20 from Tricity score above 99 percentile in CAT, credit success to mock test strategy

Over 20 students from the Tricity have reportedly scored above the 99 percentile in the Common Admission Test (CAT), the results of which were declared on Friday.

Written by Jagpreet Singh Sandhu
Chandigarh | December 20, 2024 10:17 PM IST

3 min read

Another high scorer, Aruvi Dutta from the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), achieved a 97.62 percentile. (Express)

Atishay Mariya, a Panchkula resident and former student of St Kabir and Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh, aims to secure admission to IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Calcutta. Mariya shared that he initially studied for four hours daily, increasing it to eight hours as the exam approached. He emphasised the importance of taking as many mock tests as possible, focusing on speed and time management over concepts.

Mariya revealed that he had no backup plan and was highly self-motivated to crack the exam on his first attempt. “For me, this exam was a ‘Do or die’ situation. My family’s belief in me boosted my confidence,” he said.

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Another high scorer, Aruvi Dutta from the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), achieved a 97.62 percentile. Aruvi, a national chess player, shared that she decided to take the CAT on the exam day itself, with no preparation. “I acted smartly when choosing which questions to attempt and relied on my coaching classes,” she said.

Also Read | From JEE to CAT 2024: IIT Bombay student Dhatri Mehta scores 99.99 percentile, aims IIM Ahmedabad

Amrinderpreet Singh, a Punjab Engineering College (PEC) graduate who scored 99.26 percentile, credited mock tests for his success. “My entire preparation revolved around attempting as many mock tests as possible. This helped me maximise my attempts during the actual exam,” he said.

Another regional topper, Vaibhav Prasad from GGDSD College, Sector 32, Chandigarh, scored 97.29 percentile. He focused on his weak areas, particularly in the quantitative section, and practised consistently to minimise mistakes.

The popularity of CAT has grown among commerce and humanities students as most IIMs now have differentiated criteria to ensure a level playing field for non-engineers.

CAT is a national-level competitive exam that provides entry into 21 IIMs and other top B-schools across India. In the region, IIM Amritsar, IIM Sirmaur, and Panjab University’s University Business School (UBS) admit students based on CAT scores.

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Out of 3.29 lakh registered candidates, 2.93 lakh appeared for the CAT, which was conducted on November 24, 2024, at 389 centres. Hirdesh Madan, co-founder of Hitbullseye, said, “CAT toppers were predominantly from engineering backgrounds in previous years. However, this year marks a welcome shift, with a significant number of toppers coming from commerce and non-engineering streams in the Tricity.”

The next stage of the admissions process includes essay writing and interviews, with calls for interviews expected soon. These interviews are usually conducted between January and March, while final results will be announced in April by most IIMs.