Are you preparing to bell the CAT this year? What does it take to bell it with 99+ percentile? We talked to someone who did it. He quit his job and attempted the CAT thrice. His journey from 83 percentile in first attempt to 99.03% in his third attempt was filled with courage, consistency and clarity. Hailing from Udaipur and armed with just a laptop, Wi-Fi, sheer determination and a little help from iQuanta made him the CAT topper. He failed multiple times, he was scared, he was frustrated, like you aspirers, but he fought and rose up. This is not any success journey but a forcast for your upcoming future if you are determined, consistent and clear regarding your goal. We had an engaging conversation with him and asked the very questions that every CAT aspirant seeks answers to. This article is all about the CAT Topper’s Journey.
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A Little About Karal Maheshwari, the CAT Topper in His Own Words
Karal: “I am basically from Udaipur, Rajasthan. I am a B.Tech graduate from Maharana Pratap University of Technology and Engineering. I have a work experience of twelve months in auto ancillary, then I quit my job to pursue my dream to bell the CAT.”
The CAT Topper’s Scores
Karal: “I scored 99.03 percentile in CAT and regarding sectional, I scored 95.61 in VARC, for DILR my score was 98.71 and in Quants I scored 98.54 percentile.”
Inside the Preparation: Mocks, Sectionals, and Hours Behind the 99.03% Score
Karal: “Talking about the sectionals I did the 10 sectionals of all the sections – VARC, DILR and Quants. I attempted around 40-45 mocks and in my CAT I attempted 29 questions in VARC, 23 in DILR and 25 in Quants.”
Key Highlights:
| Sections | Total Questions Attempted | Percentile Score |
| VARC | 29 | 95.61 |
| DILR | 23 | 98.71 |
| Quants | 25 | 98.54 |
| Overall | 77 | 99.03 |
Note: The above exam pattern and percentile are based on the CAT 2019 pattern.
Total Hours of Preparation Dedicated to Cracking CAT
He said, “ per day around eight to nine hours excluding my reading time.”
Section-Wise Strategy: How The CAT Topper Approached the CAT Exam
Karal: “I started preparing for CAT in June, and first, I gave focus to only a few areas. Then I started strategizing what to do next for each section. Coming to VARC, I started reading different types of articles and used to read 2 – 3 articles daily. You need to read a lot to get better in VARC. You need to develop your reasoning to be able to comprehend the passage. The level of precision in CAT is very high, so you need that level of understanding. So I started reading a lot. Then, coming to the DILR section, the LR section is something where you cannot develop logic by yourself, you need to practice a lot. So I started taking past CAT papers and started solving 2 – 3 sets daily for 1 – 2 months. I also used to analyze the language that is given in the mocks and sets to understand the difficulty level of the passage and data sets. Coming to Quants, it is a game-changer section for most CAT aspirants. You need to be very thorough with your concepts. So I started brushing up my concepts. Then I took a few sectionals to understand which were my weak areas. I worked on those weak areas one by one and again gave the sectional to check my improvement and then repeated the same cycle.”
Key Highlights:
| Sections | CAT Topper’s Strategy |
| VARC | Read 2 – 3 articles daily from different sources.Focused on regular reading and reasoning for comprehension.Aimed to match the high precision level required in CAT. |
| DILR | Practiced 2 – 3 sets daily for 1 – 2 months using past CAT papers.Focused on understanding patterns and language in mock tests.Understood that logical reasoning needs consistent practice rather than self-developed logic. |
| Quant | Brushed up on core concepts.Took sectionals to identify and improve weak areas.Followed a repetitive improvement cycle: Identify weak areas – Work on them – Retest. |
Quitting the Job to Chase the CAT Dream: Was It a Tough Decision?
Karal: “Yes, that was quite difficult as well as a risky situation, but based on the nature of my job, I used to work in a manufacturing industry where I worked for 14 to 16 hours including my travelling time, and I had to do overtime sometimes. So, it was very difficult for me to manage the preparation alongside the job. But I knew this was the last shot I was going to give at CAT, so I had to be hundred percent prepared. That’s what motivated me to quit the job and start preparing for CAT. I took a minimum of 12 months of experience, and then I left my job.”
His Preparation for CAT from Udaipur: Dearth of Opportunities?
Karal: “No, I don’t think so, because what you need to start preparing for CAT or any other exam are just two things: Wi-Fi and a laptop. You just log in, get on the internet, and you will get whatever material you want to prepare yourself to that level. So, whether you are in Udaipur, Mumbai, or any other city in India, as long as these things are available to you, you do not lack any opportunity.”
Key Highlights:
- Only Wi-Fi and a laptop are needed to start CAT preparation.
- All necessary study material is available online.
- CAT preparation is possible from any city in India if basic resources are available.
- With internet access, there is no lack of opportunity.
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3 Attempts – Changes Implemented by Him in His Third Attempt from Previous Experience
Karal: “So, in the first two years that I took the CAT, I was afraid of giving mocks. So this time, I started my preparation by giving mocks, and I must tell you, I scored only 66 marks in my first mock. But then again, I needed to be hundred percent prepared, as this was my last attempt.
The CAT topper considers mocks as the most important aspect in CAT preparation. Here’s what he said regarding the same –
“Coming to the mocks, I would like to say that mocks are a very important thing for CAT. As an aspirant, the more mocks you give and then analyze, the better. This is the most important aspect of preparation that one must undergo while preparing for CAT.”
His Approach Towards Mock Analysis
Karal: “A mock that we give takes three hours, and then the analyzing part took even more around four to six hours. I used to spend four to six hours analyzing the mock. What I previously did was, I gave a mock, went directly to the solution, checked it, thought “okay, I did this wrong, next time I’ll improve,” and moved on. But what I did this time was open the mock again and attempt it without seeing the solution, and then analyze what difference it made whether it was due to time difference, time pressure, or lack of conceptual clarity. I analyzed that part and then improved in the next mock. And this cycle continued.”
Key Highlights:
- Initial Mistake: Previously, he would check solutions directly after the mock without deep analysis.
- Improved Strategy:
- Re-attempted mocks without looking at the solutions first to better understand his mistakes.
- Identified whether errors were due to time pressure, time management, or lack of conceptual clarity.
- Used insights from each analysis to improve in the next mock, creating a consistent feedback loop.
His CAT Preparation Strategy After Quitting His Job – Did He Prepare on His Own?
Karal: “No, actually, when I first went to Udaipur, I did some research because coaching is a very important part of your preparation. It motivates you and gives you proper direction. So, I researched for 10–15 days, and then I came across iQuanta, an online platform. I learned about it and found it very suitable for aspirants like me who do not want to waste any time traveling. So, I joined iQuanta in June and started preparing there.”
Why Did the CAT Topper Choose iQuanta?
Karal: “First of all, my routine, as with any aspirant, whether working or not, generally involves studying at night. So, the classes conducted were around 10 to 12, which suited my timing. I would say you should study at that time only. And the platform itself is brilliant. It helps you in an immense way. The platform provides you with the opportunity to learn alongside many other students, and you learn a lot from them, their techniques, and their ability to solve problems quickly. You pick up a lot of things from them, which also helped me increase my speed. So, it played a very important part in me getting 99%.”
His Biggest Challenge in Three Years of CAT Preparation and How He Overcame It
Karal: “The first challenge I faced was this year only, when I left my job and had the pressure on me to perform well. You know, it is human tendency to get these kinds of thoughts. What if I don’t get the desired score, what will I do, where will I go? So, these kinds of negative thoughts came into my mind many times. But I used to think positively, and I must tell you that Indrajeet Sir and iQuanta organized and gave us an opportunity to join motivational sessions, which helped me a lot in going through these difficult challenges that I was facing at that time.
Here is what he advised CAT aspirants like you-
“So, the most important thing you need to do while preparing is to stay positive, believe in yourself that you can achieve it, and keep the negative thoughts away.”
Key Highlights:
- iQuanta allows you to learn with a diverse peer group, gaining valuable techniques and improving your problem-solving speed.
- Its motivational sessions help you stay positive and tackle difficult phases with confidence.
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His Way of Relaxation During CAT Preparation
When we asked about his way of dealing with frustration he shared that during moments of frustration after long study hours, he would turn to cooking – his favorite hobby and a great stress reliever. He further added –
“Every night, I used to cook dinner, served it to my parents, and we all ate together.” He considers this routine the most relaxing part of his day.
His Advice for CAT Aspirants to Ace Their Preparation
Karal: “My advice to the future aspirants who are taking the CAT is that, first, do not be afraid of mocks. Many people are afraid of mocks – what will happen if my scores are low, how will I feel? Never compare your scores with anyone. Only compare the scores you got in your previous mocks with what you get now, are you improving or not? Just see that. Do not compare your scores with anyone. Second, many aspirants don’t even think of taking the CAT. If you have thought about it, then you are already one step ahead of them. Do not quit in between. Just prepare yourself and keep preparing for the CAT.”
Key Highlights:
- Don’t fear mocks: They are crucial for preparation; focus on progress, not perfection.
- Avoid comparisons: Only compare your current scores with your past performance to track improvement.
- Thinking of taking CAT is a big step: Just deciding to appear puts you ahead of many.
- Stay consistent: Don’t quit midway; consistent preparation is key to cracking CAT.
A Fun-filled Ending – A Rapid Fire Round
We asked a few rapid fire questions to know a little more about Karal apart from the CAT Topper’s Journey from preparation to 99.03 percentile. Here’s what we asked:
Question #1: Who is your celebrity crush?
Karal’s Answer: Deepika Padukone
Question #2: When you wake up tomorrow, who would you like to wake up as?
Karal’s Answer: Ranveer Singh
Question #3: Why Ranveer Singh?
Karal’s Answer: He is a charming guy and he has a good body.
Question #4: What’s your dream MBA college?
Karal’s Answer: My dream college is IIM Ahmedabad, but with my percentile I am not going to get that.
Question #5: One thing you would want to change about yourself?
Karal’s Answer: My sleeping habits.
Question #6: What’s your favorite dish?
Karal’s Answer: Dal Makhani.
Nothing is hard! As Karal rightly said, if you have decided to give the CAT, you are already ahead of many aspirants. There’s no time to waste, but a lot of time to prepare. The key is having the right mentor and going the right way!
