CAT 2024 Topper Interview: How Sarthak Jaiswal Achieved 99.97 Percentile in 2.5 Months
Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )
Admit Card - 5 Nov '25 - 30 Nov '25
CAT 2024 Topper, Sarthak Jaiswal scored a wonderful score of 99.97 percentile in the CAT exam. In this interview, Sarthak shared his CAT preparation strategy and some useful tips for future CAT aspirants. Read the article below to know more.
CAT 2024 topper, Sarthak Jaiswal scored an exceptional 99.97 percentile in the CAT 2024 exam. A Computer Science Engineer from BITS Pilani, Sarthak achieved a remarkable score in his first CAT attempt. IIM Calcutta announced the CAT result 2024 on December 19, 2024. From excelling academically, Sarthak transitioned from running his own Ed-tech startup to meticulously preparing for the CAT 2024 exam.
Sarthak is not only a top achiever but also a fitness enthusiast and a passionate mentor. He actively participates in mentorship programmes, guiding aspirants to prepare for competitive exams like JEE Main. Additionally, he is a Formula 1 fan and a motorsports enthusiast, showcasing his dynamic personality.
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In his exclusive interview, Sarthak revealed his CAT preparation strategy, the resources he used, and practical tips for future CAT aspirants. His journey from managing a startup to achieving one of the highest CAT scores is inspiring for MBA hopefuls.
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
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.
For insights into his preparation plan, time management techniques, and expert tips to crack the CAT 2024 exam, read the full article below.
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CAT overall percentile: 99.97
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VARC: 99.96
DILR: 98.92
QA: 99.87
CAT Topper Interview with Sarthak Jaiswal
Shiksha: Congratulations! Are you satisfied with your CAT score? How much score were you expecting?
Sarthak: I was lowballing my scores. I had set modest expectations for myself, aiming for an overall scaled score of 115-120 in CAT exam. However, the exam went better than I anticipated, and I’m thrilled with my final score. Ultimately, my goal was to secure a call from one of the top IIMs, and with this score, I am optimistic about achieving that.
Shiksha: Was this your first CAT attempt?
Sarthak: Yes, this was my first attempt
Shiksha: When did you start preparing for CAT?
Sarthak: I started my CAT preparations in September 2024 when the exam was two and a half months away. That was when I decided that I should start preparing for the CAT exam 2024.
On an average, about 10-15 CAT aspirants score 100 percentile. Given below is the data of CAT 100 percentilers of last 3 years:
Exam year | CAT 100 percentilers | State wise numbers |
|---|---|---|
CAT 2024 | 14 | 1- Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2023 | 14 | 1 – Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2022 | 11 | 2 - Delhi 1 - Gujarat 1 - Haryana 1 - Kerala 1 - Madhya Pradesh 2 - Maharashtra 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh |
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Shiksha: What was your overall preparation strategy?
Sarthak: Firstly, I tried some random test series. Since I started preparing late, I did not have the time or the patience to go through the complete coaching class material.
QA: I bought books from Amazon.com and started my CAT preparations from the book called ‘Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma’. Instead of focusing on one chapter, I focused on attempting level 1 questions of each chapter and then got on to the level 2. So by the end of the first month, I had completed all the chapters under the QA section twice. That helped me stay in touch with mathematics.
DILR: I did not have a specific preparation strategy for DILR. I took help from the YouTube videos to understand how to tackle and solve a particular kind of question. And then again I started solving questions from different CAT books.
VARC: I used to read for a couple of hours without any interruptions. I used to write down everything that I had read and understood from it. Once I got a hold of the habit of reading and inference, solving VARC questions became a lot easier. Then I used to solve past years’ CAT question papers to prepare for VARC.
I think the CAT question papers before 2005 are much lengthier which really helps in this section’s preparation. I focused on past years’ question papers and then I understood that not every question is difficult, one has to just find the right one. When I was preparing for my exam as well I focused on the topics which I am good at and which are my weaker areas. For instance, Geometry wasn’t my strength so I decided to look at Geometry questions at the end. I was just maximizing my time.
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Shiksha: Which were the books that you referred to for the CAT preparation?
Sarthak: CAT 2024 books by Arun Sharma are some of the best recommended books for CAT preparation. I would recommend a hard copy of the books as you can read for a longer time without straining your eyes.
Also Read: Best Books to Prepare for CAT
Shiksha: Did you join any coaching institute?
Sarthak: I only took some test series from TIME. They had some test series which were more difficult than CAT so that did not help my self-confidence. So eventually I stopped with the test series and started focusing on previous years’ question papers.
I self-prepared for my JEE exam as well in June. So I think coaching may work for some but not everyone.
Shiksha: How many mock tests did you take? How helpful are the mock tests?
Sarthak: I attempted 9 mock tests from the TIME test series at the beginning of my prep. Then I attempted 9 more CAT mock tests from the years 2021 to 2023. Then from I the Arun Sharma book I attempted about 20 more. So roughly I attempted about 40 odd mock tests.
I personally think that for the DILR section, the mock tests do not really help because every question is unique and there is no set pattern. Only practice can help for the DILR section preparation. Attempting mock tests for this section will not harm the preparation but also not give an edge.
For QA, mock tests are very important in the sense that you tend to come across many variations of the questions and also find tricks to solve a particular type of question. For VARC again, the mock tests are important.
Shiksha: Did you have any CAT exam day strategy?
Sarthak: The strategy was just to know your strengths and weaknesses. Also, do not chase a particular percentile. If you do that you may end up messing your confidence up. So I decided not to undermine myself and not use anyone else's strategy. I focused on maximizing on my strengths.
I decided to relax and not be stressed for D-day. The idea was just to pretend it was a normal day and not be anxious.
Shiksha: Any tips for future CAT aspirants?
Sarthak: Do not try to follow others blindly. Everyone knows what is best for them and follow that. Follow whatever works for you rather than doing what others have done. Do not be afraid to stick to your own strategy. Create a personalized plan for yourself.
Shiksha: Which IIMs/institutes are you targeting?
Sarthak: IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta. I have also filled out the admission form for FMS, Delhi.
Read More:
- CAT 2024 Topper Interview: 100 percentile, Vagish Nangia shares his preparation journey
- CAT 2024 Topper Interview: Know How Shouvik Chatterjee Secured 99.43 percentile
- CAT 2024 Topper Interview: Know How Vedant Chandewar Achieved 99.98 Percentile
- CAT 2024 Topper Interview: Know How Shaivi Goyal Bagged 99.54 Percentile in CAT Exam
- CAT 2024 Topper Interview: From 93 to 99.89 Percentile: Know Aniruddh K Singh's CAT Success Story
- CAT 2024 Topper Interview: Swaraj's Inspiring Journey to a 99.95 Percentile Without Coaching
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14 candidates have scored 100 percentile in CAT 2024, out of a total of 2.93 Lacs candidates. Out of 14 toppers, 1 is a woman candidate. Check below CAT 2024 result data:
Check the below table for data and statistics of CAT 2024 test takers and toppers.
Discipline
percentiles 14 - Nos
Male - 13
Engg – 13
Non-Engg – 1
Delhi 2
Haryana 1
Kerala 1
Maharashtra 5
Odisha 1
Rajasthan 1
Telangana 2
percentiles 29 -Nos.
Male - 27
Engg – 25
Non-Engg - 4
Delhi 4
Gujarat 2
Haryana 1
Karnataka 3
Kerala 1
Madhya Pradesh 1
Maharashtra 5
Odisha 1
Punjab 1
Rajasthan 3
Tamil Nadu 1
Telangana 1
Uttar Pradesh1
Uttarakhand 1
West Bengal 2
percentiles 30-Nos
Male - 29
Engg – 20
Non-Engg -10
Delhi 2
Gujarat 2
Haryana 4
Karnataka 4
Madhya Pradesh 3
Maharashtra 3
Tamil Nadu 2
Telangana 3
Uttar Pradesh 2
West Bengal 4