Injimamul Islam, CMAT 2021 topper, spoke to Shiksha on his CMAT preparation journey. Read the interview below to know his preparation strategies and success mantras.
Name - Injimamul Islam
CMAT 2021 Score/ Percentile: 99.18
Sectional Score/Percentiles:
- Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation: 99.56
- Logical Reasoning: 93.32
- Language Comprehension: 96.87
- General Awareness: 62.34
Injimamul belongs to a beautiful city located in Assam, Mangaldoi. With an extensive scope of Masters in Business Studies, he was inclined towards to course after obtaining B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Tezpur University. He desires for a remunerative job in FMCG sector after completing his MBA degree.
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Shiksha got into a candid conversation with Injimamul Islam to share his experience with the CMAT exam, preparation strategy and advise for the future aspirants.
Also Read: CMAT toppers' list
Q: Was this your first CMAT attempt? Were you expecting to score so well?
A: Yes, it was my first CMAT attempt. After exiting the exam hall, I felt quite low as I found the General Awareness section to be tougher than what I expected. However, after analysing the responses, I was confident enough to score 97 percentile.
Q: Tell us about your preparation strategy.
A: I took CAT as well as XAT, but I wasn’t able to score well to meet the cut-offs for the top B-Schools. I My primary focus for CMAT was to allot more preparation time for General Awareness section as it is equally important to other sections. Besides, I took mocks for holistic preparation strategy.
Q: What was the exam day strategy followed by you?
A: CMAT exam covers all the basic concepts of Quantitative Ability and Logical Reasoning. I decided to revise all the important concepts and formulae, memorized some important static and current GK for General Awareness section and gone through the short notes of Language Comprehension that I prepared beforehand.
Q: What was your weak area(s) and what did you do to improve the same?
A: General Awareness was my weakest section as I hadn’t prepared for the section earlier for any other competitive exam. Moreover, the syllabus for General Awareness is vast; therefore, one needs to have a better hold on the current affairs as well as static GK. I read newspapers and take notes on different GK topics and events.
Q: Is it important to join a coaching institute for CMAT preparation?
A: No. In my opinion, joining a coaching institute for CMAT preparation is a waste of money. One can outshine in CMAT via self-preparation by analysing the CMAT exam pattern, syllabus and practising mocks.
Q: Which books did you study for CMAT preparation?
A: For all the basic concepts of Quantitative Techniques and Logical Reasoning, I would recommend MBA entrance guide books by Arun Sharma. For language Comprehension, I would suggest 'Word power made easy' by Norman Lewis.
Q: The CMAT exam was delayed this year, so did that affect your preparation/performance?
A: At first, I got furious on the delayed notification. However, later I realised that it could help me provide extra time to prepare for the General Awareness section. Also, during the extended period, I was able to practise adequate CMAT mock tests which in turn helped me to stimulate my performance.
Q: What is your plan after completing MBA?
A: I want to pursue MBA in Marketing. After completing the same, I wish for a handsome pay package by a top company working in FMCG sector.
Q: Any tips for future CMAT aspirants?
A: The first and the foremost thing to crack any competitive exam is to believe in yourself. The only factor that can help you become a CMAT topper is practise. Try to cover each and every topic from elementary level and practise CMAT question papers from previous sessions as mocks. This helps evaluating your strengths as well as weaknesses. To score well in General Awareness section, spend at least 2-3 hours daily reading current affairs.
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Student Forum
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, candidates will need to have a valid Aadhaar number to register for CMAT exam. Until last year, candidates could use other photo IDs too to register for the exam.
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates can choose up to four cities for allotment of CMAT exam centre in the application form. Candidates must take utmost care in selecting the cities as once the form is submitted, they can't change city preference.
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
There is no minimum marks criterion for appearing in CMAT exam. Any candidate who has passed a Bachelor's degree programme from a recognised university can apply. However, there is a minimum score requirement at CMAT accepting colleges for admission. All the UGC and AICTE approved institutions have
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Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
No, the CMAT registration fees is non-refundable. If they do not appear for the exam they cannot claim refund for the application form. Since, it is mentioned in the exam information brochure that the fee is non-refundable, no requests for refund are entertained by the NTA.
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Contributor-Level 7

Abhishek Dhawan is a content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in education journalism. He holds a BA degree from the University of Delhi. At Shiksha, Abhishek primarily covers MBA and BBA entrance
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