CAT 2020 Topper Interview: High Number of Accurate Attempts is Key to Crack CAT, says Arjit Kumar, 99.10 Percentiler

Arjit Kumar

Patna boy Arjit Kumar, who is a Petroleum Engineer from IIT (ISM) Dhanbad decided to pursue an MBA while studying Engineering, to get a perspective on business. Currently working with Reliance Industries Limited, he balanced his preparation well even without taking coaching. Arjit utilised the platform of YouTube and mock test series to prepare and excel in his preparation strategy. Although Arjit had appeared for CAT exam last year and secured over 97 percentile, he decided to prepare with an even better and systematic strategy which resulted in being in the category of 99 percentilers. In this exclusive interview with Shiksha, Arjit shares his preparation strategy in detail and also his choice of B-schools, career aspirations and tips for the future CAT aspirants.

Q: Tell us something about yourself.

A: I belong to Patna. I have done Petroleum Engineering from IIT(ISM) Dhanbad and have been working with Reliance Industries Limited. So far, I have around two years of work experience.

Q: When did you decide to take CAT and how did you start preparing?

A: In the third year of my Engineering, I was motivated to pursue MBA based one of the lectures, which was about the business aspect of Engineering. I decided that along with the technical skills, I need to develop managerial skills and analyse the business aspect of Petroleum Engineering or any other field. I want to be a techno-manager.

Q: Was this your first CAT attempt? Were you expecting this score?

A: This is my second CAT attempt. I had appeared for CAT 2019 and secured 97.5 percentile and bagged a seat in NITIE Mumbai. However, due to the pandemic situation and several other challenges, I decided to not take admission and decided to take another attempt in CAT. This time I had prepared in a more systematic manner and I was more confident and better prepared as well. Hence, was expecting a better score than last year.

Q: Tell us about your preparation strategy.

A: I have prepared on my own and took some guidance and help of my college seniors and YouTube videos. I started preparing from August. I started section-wise preparation, starting from weak areas. Quantitative Ability (QA) is my weakest area, despite being an Engineer. With regular practice and understanding the concepts, it is not difficult to score high in this section as it comprises mostly Class 12 level Math. I followed a YouTube channel on Maths which helped me a lot.

The next section which I prepared was Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR). For this section also, watching videos helped me a great deal. I focused more on the data part as DI is easier than the LR part. I targetted the easier questions which ensured accuracy and high score.

The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) section was my forte. In CAT, candidates’ comprehension skills carry more weightage than grammar or other aspects of English. I am good at comprehending passages which gave me an edge in this section. I used to read articles on the Internet as fast as I could and tried to decipher its crux.

Once the sectional preparation was complete, I enrolled for the test series of a reputed coaching institute which helped me in my overall preparation and helped me make an effective test-taking strategy.

Q: What was your exam day strategy?

A: My strategy was to be absolutely calm and not to take unnecessary stress. My exam was in the third slot, hence I had ample time for last-minute revision. I had prepared a formula sheet for the QA section and went through it for revision. I had attempted maximum questions from QA and VARC as the former is the most scoring section and the latter is my strong area. For DI & LR, I attempted the least number of questions, but I made sure that even if the number of attempts is low, I answer with full accuracy and garner as much score as possible without subjecting myself to negative marking.

Q: CAT 2020 exam pattern was changed. According to you, is it better than last year’s pattern?

A: I think that the previous CAT exam pattern was better since you have ample time. In the new pattern, you cannot afford to waste time on one single question and the time management skill has to be on point, otherwise, you won’t be able to complete the exam. It creates a state of panic.

Q: How did you deal with the stress of CAT prep and exam?

A: It was indeed a stressful time. Moreover, due to the lockdown, it was even more difficult since our movement was curtailed and there were limited resources in every aspect. I was working at the same time and took leave for a month and completed the QA CAT syllabus. I used to study for six hours a day. I completed the entire syllabus by mid-October and spent the time till CAT for practice and revision. I took All India CAT mock tests and analysed my performance to improve my preparation.

Q: What are your hobbies? Did you follow these hobbies during the preparation phase as well?

A: I love to sing and whenever I felt stressed during the preparation phase I picked up my karaoke set and started singing. Another hobby which I explored during this period was cooking. These activities kept me really calm and relaxed. I did not spend too long on these hobbies and it actually helped me improve my preparation.

Q: Any specific strategy for WAT-PI?

A: I am taking guidance from seniors who are pursuing MBA from reputed institutes. They have suggested me to prepare for the current affairs and also be prepared for facing questions on any random question. Along with knowing facts, it is also important to grow an opinion as well. I have shortlisted some YouTube channels wherein panellists discuss the current affairs topics and present an analytical point of view.

Q: Which are your dream B-schools and why?

A: My dream B-School is IIM Calcutta because it is the oldest IIM and one of the best colleges for Finance, a specialisation I am inclined towards. Moreover, I love the city of Kolkata which is another reason for IIM Calcutta being my dream college. Apart from that, I am targetting FMS Delhi because of the high return of investment. Alongside, I am also rooting my hopes for NITIE Mumbai and SPJIMR Mumbai.

Q: What is your plan after completing MBA?

A: I would like to take up a job in Finance or Operations Management sector. While Finance is my area of interest and it is an evergreen field, my current job profile is in Operations. After completing MBA, I would like to switch my professional experience from the technical aspect of Operations to the Managerial aspect.

Q: What are your suggestions for future CAT aspirants?

A: Work on your strengths. Refer to the CAT preparation books like Arun Sharma and take ample mock tests and practice varieties of question types. For QA, practice is the key. For the DILR section, focus more on DI as it is more scorable than LR. For VARC, focus on comprehension questions rather than grammar or theoretical understanding. Even if you score low in mock tests, don’t feel dejected. Just keep working on your strengths and don’t get worried with your weakness.

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