It all began during the final year of my M.Com, full of hope and dreams of cracking the CAT exam. I gave it my best shot, but the results didn’t align with my expectations—I couldn’t make it to any B-school that year.
The Beginning: Of Dreams and Doubts They say every spark begins with a quiet decision, mine was made under buzzing fluorescent lights, amid hums of machines, and the steady rhythm of shift handovers. An electrical engineer by degree, I spent 3 intense, fulfilling years at Hindustan Unilever Limited. It wasn’t just a job; it was where I first learned the art of leadership, the grit behind production numbers, and the quiet pride in solving problems no one else dared to own. I led a team of 90 employees, handled night shifts, celebrated operational wins, and earned recognitions. But somewhere amidst the metrics, I heard a whisper — “Is this it?” That whisper turned into a calling. Not loud, not rebellious, but firm. It wasn’t dissatisfaction, it was hunger. A desire to grow beyond what I knew. I realized I wanted to understand brands, businesses, markets. But deciding to pivot wasn’t easy.
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.
It all began during the final year of my M.Com, full of hope and dreams of cracking the CAT exam. I gave it my best shot, but the results didn’t align with my expectations—I couldn’t make it to any B-school that year.
The Beginning: Of Dreams and Doubts They say every spark begins with a quiet decision, mine was made under buzzing fluorescent lights, amid hums of machines, and the steady rhythm of shift handovers. An electrical engineer by degree, I spent 3 intense, fulfilling years at Hindustan Unilever Limited. It wasn’t just a job; it was where I first learned the art of leadership, the grit behind production numbers, and the quiet pride in solving problems no one else dared to own. I led a team of 90 employees, handled night shifts, celebrated operational wins, and earned recognitions. But somewhere amidst the metrics, I heard a whisper — “Is this it?” That whisper turned into a calling. Not loud, not rebellious, but firm. It wasn’t dissatisfaction, it was hunger. A desire to grow beyond what I knew. I realized I wanted to understand brands, businesses, markets. But deciding to pivot wasn’t easy.
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.
