How I Scored 100%ile In CAT 2024 With A Hectic Job | Khushal Agarwal, IIM B' 27 | Playbook For CAT 2025

Preparing for CAT 2025 while working or restarting preparation can feel uncertain. This is where we help you. In this InsideIIM guide, we share Khushal Agarwal’s CAT 2024 experience in steps you can follow. You will see how he balanced a job with study hours, what he did in VARC, DILR, and QA, and how mock tests with deep analysis moved his scores to get him to secure the 100th percentile in CAT 2024. We also explain a weekly plan you can copy, an error log to maintain, and a simple exam day simulation.

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Who is Khushal Agarwal?

• City: Mumbai

• Education: B.E., MIT Manipal (2023), CGPA 9.17

• Class X / XII: 97% / 97%

• Work: 2+ years in Founders’ Office roles at startups

• CAT 2024: 100 percentile overall

  • VARC 99.99, DILR 99.86, QA 99.92

• Why MBA: learn with a sharp peer group; switch to consulting

TL;DR (use this if you’re starting today)

• Job + CAT is doable with a fixed routine: ~3–4 focused hours on weekdays; maximize weekends.

• VARC is make-or-break. Build reading ability, not just tricks. Track WPM with comprehension.

• DILR: solve CAT-level sets daily. Practice random sets, not topic-wise.

• QA: wrap concepts early; the real test is stamina and focus in the last section.

• Mocks are 60–70% of prep. 70 mocks taken; analysis (an Excel log) is where gains happen.

• Simulate D-Day: take mocks at your slot time; include a center-based mock to handle logistics.

• Ignore FOMO. Take advice, but commit to your plan.

Balancing CAT Prep With A Full-Time Job

Khushal’s workday often stretched to 10–12 hours. The unlock was ruthless focus at work to finish inside 8–10 hours, freeing ~2 hours daily. Add a 3–4 hour study block on weekdays; weekends = maximise every minute. Discipline > aspiration.

A routine you can copy (Mon–Fri):

• 7:00–8:00 — Light reading (editorial/philosophy/history)

• 20:00–22:00 — Section practice (rotate VARC/DILR/QA)

• 22:00–22:30 — Error log update, next-day plan

Weekend: One full mock + deep analysis; one section focus block + mixed set drill.

Section-Wise Strategy

VARC: Build Reading Ability (not just “tricks”)

• Treat VARC as a momentum-setter. Start strong here.

• If you’re rereading RCs to locate answers or losing the passage flow, fix your reading ability first.

• Khushal read Aeon essays and tough topics (history, philosophy).

• Reading speed: from ~200 WPM → ~350 WPM with full comprehension over ~5 months.

• Output jump: from 17–18 attempts to ~24 attempts with control.

Do this weekly

1. 4–5 dense long-form reads (take 1-line summaries per paragraph).

2. 2 RC practice sessions (timed), then review why each option is right/wrong.

3. Maintain a “trap options” notebook (patterns that fooled you).

DILR: Randomize, Don’t Specialize

• After 1–2 weeks of basics, move to CAT-level sets daily.

• Khushal solved ~600–800 sets over 6 months.

• Avoid topic-wise binges; after 2 sets, the next ones become predictable. Randomise to mimic exam mental switching.

Weekly DILR block

• 1 mixed drill/day (3–4 sets, 40–50 mins)

• Post-drill reflection: What type did I misread? Where did I spend too long? What was the unlock?

QA: Predictable Syllabus, Unforgiving Timing

• Wrap concepts early. Then 4–5 months of distributed practice, topic-wise and mixed.

• QA comes last when you’re mentally drained. Train stamina + accuracy under fatigue.

• Build a “must-attempt first” list (your personal sitters) to steady the start.

Weekly QA cadence

• 3 short drills (25–30 mins) + 1 long mixed drill (60 mins)

• Maintain an error bank by sub-topic and mistake type (concept gap / careless / time trap).

Mocks: Where 70% of Prep Happens

• Khushal took ~70 mocks (TIME + IMS) from June to November.

• Early scores: low 60s → later ~120s average. The curve wasn’t smooth: 8–10 mocks improve → plateau → dip → improve.

• The Excel analysis mattered more than the test:

  • Log every question you got wrong/guessed/slow.

  • Capture root cause (concept, selection, time mgmt, panic, misread, option trap).

  • Extract 3 fixes per mock; apply them in the next two mocks.

Exam-day simulation

• Once slots were announced, always mock at your exact slot time.

• Sit idle for ~60 mins before the mock to train “on command” focus.

• Do at least one centre-like mock to rehearse logistics and minor hiccups.

Handling dips

• A late-September dip saw him crash to the 60s–70s for 5–6 mocks. He stuck to the analysis signals and recovered.

• Rule: Don’t overreact to one score. Fix patterns, not moods.

Three Golden Pieces of Advice

1. CAT tests focus and discipline as much as knowledge. Prepare for what each section actually measures.

2. Beware FOMO. People try mental-math games and fancy hacks. Take inputs, but commit to your plan.

3. Mocks + analysis are non-negotiable. Think 60–70% of your prep is here; the rest is equipping yourself to perform in mocks.

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FAQs

Q1. Can you score 100 percentile without a sectional 100?
Yes. Khushal scored 100%ile overall with 99.99 (VARC), 99.86 (DILR), 99.92 (QA).

Q2. How many mocks should I take for CAT 2025?
Quantity depends on your starting point. Khushal took ~70. Treat the analysis as the main work—log every error and implement fixes in the next mock.

Q3. How do I improve VARC quickly?
Train reading ability: tough long-form articles (history/philosophy). Track WPM with comprehension and maintain a trap-options notebook.

Q4. What’s the best way to practice DILR?
Random mixed sets are daily to build mental switching. Avoid topic-wise streaks beyond basics.

Q5. How do I prepare while working a full-time job?
Compress work with deep focus, then 3–4 hrs/day study on weekdays; mock + analysis on weekends. Use a fixed weekly cadence.

Q6. How do I simulate exam day?
Take mocks at your actual slot time, sit idle for ~1 hour beforehand, and try at least one centre-like mock.