100 percentiler Nilanjan Dutta attempted CAT 2016 to test himself

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If scoring cent percentile in CAT wasn’t enough to startle you, let us reveal that CAT 2016 topper Nilanjan Dutta hadn’t taken the test seriously.

Yes, you read it right. Kolkata lad Nilanjan Dutta appeared in India’s top management entrance exam only to test his capabilities.  

Talking to Shiksha, Nilanjan revealed that he attempted CAT in 2016 for the sake of testing himself.

“I had not taken any competitive test for the last five years and on my friends’ suggestion I appeared in CAT 2016 to see how sharp I am still,” he said.

His sectional scores of CAT 2016 are 97.21 in VARC, 100 in DILR and 99.90 in QA.

Nilanjan had appeared for CAT for the first time in 2011 when he scored almost perfect - 99.93 percentile. The national level debater does not intend to join any of the IIMs as he already has a management degree from XLRI, Jamshedpur.

“I am very happy with my management degree from XLRI and my job as a Business Consultant at an IT firm in Kolkata,” he said.

Stressing on the need for complete dedication in self-study, Nilanjan said one must not ignore the necessity of coaching institutes. He believes joining a coaching institute gives exam preparation a massive boost.

“It is very important to join a coaching institute to stay in touch and it is very important to take mock tests very seriously as they happen from June until the exam month. They play an important role in benchmarking oneself vis-à-vis others and constantly improve,” which is why he had converted calls from IIMs and XLRI in his first attempt.

Nilanjan’s incredible feat is understandably a big reason of celebrations at his home. His family is elated at his success and much of the credit goes to them. He himself believes that family support is critical for the success of a CAT aspirant, for the candidate goes through a lot of anxiety and mood swings during the preparatory months and need someone to be there for them and guide through the stressful period. “Besides providing emotional support, it is very important that the family supports their ward financially, as MBA programmes are a costly affair,” he stressed.

If you think only studious people can achieve such success, Nilanjan is a fine example to break that myth as he is into a lot of extracurricular activities. Besides being a national level debater, he has have acting in plays since his school days. He loves to solve puzzles in free time and is an avid football fan. He also has a keen interest in athletics and cricket.

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CAT scores are used for admission to 19 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and various other top B-Schools. Are you eligible for the IIMs? To know more, click on the image beside.