MBA Aspirant | InsideIIM

Gap Year - Really A Bane For CAT Aspirants?

What is GAP year in CAT? One of the biggest doubts for aspirants who do not have any kind of work experience is that how costly a GAP year can be. And up to some extent, it's a fair and genuine question to have. So let's understand first what this GAP year is - A GAP year typically refers to a break taken by a student or professional before starting their MBA program. This can happen in different ways, for example, preparation for competitive exams, health issues or personal reasons, not getting a job, gaining additional exposure or training through internships and certifications, and many other reasons, depending upon person to person.

Swapnil Mishra03 May 2025

How I Made It To IIM-K With A Journalism Degree| 97.96 %ile CAT 2024

Like most working professionals who pursue an MBA, my aspirations were clear—switch my career and aim for a leadership role. However, the CAT exam stood as a major barrier. It’s an exam where engineers solve questions for fun, and for someone from journalism with almost no relevant syllabus, I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off. I was hesitant, doubting whether I stood a real chance. But after some thought, and a strong urge to redeem myself after my failed JEE attempt, I decided to go for it. I wanted a second shot, and this time, I was determined to make it count by getting into a top B-school. Hi, I am Pritam Priyadarshi, a journalist with 30 months of work experience in a Sports Media company. My profile: 8/6/6, UG from St. Xavier's, Ranchi, CAT 97.96 NC-OBC Category, and here is my CAT Journey:

Pritam Priyedarshi03 May 2025

TISS Mumbai 2025 Final Placements: Highest CTC at 36.25 LPA

TISS Mumbai wrapped up its final placements for M.A. in HRM and LR in January 2025. The highest CTC for the graduating batch of 2025 is 36.25 LPA. 43% of the batch received PPOs from their summer internships. Of the 70 students who participated in the placement process, 65 received offers in the HR domain. Here are the key highlights from TISS Mumbai 2025 Final Placements:

Kirtika Singh Tanwar03 May 2025

Creative Ways To Take A Break During CAT Preparation

The CAT exam is not just a test of aptitude — it’s a test of endurance, focus, and emotional resilience, too. With countless hours spent studying quant formulas, tackling reading comprehension, and attempting challenging mocks, burnout is a real threat. The answer to handling it all? Taking breaks. Yes, breaks. Those fleeting pauses between stressful study sessions.

Vartika Srivastava03 May 2025

Acing The DILR Section: Strategies That Work

“You’ve got 40 minutes. 4 or 5 sets. Pick the right ones, crack the logic and don't mess up.” That explains the DILR section of CAT in a nutshell. Pretty simple, right? But in reality, it’s a minefield- one where even the most well prepared aspirants stumble. I should know. In CAT 2023, the DILR section humbled me with a score of -1.26 marks. Yes, negative. I walked out of that exam hall frustrated, disappointed and convinced that DILR just wasn't my cup of tea. But one year later, in CAT 2024, I walked back in with a completely different mindset and walked out with 35.47 marks and a 98.58 percentile in DILR. The same section that once broke me, had now become my strongest. So what changed? DILR Strategies.

Akshat Dobriyal03 May 2025

What To Do If You Get A Low CAT Score? Alternative Options

When one starts to prepare for CAT, everyone’s dream is generally to get admission in top IIMs and B Schools like FMS, SPJIMR, IIFT, TISS, and other esteemed institutes. An aspirant, whether a working professional or a college student, gives their all to get to the 99th percentile, which in a way is a stepping stone to achieving their dreams and getting an interview call from premier institutes. But there is also a bitter truth that not everyone can get a 99+ percentile, not everyone will get an interview call from their dream B schools, one might feel shattered and heartbroken after not getting a CAT score, and it’s perfectly normal to feel so. And this topic is very little talked about, so let’s deep dive into it and talk about- What to do if you get a low CAT score?

Ayush Kumar02 May 2025

XIMB-Bhubaneshwar vs SCMHRD Pune: Which One is the Better Choice?

Next on our B-school comparison list is XIMB Bhubaneshwar vs SCMHRD Pune. We will compare their flagship MBA courses' fees, placements, campus life, and HR specific placements. You can also check out our other B-School Comparisons as well:

Kirtika Singh Tanwar30 Apr 2025

IMT Ghaziabad Versus MICA Ahmedabad - Which B-School Is A Better Option For You?

For CAT aspirants, especially for those interested in pursuing a career in Marketing, the names of two top B-schools immediately come to mind - IMT Ghaziabad and MICA. So, if you had to choose between these two management institutes, which one would you go for, and on what basis? This article on IMT-G vs MICA college comparison will attempt to answer these questions based on facts and numbers.

Team InsideIIM23 Apr 2025