall, a difficult section but way ‘less weird’ as compared to previous year papers.
| Topic | No of questions | Level of Difficulty | Good attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sitting arrangement | 7 | Moderate-Difficult | 2-3 |
| Cone-circle-triangle | 2 | Easy-Moderate | 1 |
| Puzzles-singlets | 3 | Easy | 2 |
| Blood Relation | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Analogy | 1 | Moderate | 0-1 |
| Directions | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Coding-decoding | 4 | Moderate - Difficult | 1 |
| Calendar | 1 | Moderate | - |
| Series | 3 | Moderate | 1 |
| Venn-diagram | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Paper folding | 2 | Moderate | - |
| Linear equation | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Data sufficiency | 3 | Easy-Moderate | 2 |
| Missing number | 2 | Easy | 2 |
| TSD-train based | 1 | Easy | 1 |
| Physics based | 2 | Easy - Moderate | 1 |
| Total | 40 | Moderate | 19-20 |
The section had different kinds of questions and was dominated by BA and Polity. Overall the section was similar to last year, and students would have done well to attempt about 10-12 questions with 60-65% accuracy in about 10 minutes.
| Topic | Number of questions | Difficulty | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalities | 2 | Moderate | 1 |
| Business Awareness | 9 | Easy – Moderate | 4-5 |
| Sports | 1 | Easy – Moderate | 1 |
| Current affairs- Eco and polity | 8 | Easy – Moderate | 4-5 |
| Current affairs-Awards | 3 | Easy – Moderate | 1 |
| Current affairs-Miscellaneous GK | 2 | Moderate | 0-1 |
Overall the paper was easier than last year, and students would have done well to attempt about 85-90 questions with 80-85% accuracy.
Suggested time distribution and attempts:
| Sections | Time (min) | Good Attempts | Good Net Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40-45 | 23-25 | 19-20 |
| Reasoning | 45-50 | 20-22 | 17-18 |
| General English | 25 | 30-32 | 24-25 |
| General Awareness | 10 | 11-13 | 6-7 |
| Total | 120 | 84-88 | 68-70 |