CAT 2024: This IIT Bombay student shines as the only woman to score 100 percentile

She appeared for JEE Advanced in 2021 and secured an All India Rank (AIR) 681, which earned her admission to IIT Bombay.

From engineering to finance: A strategic shift

Despite her electrical engineering background, she always believed in financial literacy as a cornerstone of a secure future. “I realised early on that investing wisely was crucial, so I took up extra courses and projects in finance and economics,” she says. These projects, she adds, sparked a deeper interest, eventually inspiring her to pursue an MBA.

While speaking to indianexpress.com, Apoorva said that balancing her technical expertise with her leadership roles, she honed skills that would later prove invaluable. She led the media and publicity team of a technical club at IIT Bombay for over a year and is currently the logistics and operations team leader of the Institute. “These experiences taught me how to manage teams, communicate effectively, and strategise under pressure,” she adds.

A hectic semester and a strict CAT 2024 preparation schedule

Apoorva’s CAT preparation journey began in July 2024, giving her only four months to study the entire syllabus. Coupled with an active semester and team responsibilities at IIT Bombay, her days were meticulously planned. “I created a strict schedule and managed to squeeze in three hours of preparation daily. These three hours included watching online lectures, solving practice papers, and revising key concepts,” she said. She also attended online programme from T.I.M.E.

Meditation and music became integral parts of her routine, helping her maintain focus and reduce stress. “Meditation ensured that I was fully present in whatever I was doing, whether it was studying or team meetings,” she explains.

“CAT is more about managing time and understanding the essence of questions than just knowing everything,” she says. Mock tests and previous years’ question papers were instrumental in her preparation. “The DI and Quant sections were easier compared to earlier years, but VARC was challenging. It was all about practice and staying calm during the exam,” she reflects.

After the test, she was confident about scoring above 99.9 percentile but achieving a perfect score was a pleasant surprise. “When the results came out, I was ecstatic. It validated all the hard work and sacrifices I had made,” she says.

Looking ahead: A vision for product management and consulting

With her passion for mathematics and a solid foundation in electrical engineering, she envisions combining her technical expertise with business knowledge. “The world is moving towards technology-driven solutions in business. I want to leverage my knowledge in data analytics and AI to tackle real-world problems as a product manager or consultant,” she shares.

Her parents, who supported her decision to transition from engineering to an MBA, have been her pillars of strength. “They’ve always encouraged me to follow my interests, whether it was pursuing engineering or now aiming for a career in management,” she says.

As the only female 100-percentiler in CAT 2024, she hopes to inspire more women to excel in competitive fields. “Hard work, consistency, and confidence can help you achieve anything,” she concludes.

CAT result was released last week and 14 candidates scored 100 percentile.