CAT 2016 preparation in next 60 days will require key tips and success mantra to help the aspirants to score high percentile in the exam. Learning and using Vedic Mathematics to increase the pace of speed can be an important tool to succeed in CAT 2016 is the success mantra shared by Dev Iyer, CAT topper with 99.70 percentile and IIM Rohtak student.
For the benefit of CAT 2016 aspirants, MBAUniverse.com has brought a round of CAT toppers’ success stories alongwith their success mantra that led them to crack CAT with high percentile. In the series we present the success story and CAT 2016 preparation tips shared by Dev Iyer who scored 99.70 percentile in CAT 2015 and opted for IIM Rohtak.
Dev belongs to Bhopal. He has a consistent good academic record with 9.6 CGPA in class 10; 88% in class 12 and 79.83% in his bachelor’s degree which he completed in Computer Science Engineering in 2016. Dev is a fresher and has busted the myth that you need work experience before pursuing PGP from IIMs. Apart from CAT, Dev also appeared in XAT 2016 and scored 98.31 percentile.
Dev has keen interest in watching documentaries, solving puzzles, playing table tennis and cricket. According to him, his source of inspiration are Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Warren Buffet and Srinivasa Ramanujan.
MBAUniverse.com: What was your preparation strategy for CAT 2015?
Dev (CAT topper): As I started my CAT preparation from July 2014, I had 15 months to prepare. During the initial phase, I found that I was comfortable with QA. Hence, I dedicated more time to VA and DI/LR. I finished the syllabus by the end of May 2015 and shifted my focus to revision and mock tests. I emphasized on time management and accuracy by thoroughly analyzing all my mock test results.
MBAUniverse.com: How did you prepare for each section QA, VARC & DILR? What study materials and books did you use?
Dev (CAT topper): For QA, I tried to solve different types of questions that I came across. As speed is an important factor in CAT, I always used a stopwatch while solving them. For DI, I learned Vedic Mathematics which significantly increased my calculation speed.
I found DILR section time- consuming and hence, tried to first identify the easier cases in the mock tests. For VA, I read novels (particularly non-fiction) which helped me improve my speed of reading, vocabulary and grammar. I used study material of TIME.
MBAUniverse.com: Was there any particular section that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
Dev (CAT topper): I was relatively weak in DI section. I used to get stuck and would end up spending a lot of time on some DI questions. I overcame this challenge by improving my speed of calculation. Overcoming this nemesis played a pivotal role in my success in CAT.
MBAUniverse.com: How can candidates use Mock tests better? What is your advice?
Dev (CAT topper): Mock tests help candidates identify their strong and weak points. I experimented with different approaches during the first few mock tests by changing the pattern of solving the question paper. This helped me find the best approach for me. Section wise mock tests may also be helpful in this regard. In my opinion, one of the most important and difficult thing is to master the art of question selection. This can only be done by giving lots of mock tests.
MBAUniverse.com: Did you go to offline coaching centre? What role does a coaching centre play?
Dev (CAT topper): Yes, I was a student at a coaching institute. They help you maintain regularity in studies which may be difficult to maintain when someone is preparing on their own. The coaching centres provide you with nurturing and competitive environment where you can learn.
MBAUniverse.com: Other than CAT, which exam did you appear?
Dev (CAT topper): Other than CAT, I appeared only for XAT. Given the preparation I had gone through, I was confident that I would be able to score a good percentile in CAT and XAT and therefore, I chose not to sit for other exams.
MBAUniverse.com: Which institutes did you apply for admission?
Dev (CAT topper): My aim was to get into one of the IIMs or XLRI. Hence, I applied for admission only to these institutions.
MBAUniverse.com: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
Dev (CAT topper): I tried to keep my mind calm and clear. I limited my interactions with people before the start of the exam. My approach during the exam was the same as that I had developed in mock tests. For first three minutes, I skimmed through the section and identified questions that I was confident about. If time was left after solving these questions, I would try to attempt rest of the questions.
My advice would be to avoid last minute preparation as it makes you more anxious which is not very helpful during the exam.
MBAUniverse.com: Which B-school you decided upon and why?
Dev (CAT topper): I was selected for IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi, IIM Trichy, IIM Raipur, IIM Udaipur and IIM Kashipur. Out of these, I decided to join IIM Rohtak. I made this decision after consulting a number of alumni and current students of these institutes to get a fair idea of what actually happens in these institutes. IIM Rohtak was the first amongst these to be setup, located in proximity to not only Delhi but also Gurgaon, a city that houses more than 250 fortune 500 companies and regularly organises industry interactions through events like PSU Summits, HR Summits, NCR business summits and Outstation Corporate Conclaves in Bangalore and Mumbai.
MBAUniverse.com: Please share your GD/WAT topics & PI questions at different institutes and the ones who offered you admission?
Dev (CAT topper): Topics I encountered for GD/WAT were:
-- GST bill and its implications
-- Should legislature act as judiciary
-- Should air hostess be retired at age 40
Questions asked in PI were from the following:
-- Educational background
-- Hobbies
-- Reasons to do MBA
-- Strengths and weaknesses
-- Books I had read recently
-- Basic theoretical questions like NPA, repo rate, difference between attitude and personality
-- G.K Questions
MBAUniverse.com: Any message you would like to share with the candidates preparing for CAT 2016.
Dev (CAT topper): My message to the aspirants is that CAT is not about an individual’s proficiency in any of the sections or how strong a candidate’s vocabulary is. The real test is of how well a candidate can manage time and how well s/he can perform under pressure, as these are the two most important qualities of a manager. Any individual who can develop these qualities within themselves, with some sense of logic, number crunching and English will do well in CAT.
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