By late October, something changed. My AIMCAT percentiles started stabilizing around 90–95. I wasn’t topping mocks, but I was improving steadily, and more importantly, I was learning how to manage pressure. That consistency gave me belief. There were still bad days. I had moments of self-doubt, times when mock scores crushed my confidence. But I kept showing up. On some days, I’d take a break to pull myself together, but never more than a day. I was still clocking in 3–4 hours every day, in addition to the classroom hours.
CAT 2024 finally arrived. I was in Slot 3. By the time I reached the centre, word had already spread that the paper was easier than expected and that there had been a minor change in the DILR pattern. That actually helped me prepare mentally. VARC felt dicey — I wasn’t confident about my answers, even though I managed to finish the section. DILR brought back old fears. I unknowingly picked the toughest set first, and only realized that later. Still, I managed to solve two sets — which, given my history, felt like a win. Quant was smooth; I prioritized accuracy and avoided risky guesses. I didn’t attempt too many questions but walked out feeling cautiously optimistic.
The results were out in a few weeks. I had scored a 98.94 percentile overall. But the highlight for me was DILR — I had jumped from a 64 percentile in 2023 to 97.5 in 2024. It felt surreal. Calls started coming in soon after. I had interview calls from IIM A, B, C, L, K, I, M, FMS, IIFT, and IIT Delhi and Bombay. I was thrilled — but nervous. The gap year haunted me. I didn’t have a job to show, and no matter how honest I was about my efforts, I knew interviewers would ask.
My first interview was with IIM Kozhikode. I had prepped for it, but the nerves got the better of me. The questions were straightforward — around GK and hobbies — but I underperformed. That failure stung, and I knew I had to do better. Next came IIM Ahmedabad. It was brutal. They told me point blank that as a fresher with a gap, I wouldn’t benefit much from an MBA. They grilled me on why I hadn’t picked up any job. I held my ground, but deep down, I knew the panel wasn’t convinced.
But slowly, things began to change. The interviews at IIM Indore, IIM Mumbai, and the IITs were more relaxed — focused on my technical background and future plans. The turning point, though, was IIM Calcutta. That interview felt like a conversation. The first question they asked was, “Tell us something that’s not in your application.” That stumped me — I had included everything. After a moment of silence, I began talking about my long-term business idea. What followed was a 30-minute discussion entirely on that. They asked sharp questions, tested my thought process, and seemed genuinely curious. It wasn’t technical, it wasn’t confrontational — it was engaging. For the first time, I walked out of an interview feeling hopeful.
When the results began rolling out, IIM Ahmedabad rejected me outright — not even a waitlist. That broke me for a moment. But then came the good news: I converted FMS, IIM Calcutta, IIM Mumbai, and IIT Bombay. I was waitlisted at IIM K, I, and IIT Delhi. In the end, I chose to join IIM Calcutta — not just for its prestige, but because I felt I had truly earned that spot.
Looking back, if I had to do it all over again, I’d probably put even more time into DILR and Quant — because those sections reward every extra hour you invest. And when it comes to interviews, I learned that every word you write in your application form can be questioned — so write thoughtfully, and prepare thoroughly. I also wish I had worked more on general awareness, especially given how much it comes up in interviews for freshers.
To anyone preparing for CAT: mock tests are everything. CAT isn’t just a test of knowledge — it’s a test of how well you can perform in 120 minutes under pressure. Another major myth I had to unlearn was the idea that I had to attempt everything. Initially, I thought success meant solving as many questions as possible. But that mindset often led to silly mistakes and low accuracy. Through mocks, I realized that even attempting 14–15 questions per section, with high accuracy, can land you well above 99 percentile. Your goal isn’t to attempt everything — it’s to maximize score with minimum errors. For that, strategy matters more than speed. And the only way to discover what strategy works best for you is by trying different approaches across several mocks. There’s no one-size-fits-all method. Some people go section by section, some go question by question, some mark and come back — your job is to find what aligns with your strengths.
This journey taught me that success isn’t about having a perfect path — it’s about showing up, again and again, especially when things don’t go your way. From being jobless and rejected to getting into IIM Calcutta, this journey was never linear, but it was mine. And if you're in a dark place right now, unsure of what comes next — I promise, it can get better. You just have to keep going.
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