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."
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.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Dear Student,
An SC rank of 82 in a Common Entrance Test (CET) is highly competitive and typically guarantees admission into top-tier state universities, central universities, or highly-ranked private institutions. Whether a specific seat is currently available depends directly on the exact university's counselling schedule. Many institutes require you
Hello Dear Student,
With a score of 265, securing a B-Category (Management)
MBBS
seat is highly competitive, but not entirely impossible. Closing scores for these seats typically fall between 225 and 350, depending on the state and college. Waiting for the mop-up round can sometimes lower the cutoff as unallocated
If by OC you mean Open Category/General category in India, and you have 95%+ throughout your academics (Class 10, Class 12, and graduation) , then your CAT percentile target depends on the B-schools you're aiming for.
Here's a general guideline:
| Target B-school | Safe CAT Percentile (General Category) |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of |
Hello,
Getting an MBBS seat in Karnataka with 460 marks is quite difficult, even if you belong to Category 1, Ex-serviceman, and HK category in government colleges. However, you have a good chance of getting a seat in the private medical colleges through the government-quota seats in private medical colleges.
Hello Dear Student,
Yes, you have a very strong chance of securing a 'Category-A' (convenor quota) BDS seat at the Panineeya Institute of Dental Sciences in Hyderabad with 377 marks.
You can check, find and access more information here:
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/re-neet-2026-safe-score-for-bds
Hope it helps!
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