Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )
Exam On - 30 Nov '25
Shauray Tiwari, who got 99 percentile in CAT 2022, shares his prep strategy and tips for future CAT aspirants. Check complete details here.
CAT 2022 Topper Interview with Shauray Tiwari
CAT 2022 Topper Interview: IIM Bangalore released CAT 2022 results on December 21. With 99 percentile, Shauray Tiwari is among the CAT 2022 toppers. He is currently pursuing BCom from Kirori Mal College, affiliated with the University of Delhi. With a good score in CAT 2022, Shauray aims to convert IIM BLACKI, MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, among other top MBA colleges. His hobbies include playing guitar. Shauray has been playing guitar for over 10 years. However, he plans to establish a flourishing career in Finance. Shiksha got in an exclusive chat with the CAT 2022 topper, Shauray Tiwari to know his CAT preparation strategy, recommended books, and exam day guidelines for the future aspirants.
| Name of CAT Topper |
Shauray Tiwari |
|---|---|
| College |
|
| Overall |
99 |
| VARC |
98.27 |
| DILR |
98.65 |
| QA |
93.91 |
Shiksha: Congratulations! Are you satisfied with your CAT result? What was your expected CAT score?
Shauray: I am quite satisfied with the CAT results. I was expecting somewhere around a 98 percentile, and an overall score of 99 percentile is a sweet surprise. Although my preparation started with a dream of getting a 99.5+, I am still very grateful.
Shiksha: Was this your first CAT attempt?
Shauray: Yes, this was my first attempt. I am in my final year of BCom Honours at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi.
Shiksha: When did you start preparing for the CAT exam? What was your overall prep strategy?
Sectional cut-off in the CAT exam refers to the section-wise percentiles required by the candidate to make it to the Personal Interview round of the IIMs or other top MBA colleges. The sectional cut-offs are lower than the overall cut-offs of any institute. To understand better, check the table below for sectional CAT cut-offs for IIM Ahmedabad:
Category | VARC percentile | DILR percentile | QA percentile | Overall percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General | 70 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
NC-OBC-Transgender | 65 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
SC | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
PwD (General, NC-OBC-cum-transgender, SC) | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
PwD (ST) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
For sectional cut-offs of all IIMs, check this article – IIM shortlist and selection criteria
No, one can't join IIM without CAT. Candidates seeking admission to the IIM Ahmedabad MBA course must appear for CAT and secure 90 percentile. The Institute considers Writing Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds for final admission to IIM Ahmedabad along with CAT results. Students must meet both, the overall CAT cutoff percentile and the sectional cutoffs.The Institute does not release CAT cutoffs in the public domain and are exclusively accessible only via account login to candidates who have appeared for the exam.
Shauray: I started going to coaching in around November 2021, but my serious preparation started from June 2022, after my semester exams. Overall preparation strategy for CAT was to give as many mocks as possible followed by in-depth analysis. I finished the syllabus by July end, which is why I was able to shift my focus to the mock tests.
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Shiksha: Please share the section-wise preparation strategy for CAT.
Shauray: My section-wise preparation for CAT 2022 was as follows:
VARC - VARC can be a challenging section for many. What I feel is that VARC checks the candidate's reading skills. Reading across varied topics is the only way to get better at VARC. Every topic should be familiar, which will help you read faster and ACE the section.
DILR - Undoubtedly, DILR was the toughest section of CAT. Best way to prepare for the DILR for any MBA entrance exam is to go through the previous year papers of at least the last five years. Practise a variety of sets. DILR has no theory, so only practice is the way to get better at it.
The table given below mentions IIM Calcutta sectional and overall cutoff 2024 across all sections and categories:
| Category | Section - 1 (VARC) | Section – II (DILR) | Section – III (QA) | Overall Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPEN | ≥80 | ≥80 | ≥75 | ≥85 |
| EWS | ≥70 | ≥65 | ≥65 | ≥75 |
| NC-OBC | ≥70 | ≥65 | ≥65 | ≥75 |
| SC | ≥65 | ≥60 | ≥60 | ≥70 |
| ST | ≥55 | ≥55 | ≥55 | ≥65 |
| PwD | ≥45 | ≥45 | ≥45 | ≥55 |
QA - Though I am a non-engineer, I love the quant section. Additionally, QA is the most scoring section of all. On the exam day I messed up my quant section. My tips for QA will be to brush up the strengths and prepare weak topics moderately. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will play a key role in this section. It will help you decide what questions to attempt and what not to attempt.
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Shiksha: Which books did you refer to for CAT preparation?
Shauray: Arun Sharma's books are really helpful.
Also Read: Best Books to Prepare for CAT
Shiksha: Did you join any coaching institute? How does a coaching institute help in CAT preparation?
Shauray: Yes, I joined coaching. Coaching helps in building momentum and giving you guidance as to how to attempt the exam, and how to go about the preparation strategy. Doubt classes at the coaching institute are really helpful.
Shiksha: How many mock tests did you attempt and how important is a mock test series?
Shauray: Mock tests are the key to CAT preparation. I attempted nearly 50 mock tests for CAT preparation. Mock and sectional tests help you shape your strategy, which is of real value in an exam like CAT. Completing the syllabus is half the portion, how to attempt the exam is another.
Shiksha: What was your exam day strategy?
Shauray: My CAT exam day strategy was to remain calm, although the DILR section did create a little panic, luckily, I could sail through. I only suggest to never go inside the exam hall with preconceived notions like, 50 per cent marks is equal to a 99 percentile. The exam might surprise you, and one must be ready to expect the unexpected. The key is to bring your A-game, and focus on the questions that are in front of you.
Shiksha: Any tips for future CAT aspirants?
Shauray: Enjoy your journey, enjoy the preparation phase. Give as many mocks as possible. Don't let the low mock scores boggle you down. When the result comes, the sacrifices you make during your preparation will be worth it. ALL THE BEST!
Shiksha: Which IIMs /Institutes are you targeting?
Shauray: I am targeting the following colleges:
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