This article will provide you with everything there is to know about preparing for MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning 2022, along with the best books, preparation tips and important topics.
The Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section in the MAT exam is meant to test your analytical ability. Most of your efforts will be put into decoding, series and blood relation analysis, etc. This is important because the section is meant to teach you how to approach a problem, analyse it, and plan for a solution if there is one. It’s a crucial skill to adopt in professional environments. So your efforts must go into focus and conceptual understanding.
This article will give you some insights on the best books you could use to enhance your understanding, what the topics covered would be, and some things you can do to help yourself prepare for the exams better.
Table of Contents
- MAT Exam 2022 Critical Reasoning Topics
- MAT 2022 Exam Syllabus
- Top 10 Best Books for MAT Exam 2022 Critical Reasoning
- Good Score in MAT 2022 Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
- Preparation Tips for MAT Exam 2022 Critical Reasoning
- How Frequently Should One Practice MAT Mock Tests?
- MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning Sample Questions
MAT Exam 2022 Critical Reasoning Topics
Each section in a MAT 2022 exam paper has 40 questions, and each of those questions carries 1 mark. When it comes to the Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section, the following topics are going to be prevalent:
| Category | Topics Covered |
| Reasoning |
Assertions and Reasons Critical and Visual Reasoning Matrix Arrangements (Puzzles and syllogisms) Pattern Identification (Symbols, Family Trees, Odd One Out) Analogy and Multidimensional ArrangementsStatements and Assumptions Series and Sequences Coding and Decoding |
| Graphs & Charts |
Line Column Bar Pie Venn Diagrams Representing Area |
The Reasoning category deals largely with analytical explanations and theory work, while the Graphs & Charts category will involve working with a variety of graphical representations of data, which you must further elaborate on if required.
When it comes to what topics carry the most marks, your best bet would be to focus on topics such as statements and assumptions, coding and decoding, family trees and blood relation, Venn diagrams, series, line and column graphs, and assertions and reasons.
MAT 2022 Exam Syllabus
For a better understanding of the MAT syllabus, the table below is created. The MAT syllabus is divided into five parts, and each carries 40 marks. The question level is estimated to be moderate to difficult.
| MAT Subjects | Important Topics | No. of Questions |
| Intelligence and Critical Reasoning |
Critical and Visual Reasoning Matrix Arrangements Pattern Identification Analogy and Multidimensional ArrangementsStatements and Assumptions Series and Sequences Coding and Decoding |
40 |
| Language Comprehension |
Reading Comprehension Fill in the blanks Para Jumble English Proficiency |
40 |
| Data Analysis and Sufficiency |
Graphs & Charts Venn Diagram Charts (Column, Bar, Pie) |
40 |
| Mathematical Skills |
Height & Distance Mixtures & Allegation Profit & Loss Number System Algebra, Permutation & Combination Interest, Ratio & Proportion Trigonometry Sequence & Series |
40 |
| Indian & Global Environment Section |
World Records Current Affairs |
40 |
Top 10 Best Books for MAT Exam 2022 Critical Reasoning
The following Critical reasoning books are some of the most relevant books available that dive deep into the topic of Intelligence and Critical Reasoning for the MAT 2022 exams:
1. A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning - R.S. Aggrawal
Published by S. Chand Publishing, this book covers not only the latest questions asked in previous exams but also questions that are trending among candidates. It also covers some other topics such as Theme Detection and is useful for a wide variety of exam types.
2. How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT - Arun Sharma
Another entry to Arun Sharma’s “How To Prepare” series for the MAT exams, the book was published by McGraw-Hill Education. It teaches the candidate the best practices for preparing yourself for the Critical Reasoning section through practising problems for Logical Reasoning for CAT. Although both exams are different, structurally they are similar. CAT is also more difficult than MAT, so training oneself to solve CAT exam problems can be of great benefit if one plan to write MAT exams.
3. The Hand on Guide to Analytical Reasoning & Logical Reasoning - Peeyush Bhardwaj
Published by Arihant Publications, this book gives candidates the “tricks of the trade” to solve problems related to Reasoning. It covers a wide range of chapters and patterns that have been covered in previous exams ranging from CAT, XAT, CMAT, and MAT to state exams.
4. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT/XAT/IIFT/CMAT/MAT - Gajendra Kumar & Abhishek Banerjee
This book was published by Disha Publications. Gajendra Kumar, the main author, created a concise book filled with questions along with the solutions, most of which are presented in detail. This is not normally found in other books, so it’s worth investing in this one if you want to know certain ways around the questions you’re having difficulties with.
5. Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT - Nishit Sinha
As mentioned above for Arun Sharma’s book, covering any topics related to the CAT exam will substantially help anyone who’s doing their MAT exams, since the structure of the topics is similar. This book, published by Pearson India Education, is pretty similar to the former’s book; it analyses many questions asked in previous exams along with detailed solutions. The reason why we recommend you get this book is that it’s necessary to maintain your knowledge base with different approaches to solving a problem. The approaches between the two authors can vary, depending on the question presented.
6. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning For Cat - Pearson Education Limited
Published by Pearson Education Limited, this book covers over 5500+ fully solved questions, quick learning tips, and tricks, important formula, highlighted diagrams, images and charts that caters to all levels from beginners to masters. Therefore, it is considered quite a help for the preparation.
7. Complete Guide for Mat and Other MBA Entrance Exams - Deepal Agarwal and Mahima Agarwal
This book is from the house of Disha Publication. It contains more than 5200 MCQ. It explains to the candidate the best methods for preparing for the Critical Reasoning section through practising problems for Logical Reasoning for MAT.
8. An Easy Approach to High-Level Reasoning - Yatindra Sidharth
This book deals with the critical reasoning that is part of the competitive exam, such as MAT. All the concepts are based on the questions that have been asked in the last twenty years. The primary focus of this book is on concept building.
9. Analytical Reasoning - M.K. Pandey
This book is a critical source for building the core concepts of students. It also tests the candidate’s logical and reasoning skills. The book is divided into two parts, reasoning based on logic and reasoning based on rules. Topics like data sufficiency, strengthening and weakening arguments, coded relationships, analytical decision-making, and evaluating inferences are elaborately discussed.
10. Logical And Analytical Reasoning - R. Gupta
This book is considered very useful for all competitive exams, including MAT. It covers all the topics that are vital for the preparation for the exam. It caters to the need of students who are searching for good books for MAT preparation.
MAT Exam Pattern 2022
The examinee will be given 150 minutes to answer a total of 200 questions. All the important details regarding MAT Exam Pattern 2022 is given in the below table:
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Mode | Offline, Online(Computer Based) and IBT |
| Language | English |
| Sections | Indian and Global Environment, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills, Language and Comprehension, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning |
| Total Questions in each section | 40 |
| Sectional Time Limit | None |
| Question Type | MCQs |
| Maximum Marks | 200 |
Read More: MAT 2022 Exam Pattern
Good Score in MAT 2022 Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
Always try to score the most you can. The exact number of marks that can be considered a good score varies every year. Still, after analysing the previous year score, we have calculated a tentative average score that you should aim for. In general, a score of 17-19 on the Intelligence & Critical Reasoning section of the MAT test can result in a 90+ percentile. You may always aim for a better score, but it's critical to strike a balance between the desired score and the amount of time you have to devote to each area.
Preparation Tips for MAT Exam 2022 Critical Reasoning
Now it comes down to, how to prepare for MAT? Since it depends on your level of understanding for this section, it’s pertinent to follow some practical guidelines if you want to squeeze your best performance out. So we’ve provided some pointers for you to keep in mind when you’re working on this section.
- Read the questions very carefully, and take some time to reflect on what it means before answering them.
- Don’t make guesses based on your intuition. Critical Reasoning is all about understanding your analytical thinking, and that comes from using calculated facts to support your arguments rather than theoretical estimates.
- Time is crucial to finish this section. It is arguably the most time-consuming section in the paper, so make sure you have your time management skills straightened out beforehand. This can be achieved by solving mock papers every day.
- Practising writing mock papers is a great way to retain your knowledge as well.
- Always begin with questions that seem easier for you before you move on to complex questions. This will not only help with time management, but it will also help maintain your morale, optimism, and possibly even anxiety, during the exam.
How Frequently Should One Practice MAT Mock Tests?
It can not be said directly. It completely depends upon one particular student. How much he/ she can handle in a day, how much time he/she can manage, all these factors are important. But generally speaking, it is advised to give at least 2/3 mock tests per week. But if you are weak in critical reasoning, you may need to increase the frequency to give the mock tests as per your schedule. Whatever you do, follow a routine and do not skip mock tests.
MAT Intelligence & Critical Reasoning Sample Questions
Some of the previous year questions and sample papers are mentioned in the below table for your reference.
| MAT Exam 2018 Question Paper | Click Here |
| MAT Exam 2014 Question Paper | Click Here |
| MAT Exam 2013 Question Paper | Click Here |
| MAT 2020 Sample Paper | Click Here |
| MAT 2018 Sample Paper | Click Here |
Read More: MAT Mock Test 2022
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