From 44%ile in CAT To Converting IIMB with 99.72%ile: How Gaurav Talwar Conquered His Dreams?

Every CAT topper has their own set of inspiring stories, and today we’re going to share Gaurav Talwar, who’s been a complete all-rounder. In our opinion, there’s nothing in this world which he cannot crack. Being part of the recent batch of the GDPI preparation course, he has nailed every bit of his journey by showing tremendous dedication and effort. He was consistent throughout and was clear from the beginning about his ultimate goal of being a CAT topper. Today he’s part of one of the prestigious MBA colleges in India and suggests that every CAT aspirant give their best shot. 

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Who is Gaurav Talwar?

Taking you back to the schooling days of the CAT Topper Gaurav Talwar, he scored a 10 CGPA in the 10th grade with no upgradation. His next achievement was his Class 12th results, where he achieved 96% which is an absolute dream for many students. Moving to his graduation days, he has a degree in B.Sc Economics (Honours) with a 7.4 CGPA score. 

However, that’s not all, and the cherry on the cake is that he’s a bright student from Hansraj College (Delhi University). By reading all of this, it’s evident that Gaurav Talwar has been a meritorious student since his school days and finally made it to the IIM Bangalore. Even coming from a non-engineering background, he chose to opt for the CAT Exam and cleared it with 99.72 percentile. He made sure to follow his dream vision to establish a bright career. 

What Kind of CAT Preparation Journey Has It Been For Gaurav Talwar?

Not just one, but CAT Topper Gaurav Talwar has given 2-3 years of his life to prepare for the CAT exam. In the CAT exam 2023, he scored only 44%ile but didn’t give up on his big dreams. He appeared for the 2nd time in the CAT 2024 exam, where he scored the 96.72 percentile, which was not enough to get into his dream B-school, i.e., IIM ABC. So, he buckled up again and started his preparation for the CAT 2025 with a determined mindset. He used to study every day for the Common Admission Test 2025 after his working hours. 

During his preparation days for the CAT 2025, he was also a full-time working professional and was involved in the Investment Banking industry. It was a full-fledged taxing job which used to stretch for more than 12-14 hours per day. Despite these challenges, he cracked the CAT exam 2025 with an excellent score. His CAT preparation journey is truly inspiring for lakhs of students who strive to crack it to build a promising career. 

Another important thing which everyone needs to know about Gaurav is that he has also cleared the CFA Level 1 and CFA Level 2 successfully. Every day after coming back from the corporate office, he used to prepare for these two competitive exams with a clear goal. It was evident from the beginning that he wanted to ace the CAT result and get admission into a notable MBA institute like IIM ABC. Henceforth, once he cracked the CAT 2025, he could see all his years of hard work paying off. 

With a CAT Percentile of 99.72%, he converted about 10 prominent B-schools in India. He also got a call from IIM Ahmedabad but didn’t convert it. Finally, he became an IIMB convert, which was a remarkable moment for him. In this case, he cleared this B-school in the first go. Moreover, Gaurav also has about 67 months of work experience, which is the highest in the history of IIM Bangalore.  In total, it’s more than 5 years of proven work experience with no gap year. 

Definitely, he has pushed himself a lot and always believed that one day he’ll receive a perfect reward. Surviving on only 2-3 hours of sleep was not his decision, but his spirit to ace the CAT exam made him survive throughout. So if he can do it, then anyone can prepare for the CAT exam and accomplish it with a good cut-off.

What Kind of Advice Gaurav Has For Fellow CAT Aspirants?

As per his experience, Gaurav Talwar states that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what your grades were in the past. He has a simple motto that if you think you can do it, then go ahead and keep doing it. Don’t think about the CAT results and prepare continuously. Upon clearing the CAT exam with an outstanding percentile, you will feel proud of yourself that you didn’t give up until the last day.

Want to know more about our GDPI course, which helped Gaurav convert to IIM B? Fill out the inquiry form and get in touch with the iQuanta experts to obtain valuable information about the GDPI preparation courses. Let’s make you the next CAT Topper who gets admission into one of the most popular B-schools in India.