It is a wonderful sight to witness a student’s hard work and perseverance rewarded with success in competitive exams. Meet Chinta Jyothi Swarup, an AP ICET 2023 topper, who bagged rank 4 and aspires to pursue an MBA degree to enhance his managerial skills and career prospects. He is a Mechanical Engineer with a 77 percent score. He hails from Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh. In this exclusive interview with Careers360, he shares his secrets of success in AP ICET 2023, his AP ICET preparation strategy, his challenges and achievements, and his future plans.
Careers360: Congratulations, You have done a great job in AP ICET! How did you prepare for the exam and what methods did you use to achieve this amazing result?
Swarup: The key strategy of my preparation is practising AP ICET previous year papers. I bought a book from a renowned publication(Vijeta Competitions) which comprises both AP and TS ICET previous papers. I used to practise paper in a day and rectify the mistakes.
Careers360: What is your educational background? What inspired you to go for an MBA?
Swarup: I completed B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering with 77 percent. My keen interest in managerial roles and career growth with an MBA degree has motivated me to pursue MBA.
Careers360: What other MBA entrance exams did you take? Your percentile or score in these exams?
Swarup: Until now I didn't take any other entrance exam. But this year I'm planning to give the CAT examination.
Careers360: What was your study schedule and routine? How did you plan and organise your preparation?
Swarup: As I was preparing for the CAT exam I didn't do any separate preparation for this exam. But I used to give mock tests everyday prior to 20 days before the examination.
Careers360: Did you join any coaching classes? What other preparation materials did you use and find useful?
Swarup: I did not take any coaching as I was already preparing for the CAT exam.
Careers360: What was your strategy for mock tests? What kinds of mock tests did you practise with, and how did they improve your performance?
Swarup: Mock Tests are the key to preparation as they help in evaluating your strengths and weaknesses.Rectifying mistakes after every exam improves the score gradually. I practised previous papers only. Initially i have written sectional mocks and started full mocks prior to 20 days before exam
Careers360: How did you cope with the difficulties you encountered while studying for AP ICET?
Swarup: Initially I found some difficulty in writing a two and half hour mock exam. After that I acclimatised to it.
Careers360: What were the most difficult subjects or sections for you in the MBA entrance exam?
Swarup: I felt difficulty in data sufficiency problems in the analytical ability section. So i focussed more on that.
Careers360: How did you plan your time during the exam? How long did it take you to finish a section? What are some time management tips that you would recommend for the exam?
Swarup: I used to start with the analytical ability section and complete within 45 mins and mark difficult questions for review.After that communication ability in 30 -35 mins and remaining time is utilised for solving mathematics and review questions. Since there is no negative marking, attempt all questions.
Careers360: How can MBA aspirants prepare for exams like AP ICET, CAT, XAT etc. and get admission in top b-schools?
Swarup: The only thing is to complete your syllabus as soon as possible. And try to give more mock tests before the exam.
Careers360: Which MBA specialisation are you planning to take up?
Swarup: Finance
Careers360: What are the main goals and outcomes you hope to achieve from the MBA program and the b-school of your choice?
Swarup: My aim is to join IIM . An MBA degree has to hone my skills and made me a future ready entrepreneur.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Dear Student,
Yes, with a rank of 1639 in the BC-D female category, you have a solid chance of securing a seat in Andhra University (AU) and JNTU, though Sri Venkateswara University (SVU) might be slightly difficult.
You can check, find and access more information here:
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/ap-icet-colleges-list-2026-rank-wise-caste-wise-cutoff
Hope it
Hello Dear Student,
With an AP ICET rank of 4,184 , you are in a good position for admission into many reputed MBA/MCA colleges in Andhra Pradesh.
At this rank, you can get good chances in:
through Category B or Category C admissions.
Hello,
You can download the question papers below,
1.
AP ICET 2025 Question Paper with Answer (Shift 1)
2.
AP ICET 2025 Question Paper with Answer (Shift 2)
Hope this helps.
Hi Sathwik,
You can check the detailed chapter - wise weightage and important topics here:
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/ap-eamcet-chapter-wise-weightage-and-important-topics
Hello, you can practice the mathematical ability books mentioned below to prepare for AP ICET 2026.
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination by R.K. Tyagi
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination by R.S. Aggarwal
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh K. Sharma
Objective Mathematics by R.D. Sharma
Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency
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