Exactly a year ago, I found myself staring at a screen full of rejections — I had not converted a single IIM call. It was heartbreaking, humbling, and, in many ways, a wake-up call. That moment could have broken my spirit, but instead, it became the starting point of a comeback I’ll never forget. Today, I’m proud to share that I have converted IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, and FMS Delhi — every top B-school I aspired to get into.
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But this journey didn’t start with clarity. After the final results of the 2023 interview season, I was confused. Should I prepare again? Should I get a job? For a while, I explored other exams and parallel options, but nothing truly clicked. Then, around mid-August, I made a decision that changed everything — I dropped every other plan and gave my full focus to CAT. No distractions. Just a singular goal and complete belief in the process.
I started from scratch. My early mocks were shaky — the scores were nowhere near what one might expect from a future IIM A convert. But I kept showing up. I made a daily routine around QA practice, gave VARC special attention through YouTube videos and peer discussions, and tracked my mock performance religiously. Improvement came slowly, and just when I thought I was building momentum, October and November hit — and my scores plateaued. That phase was mentally exhausting.
Still, I didn’t give up. I focused on what I could control: accuracy, stamina, and calmness. I stopped chasing percentile predictions and started chasing better decisions. The real breakthrough came not from a sudden spike in scores but from relentless consistency.
CAT day was not magical. I didn’t walk out thinking it was the best paper I’d ever written. I could have done more. But I had faith — in my prep, in my calmness, and in how I’d shown up that day. And when the results came, they told a story of resilience.
Then came interviews. IIM Ahmedabad’s interview was unlike anything I expected. One of the panellists asked me why I hadn’t attended the Mahakumbh, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual opportunity. They pointed out that I was instead sitting in front of them for an interview — and went as far as to say that I probably didn’t believe in God. It threw me off completely. I did my best to answer with honesty and respect, but I walked out feeling like I had wasted my best opportunity. To make things worse, I had another interview the very next day, and the lingering impact of that experience affected my performance badly.
And yet, here I am — selected by IIM Ahmedabad.
That experience taught me something critical: you never truly know what matters to a panel. You may think you’re being judged for one thing, while they’re observing something completely different. It’s easy to spiral after interviews, replaying every word and gesture — but the truth is, a false sense of how it went can mislead you. Stay grounded. Be authentic. That’s what counts.
If there’s one thing I’d change, it would be to start taking mock analysis seriously earlier. Last year, I gave mocks just to “finish them.” This year, every mock became a learning session. I also prioritized mental health — regular walks, journaling, and not discussing CAT 24/7 helped me stay sane. A burned-out mind can’t perform, no matter how strong your prep is.
And through it all, one thing remained on my phone — a screenshot of my rejection from IIM Bangalore last year. I kept it not to dwell on failure, but to fuel the fire. The day I saw my IIM A convert, I deleted that screenshot. That was my moment of closure.
To those still preparing: don’t fear stagnation. Don’t panic if others seem ahead. And don’t let a “bad” interview define your worth. You’re not behind —you’re just on your way.
Onward and upward. Let the IIM Ahmedabad chapter begin!
Priyanshu Rajak
PGP 25-27
