For some one setback breaks them, makes them question themselves and give up. But for some, it acts as a fuel to never give up on their dreams. Here is the story of one of the CAT toppers, Prathamesh Hawale. His one failure in CAT became his fuel to achieve something bigger that will shape his career entirely in a different way. He began a full-time job in Mumbai, a city away from his home in Pune. And yet with sheer determination and hardwork, he cracked one of the toughest exams, CAT. This victory was not a victory of just one day but months of preparation and slogging day and night.
For Prathamesh Hawale, a Chemical Engineer from VIT Pune, the journey to a top-tier business school was a gruelling roller coaster of setback, exhaustion, and ultimate redemption. Today, having converted IIM Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore, Shillong, and FMS Delhi, Prathamesh stands tall as he prepares to join the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi. This blog covers the detailed journey of a CAT topper, Prathamesh Hawale, on how he did not give up on CAT after one setback to getting selected in the top B schools of the country.
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Prathamesh’s Academic Background & CAT Percentile
Prathamesh had always set his mind that he was going for an MBA after graduation. He had set his sights on studying at India’s top B-school while studying Chemical Engineering at VIT Pune. This dream was big but not easy to achieve. He is a GEM candidate from VIT Pune. He had an academic profile of 9/9/6, scoring above 90% in both classes X and XII before completing his Chemical Engineering degree.
Determined to achieve his dream, he began his CAT preparation 7-8 months before the exam. He studied day and night, solving questions and taking mock tests. He always achieved between 98 to 99 marks in mock tests.
Then came D-day, the CAT 2024 examination. The exam started off well. VARC and LRDI went great. But the next section was about to cause a lot of distress. The Quantitative Aptitude section took an unexpected turn. Due to his silly mistakes, calculation errors and missed details in questions, this section did not go as per his expectations. Despite performing well in VARC and LRDI, his quant percentile dropped to just 54. He was devastated. Months of hard work and preparation unravelled because of a few mistakes on the biggest day of the year.
No calls. No opportunities. No reward for months of sacrifice. He was shattered and disappointed and could not understand what to do next. The preparation phase took a toll on both his physical and mental health. He gained around 20 kg due to stress and long study hours. Even after putting in so much effort, months of preparation, he saw his dream slip away. But he turned this setback into a comeback. He came back to chase it with even greater intensity.
After CAT 2024, Prathamesh got back on the horse and began preparing once again and also applied for jobs. Soon, he did land a job, but it was in Mumbai. To a city which was away from his home in Pune. While it was a positive step professionally, it came with challenges. He had to leave Pune, adapt to a new city, lifestyle and manage his routine in an entirely different way. He joined in September 2025, and from that time onwards, he once again began his CAT preparation.
His daily routine was hectic, and so was his determination to crack CAT, as firm as a rock. His daily routine was nothing short of massively gruelling.
- Work: 10 hours of intense corporate duty.
- Commute: 3 hours of exhausting travel in Mumbai’s traffic.
- Mock Tests: 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM daily.
- Mock Analysis: 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM.
- Sleep: A brief 4-hour window before waking up at 7:00 AM to do it all over again.
With CAT 2025 just three months away, he had put his heart and soul to the absolute limit.
The Result Day: 99.99%ile in Quant
Prathameshs’s perseverance did pay off. He cracked CAT 2025 with a mind-boggling 99.99 percentile in the Quantitative Aptitude section, the very section that had broken him a year prior. His happiness was beyond what words could describe.
How iQuanta Played a Role in His CAT Preparation?
He credits iQuanta for his success in the CAT exam. He joined iQuanta in September. Securing a monumental CAT score in just three months, that too with a full-time job, was the biggest battle that he won professionally. He enrolled in iQuanta’s GDPI course to overcome his failure. Through iQuanta’s structured mentorship, rigorous mock GDs, personalized PI sessions, and regular current affairs updates, Prathamesh polished himself for the CAT exam. The guidance from iQuanta helped him to confidently navigate his gaps, shortcomings and showcase his core strengths to the interview panels.
The Final Verdict
When it came to taking admissions, Prathamesh not only got just one top MBA college, but rather he managed to get 5 top-tier MBA colleges to choose from. With so much hardwork and exhaustion, it was finally his time to choose a college of his choice. Prathamesh pulled off a stellar clean sweep, converting:
- FMS Delhi (Joining)
- IIM Lucknow
- IIM Kozhikode
- IIM Indore
- IIM Shillong
Final Words
Prathamesh’s journey is a testament that if one keeps his eyes on his goal and gives his heart and soul to it, one is bound to achieve it. He has shown the power of resilience, discipline and self-belief. From disappointment in Quant to achieving the 99.99 percentile, with a full-time job, long commutes and late-night preparation, he came back stronger.
His conversions at FMS Delhi, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, and IIM Shillong prove that one setback can never decide your future. The future is in your hands as long as you are determined to change it. Today, as he prepares to join FMS Delhi, Prathamesh’s story is an inspiration to every aspirant facing challenges on their CAT journey. Prathamesh has only one realisation: “I’m just glad I didn’t give up”.
