Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Extended Application Deadline: 10th Feb 2024
CAT IIM Toppers Success Strategies: Preparation for the CAT exam mainly depends on the individual strategy and what suits the candidate. Every candidate is different in terms of skills and abilities, ranging from working professionals to students and quick learners to comparatively slow learners. So, what should be the approach? There are two ways to crack the CAT exam 2024 - Join a coaching institute or self-study. Most CAT toppers in the last five years were self-taught with little guidance from mentors and plenty of CAT mock test series.
Careers360 brings to you the CAT toppers preparation strategy to ace this MBA entrance exam with a high percentile. Know How to crack CAT by the toppers, which is the best way to prepare for the CAT exam, the last minutes preparation tips and many more. The CAT 2024 exam date is November 24.
For those candidates who are planning to appear for CAT exam, we have compiled a CAT Preparation Strategy with past years' toppers. Read below for their experiences and suggestions on how to prepare for CAT 2024.
Tanya Gupta achieved a high percentile of 99.47 in CAT and secured admission to IIM Kozhikode. Tanya, who worked with JP Morgan in the Investment Banking Division prior to her admission into IIM, aims to become a financial market expert post her management course at IIM K. Tanya shares how she strategically prepared for the CAT exam by practising extensively for all the four sections of the IIM CAT paper.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Extended Application Deadline: 10th Feb 2024
Last Date of Applications- 28th January | 250+ Companies | Highest CTC 16 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
CAT Topper Strategy: Start preparing for CAT five months in advance. The strategy is to first solidify the basics for all four sections and then deep-dive into each one of them. Go for an exhaustive numerical practice and individual topic tests for each section.
Sectional tips: For the Quantitative section, practice numerals as much as you can. Read newspaper editorials, and other online material regularly to help you with grammar and also your reading comprehension ability for the Verbal section.
Exam Day Formula: Divide time judiciously between your strengths and weaknesses. Build theoretical knowledge first, and then move on to extensive practice. Move to write CAT mock tests about 1.5-2 months before the exam, and devote at least 4-5 hours after each test to understanding your weaknesses. Practice more questions to deal with these points. On the day of the exam, remember to keep your calm, a positive frame of mind will always yield better results than a nervous one.
Know : How to Crack CAT: Strategies from Toppers
Soumik Biswas scored an admirable 99.94 percentile in IIM CAT and secured admission in one of the top B-schools of India- IIM Indore. The ex-IBM India employee shares the right strategy to be followed by the CAT aspirants, which can support them in scoring a high percentile.
Success Mantra: CAT does not require extensive study sessions as long as your basics are strong. The main concern is to develop speed which automatically comes if you are able to systemize your mock test. Around 140 minutes per week from your study and work schedule are enough to let individuals focus on IIM CAT preparation and achieve a great score.
Section Wise Strategy: For Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation stress 3 points- speed, technique, and choices. A positive approach and reading all the questions in the stipulated time are very important for answering the questions correctly.
In Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning, students can score maximum marks. For this section, the focus should be on increasing reading and vocabulary capabilities.
Exam Day Tip: Time Management is the key. Plan your time perfectly for each section. Winning over time will let you win.
Arijit Kumar Gorai cracked IIM Calcutta PGDM admissions with his high CAT percentile of 99.87. He had worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers before joining his MBA programme at IIM Calcutta. A strong believer in practice and time management, Arijit shares his success mantra for IIM CAT.
Preparation Strategy: The primary focus should be on accuracy rather than maximizing the number of attempts. Analyzing the mock exams is a major help and should be meticulously done.
Sectional Tips: If your verbal section is weak, pay extra attention to topics like para-jumbles, and comprehensions. Try to increase your speed along with accuracy. Practice reading newspapers or magazines to learn new words.
Exam Day Formula: Time management is very important in the actual IIM CAT paper. The focus must be on accuracy. Be sure that you spend around 2 minutes on each problem. It is important to let go of problems if you are stuck in a question. Wasting time on one question is a huge disadvantage. It is important to go through all the questions since the last 5 questions of a section might have some really simple problems that are very scoring and should not be missed.
Related searches;
An Engineering graduate, Sneha Mittal prepared for IIM CAT while working for Cognizant Technology. She cracked CAT with 97.91 percentile and got admission to IIM Udaipur. Sneha’s entrepreneurial ambitions motivated her to join an MBA programme.
Key Strategy: Regular study, practice, self-analysis, and adaptability to tricks are the main stakes for preparation. Traditional methods may seem to be easy but always use the tricks to solve the IIM CAT questions with speed and accuracy. And lastly, practice even before the exam day.
Sectional Plan: Quant & DI: The most important point to keep in mind is to stay calm and focused. While solving the QA & DI section, browse through the entire paper once. Attempt easier questions first, and do not waste a lot of time solving the difficult ones. This strategy helped me achieve a score of 98.23 percentile in the QA&DI section.
VA & LR: For the VA & LR section, solve the LR questions first. With the VA section, if you don’t know the answer, do not mark anything. This saves you from negative markings and lets you maintain your percentile.
Exam day Tips: IIM CAT is not a difficult exam. The right strategy paired with a lot of practice will guarantee you a good percentile in the CAT examination.
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Gagandeep Singh Pannu achieved a high percentile of 99.97 in IIM CAT and secured admission to IIM Rohtak. An Engineer by education, Gagandeep aims to become a financial market expert post his management course at the IIM. He also talks about his Time Management strategy which led him to crack CAT with a high percentile despite his hectic work schedule.
Key Advice: One word: Practice. You must practice to your full capacity. At the end of the day, just practice what you have done and learned.
Sectional Strategy: Learn basic Quantitative concepts, self-preparation would suffice. The focus should be more on brushing concepts and later switching to higher-level questions.
VA and LR require speed to read and answer correctly. For this section, focus on increasing your reading abilities.
Exam Day Tip: On the day of the exam, first go through the entire questions and then attempt formula-based questions first. Keep a target of 15 Questions in 15 minutes.
Check out more interviews by CAT toppers:
CAT topper Pulkit Daga | Rounak Tikmani CAT 2023 topper |
CAT topper Nishakar Kumar | Shreemant Singi CAT topper |
Hello there,
With a 53 percentile in CAT , the chances of receiving a call from XISS (Xavier Institute of Social Service) may be limited, as their typical cutoff for CAT is generally higher than this, especially for their flagship programs like MBA or PGDM .
However, admission depends on several factors such as:
Though the
CAT percentile
is a key factor, you might still be considered based on your overall profile if you apply to their
PGDM programs
. It's always worth checking with the college directly for the specific eligibility criteria and cutoffs for the year you're applying.
I would recommend you to use CAT College Predictor Tool by Careers360 to get the list of possible colleges you can get with your rank.
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.
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive entrance exam in India for admission to prestigious management programs like the MBA, primarily at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top business schools. It tests a candidate's aptitude in areas such as quantitative ability, verbal ability, logical reasoning, and data interpretation. CAT is valuable for students aspiring to build a career in business, management, or entrepreneurship, as it opens doors to world-class education, exceptional networking opportunities, and lucrative career prospects. Excelling in CAT demonstrates analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and leadership potential, essential qualities for success in the corporate world.
Hello there,
With a 77.38 percentile in CAT and sectionals of 61/89/67 , it may be challenging to secure admission to NIT Tiruchirappalli for an MBA, as their cutoff tends to be higher. However, there are still some possibilities, and you could consider these steps:
NIT Tiruchirappalli (MBA):
Generally, the cutoff for NIT Trichy’s MBA program is around 85-90 percentile, depending on the year and category. Your chances might be slim, but it’s always good to check with the college directly for their specific cutoff.
Other Colleges to Consider:
Other Entrance Exams: You could also look at other entrance exams like XAT, NMAT, or SNAP to apply to colleges like XLRI Jamshedpur, NMIMS Mumbai, or Symbiosis Institutes.
Additionally, considering your strong sectional score in DILR (89), you could focus on colleges with a more flexible approach to sectionals and percentile aggregation.
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.
Hello there,
With a 65 percentile in CAT and belonging to the General category , getting admission to USMS (University School of Management Studies) can be challenging, as their cutoffs are generally higher, typically around 85-90 percentile or more. However, admission can depend on factors like:
Category-wise cutoff
: Sometimes, the cutoff for the General category can be higher, but you may still apply as there might be specific reservation relaxations or fluctuations based on the number of applicants.
Interviews and GD
: Even if you meet the minimum cutoff,
interviews and group discussions
are a mandatory part of the selection process. They assess your communication skills, leadership qualities, and overall fit for the program.
Recommendations:
Top MBA colleges based on CAT, XAT, SNAP, and NMAT scores include some of India’s best institutions. For CAT, the IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta) and FMS Delhi are highly regarded. XAT results in prestigious colleges like XLRI Jamshedpur and XIMB. SNAP is known for Symbiosis Institutes, such as SIBM Pune and SCMHRD. NMAT scores open doors to NMIMS Mumbai, SPJIMR Mumbai, and ISB Hyderabad. Each exam has unique eligibility requirements, and their cutoffs vary, so it's important to research the specific criteria and select based on your preferences and strengths.
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In a business analyst job role a lot of analysis is done, things are learned from past mistakes and the successful strategies are enhanced further. A business analyst goes through real-world data in order to provide the most feasible solutions to an organisation. Students can pursue Business Analytics to become Business Analysts.
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A Marketing manager plans and executes marketing initiatives to create demand for goods and services and increase consumer awareness of them. A marketing manager prevents unauthorised statements and informs the public that the business is doing everything to investigate and fix the line of products. Students can pursue an MBA in Marketing Management courses to become marketing managers.
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Digital marketing is growing, diverse, and is covering a wide variety of career paths. Each job function aids in the development of effective digital marketing strategies and techniques. The aims and objectives of the individuals who opt for a career as a digital marketing executive are similar to those of a marketing professional: to build brand awareness, promote company services or products, and increase conversions. Individuals who opt for a career as Digital Marketing Executives, unlike traditional marketing companies, communicate effectively through suitable technology platforms.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Extended Application Deadline: 10th Feb 2024
Last Date of Applications- 28th January | 250+ Companies | Highest CTC 16 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
Highest CTC 35 LPA | Median CTC 9.27 LPA | 172+ Recruiters
FINAL Deadline: 30th January'25 | No more Deadlines | UGC Approved Programs | 100% Placement Record | Up to 100% Scholarships | Highest CTC 21.74 LPA
Average CTC 15.22 LPA | Ranked 91 by NIRF in Management Category 2024 | Highest Stipend – 1.2 Lakhs | Average CTC 15.22 LPA
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