Great Lakes PGPM & PGDM 2025
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CAT 2024 Topper Aryan Ray Interview: In the fiercely competitive world of management entrance exams, Aryan Ray has emerged as a shining star. Securing an awe-inspiring 99.99 percentile in CAT 2024, Aryan has captured national attention, especially for his flawless performance in the Quantitative Aptitude section, where he achieved a perfect 100 percentile. A combination of relentless dedication, strategic preparation, and an innate knack for problem-solving has placed Aryan among the elite ranks of CAT toppers. In this exclusive interview, Aryan shares his journey, preparation strategies, and the mindset that led to his remarkable success.
CAT 2024 Result Controversy: Aspirants Claim Error in VARC Answer Key
Careers360 - Congratulations on your 99.99 percentile and perfect 100 in Quant! How does it feel, and did you expect this result?
Aryan - Thank you so much! Honestly, it still feels surreal. I had expected to perform decently in Quant since it's always been my strong area, but a perfect 100 percentile and an overall 99.99 percentile were beyond what I had envisioned. The result feels like the cherry on top of what started as an uncertain journey.
Careers360 - Tell us a bit about your academic and professional background.
Aryan - I am currently in my final year of B.Tech at IIT Delhi. Alongside academics, I’ve been teaching mathematics to JEE and competitive exam aspirants for over three years, including offline and online roles. Teaching has not only been a passion but also a major professional commitment for me. I’ve also dabbled in projects involving global math olympiads and edtech startups, which have helped me build a strong foundation in problem-solving and analytical thinking.
Careers360 - How was your exam day experience, and which slot did you appear in?
Aryan - My exam day was calm, thanks to minimal expectations. I appeared in the second slot. I went in with the mindset of just doing my best and treating it like another mock test. This relaxed approach probably played a big role in managing my nerves and optimizing my performance.
Careers360 - What was your strategy to achieve a perfect 100 in Quant? Any specific techniques or resources?
Aryan - The key was consistency and efficiency. I focused on sectional mocks, previous years' questions (PYQs), and a lot of timed practice to optimize speed. Instead of chasing too many resources, I stuck to a few but made sure I mastered them. Concepts were always clear since I’ve been teaching math for years, so the focus was more on exam temperament and time management. In my first mock I scored 40+, although the accuracy was high but I couldn't attempt all and the target was always to achieve a perfect score, with time I got consistent and scored 60+ in most of my final mocks.
Careers360 - Which section did you find toughest, and which was easiest? How did you handle the pressure?
Aryan - VARC was the toughest for me because I struggled with accuracy in RCs. I tackled it by focusing on key passages and not overanalyzing. Quant was the easiest, thanks to my math background. During the exam, I stayed calm and focused on maximizing accuracy rather than attempting everything.
Careers360 - How did you work on your weak areas while maintaining strength in Quant?
Aryan - VARC and LRDI were my weaker sections, so I dedicated more time to them. For VARC, I practiced timed reading comprehension passages daily to improve focus and accuracy. I started reading newspapers and articles to increase my attention span. For LRDI, it was all about exploring varied sets to improve adaptability. I balanced this by revisiting Quant regularly to ensure I didn’t lose my edge.
Careers360 - What was your time management strategy during preparation and on exam day?
Aryan - Preparation was about dividing time equally between weak and strong areas, with extra focus on mocks. On exam day, I prioritized easier questions first and left tricky ones for later, ensuring I didn’t lose time on anything uncertain.
Careers360 - Did you take coaching? How helpful was it? Can self-study work for CAT?
Aryan - No, I didn’t take formal coaching, but I sought guidance from peers and relied heavily on self-study and test series. Self-study can definitely work for CAT exam, provided you are disciplined and have the right resources. However, coaching can help with structure and guidance if you’re struggling to stay on track.
Careers360 - What key factors contributed to your success?
Aryan - Consistency, a strong Quant foundation, and exam temperament were the major factors. Beyond that, having supportive parents and mentors like Stuti Lohani who encouraged me when I doubted myself made all the difference.
Careers360 - Have you started GD/PI/WAT preparation? What’s your plan for these rounds?
Aryan - Yes, I’ve started with current affairs, introspecting on my journey, and going to start practicing mock interviews soon. My focus is on presenting a clear, authentic story while improving structure and confidence in responses.
Careers360 - Did you appear for other MBA entrance exams? How did you manage preparation?
Aryan - No, my entire focus was on CAT.
Careers360 - Which B-schools are you targeting, and where are you expecting calls from?
Aryan - I’m targeting the IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta. Based on my percentile, I’m hopeful of getting calls from these institutes.
Careers360 - What are your hobbies, and how did they help during preparation?
Aryan - I’m an active member of the IIT Delhi Music Club and love singing. Music has always been my stress-buster—it kept me relaxed during intense prep phases.
Careers360 - How did you relax and stay motivated during CAT prep?
Aryan - Music was my way of unwinding, but honestly, I didn’t have much time to relax or get demotivated. Teaching kept me busy and gave me a sense of purpose, which naturally kept me motivated throughout the journey.
Careers360 - What advice would you give to CAT 2025 aspirants, especially for excelling in Quant?
Aryan - Focus on building conceptual clarity and practicing timed questions. Stick to a few trusted resources and revise them thoroughly. More importantly, maintain consistency and believe in yourself. On exam day, treat the paper like another mock to keep nerves at bay.
With a 65 percentile in CAT, getting admission to USMS (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University) may be difficult, as its cutoff is usually 75-85 percentile or higher for the general category.
However, you can consider other good MBA colleges that accept 60-70 percentile in CAT, such as:
Christ University, Bangalore
Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad
Amrita School of Business, Kochi
PES University, Bangalore
KIIT School of Management, Bhubaneswar
Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies, Kochi
Army Institute of Management, Kolkata
Research their admission criteria, placements, and faculty to choose the best fit.
Hello
With a 65 percentile in CAT , USMS (GGSIPU) admission is difficult as its cutoffs are usually higher. However, you can explore private and tier-2/tier-3 MBA colleges that accept lower CAT scores.
Options to Consider:
1. Private MBA Colleges :
Amity University, Noida
LPU (Lovely Professional University)
Alliance University, Bangalore
Christ University, Bangalore
Apeejay School of Management, Delhi
2. B-Schools Accepting Lower CAT Percentile :
BIMTECH (PGDM-Retail/IB/Insurance)
XIME Bangalore
ITM Navi Mumbai
IPE Hyderabad
Jaipuria Institute of Management
3. Other Entrance Exams :
Appear for MAT, CMAT, XAT (low percentile accepted by some colleges)
Consider state-level exams like MAH CET, KMAT or TANCET .
Hope this gives you the clarity you need.
Hello there,
With your
academic profile (General, Male, Non-Engineer)
, you should
target MBA colleges that focus more on CAT percentile than past academics.
Target Colleges & Minimum CAT Percentile:
You
can
get a good MBA college with
strategic applications
and
high CAT/XAT percentile.
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Hi,
As per your given JEE Main percentile which is 88.34 in the SC Category, Your Predicted JEE MAINS 2025 rank may range between 147086 - 170102.
Based on the previous year analysis, According to your JEE MAINS percentile and category you have less possibility of getting a seat for admission in NIT Surathkal.
Some of the other colleges in which you have chances to get admission includes:
You can predict more colleges using the JEE MAINS 2025 college predictor tool.
Hope this information will help you
With your academic background, you have a good chance of getting into some of the top IIMs. Here's a breakdown of your profile:
- Class 10:91.6% - Excellent!
- Class 12:66% - Average, but not a deal-breaker
- B.Tech Computer Science: 8.4 CGPA - Very good!
Assuming you score well in CAT , here are some IIMs you might have a good chance of getting into:
- IIM Ahmedabad: Although the qualifying CAT cut off is 85 percentile, the final cut off typically goes up to 99-100 percentile.With a good CAT score, you might be considered.
- IIM Kozhikode: The CAT cut off for IIM Kozhikode is typically around 95-98 percentile. Your academic profile and a good CAT score might make you a competitive candidate.
- IIM Indore:The CAT cut off for IIM Indore is typically around 90-95 percentile. With a good CAT score and your academic background, you might have a chance.
Keep in mind that CAT cut offs can vary from year to year, and other factors like work experience, extracurricular activities, and personal interviews also play a significant role in the admission process.
To increase your chances, focus on scoring well in CAT, and make sure you have a strong overall profile.
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