A few years ago, if someone had told me I’d get into IIM Lucknow, I wouldn’t have believed them. I didn’t think I was someone who could crack CAT, let alone get into a top IIM. But here I am, not because things were easy, but because I kept going.
The First Attempt: Blind Shot in the Dark
Back in my third year of undergrad in 2021, I had zero plans of giving CAT. I didn’t think I was capable of cracking such a competitive exam. But my cousin brother pushed me - “Just take the exam once, see what the competition looks like,” he said. I enrolled in an online crash course in June 2021.
But the way the teacher taught didn’t help. He would start with tough questions without covering the basics. Whenever I asked doubts, I would get scolded in front of others. That shattered whatever little confidence I had. I shifted my focus to placements instead. I thought maybe I could crack it by just learning formulas and revising them like I used to in school. But CAT isn’t like school exams. On exam day, I couldn’t even solve one question in DILR or QA. I came out feeling completely broken. How will I clear such a tough exam? I wondered.
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My result was so poor, I couldn’t even tell my parents. In December, I got placed at EY, which gave me some relief. But when I graduated in May 2022, my cousin was upset, not because I failed, but because I wasn’t even trying. The truth was, I didn’t believe in myself. Coming from a middle-class family, I was scared of the MBA fees and the tough competition. I thought maybe I should try for bank exams instead - at least I could start earning and support my father.
But my father told me:
“You will go for an MBA. Don’t think about anything else. I’m here for you.”
His belief in me changed everything.
The Second Attempt: Effort, But Misguided
This time, I joined classroom coaching in May 2022. But again, The teachers focused only on easy stuff and never explained how to approach questions or manage the time strategically in the exam. Still, I gave it my best. I gave around 30 mocks, studied on weekends, and worked full-time at EY.
But on exam day, the same thing happened - I couldn’t solve enough questions. I was disappointed again. Looking back, I realized I had made one big mistake:
I used to just watch solutions instead of solving problems myself. I didn’t practice properly. I didn’t give myself the time to struggle with problems.
That night, I saw a LinkedIn post where someone shared how they cracked a top IIM in their third attempt. That stayed with me.
I felt like I had one more chance in me and I could also do it.
The Third Attempt – My Final Shot
This time, I didn’t want to waste more money on coaching. I followed YouTube channels, used free resources, gave mocks, and prepared the way I wanted.
I also kept a Plan B: bank exams. I used to connect with bank POs to ask how to prepare for bank exams. But one of them told me about the pressure and unrealistic sales targets. One of them even said they were themselves preparing for CAT to switch careers.
That was the turning point. I decided this would be my final attempt, and I would give my best to CAT exam.
In May 2023, I had an accident while returning from the office. My face was injured. I couldn’t read or study for days. My mom sat beside me and said:
“This has happened for a reason. Don’t let it stop you.”
I got up stronger. I started slow and deep practice of DILR.
I didn’t look at solutions unless I tried it myself. I gave mocks every weekend and analyzed them on weekdays.
In October, I joined a Last Mile course. That really helped me stay motivated and consistent.
From October to November, work got very hectic at EY, 11-hour workdays due to busy audit season. But I stayed disciplined. Every morning, I wrote down what I’d study that night, even if it was just 2–3 hours.
A week before CAT, my mock scores dropped. I panicked. But I told myself:
“Leave the rest to God. Just give your best.”
The night before CAT, I cried.
“What if I fail again?”
My parents said,
“You’ve come so far. Don’t think too much.”
I went with a calm mind. On CAT day, for the first time ever, I solved a DILR set. VARC went well. QA wasn’t great, but I didn’t give up. I kept my cool. I came home unsure, but somewhere, I felt, maybe this time...
I scored well. I got some confidence that I would be able to join an IIM this year.
Interview Prep - Learning Bit by Bit
And then began the interview phase. I was still working 11-12 hours a day. Along with that, I started preparing for GDPI at night and filling college forms. My first mock interview went terribly. But a mentor told me:
“Don’t worry. Just show up. Improve with each one.”
So I kept preparing. IIM Kozhikode was my first real interview and it didn’t go well. But I learned from every experience. I practiced, manifested, and stayed consistent.
On March 19, I had my IIM Lucknow interview at the Noida campus. It was short - just 9 minutes. No stress. They asked me basic HR questions, questions from what I had written in my form, and about my work experience. At the end, the professor offered me a toffee and an almond (everyone got one, so I didn’t overthink). I came out unsure.
“I don’t think I’ll make it,” I told my mom.
She just smiled: “Think positive.”
The Final Result: It All Made Sense
April arrived. The B-school results started coming in. I converted DFS, IIM Rohtak, but not Kozhikode or MDI Gurgaon in the first list. I was nervous. But on the day I converted IIT Delhi and IIM Mumbai, I was happy.
And then, on 9 May, finally - the IIM Lucknow result came out. I opened the portal:
IIM Lucknow – CONVERTED. In the First list.
I was so happy, it was my best call and dream college. Tears rolled down my face. My entire family called to celebrate. My parents were so proud. My mom began packing lists. My father looked at me like I’d made his dream come true.
It all made sense - the pain, the rejections, the mocks, the nights of self-doubt.
What I learned was: More than intelligence, what mattered was showing up consistently.
I failed twice, but I kept going. I wasn’t perfect. I doubted myself. I felt like quitting many times. But every time, I got back up.
Final Thoughts for Aspirants
To anyone doubting themselves right now, here’s what I want to say:
- Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.
- Practice and consistency make an average person an intelligent one.
- Planning is crucial.
- Analyzing mocks is more important than taking many (quality over quantity!).
- Stay strong on bad days.
Ending my story with this line from a song that carried me through the hardest days:
“Maana ke mushkil hai safar, par sun, oh musafir
Kahin agar tu ruka, toh manzil aayegi na phir
Qadam-qadam milaaye ja, gagan-gagan jhukaaye ja
Rakh hausla, kar faisla - tujhe waqt badalna hai.”
You have the power to change your story. Just don’t stop walking.
