About a year and a half ago, I stood at a crossroads. With graduation approaching in June 2024, it was time to decide what came next—UPSC or an MBA. After days and nights of making pros and cons lists, researching, and reflecting, I finally chose to prepare for CAT.
How it started I completed my B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from NIT Raipur, stepping into the corporate world with a strong technical foundation and an eagerness to build something meaningful. After graduation, I joined Accenture and spent over 26 months working in the cybersecurity domain, a space that intrigued me initially but gradually left me feeling stagnant. Despite being in a technically sound job, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't my true calling. I wanted to upskill, explore new domains, and most importantly, challenge myself in ways that felt more aligned with my ambitions.
Hi all, my name is Sparsh Maharshi, and here I am trying to share my journey from a tiresome core job to IIM Calcutta.
Hi, I’m Vansh Pundir from SRM, and if you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be writing about my CAT journey, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. My story isn’t about always wanting an MBA or having a clear plan. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
I scored 99.03 percentile in CAT. Yet, I didn’t receive a single BLACKI call. Shocking? I know. You’ve probably heard of stories like mine - high percentiles, no BLACKI calls, but there’s more beneath the surface. And today, I’m telling you the full story.Early Dreams & Doubts
"MBA? Wo kya hota hai?" That's exactly what I told a friend back in 2020 when he was heading to write the CAT exam. I was in my final year of engineering, aspiring to land a role in a core engineering company. An MBA wasn’t even on my radar.
Mocked my mocks, Made by CAT. In 2024, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Life Science. Zero business background, no corporate exposure, and no idea I’d one day sit for the CAT. My only brush with the marketing world came through freelance gigs, managing the social media for my college magazine and a sports broadcasting company. It was there that I discovered my fascination for marketing and its creative pulse. That tiny spark lit the fire.
I was a final-year BMS student at St. Xavier’s Kolkata when I decided to take on CAT 2024 — without coaching, without a fallback, and without certainty. Everyone around me raised eyebrows-“Self-prep? Are you even serious?”. Well, I knew I was up against the odds — but I had faith in my consistency. My love for marketing sparked back in Class 11, Shri Shikshayatan School. Even in online classes, I looked forward to the brand wars my teacher would host. That passion slowly evolved into a dream — to pursue an MBA from a top B-school.
About a year and a half ago, I stood at a crossroads. With graduation approaching in June 2024, it was time to decide what came next—UPSC or an MBA. After days and nights of making pros and cons lists, researching, and reflecting, I finally chose to prepare for CAT.
How it started I completed my B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from NIT Raipur, stepping into the corporate world with a strong technical foundation and an eagerness to build something meaningful. After graduation, I joined Accenture and spent over 26 months working in the cybersecurity domain, a space that intrigued me initially but gradually left me feeling stagnant. Despite being in a technically sound job, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't my true calling. I wanted to upskill, explore new domains, and most importantly, challenge myself in ways that felt more aligned with my ambitions.
Hi all, my name is Sparsh Maharshi, and here I am trying to share my journey from a tiresome core job to IIM Calcutta.
Hi, I’m Vansh Pundir from SRM, and if you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be writing about my CAT journey, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. My story isn’t about always wanting an MBA or having a clear plan. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
I scored 99.03 percentile in CAT. Yet, I didn’t receive a single BLACKI call. Shocking? I know. You’ve probably heard of stories like mine - high percentiles, no BLACKI calls, but there’s more beneath the surface. And today, I’m telling you the full story.Early Dreams & Doubts
"MBA? Wo kya hota hai?" That's exactly what I told a friend back in 2020 when he was heading to write the CAT exam. I was in my final year of engineering, aspiring to land a role in a core engineering company. An MBA wasn’t even on my radar.
Mocked my mocks, Made by CAT. In 2024, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Life Science. Zero business background, no corporate exposure, and no idea I’d one day sit for the CAT. My only brush with the marketing world came through freelance gigs, managing the social media for my college magazine and a sports broadcasting company. It was there that I discovered my fascination for marketing and its creative pulse. That tiny spark lit the fire.
I was a final-year BMS student at St. Xavier’s Kolkata when I decided to take on CAT 2024 — without coaching, without a fallback, and without certainty. Everyone around me raised eyebrows-“Self-prep? Are you even serious?”. Well, I knew I was up against the odds — but I had faith in my consistency. My love for marketing sparked back in Class 11, Shri Shikshayatan School. Even in online classes, I looked forward to the brand wars my teacher would host. That passion slowly evolved into a dream — to pursue an MBA from a top B-school.
