Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )
Exam On - 30 Nov '25
CAT 2022 topper, Sharad Dubey, in his exclusive interview with shiksha.com shares his CAT preparation and exam taking strategies. Sharad lays emphasis on the importance of mock tests and how it helped him overcome his weak points. Read this complete interview to know the section-wise strategy, preparation tips, and books for CAT preparation.
CAT 2022 Topper Interview- Sharad Dubey
CAT 2022 topper interview: Sharad Dubey who scored 99.29 percentile in CAT 2022 exam, shares his preparation and exam taking strategy to score 99 percentile and above. Born and brought in Gwalior, did his graduation in B.tech. in IT from Cluster Innovation Centre, University of Delhi. To crack the CAT exam, Sharad kept his preparation focused around mocks and sectional preparations to score desired percentile. Read this complete interview of CAT 2022 topper, Sharad Dubey to know his section-wise preparation strategy, books referred for preparation and other tips and tricks to bell the CAT.
DFP Banner-
Also Read:
Shiksha: Congratulations! Are you satisfied with your CAT result? How much score were you expecting?
Sharad: Thank you very much. I am happy but I’m not very satisfied with my result. I was expecting a slightly higher percentile (Around 99.29). Nevertheless, I’ll be getting some good calls at this score.
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.
Shiksha: Please tell about yourself
Sharad: My name is Sharad Dubey, I was born and brought up in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. I pursued my schooling from there only. After my school, I cracked some engineering examinations with a good rank and decided to pursue engineering from the prestigious Delhi University.
30 Sep '25 - 20 Nov '25
19 Nov '25 - 20 Nov '25
17 Oct '25 - 24 Nov '25
23 Oct '25 - 7 Dec '25
30 Sep '25 - 10 Dec '25
1 Aug '25 - 16 Dec '25
1 Jul '25 - 19 Dec '25
21 Dec '25
9 Oct '25 - 9 Jan '26
During my graduation, while working in an internship I decided to pursue MBA programme. I felt that technical solutions often fail to assume the complexity and dynamics of the real world. Thus, I decided to pursue formal education in the management domain. After my graduation, I wanted to have some industry exposure so I started a startup as a software developer and then took the CAT while working. Unfortunately, I could not score well that time. Though I had calls from some good colleges, I decided for one more attempt at CAT. This time, I kept my preparation focused around mocks and sectionals and luckily, I got a decent score this time. My elder sister and brother supported me throughout my preparation.
Shiksha: Was this your first CAT attempt?
Sharad: This was my second attempt at CAT. I scored around 94%ile in my previous attempt.
Shiksha: When did you start preparing for CAT exam? What was your overall preparation strategy?
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 |
Sharad: I started my preparation in mid of May. I wanted to start a bit early but could not do so due to some personal reasons. My preparation strategy was quite simple, I just worked on filling the gaps which I identified after attempting a few mocks. The primary area of my focus this time was on mocks and their analysis. This, in my opinion, is the best way to increase your score.
Regarding the overall preparation, I want to burst some of the myths which are floating on several social media platforms:
1: Vocabulary is a must: While a good vocabulary helps you to read and comprehend a paragraph, it is not the necessary condition to score good. You’ll always be getting the idea of the paragraph by the context. Rather than putting your time in mugging up words, it is better to do some reading/or attempt a sectional test.
2: DILR is just basic stuff: Trust me, this is the biggest myth in which engineers often fall into since they are assumed to be good with logical skills. In recent years, DILR has been the pain point for both engineers and non-engineers. I myself ignored this point and scored horrible in DILR, due to which my overall percentile went down. It requires a lot of practice. You need to attempt a lot of mocks or sectionals before going to the exam. I would suggest that you start attempting DILR sectionals as soon as you start your preparation.
3: Mental math is a necessity: I have seen people spending two to three months getting their calculations fast. While it is good to have skill, it does not make sense that you spend a lot of time on it. There are several other skills that are important to crack CAT QA like question selection, which requires less time and benefits you more in the long run. Just, do not waste a lot of time on this.
Shiksha: Please share with us your section-wise strategy.
Sharad: My section wise strategy was quite simple. For VA, I focused mainly on reading. This is not like I am reading any random articles or something but a very well prepared list of articles which is available at some YouTube channels I think. Selective reading is very important while preparing for CAT because there is a lot of material which is available to read but which you will not get equal benefits out of these. It is extremely important to read relevant stuff.
Second important thing with respect to VARC is mock/sectional analysis. I spent a lot of time analyzing CAT mock tests. Initially, I used to spend around 3-4 hours analyzing the VA section which I attempted in 40 minutes. I used to deep dive into every questions’ explanation and find out what it is that I could not crack. Gradually, this time got reduced and I was getting a decent score by that time.
Similarly, For LRDI My focus was completely on solving as many sets as possible. I started attempting DILR sectionals as soon as I started my preparation. Though I was getting a really low score initially, I kept analyzing these mocks. I worked on my problem solving approach along with set selection through mock analysis. Finally, I finalised my CAT exam taking strategy so that I can utilize the most of my potential.
For QA, I do not think there is much except practice. If you know a question, look if there are any better ways to do it, if you don’t just practice more.
Also Read:
Shiksha: Which books did you refer to for CAT preparation?
Sharad: I didn’t follow any books, I just followed the material that my institute provided
Shiksha: Did you join any coaching institute? How does coaching institute help in CAT preparation?
Sharad: Yes, I took an online coaching for CAT. Since I was working, managing my time between work and studies was a hassle. I decided to join an online coaching that provided me with the material, schedule and everything that was needed so that I don’t waste my time finding resources and planning.
Shiksha: How many mock tests did you attempt and how important is a mock test series?
Sharad: I attempted close to 45 mock tests this year. Apart from this, I also attempted many sectionals for each of the three subjects. I think that mocks are the most important part of the preparation and it is not about the quantity but the quality. It does not matter if you have attempted 50 mocks if you have not analyzed them thoroughly. The difficulty level of mock tests you are getting should be close to that of CAT otherwise, there won’t be enough benefit. Mocks help you to build your strategy, Identify your strengths and weaknesses and loopholes. For these reasons this is the most critical part of the preparation which you cannot risk at all.
Shiksha: What was your exam day strategy?
Sharad: My exam was in the second slot; I have already finalized my strategy which is mentioned below in a section wise manner:
Shiksha: Who is your role model?
Sharad: My Role model is ‘Karna” from the Mahabharata. He symbolizes something which is the motto of my life, which goes like “It’s not from where you come, but how you do it”. Karna, being from a lower caste family was not allowed to participate in war but he tried his best and learned archery. By his dedication and hard work, He managed to participate in the war. Apart from that, He is also a symbol of loyalty and friendship.
Shiksha: Any tips for future CAT aspirants?
Sharad: Apart from the thing that I have mentioned above I want to suggest some points to the future aspirants:
1: Do not waste a lot of time searching for motivation (Through YouTube videos or otherwise). Many YouTube channels are doing that just to keep you engaged, refrain from that.
2: Do not watch a lot of videos on strategy and planning. First, build your basics, attempt some mocks and then go into these.
3: Do not delay mocks. Start attempting mocks as early as possible. This is probably the most important tip. If you cannot attempt full length mocks, attempt sectionals.
4: Be consistent. This seems easy but it is the most difficult part. There will always be times when your mock scores will go down for sure. The point is to keep going. Just do not give up.
5: Keep an eye on ADMAT preparation too. If god forbid, your CAT does not go your way, you should have some backup. Start preparing for ADMAT topics which are not in the CAT syllabus in advance.
DFP Banner-
Shiksha: Which IIMs /Institutes are you targeting?
Sharad: I didn’t receive calls from Old IIMs. So, the next best choice for me is SPJIMR, MDI and SJMSOM(IIT-B) and NITIE. I’ll try and convert all of my calls and then I’ll make a decision later.
Shiksha: Tell us something about your educational background, family, hobbies, profession.
Sharad: I pursued B.tech. in IT. During my graduation, I maintained a balance between my academics and extracurricular activities. I was a part of the Robotics society and Industry outreach cell for our college. Apart from this, I also used to take part in standup comedy competitions and shows. I’ve also performed at Canvas laugh club and Mood Indigo-Delhi chapter (Both of these have 200 audience) I participated in a couple of hackathons as a team leader, and reached the final five in one of these. I have also worked on some of the projects/internships during my graduation of which election data analysis and fundus image segmentation were the major projects.
I have also worked as a software developer for around 2 years now. It is through this experience that I'm now more open to take constructive criticism. I'm now more confident about commercial awareness with respect to organization. Moreover, software development enhanced my logical thinking ability. I see myself as more competent in the corporate world as compared to earlier.
Moreover, I have loved watching and playing cricket since childhood. In today’s time, I just follow cricket. Apart from these, I also love Reading mythological texts, especially the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Read More Topper Interview:
19 Nov '25 - 20 Nov '25 | XAT 2026 mock test 3 |
10 Jul '25 - 5 Dec '25 | XAT 2026 Exam registration |
1 Aug '25 - 20 Nov '25 | SNAP 2025 Registration Process |
28 Nov '25 - 6 Dec '25 | SNAP 2025 admit card session 1... |
28 Oct '25 - 16 Dec '25 | NMAT 2025 Admit Card Issuance |
1 Aug '25 - 16 Dec '25 | NMAT 2025 Rescheduling Window |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
23 Oct '25 - 7 Dec '25 | MAT PBT Registration 2025 (Dec... |
23 Oct '25 - 15 Dec '25 | MAT CBT Registration 2025 (Dec... |
1 Jul '25 - 19 Dec '25 | IBSAT 2025 Registration |
5 Nov '25 - 27 Dec '25 | IBSAT Slot Booking 2025 |
17 Oct '25 - 24 Nov '25 | CMAT 2026 registration and app... |
Dec '25 | MAH MBA CET 2026 registration ... |
2 Sep '25 - 4 Sep '25 | MAH MBA CAP 2025: Reporting to... |
Jan '26 | Publication of TANCET notifica... |
Jan '26 | TANCET registration window |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 5 days ago
At GIBS, they keep the entrance exam part really simple. For PGDM or MBA, they accept almost all the common exams like CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, and GMAT. Even state-level or institute-level scores are considered.
Honestly, GIBS doesn't stress too much about “only one specific exam.” As long as you
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 6 days ago
At GIBS, the faculty-to-student ratio is around 1:15, which honestly makes learning a lot easier. Since the classes aren't overcrowded, the faculty actually get time to focus on each student.
You can easily ask your doubts, get personal guidance, and have open discussions. It feels more like a mentor
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
The online application for GIBS Business School is very well-organized and student-friendly for its MBA, PGDM, and BBA programs.
Application Procedure Step 1: Access the Admissions Portal
Go to the official website of GIBS Business School, and click on "Apply Online", which can be found under the sect
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
GIBS Business School considers the overall CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, and GMAT scores for the admission of candidates in the PGDM and MBA programs. Rather than using solely high cut-offs, the entrance test scores are used to judge the aptitude of a candidate in terms of analysis, quant, and verbal f
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 weeks ago
GIBS Business School, Bangalore, has a strong and dynamic Placement Cell that helps in securing excellent career opportunities for the students. Every year, more than 260 reputed companies have visited the campus for recruitment, offering versatile jobs in sectors like BFSI, IT, consulting, manufact
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 weeks ago
Getting into the MBA programme of NIT Trichy with a 300 SC CAT rank is somewhat uncertain. As the recent data sets suggest, NIT Trichy's CAT cutoff for SC category admission stands around 65th percentile. A 300 SC rank could be borderline depending on how many SC candidates apply and the quality of
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
Candidates who did not appear for the CAT entrance exam can apply St. Xavier's College, Kolkata admissions as it is not a mandatory entrance exam. The candidates who wish to gain admissions into the MBA course of the institute have to appear for the Kolkata University entrance test for St. Xavier's
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
PGCET and CAT serve distinct purposes. The PGCET is primarily conducted for MBA admissions in colleges in the state of Karnataka, specifically for government colleges and private universities with lower fees. CAT is a national level exam for top-ranking B-schools and colleges such as the IIMs that h
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
That's a wonderful goal to push your son toward right at the start. To obtain previous CAT model papers, you can check many available popular exam preparation books in any bookstore or online store. Coaching interest such as TIME, IMS, Career Launcher, etc., usually have mock tests and sample papers
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, you can get admission to Jaypee Business School (JBS), Noida for MBA even if you don't have CAT. JBS accepts scores from several other exams such as MAT, CMAT, XAT, GMAT, ATMA, and also CUET-PG. Just make sure you have a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks, then apply with any of those va
Contributor-Level 9
Yes, IIM Bangalore is one of the toughest business schools to get admission to, and every year, even CAT 99+ percentilers miss out on a call from the institute. IIM Bangalore uses multiple parameters, namely academic performance as well as candidates' scores in CAT/GMAT to select candidates for the PGP programme. IIMB adopts a two-phase selection process and accordingly, these selection criteria are applied in two phases. The first phase of the process is applied to all eligible candidates who appear for CAT to determine candidates to be called for a personal interview (PI). Candidates selected for the PI process will be additionally required to take a Writing Ability Test (WAT).