Teentalk

Initiating any business cannot be considered as a light-hearted affair, especially in India that is afflicted by many uncertainties such as high tax rate, bribery and a tedious registration process. India is aiming to become the third-largest economy of the world by 2030 due to the democracy, demography, as well as demand. India also possesses world’s largest population of youth; these are various reasons why India is the place to start for businesses.

1. Private Tuition/Mentoring: This is a profitable business idea that can give you good income. You could offer your services in the neighborhood or in large groups. You would need to be knowledgeable in the subjects you intend to teach.

2. Stationary shop: It’s a good idea to include sales of stationeries, school books or general books. To get good income in this business you would need to be innovative about your services, and possess good sales skills.

3. Food delivery business: Any service that brings ease to the client is always in high demand. Most people do not wish to leave where they are probably due to varying circumstance – work, personal – to get food, and so they’d prefer to have it delivered. This is where your food delivery business comes in within reach.

4. Grocery shop: A grocery delivery business is an opportunity that can fetch you a good sum of money. You could help clients deliver groceries for a minimum fee. This is a business that will ensure you attract clients to patronize your service.

5. Insurance agent: Being an insurance agent would require you to have good convincing skills so that clients could pay for a coverage which would then earn you a commission. This is a business that you can do in your free time, guaranteed to bring in cash with no stress.

6. Freelance writer/SEO consultant: If you are good in writing, you could become a freelance writer. You could even choose a forte to write on, and can decide to write for a magazine, newspaper or a website. There is no limit to the amount of jobs you can manage as a freelance writer.

7. Car driving school: You would need to choose an area where the majority of the people do not know how to drive, and want to learn. Once you can identify such a place, watch your cash flowing in.

8. Web designers: Web designers are valuable for technology companies, that’s why becoming a freelance web designer is a top side business idea today. Web design is all about learning the art of creating a beautiful, value-driven experience for the users using a website or app. There are always new ideas popping up in need of professional web design.

9. Housekeeping service: This has a lot of scope especially when most of the people around us are working these days. These services may include housemaids, babysitter, care takers for elder people, cleaning staff, etc. You need to have a good network of community helpers and you can charge a commission on providing community services.

10. Catering business: It’s a great side business idea, and if you have enough good reviews you might be able to turn your knife skills into a full-time endeavor where you're leveraging your network to book catering events. This is built heavily upon getting happy referrals, so be sure to over-deliver for your first customers, and ask if they know anyone else who could utilize your catering services.

No matter how gratifying your full-time job may be, finding the right side business ideas and ultimately becoming fully self-employed is even more meaningful than great pay and solid benefits. Choosing the route of entrepreneurship, and working on your side business idea, is without a doubt riskier than being content with holding a 9-5 job. It requires way more dedication and patience.

The next big question is how to prepare for CAT exam. It is one of the most common questions by those aiming to crack this tough nut. Despite knowing the pattern and syllabus, students get confused about how to strategize their preparation in order to make the most of it. The time for preparation has just started and you can still catch up if you follow a systematic strategy.

Caching centers provide tailor-made section-wise preparation material and if you do not go for coaching classes, there are ample question banks and study materials by expert authors available online as well as offline. With technology, you can interact with the experts and fellow CAT aspirants in various social media platforms and exchange study materials and sample papers.

Let us check how to start with preparations for CAT 2019:

The exam pattern and syllabus: It is crucial for you to cover the syllabus and clear the basics. Normally, the syllabus for all four topics cover Class 10th and 11th level NCERT books, but the questions are a bit complicated and require logical thinking. The best way to comprehend and complete the syllabus is to make a plan and work accordingly.  The four topics to cover are:

1. Quantitative Ability
2. Data Interpretation
3. Logical Reasoning
4. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

This year also, you may not have the liberty to choose the order of the section. The order of the sections is:

• Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Quantitative Ability (QA)
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)

QA: Use the reverse strategy for this, take mock tests, try to solve with timer, and later check it from the solutions available.

DI& LR: Focus on being familiar with multipurpose forms of data representation like pie chart, bar chart, line graph and complex combinations of these. Later, evaluate your preparation via mock.

VARC: Focus only on those questions where comprehending the content is a central requirement like Para-jumbles, RCs, etc.

Time Management: The crux to complete the exam within time depends on how a student plan and practice for it. Make a strategic preparation plan to tackle the test. Try this, in the first round, select the questions that you are sure about and can sove withoutt wasting time . In round two, choose queestions that are an oppurtunity for you, whereas in round three, pick questions that you think you can solve but are time consumongand answer all the NOn MCQs becuase they do not have anynegative marking.  

Recommended books: Making the correct choice of subject wise CAT preparation books is the first step in your CAT preparation journey.

Section-1: Best Books for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT - Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension - Ajay Singh
• Word Power Made Easy - Norman Lewis

Section-2: Best Books for Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation

• How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT - Arun Sharma
• How to prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT - Arun Sharma
• Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT - Nishit K. Sinha

Section-3: Best Books for Quantitative Aptitude

• How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT - Arun Sharma
• Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT -  Sarvesh K Verma
• Quantitative Aptitude - R.S. Aggarwal

Preparation tips:

• Read thoroughly the syllabus.
• Find out your strong and weak areas in all the three sections.
• Gather the best books and study material.
• Work on your weak areas and monitor the improvement regularly.
• Take as many Mocks during your CAT preparation online and do the analysis of each Mock.
• If you are weak in VARC, reading different articles and novels, conversing in English and even watching English TV series will be helpful.
• Data Interpretation (DI) is considered a bit time consuming. Use approximation techniques for quick calculations.
• You should equip with continuous sitting for more than 3 hours without break and remain confident right from the day one during your preparation journey.

There is no substitute of self study; in CAT exam preparation as it does not require any coaching until and unless you are stuck. Experts recommend that you should start your preparation through self study and later make it a mix of CAT self study as well as help from coaching to avoid wastage of time.