CAT 2022 Topper Interview: Umang from Bareilly Secures 99.79%

Umang Agarwal got his name included in the list of CAT 2022 toppers with an overall score of 99.79 percentile. In an exclusive interview he shares his CAT preparation strategy.

CAT 2022 Topper Interview with Umang Agarwal

CAT 2022 Topper Interview: IIM Bangalore released CAT 2022 results on December 21. Umang Agarwal, who lives in Bareilly, scored 99.79 percentile to get his name included in the CAT 2022 toppers list. He passed out from MIT Manipal, post which he joined Capgemini to work as a Software Developer. He aims to convert calls from BLACKI IIMs and FMS, Delhi. His hobbies include travelling and exploring new places. Additionally, he loves to sing and play guitar. In an exclusive chat with Shiksha.com, Umang opened up on his CAT preparation strategy, with tips for future aspirants.

CAT 2022 Topper Interview: Highlights

CAT 2022 Topper Interview with Umang Agarwal

Shiksha: Congratulations! Are you satisfied with your CAT result? What was your expected CAT score?

Umang: I think I could have done better. I attempted the toughest RC in verbal first which wasted a lot of time. Apart from that everything went fine. In some mocks I was getting around 99.99 percentile so I was expecting something around 99.9+, but after that RC, I realised that I would not be able to score that high. Therefore, I am satisfied with 99.79.

Shiksha: Was this your first CAT attempt?

Umang: No, this was not my first attempt. I have given it a couple of times before this as well.

Shiksha: When did you start preparing for CAT exam? What was your overall prep strategy?

Umang: I started preparing in the first week of November. I just gave 15 mock tests. Analysing those mocks was very important to find out the mistakes. Since this was not my first attempt, I just had to revise the topics.

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Shiksha: Please share with us your section-wise strategy.

Umang: My overall preparation strategy for all three sections of CAT 2022 was as follows:

• For VARC, my strategy was to do all the RCs in 32 mins and then the remaining eight questions of VA in eight minutes. I decided that I will allot eight minutes to each RC.
• For DILR, I thought to complete at least 2-3 sets depending on the difficulty level. As it was more difficult than last year I could attempt 2 sets.
• For QA, my strategy was to first attempt all the easier questions, which can be done within a minute. After that, I moved to questions of medium and high difficulty-level.

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Shiksha: Which books did you refer to for CAT preparation?

Umang: I did not refer to any books this year. I believe it is more important to give mocks and analyse them. Those aspiring to take CAT for the first time can refer to books if they face difficulty in any topic.

Also Read: Best Books to Prepare for CAT

Shiksha: Did you join any coaching institute? How does coaching institute help in CAT preparation?

Umang: I just took the test series of a renowned coaching centre. It had 15 mock tests.

Shiksha: How many mock tests did you attempt and how important is a mock test series?

Umang: I attempted 15 mocks. Mock tests are very important as they helps us to gauge the real time test scenario. It makes us more comfortable while giving the actual test.

Shiksha: What was your exam day strategy?

Umang: My exam day strategy was to not think much about the exam. I had to remain calm and composed. Also if one of the sections goes bad, it should not affect the next section. 

Also Read: CAT Exam Day Tips

Shiksha: Any tips for future CAT aspirants?

Umang: I would say that despite the preparation, it is very important how you attempt the test on the day of the examination. If you have practised a good number of mocks, just be confident and give the exam. Don't take stress during the exam or on the day before the exam.

Shiksha: Which IIMs /Institutes are you targeting?

Umang: I'm targeting the following colleges:

• IIM Bangalore
• IIM Lucknow
• IIM Ahmedabad
• IIM Calcutta
• IIM Kozhikode
• IIM Indore
• FMS, Delhi University

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