Which Section is the Toughest in IPMAT?

Integrated Program in Management Aptitude Test (IPMAT) is among the most competitive tests in India that students who want to join prestigious IIMs can join right after the 12th class. Even though thousands of students take this exam annually, there is one question that most of them find very difficult to answer and this is which part of IPMAT is the most difficult.

The test is aimed at evaluating the logical thinking of the student, mathematical skill, and verbal proficiency. The competition is so intense and the level of challenge is usually likened to other high-level entrance tests, it would be very important to know the most difficult section so as to develop a strategy. Additionally, when one has the right mindset and practices in IPMAT solved paper 2026, IPMAT preparation books, and IPMAT previous year question papers, even the most difficult part can become the strongest one of the aspirants.

Structure of IPMAT Exam

The most difficult part can only be comprehended after the study of the IPMAT exam structure. The test usually consists of three major parts:

1. Quantitative Ability (Short Answer -SA)

2. Quantitative Ability (Multiple Choice Questions -MCQ)

3. Verbal Ability (MCQ)

The significance is different in each section, yet the difficulty is usually adjusted to the academic background of the student, their familiarity with mathematics and reading comprehension ability.

Here’s a table showing the exam pattern:

Based on this structure, it is evident that Quantitative Ability is divided into two, and it is a little bit harder than the Verbal Ability section, as the candidates must learn to solve problems with no choices and MCQs.

Why Quantitative Ability is Considered the Toughest?

Students and professionals agree that the Quantitative Ability (QA) part is the most difficult in IPMAT. The reasons are quite clear:

Diverse Topics: The section includes such topics as simple arithmetic and algebra as well as more advanced topics such as probability, calculus, and coordinate geometry. This becomes a challenge to many students who are non-mathematics in 12th.

• Time Pressure: It is not simple to solve complicated questions in 40 minutes. QA is not done through elimination like in verbal ability, calculation and precision are done step by step.

• Short Answer: The SA part does not have any multiple choices, i.e. the students do not have any opportunity to guess. All the solutions should be precise, which makes the level of difficulty higher.

To address these issues, it is possible to practice based on the IPMAT previous year question papers and analyze IPMAT solved paper 2026 to understand what kind of questions are the most difficult.

Deep Dive: Toughness, Section-Wise.

We may consider each part separately and see which one is, in fact, the most difficult:

Quantitative Ability (MCQ)

This section has difficult MCQs in which precision is of the utmost importance. Availability of options provides the students with the chance to cross-verify their answers. Negative marking however eliminates random guessing. The challenge is to answer questions in a limited period of time and be accurate.

Quantitative Ability (SA)

This is considered to be the most difficult part of IPMAT. It is extremely hard because of the lack of choices, the intricacy of the issues and the necessity to provide specific solutions. Elimination strategies are not applicable to students and they need to exhibit total clarity in concepts. The speed and accuracy can be enhanced by practicing with the IPMAT preparation books that give unsolved questions and IPMAT previous year question papers.

Verbal Ability

The Verbal Ability section is said to be manageable by most aspirants as opposed to QA. It mostly consists of reading comprehension, para jumbles, sentence correction and vocabulary based questions. This part is not as daunting to students with an English-speaking background. Nevertheless, it cannot be underestimated because comprehension-based questions may be rather long and time-consuming.

Here’s a comparative table to understand the toughness level:

From this analysis, the Quantitative Ability (SA) emerges as the toughest section in IPMAT.

Is Quantitative Ability the toughest section in IPMAT?

Yes, Quantitative Ability, particularly short-answer is said to be the most difficult. It is challenging to students as they have to solve higher-order mathematical problems without any choice. QA-SA requires accuracy unlike the case of Verbal Ability where logical guessing may sometimes be useful. To counter this, applicants should always use IPMAT solved paper 2026 and develop good fundamentals by using IPMAT preparation books that are reliable.

Read More: What is the Highest Score in IPMAT?

Why do students struggle with the Quantitative Ability section?

This is primarily because of the broad coverage. The syllabus may be daunting in terms of algebra and trigonometry, to calculus and statistics. Time management is another difficulty, 15 short-answer questions in 40 minutes are to be solved fast and correctly. A large number of students use IPMAT past year questions to become familiar with question patterns and eliminate the fear of being caught up by new topics.

Can Verbal Ability be tougher for some students?

Although Verbal Ability is generally considered to be less difficult than QA, the students with poor English comprehension and grammar may find it to be difficult as well. To the students of non-English medium, reading long passages of comprehension or answering questions based on vocabulary may be just as challenging as QA. This is the reason why all aspirants are supposed to be balanced in preparation and not only in mathematics.

How should I prepare for the toughest section in IPMAT?

The most important aspect of addressing the most challenging part is practice and getting used to the exam pattern. IPMAT solved paper 2026 can be used to figure out the question trend. In addition, the aspirants are also advised to practice IPMAT past years questions papers to build exam temperament. The preparation books of IPMAT help in providing a good foundation so that even the most difficult concepts become easier in the long run.

Importance of Analyzing Toughness

Knowing which part is the most difficult does not imply neglecting the rest of them. IPMAT is a leveled test in which sectional cut-offs are significant. Although Quantitative Ability may be the most difficult, poor performance in Verbal Ability may still influence the total score. Therefore, students will need to spend time in the right proportions and develop a plan that will reinforce their weak points.

Here’s another table showing the recommended time allocation during preparation:

This approach helps aspirants manage their preparation without overburdening themselves.

Conclusion

So, to answer the big question: Which section is the toughest in IPMAT? — the Quantitative Ability Short Answer (SA) section holds the reputation of being the most difficult. Its demand for precision, absence of options, and inclusion of higher-level math concepts make it intimidating for most students. However, with the right practice strategy, proper time management, and consistent exposure to IPMAT solved paper 2026, IPMAT preparation books, and IPMAT previous year question papers, aspirants can convert this weakness into a strength.

Success in IPMAT is not just about identifying the toughest section but about preparing smartly for all sections. The exam rewards those who remain consistent, practice regularly, and build confidence through structured preparation.