How IIM-CAT toppers spent the last day before the exam

The exam will be held in three sections — Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA), with a sectional time limit of 40 minutes.

As the IIM CAT exam draws closer, here’s what previous CAT toppers — now PGDM and MBA students at IIM Ahmedabad, FMS Delhi, and other management colleges — did in the final 48 hours.

Read More | Before CAT 2025: What to study, what to drop & what to mentally prepare for

‘You’ve done the work — don’t overload your brain’

Raiyaan S (CAT 2023, 98.03 percentile, currently at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai) said the last phase was more about protecting his state of mind than adding more academic load. “I told myself, ‘You’ve done the work, don’t ruin it by overloading your brain now.’ I revised formulas, watched a few quick Quant tip videos, solved a handful of easy questions, and took long walks to clear my head.”

He added that CAT rewards calm more than cramming. His advice to aspirants:

– Focus on strengths, avoid comparison, drink enough water, and sleep well.

“CAT is not about knowing everything; it’s about knowing what you know well.”

What to avoid:

– No late-night study
– No new topics
– No scrolling through forums
– Don’t freeze if the first few questions look tough
“Don’t let someone else’s stress become yours.”

How he attempted the paper:

A quick scan, attempt the obvious ones, mark the rest, no over checking.

“Move fast, trust yourself, don’t overthink.”

Also Read | CAT 2025: Common mistakes aspirants make and how to avoid them

‘Meditation and music helped’

Apoorva Rajadhyaksha, who scored a perfect 100 percentile in CAT 2024, said that her 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. She is now at IIM Ahmedabad.

“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.

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.

Read More | CAT 2025: Section-wise strategy for VARC, DILR and QA

“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.

‘Learn how to skip — it’s the smartest skill you can build’

Milan Morais (CAT 2023, 99.79 percentile, currently at FMS Delhi) said he had completed the syllabus well before the exam and had shifted fully into mock-taking mode by October.

“I had finished my portions around October and was attempting 2–3 mocks a week. In the last 2–3 days, I decided it was time to rest. I just solved the PYQs I hadn’t done yet to keep my mind sharp. And as a stress-buster, I hit the gym every day.”

For him, the final phase was not about pushing harder but about staying mentally steady.

His advice to aspirants: Milan emphasises clarity about strengths and weaknesses — and the courage to skip.

“Focus on knowing what you know. Don’t waste time on ‘interesting’ questions if they’re not your strength. Quant was my weakest section, and since I knew that, I ended up with only around three negative marks in the entire paper.”

For more updates on CAT 2025, check the IE Education portal

He suggests that aspirants work actively on avoiding the sunk-cost fallacy.

“Be extremely comfortable skipping questions. It’s the BEST thing you can do at such a late stage to drastically improve your percentile.”

What to avoid:
— Stress — “as it only breeds mistakes.”

— “During the exam, I spent time singing in my head. While waiting to enter, I took a walk around the centre and joked with friends. I wanted to keep my mind light.”

How he attempted the paper:

— A disciplined and well-thought-out strategy guided his approach across all three sections.

— “Before the exam, I thoroughly read the instructions. That gave me a heads-up about the format change.”

VARC: He had trained his reading speed to ensure he finished the RCs early. “I made sure I’d have around 12–15 minutes left for VA. That made the section much easier to handle.”

DILR: He spent the initial few minutes analysing the sets. “I took 5–10 minutes just reading the questions. That helped me choose the right sets and improve accuracy.”

Quant: As his weakest area, his goal was simple. “I targeted every single easy question and then used the remaining time to solve 2–3 medium-level ones. I always had a time range in mind for each question across sections.”

His approach, he says, was built on one principle: “Choose the battles that matter — and skip the ones that don’t.”

‘The last few days are for stabilising yourself, not fixing everything’

Rhuthwik Nargund (CAT 2023, 98.67 percentile, currently at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai) shared that fluctuating mock scores made him anxious, so he switched into calm mode. “My mock scores were all over the place. That’s when I decided the last few days are not for fixing everything; they’re for stabilising yourself.”

He revised only trusted topics — familiar VARC strategies, known LRDI sets, and strong QA areas — and shut down discussion groups.

His advice: “Your journey isn’t a race against anyone else’s timetable.” Use the last few days to rest, revise solved examples, and maintain clarity.

What to avoid:
– New topics
– Difficulty-level debates
– Score predictors

Inside the hall, he followed a 30-second rule: “If it doesn’t click in 30 seconds, skip it.”

How he attempted the paper: Secure easy and medium questions first, return to harder ones later. “Let the paper work with you, not against you.”

‘The brain needs rest as much as revision’

For Anirudh A. (CAT 2023, 98.19 percentile), the final two days were about light revision and mental reset. “Power studying would only drain me. I revised notes, practised comfort-topic questions, ate well, slept well, and stayed away from performance anxiety.”

His advice: “In the last 48 hours, clarity beats intensity.” It’s okay to leave some topics. Focus on go-to methods and remain mentally steady.

What to avoid:
– Excess caffeine
– Excess screen time
– High-pressure prep discussions

During the exam, he reminded himself: “This exam rewards smart choices, not stubbornness.”

How he attempted the paper: Accuracy-first approach, minimal rechecking, skip stubborn questions.

“You’re not here to win every battle, just the ones that matter.”

‘Scan, categorise, prioritise’

Dhatri Mehta, who scored 99.99 percentile in CAT 2024, is a student at IIM Ahmedabad. “Initially, I attempted questions randomly, but repeated practice and mock tests enabled me to devise a structured approach,” she said.

For DILR, she would scan all the sets, categorise them as easy, medium, or hard, and prioritise accordingly. For VARC, she focused on maximizing her score in reading comprehension before tackling verbal ability questions as “bonus marks”. For QA, she revisited elementary concepts like multiplication tables, squares, and cubes to boost her calculation speed.

“Balancing my engineering coursework with CAT preparation required meticulous planning. It’s a skill that will undoubtedly help me as an MBA student and beyond,” she reflects. Dhatri was a student at IIT Bombay when she took the CAT exam in 2024.

‘Don’t fight the exam before the exam’

Abhinesh M S (CAT 2023, 98.23 percentile) treated the last days as a cool-down lap. “No mocks, no new problems. I revised only my mistake log and tough sets. I even took a full day off to reset. That pause helped me enter with a clear head.”

His advice: “Don’t turn the last two days into a panic project.” Stick to strengths, accept weak spots, be kind to yourself.

What to avoid:
– Mock discussions
– Performance forecasts
– News feeds

Inside the exam, his mantra was: “Protect your calm. Your calm protects your score.”

How he attempted the paper: Scan → pick strength-aligned questions → no forcing solves.

“Every good attempt counts more than every attempt.”

According to IIM Kozhikode, about 2.95 lakh candidates have registered for CAT 2025. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official portal for the latest announcements.