CAT 2024 Topper Interview: How Shree Balanced Work and CAT Preparation to Achieve 99.88 Percentile

CAT 2024 topper, Shree Ahuja scored 99.88 percentile in the CAT exam. Know Shree's CAT success story share his preparation strategy along with the work, CAT exam day strategy and much more. Read full interview here.

CAT Topper 2024 Interview: Shree Ahuja

CAT Topper 2024, Shree Ahuja, a Computer Science graduate from the prestigious Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, shares his CAT 2024 strategy with Shiksha. With a stellar CAT 2024 percentile of 99.88, Shree has demonstrated a well-rounded proficiency in all three sections—DILR (39.42), Verbal Ability (40.21), and Quantitative Ability (42.16).

Currently working as a Cloud Engineer at Sprinklr, Shree balances a demanding professional life with a focused approach to achieving academic and personal milestones. He is a sports enthusiast with a love for badminton and football.

In his second attempt for CAT exam, Shree dedicated himself to a rigorous preparation strategy, Shree's journey is a testament to perseverance and strategic planning. Read the full interview of CAT 2024 topper, Shree Ahuja sharing valuable insights into his CAT preparation journey, his inspirations, and his vision for the future as he aspires to join the top B-schools in India.

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Shiksha: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Shree: I completed my UG in Computer Science from Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore. My family is small the three of us, and I am the only child. Outside of academics, I love playing badminton and watching football. Real Madrid is my favorite club, and I'm an avid collector of old coins.

Currently, I work as a Cloud Engineer at Sprinklr, where I'm able to apply my skills in the DevOps domain in a professional setting.

Shiksha: Was this your first attempt at the CAT exam?

Shree: No, it wasn't. I attempted CAT last year as well but didn't prepare seriously at that time. I studied for about a month, just to familiarise myself with the exam pattern. I had scored 94.99 percentile last time around.

Overall Score: 121.79

Sectional Scores:

• DILR: 39.42
• VA: 40.21
• QA: 42.16

Shiksha: When did you start preparing for the CAT exam?

Shree: I started my preparation for CAT 2024 in January this year.

Shiksha: Can you walk us through your section- wise strategy?

Shree: Sure!

• I'll start with DILR. My strategy was to practice as many sets as possible. I tried to solve at least 3-4 sets a week, exposing myself to different types of questions to strengthen my skills.
• For Quantitative Ability, I focused heavily on understanding the concepts of each chapter. Once I grasped the basics, I moved on to solving questions from various exercises. I then revisited weaker topics for more focused practice.
• Verbal Ability was my weakest area, so I knew I had to put in extra effort. I read a lot, including newspapers like The Hindu, and regularly attempted sectional tests. My accuracy wasn't great initially, but through consistent practice, I was able to  improve. For reading comprehension, I even watched YouTube videos that provided strategies to boost my accuracy.

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

Shree: I primarily relied on my coaching institute's material, which was comprehensive and covered all sections. For Quant, I also referred to Nishit Sinha's Quantum CAT.

Shiksha: Did you join any coaching institute?

Shree: Yes, I took offline classes at TIME Bangalore.

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Shiksha: How did the coaching institute help in your preparation?

Shree: The material provided by TIME was thorough, covering all the topics in detail. Their mock test series was also great, exposing me to various question types, which helped build my test-taking strategy.

Shiksha: How many mock tests did you attempt during your preparation?

Shree: I attempted around 55-60 mocks, including the previous year's papers.

Shiksha: How important do you think mock tests are for CAT preparation?

Shree: CAT mock tests are absolutely crucial. They not only help in getting familiar with the exam pattern but also assist in time management. I recommend aiming for at least 20+ CAT mocks before the actual exam. Analyzing your performance after each mock is equally important. Sometimes, I spent 2-3 hours analyzing my performance to identify weak areas and improve upon them.

Shiksha: What was your exam day strategy?

Shree: On the exam day, I kept my strategy simple: stay calm and composed. I didn't study at all the day before the exam. Instead, I spent time with friends and family, relaxing and keeping my mind calm, which helped me perform better on the day of the exam.

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Shiksha: Who is your role model?

Shree: Cristiano Ronaldo is my role model. I've always admired his relentless work ethic and his unyielding desire to succeed, no matter the challenges. His journey motivates me to keep pushing myself and never settle for less.

Shiksha: Do you have any tips for future CAT aspirants?

Shree: Start preparing as early as possible. The preparation timeline varies for everyone; some people crack it in 2 months, while others may take more than a year. But regardless of the duration, early preparation gives you an edge and helps you manage your time effectively. Focus on consistency, and always keep learning and improving. Also, there will be times where your mock scores would be very low but don't get demotivated and stay committed to the process.

Shiksha: Which IIMs/Institutes are you targeting for your MBA?

Shree: I am targeting the top IIMs - IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta along with FMS Delhi and XLRI Jamshedpur.

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