Careers360 Logo
ask-icon
share
    CAT 2024 Topper Interview: Here's How Gourav Agrawal Aced CAT With a 99.83 Percentile

    CAT 2024 Topper Interview: Here's How Gourav Agrawal Aced CAT With a 99.83 Percentile

    Himanshu ShekharUpdated on 30 Dec 2024, 12:57 PM IST

    CAT 2024 Topper Interview - Gourav Agrawal, a BBA graduate and a non-maths commerce student, has achieved an incredible 99.83 percentile in CAT 2024. While thrilled with his overall performance, Gourav candidly admits that his VARC section, where he scored 75 percentile, was a bit of a surprise. Reflecting on his journey, Gourav shares, "I was confident about my performance when I saw my CAT response sheet. I had a feeling my score would be around 99.83 percentile, so it was a goal I worked hard for."

    CAT 2024 Topper Interview: Here's How Gourav Agrawal Aced CAT With a  99.83 Percentile
    CAT 2024 Topper Gourav Agrawal's Journey: 99.83 Percentile with Smart Strategies

    Having appeared in the first slot of the CAT exam, Gourav had mixed emotions during the test. Gourav said "I felt confident about the LRDI section, as I had practiced it thoroughly, but I did have some doubts about VARC and QA," he recalls. For future CAT exam aspirants, Gourav emphasizes the importance of consistency. "In November, it's critical not to lose touch with your preparation. Keep practicing what you've learned, as it helps you stay sharp and confident for the big day."

    Gourav’s journey is a testament to perseverance and smart preparation, inspiring many aspiring candidates aiming to conquer CAT in the years to come.

    Careers360 - What according to you were the toughest and easiest sections?

    Gourav - LRDI was easiest as there were sets based on simple calculations, and I found VARC the toughest as the passages were lengthy.

    Careers360 - How did you tackle your strong and weak areas?

    Gourav - I allocated maximum time to algebra as I wasn't confident about it. Also, I was strong in arithmetic so I left it to do at the end.

    Careers360 - What was your time management strategy for preparation and exam day?

    Gourav - By attempting various mocks I defined my strategy, I used to take an overview of all sections and then analyze them to solve them in best effective manner. Also, I set times for 12-15 minutes for each set of LRDI at the time of practice.

    Careers360 - Did you take coaching? How helpful was your coaching institute for you? Is it possible to succeed through self-study?

    Gourav - Yes I took coaching from Unacademy, it was really helpful for me as I needed some material for practice and a plan to study but it is possible to score a good score without coaching, if the student is good with maths and continuously scoring Good with self-effort it is Good.

    Careers360 - What are the factors behind your success?

    Gourav - Factors I can say are consistency, a positive mindset, never sticking to a question, and never getting too tense about studying.

    Careers360 - Have you started preparing for GD/PI/WAT?

    Gourav - I am self-preparing for GD/PI now and will join Unacademuy in January 2025.

    Careers360 - Which other MBA entrance exam have you appeared/appearing for?

    Gourav - I appeared for Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) and Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) as I kept them for backup.

    Careers360 - Which is your dream B-School? From which colleges are you expecting a call?

    Gourav - My dream is to get IIM Ahmedabad converted, also I expect a call from IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Kozhikode, CAP, FMS, IIM Shillong, and IIFT.

    Careers360 - What are your hobbies?

    Gourav - I play badminton professionally and I also read self-help books.

    Careers360 - What were the relaxation and recreation methods you followed amidst CAT preparation?

    Gourav - I used to meditate daily and whenever I felt low I wrote something in my daily diary also I used to go to the gym.

    Careers360 - What is your message for next year's CAT takers?

    Gourav - I would suggest preparing as soon as possible and focusing on weak areas first after completing the syllabus you can practice and revise them. All the best for CAT 2025.

    Articles
    |
    Upcoming Bschool Exams
    Ongoing Dates
    VITBEE Application Date

    31 Oct'25 - 12 Apr'26 (Online)

    Ongoing Dates
    PU MET Application Date

    3 Dec'25 - 5 Apr'26 (Online)

    Certifications By Top Providers
    Online MBA
    Via Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida
    Corporate Law
    Via National Law University, New Delhi
    Strategic Management
    Via Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
    Online BBA
    Via Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida
    Management of Commercial Banking
    Via Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
    Management of Inventory Systems
    Via Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
    Udemy
     703 courses
    Edx
     467 courses
    Swayam
     236 courses
    Emeritus
     231 courses
    Explore Top Universities Across Globe
    University of Essex, Colchester
    Wivenhoe Park Colchester CO4 3SQ
    Oxford Brookes University, Oxford
    Headington Campus Oxford OX3 0BP UK
    Northumbria University, Newcastle City Campus
    Sutherland Building, Northumberland Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST
    Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff
    Llandaff Campus, Western Avenue, Cardiff, CF5 2YB
    University of Reading, Reading
    Whiteknights PO Box 217 Reading Berkshire RG6 6AH
    Bristol Baptist College, Bristol
    The Promenade, Clifton Down, Bristol BS8 3NJ

    Questions related to CAT

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to CAT ?

    Hi, while some of the Agri-business management courses need prior education or experience in the agricultural education background, but for others it is not always mandatory to have an agricultural education background. However with 62 percentile in CAT is it difficult to get into the premium B-Schools in India. For

    FMS Udaipur admission for 2026 is not open. The MBA 2026 admission will likely commence in May 2026. You can keep checking the official website of FMS.

    Hi admission to the courses offered at CUSAT is based on the CUSAT CAT results, relative performnace of the students and the number of applications for each course. Please check CUSAT CAT cutoff 2025 to know in detail about the cutoff score for Electrical and Electronic branch in previous years.

    Yes, it is possible. If you have received a PI call from IIM Sambalpur with a 75 percentile in CAT, you have a chance to convert the call. However, the final selection will depend on multiple factors such as your personal interview performance, academic record, and overall profile.

    All the