Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )
Exam On - 30 Nov '25
Akshat Agarwal, whon scored 99.29 percentile in CAT 2023 shares his exam preparation journey. Know his strategy and learn how to score above 99 percentile in CAT 2024.
CAT Topper Akshat Agarwal
Akshat Agarwal appeared in CAT 2023 as a personal challenge to evaluate his competitive edge and ensure that I remain at the top of my game and scored and impressive 99.29 percentile. Currently pursuing MBA from IIT Delhi DMS, Akshat is a computer science engineer. With experience in software quality assurance associate at FICO he aims to be a business leader in future. Apart from academics, Akshat excels in athletics. He has earned numerous medals at the school level and served as a captain of his school's cricket team.
Having scored above 99 percentile in the CAT twice, Akshat has proved that focus and consistency can help you achieve great heights in every field. He shared his CAT preparation journey with Shiksha. Read on to know his study plan, preparation strategy and get inspired to crack CAT 2024.
CAT score (overall and sectional):
CAT 2023: 99.29 (VARC-92.37, DILR-98.09, QA-99.72)
CAT 2022: 99.44 (VARC-84.48, DILR-99.82, QA-99.17)
Q: Congratulations! Are you satisfied with your CAT result? How much score were you expecting?
CAT cut-offs are not announced along with the CAT result. The cut-offs are also not released publicly. They are known after a few days of the result announcement when the IIMs and other colleges start their shortlisting process. The IIMs will open the shortlist window based on the CAT cut-offs two to three days after the result announcement. The CAT percentile of candidates shortlisted for the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) can be considered the cut-off for that IIM. For example, if a candidate with a CAT percentile of 99 belonging to the General category is selected for the WAT/GD-PI of IIM Calcutta, then the CAT cut-off for IIM Calcutta is 99 percentile. Only those candidates who make it to the WAT/GD-PI round of IIMs will get to know the cut-offs.
A: I am extremely pleased with my CAT score. In CAT 2022, I approached the exam with unwavering dedication and commitment, securing a remarkable 99.44 percentile. This outstanding result enabled me to gain admission to my dream institution, IIT Delhi, where I have been able to further my academic and professional aspirations.
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
31 Dec '25
This year, I decided to take the CAT once again, not out of necessity, but as a personal challenge to evaluate my competitive edge and ensure that I remain at the top of my game. The experience was both exhilarating and affirming, as I was thrilled to see that I still possess the capability and determination to excel. Achieving such an impressive score reaffirmed my confidence and motivated me to continue striving for excellence in all my endeavors.
Q: Was this your first attempt at CAT?
A: It was my second attempt.
Q: When did you start preparing for the CAT exam?
A: For my serious attempt, I started preparing in March 2022, giving at least 4-6 hours daily.
Q: What is a good CAT preparation strategy?
A: To crack CAT exam, one needs to focus on the following:
Q: Please share with us your section-wise CAT preparation strategy.
A: Here's my CAT preparation strategy:
VARC:
Q: Which books did you refer to for CAT preparation?
A: Apart from study material and CAT mock tests provided by my coaching institutes, I referred to Arun Sharma books for QA, LR and DI and Aeon Essays for VARC.
Q: How many CAT mock tests did you attempt?
A: Around 50-60 mocks- initially once a week, then twice a week and during the last months 1-2 mocks.
Q: What was your exam day strategy?
A: My exam day strategy was comprehensive and designed to ensure peak performance. First and foremost, I focused on relaxation and ensuring a good night's sleep before the exam to be well-rested and mentally sharp. On the morning of the exam, I maintained a calm and composed demeanor, which helped in keeping stress at bay. I made plans for after the exam, providing myself with something enjoyable to look forward to, which helped reduce anxiety and kept my spirits high. Seeking blessings from my teachers and parents was an essential part of my routine. Their guidance and encouragement have always been a source of strength for me, and receiving their blessings instilled a sense of confidence and motivation.
Moreover, I carried a sense of spiritual reassurance with me, taking the blessings of God into the exam hall. This spiritual connection provided inner peace and a sense of protection, helping me stay focused and positive throughout the exam. This holistic strategy, combining physical rest, mental preparation, emotional support, and spiritual peace, ensured that I was in the best possible state to perform well in the exam.
Q: What will be your tips or advice to future CAT aspirants?
A: I would advise future CAT aspirants the following:
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Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 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 5 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 6 days 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
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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
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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
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