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."
IIMK will close the CAT provisional answer key 2025 window tomorrow, December 10.
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
Good Morning,
NIT Rourkela CAT cutoff range is between 70-85 percentiles for the general category. 70 is the minimum percentile needed to apply, and 85 is the highest percentile. However, the maximum percentile depends on the particular year competition. It can be changed.
Thank You.
If you filled the UGC NET form under EWS but you don’t have a valid EWS certificate, then forget using the EWS category. They won’t accept it. You’ll automatically be treated as General category during document verification.
And no, this won’t make your form “invalid” or “illegal.” It just means you won’t get the EWS benefit.
So yes — you can still go for General category posts and Professor recruitment. Just don’t try to submit a fake/invalid certificate; that will get you disqualified.
Hello,
If your CAT admit card shows your surname first followed by your first name as entered in the form, it is correct. You do not need to worry about this format as long as it matches the details you provided. Ensure all other information on the admit card is accurate and carry it to the exam along with the required identification documents.
Hope this helps you.
Hello,
If your CAT admit card has a different date of birth than your Aadhaar card, you should get it corrected immediately . Here’s what you can do:
Check the CAT website : Log in to your candidate portal and look for the option to correct personal details.
Contact the CAT helpdesk : Email or call them explaining the issue. Attach a copy of your Aadhaar card as proof.
Do not ignore it : The date of birth must match your ID, otherwise you may face problems at the exam or during admission.
Usually, the CAT authorities allow corrections before the exam, so act quickly.
Hope it helps !
Hello,
Here are Documents Required for CUSAT CAT (NRI Quota):
To know more access below mentioned link:
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/cusat-cat-application-form
Hope it helps.
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