Chiraag, after completing his B.Tech from BITS Pilani, appeared for the CAT exam and scored 99.96 percentile. He joined IIM Calcutta and is currently an Associate with McKinsey & Company.
Giving the CAT was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my academic journey. Coming from an engineering background at BITS Pilani, I was already comfortable with the fundamental concepts of quantitative aptitude and verbal ability. However, I soon realised that CAT is not difficult because of its syllabus. The real challenge lies in solving familiar concepts under severe time pressure while competing against some of the brightest minds in the country.
I prepared for approximately two months and was fortunate to clear the examination on my very first attempt, eventually securing admission to IIM Calcutta. During my preparation, I found that many conventional coaching materials focused heavily on teaching concepts that were already relatively straightforward. What truly made the difference was developing speed, accuracy, judgement, and the right exam temperament.
Success in CAT is as much about strategy as it is about knowledge. I had to learn which questions were worth attempting immediately, which ones to revisit later, which could be answered through intelligent elimination, and, most importantly, which questions should be left untouched. This ability to make quick, rational decisions under pressure proved invaluable.
The single most effective part of my preparation was taking national-level mock tests. They provided an honest assessment of my standing among serious aspirants and exposed the mistakes that mattered. Towards the final phase of preparation, I often attempted multiple mock tests in a day, which significantly improved my endurance, sharpened my time management, and refined my test-taking strategy.
In my experience, CAT is a demanding examination not because the individual questions are extraordinarily difficult, but because it rewards those who can combine conceptual clarity with speed, precision, composure, and sound decision-making under pressure.
— Chiraag Thakur