CAT 18 Official Key - Issue Questions

The following are the questions in CAT 18 for which we believe that the official key is incorrect.

Slot	Q. ID	Our Key	Explanation
1	4891686816	1	The usage of the word “deliberations” in statement 4 makes it necessary that statement 2 be part of the paragraph. While statement 1 introduces the topic, adding a bit of dramatic impact, it is more dispensable than statement 2, in the absence of which, we are left with mere pronouncement(s) and no deliberations. It may be noted that ‘deliberations’ necessarily involve more than one perspective on an issue and not just one sided pronouncements. Therefore, if one statement must be left out, then statement 1 should be left out and not statement 2. Hence statement 1 would be the odd one out and not 2.
1	4891686591	1	The passage talks about erosion of river banks and its pace. In statement 4, it further mentions how the slow pace renders such displacement invisible. Statement 5 then mentions as to how a more rapid displacement would have helped humans take note of it, when compared it being invisible (by sensitizing them to its human costs). Statement 1 talks about the magnitude of displacement. Nowhere in the paragraph is magnitude a topic of discussion. Further, if the official key is correct and statement 5 is odd one out, then the only feasible order – 3241 – is not a coherent one - since statement 4 cannot logically lead to statement 1. Therefore, Statement 1 should be the odd one out and not 5.
2	4891687262	If it were proven that increase in autonomy of ……sense of responsibility.	The author’s main argument in the passage is that providing autonomy to service providers is not enough. It must be accompanied by accountability. That autonomy alone is not sufficient can be inferred from the anecdote on teachers in West Bengal, where the teachers are empowered but do not do a good job. Using this example, the author argues for both autonomy and accountability (“This autonomy has to be matched with accountability for results”). To undermine the author’s argument, we need to look for any option which undermines the need for accountability. Hence, the option which mentions the autonomy of service providers leading to an exponential increase in work ethic and sense of responsibility will undermine the need for accountability, because if autonomy itself results in increase in work ethic, the need for accountability to monitor the service providers will be lessened. Empowerment of service providers leading to increased complacency does not weaken the author’s argument, because in the anecdote on the teachers in West Bengal, the author is providing an example for this, i.e., he mentions that “empowering service providers over citizens” is not desirable (even rendering technology irrelevant) and will not help improve the service . This is the reason the author calls for both autonomy and accountability. Hence, this option is, in fact, aligned with the author’s argument and does not undermine it.
2	4891687286	1	Statement 3 introduces the broad topic of the paragraph, i.e., sleep. Statement 5 talks about ‘there is a new threat related to sleep’. This is followed by statement 2, which talks about how researchers have even coined a new term (the ‘even’ emphasising the prevalence of this new threat). The ‘sleep tracking apps’ in this sentence links to sentence 4, which ends the passage by talking about why it is not surprising to find that there is a market for such apps. Statement 1 is a broader statement on the capabilities of smartphones, which includes tracking our diets, biological cycles and digestive systems apart from our sleep patterns. The other statements in the question do not refer to the broad capabilities of the smartphones and hence, this will be the odd one out.
2	4891686594	4	The difference between the CAT official key and our key is which sentence will best begin the paragraph. The second, third and fourth sentences in the paragraph are statements 5, 1 and 2, in that order. Statement 5 talks about it being no longer “a question of whether we will be hit by nature’s fury but rather when”. The sentence preceding this must highlight the imminence of natural calamity. This is better brought about by statement 3, which mentions that extreme temperatures, droughts… have doubled since 1980. Statement 4 does not bring about this sense of urgency which is hinted at in statement 5 (no longer a question of whether but rather when). Further, a change in baseline weather need not necessarily imply natural calamities. Hence, statement 4 is the odd one out, while statement 3 will begin the paragraph.

If you have marked any of these as your answers and would like to raise an objection with the CAT authorities, we suggest that you do so by giving them the logic that you have used in the exam to arrive at these answers.