CAT 2023 topper scores 100 percentile without coaching classes, says ‘limit social media usage’

Mock tests = success

Unlike many CAT toppers, Vishnu did not enroll in any coaching classes to prepare for the management entrance exam. Vishnu decided to appear for CAT in July 2022, and started preparing for it immediately after. However, he decided to rely on previous year question papers and mock tests for preparation.

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“Every morning, I used to read at least one article on the Internet which would be related to some topic of the CAT syllabus. This helped me stay updated,” he told indianexpress.com. Vishnu, who used to study for nearly three hours everyday, believes that it is essential to keep upskilling oneself and that is something which will not only help you clear the exam, but also add on to your lifelong intelligence quotient.

Besides, Vishnu used to either solve a previous year question paper or a mock test. “It is important to solve previous year question papers or mock tests as they have some of the best and most important questions. I heavily relied on these two things. Therefore, I first solved previous year question papers, and then I got mock tests from some of the top coaching institutes such as Career Launcher and solved one paper everyday. I also enrolled in Career Launcher’s VARC 1000,” he explained.

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After solving in a properly timed environment, Vishnu ensured that he did a deep analysis of the questions he got wrong, common mistakes and the topics that were his strength. This analysis helped him prepare for the tough entrance exam, while keeping up with his undergraduate degree.

The non-engineer topper

Vishnu is one of the three toppers who are from a non-engineering background. When asked why engineers dominate the top ranks, he said it is majorly because “in India, some of the brightest minds join IITs after completing high schools. After graduation, they start preparing for yet another tough exam — CAT — in order to upskill themselves.”

He also thinks that the majority of the time the question paper is also drafted in a way which is easier to crack for engineers. “This time, however, the question paper was well-balanced. There was no bias towards engineering students or any other field. It was a good mix of all kinds of questions, which is also the reason why people like me, from a non-engineering background were able to get top ranks,” he added.

‘Sister was my inspiration, support system’

Vishnu’s sister, who is two years older to him, is currently studying at IIM Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh. It was because of her that Vishnu decided to appear for CAT.

“I got to know about the CAT through her. Since she had already aced the exam, the journey got a bit better for me. She guided me and I had to simply follow her footsteps. Because of her I knew what to do and what not to do, and what is the journey till and after clearing CAT,” he said.

‘Cut out unnecessary noise’

An avid reader of books on human psychology, Vishnu advises CAT aspirants to cut out unnecessary noise on social media. “It is very important to ensure that you do spend a lot of time on social media, and that includes YouTube videos. However, there is too much noise/ content that can distract a student,” he explained.

To relax, Vishnu likes to read different kinds of books, especially the ones based on human psychology.

Vishnu advises CAT aspirants to be persistent. “It is important to be persistent and have confidence in yourself. If you are able to achieve these two things, CAT will not be as tough as it looks,” he advises.

The Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM-L) Thursday declared the result for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2023.