AHAN SARKAR

A: I joined online coaching for CAT at Elites Grid in January. My overall strategy was to finish around 70% of the syllabus first, giving tests on individual topics. After that, I planned to shift towards sectionals while completing the rest of the syllabus, For the last 2 months, most of my learning came from mocks and marathon revision sessions. I used to give one mock, and then analyse it thoroughly the next day, noting down mistakes and concepts I needed to revise. I also realised that preparation for CAT is a test of patience and endurance, the toughest part is showing up every day, after tiring days at work/college, bad sectional or mock scores or any other problems which keep occurring in life. When I was tired, I did skip a couple of classes to give myself a break and come back rejuvenated. It is VERY IMPORTANT to not burn out, since the maximum effort needs to be applied at the tail end of the journey, where even 2 months of concentrated effort has a huge disproportionate effort on your results. Enjoy the process, have fun, don’t restrict your life to just work/college and CAT prep. In the last two months, sacrifice almost everything, and give your all to the prep.

A: I was lucky since I had a remote job, and no fixed login-logout times. I worked with US/European clients who were very understanding, and I had chunks of work to be completed each week. I would work really hard on the first 2, sometimes 3, days of the week and complete everything, so that I would have the rest of the week free. My work was mostly late at night, so I woke up around 11 AM and then studied during the afternoon/evening. On days, where work prevented me from attending lectures, which happened almost every day from 10PM – 12AM, the first thing I did the next day was cover the missed the lecture and tests as soon as I woke up. It is not possible for people who’re working or in college to always stay on top of classes/tests and that’s absolutely okay, but the most important thing is to not let backlogs pile up. At no point, should you be more than 10 days behind, since the backlog feels daunting otherwise and you’ll keep procrastinating.

A: Since I was in a coaching institute, my preparation mostly involved completing all the classes, tests, assignments, PYQs, sectionals and mocks that were scheduled and to be honest, that is more than enough. It was a little easier for me since I’ve been reading and watching English content for as long as I can remember, so I had developed an intuition for what was right. However, I do feel that CAT VARC is not really a test of English comprehension and knowledge, as much as it is a test of logic. For a lot of answers, second/third order thinking isn’t required, and answers are concerned with what is directly mentioned in the passage, so extension of though isn’t really tested. You can do really well just by understanding 60-70 percent of the passage/question, and often if you do understand it well, it might lead you astray since you’ll start thinking of implications and extensions which they’re not really looking for.

A: For DILR, my strategy was to again complete all the classes, tests, assignments, PYQs, sectionals and mocks that were scheduled, which I found was all that was needed. However, out of all the sections, DILR is the most unpredictable. Your performance depends heavily on the sets you pick and how calm you are. There are going to be times when maybe 20 minutes have passed, and you haven’t managed to solve anything. Instead of going into a negative spiral, you have to pause, take a deep breath and start over. Something I also focused on was to see if I could get any useful information from the questions. There are many sets where if you solve it normally, it’ll take a lot of time, but if you can use the information in the question, you can solve it in 10-12 minutes. Listing out possible combinations/cases and quickly working thorough and eliminating incorrect ones is a vital skill, so that’s something I tried to practice as much as I can (even for sets where I solved it quickly, I would re-solve by listing out all possible solutions and then eliminating incorrect ones, since it made me more comfortable with numbers and cases, which I also supplemented with Kakuro/Sudoku

A: For QA as well, my strategy was to complete all the classes, tests, assignments, PYQs, sectionals and mocks that were scheduled. In addition, to this I maintained a notebook of questions where I struggled or where there was a lot of learning, and in the final stretch of prep, I went through all those questions once again. Marathon revision sessions were also conducted by faculty at Elites Grid, and those were super helpful.

A: The section I found challenging, till the very end, was DILR. I followed everything I mentioned in the answer to how I prepared for this section, but I was never consistent in this section. On a good day, I was able to solve 2.5-3 sets even, but my average was 1.5 sets. In a lot of sets, sometimes even the difficult ones, there are a couple of questions which can be solved with 3-4 minutes of effort, and I would go through all the questions to identify such scoring opportunities.

A: Mocks are an instrumental part of preparation, and for the last two months, most of my new learning came from questions I faced in mocks, which I was unable to solve, or which required some extra knowledge. Also, concepts are often repeated so solving mocks builds familiarity with those. Giving mocks also helps pick better sets in sections, especially DILR, while also allowing us to develop a strategy which works best for us, ensuring that we're able to atleast attempt every question, rather than wasting too much time stuck on any particular one, since a lot of the questions later on are on the easier side. It also reduces the stress which a timer normally adds since we get accustomed to it.

A: I joined coaching institute Elites Grid for preparations due to a couple of reasons. My brother recommended it to me since he knew the founders and he said they were really good at teaching and guiding students through this journey. Second, it is very confusing figuring out what to study and from where, and what kind of questions to practice. I didn't want the additional headache of having to do all of that by myself and also there was a high probability that I would miss important things, which is why I decided to join an institute.

A: I referred to the study materials provided by the institute, and they were very comprehensive. In fact, I was only able to get through 70-80 percent of it. They also labelled the material/assignments etc. based on priority so that we knew what to focus on, in case if a time crunch.

A: My goal from the very beginning was to have practiced enough that, when I was standing in front of the exam centre, I wouldn't have any regrets about not having done more. I wanted to know that I had all the information I needed, had practiced every possible question type, and that all I had to do on the day was remember what I had learned and apply it effectively. My strategy for VARC was fairly straightforward. I would start with two RC passages, move to the VA portion, and then come back to RC. This way, I could comfortably attempt at least three passages and the entire VA section. If time permitted, I would attempt the fourth passage as well. Since accuracy in VARC is never something you can guarantee, my goal was always to get at least 20 attempts. I had reasonably good accuracy in my mocks, so I was banking on that to get me a good score. To put things into perspective, I had also appeared for CAT in 2023, when I scored 99.96 percentile in VARC, with around 57 marks. However, despite practicing more this time, I ended up with 95.66 percentile. I don't think my English got any worse, but my accuracy certainly dropped quite a bit. That experience reinforced something I had always believed: you can never completely rely on accuracy in VARC. So, my recommendation would be to target at least 18–20 attempts to give yourself a good chance of scoring well. For DILR, my best-case target was to solve two complete sets, which was slightly above what I usually managed in my mocks.My first priority was always set selection. I would read all four sets before deciding which one seemed the easiest. I would go through the passage, look at the questions to see if they contained any additional information I could use, and only then start solving. There were a couple of things I consciously followed. First, I never approached a set haphazardly. I would note down all the information from the passage in a clear, organized manner so that I wouldn't have to keep referring to a large block of text. I would also tick off the points as I used them to ensure I hadn't missed anything. Second, I was never afraid of making cases or trying different combinations. In fact, that's often the fastest way to solve a set. I had practiced enough to become comfortable with this approach, so I wasn't hesitant to use it during the exam. But I think DILR is the section where your mindset matters the most. I remember that in CAT 2023, almost 20 minutes had gone by, and I hadn't been able to solve a single set. At that point, it's very easy to enter a negative spiral and start thinking that an entire year of hard work has gone down the drain. But you need to be able to reset mentally and make a comeback. In my case, despite not solving anything for the first 20 minutes, I managed to solve almost two sets in the next 15 minutes. That's why I believe staying calm is absolutely essential in DILR. Even if you can't solve an entire set, try to get one or two questions right and move on. Don't let one difficult set ruin the rest of your section. I would recommend targeting at least seven or eight correct questions, which should put you in a good position to cross the 95th percentile, depending on the difficulty of the paper. Maths has always been one of my strengths, so I knew that Quant was the section where I had to maximize my score. Unlike VARC, I feel Quant is a section where you can be reasonably confident about your accuracy. My goal was to go through every question at least once without spending too much time on any particular one. For geometry, I followed a very specific approach. I would read the question and draw the diagram. If I could immediately figure out how to proceed, I would solve it. Otherwise, I would move on. For algebra and arithmetic, I was willing to spend a little more time exploring the question because, quite often, problems that appear complicated on the surface turn out to be fairly simple once you start working on them. However, I had a strict rule: if I couldn't figure out a clear direction within a minute, I would move to the next question. There are often easier questions scattered throughout the section, including towards the middle and the end. Spending too much time on one difficult question can cost you several easier ones. So, my overall strategy was to maximize my attempts while prioritizing accuracy, with VARC being the one section where I was willing to take a few more chances. My overall approach and mindset: One thing I always kept in mind was that luck does play a role in CAT. The difficulty of your slot, the kind of sets you get, and even how you're feeling on the day can make a difference. I had Slot 3, but I consciously avoided looking at what questions had appeared in the earlier slots. I didn't want to get distracted by discussions about whether the paper was easy or difficult. The day before the exam, I simply relaxed, listened to music, and spent time with my family. I think one of the biggest mistakes you can make is constantly reminding yourself that an entire year of hard work comes down to those two hours. You're already under enough pressure, and thinking about how important the exam is only adds to it. The more relaxed you are, the better you're likely to perform. Of course, there's going to be pressure, but you shouldn't make it worse by constantly telling yourself that you absolutely have to ace the exam.Instead, focus on doing the best you can with whatever comes your way. For me, that was the entire philosophy behind my preparation: work hard enough throughout the year that, when you're standing in front of the exam hall, you know you've done everything you could. After that, all you can do is trust your preparation and give it your best shot. Having said that, I don't think I did complete justice to my preparation. I do feel I could have taken a few more mocks, which I'll talk about in the next answer. But broadly, that was my strategy for CAT.

A:Looking back, I think the most important lesson from my CAT preparation was that there is no substitute for putting in the work. You can be naturally talented or exceptionally good at Quant, DILR, or VARC, but unless you put in the hours, people who might not be as naturally adept as you will eventually leave you behind. It's also important to remember that you're doing this for yourself and your own future. There were times when I would see my friends relaxing, going on trips, or partying while I was sitting at home preparing. It's easy to feel frustrated or burnt out in those moments, but you have to remind yourself why you started. At the end of the day, when the results come out, most people aren't going to ask about your circumstances, whether you had long working hours, were tired, or weren't feeling well. Apart from your close friends and family, people will largely look at whether you made it or not. So, it's important to take responsibility for your preparation and put in the effort. At the same time, don't make CAT preparation your entire life. That's probably the easiest way to burn out and start resenting the process. Especially during the initial months, don't put yourself under unnecessary pressure. Study consistently, make sure your backlog doesn't pile up, but also go out with friends, attend family events, and enjoy yourself. If your exam is in November, I would recommend cutting down on socializing only towards the end of September and throughout October and November. Even then, give yourself a day to celebrate festivals or spend time with your family. One day isn't going to undo months of preparation. I also believe it's important to wind down during the final week. Don't try to take a mock every day. I would recommend taking at most one mock, doing some light revision, and focusing on relaxing. Constantly reminding yourself how important the exam is will only add unnecessary pressure. Another major realization was that CAT is as much a test of mental fortitude, patience, and endurance as it is a test of knowledge. You need to show up consistently, complete your preparation, take your mocks, and keep going even when things aren't working out. But there's also a humbling realization that, despite doing everything right, luck does play a role. To put things into perspective, I took around 20 mocks, primarily from IMS, including SimCATs. Across 18 of those mocks, my average score was around 105. In the remaining two, I scored 121 and 90. So, based on my performance, I was reasonably expecting a score of around 104–105 in CAT. However, I ended up scoring 92. In all likelihood, I had one of my worst days on the actual exam. And that's where luck comes in. You might have your best day, your worst day, or just an average day. So, don't stress too much about what might happen on exam day, because that's not entirely within your control. What you can control is the effort you put in during the months leading up to it. My biggest advice would be to work hard, stay consistent, but also enjoy the journey. If you make it through, that's great. And if things don't work out the way you hoped, it's certainly not the end of the world. There's always another opportunity, and you can always try again.

A:When it comes to dealing with stress, I think my natural disposition helped quite a bit. I'm generally someone who doesn't stress too much or think too far ahead. I prefer focusing on what I need to accomplish that day or week and gradually chipping away at things, rather than constantly looking at the bigger picture and getting overwhelmed by it. That approach definitely helped me stay consistent throughout my preparation. In terms of motivation, the mentors at my coaching institute played a significant role. Having guided so many students through the same journey, they understood the challenges I was likely to face. More than just teachers, they felt like elder brothers and sisters who were always there to guide and support me. My own brother was also a huge source of support. He's seven years older than me, has completed his MBA, and works as a strategy consultant. Since he'd already been through the journey and made it to the other side, he always had a positive outlook. Whenever I felt burnt out, he'd remind me that it was perfectly fine to take a break and that one day wasn't going to determine the outcome of my entire preparation. His optimism was a major influence on me throughout the process. But I think the most important source of motivation has to come from within. Whenever I felt overwhelmed or questioned whether I really wanted to continue, I reminded myself why I had started in the first place. Nobody had pushed me or forced me to pursue an MBA. I had chosen this path for myself because I wanted to grow, do better, and move forward in life. And I think that's something everyone needs to realize. You can listen to others, talk to mentors, or look at someone else's journey and feel inspired for a day or even a week. But to sustain yourself through six to nine months of preparation, that motivation needs to be internal. At the end of the day, you're doing this for yourself and your own future. Other people can support and inspire you, but you have to be your own biggest motivator.

A:If I could change one thing about my CAT preparation, it would probably be the number of mocks I took. I took around 20 mocks, but I think 30 was a very achievable target. Those 10 additional mocks could have helped me refine my strategy, improve my time management, and become a little more comfortable with the exam. I feel I did about 95–97% of what I had set out to do, but perhaps that last 3–5% could have made a difference on the final day. Whether those extra mocks would have actually changed my performance, I can't say for certain, but it's something I do think about.

A: When it comes to GDPI preparation, one of the first things I did was list down almost everything significant about my life, from my family background, education, and work experience to my hobbies, interests, and any memorable incidents. This gave me a comprehensive understanding of my own journey and proved extremely useful when preparing for personal interviews. I had also enrolled in GDPI coaching at B-Tribe, where I participated in mock GIs, PIs, and GDs. What really helped was that many of the mentors were alumni of the institutes I was targeting and had around five to six years of professional experience. They often brought perspectives that I hadn't considered and helped me prepare for questions I wouldn't necessarily have anticipated. To put things into perspective, during one of my SPJIMR mock GIs, I was asked to introduce the person sitting next to me. Interestingly, I was asked the exact same question in my actual GI1. Since I had already encountered it during my preparation, I was much more comfortable answering it. So, I think my GDPI preparation largely came down to two things: knowing my own story thoroughly and getting as much exposure as possible to different interview scenarios through mocks and feedback.

A: I think having work experience definitely helped me in a couple of ways. First, it gave me substantial content for the one-page CV that every MBA student has to prepare. More importantly, understanding the business impact of my work allowed me to steer interview discussions towards areas where I was confident and could demonstrate my contributions. Second, having worked in a corporate environment helped me navigate interviews better. I was already familiar with professional interactions, the kind of answers interviewers might expect, and how to communicate my thoughts effectively. So, work experience certainly gave me an advantage. However, I also know several freshers in my batch at SPJIMR who have done incredibly well despite having no prior work experience. That's why I believe having a well-rounded profile is more important than simply having work experience. Your profile shouldn't be too one-dimensional or limited to academics alone. Extracurricular activities, positions of responsibility, and other meaningful experiences are equally valuable. Ultimately, I think what matters most is the breadth and depth of your experiences and what you've learned from them, rather than whether you're a fresher or someone with work experience.

A: I chose Information Management and Analytics (IM&A) because my work experience has primarily been in tech consulting, and I've always had a strong interest in technology. Even as a child, I enjoyed tinkering with different kinds of hardware and software, so I didn't want to lose touch with technology after pursuing an MBA. I also believe that, given the way the world is evolving, technology is going to become an integral part of almost every business function, whether it's finance, marketing, operations, or anything else. So, choosing IM&A felt like a natural way to build on my existing experience while staying up to date with developments in technology. For candidates considering SPJIMR, there are two programs: PGDM, where you're admitted with a specialization, and PGDM-BM, which is a general management program where you choose a focus area later. For PGDM, the specialization you're offered depends quite heavily on your existing profile and work experience. For instance, someone with an operations-heavy background is more likely to be offered Operations and Supply Chain Management. You do get to indicate two preferences, and it's possible to receive your second preference as well. There is also an option to change your specialization later, although that's subject to certain criteria. Ultimately, I would recommend choosing your specialization based on your existing experience, your interests, and, most importantly, the kind of work you see yourself doing in the future.

A: I think my decision to choose SPJIMR came down to three major factors. First, the experiential learning opportunities. When I was going through SPJIMR's website, two programs immediately stood out to me: Abhyudaya and DOCC. Abhyudaya is a mentorship program where every PGP1 student is assigned a child from Mumbai's K Ward to mentor. DOCC, or Development of Corporate Citizenship, involves spending a month in rural India, working with local NGOs and communities to address real-world challenges. These programs were immediate differentiators for me because I believe a significant part of learning during an MBA happens outside the classroom. In the real world, you don't get clearly defined problem statements or all the information you need. Problems are often unstructured and constantly evolving, and the best way to learn how to navigate them is by working with real people on the ground. Second, and perhaps most importantly, was the culture at SPJIMR. My brother had several friends who were SPJIMR alumni, and they were unanimous in describing the institute as collaborative, welcoming, and supportive. MBA programs in India often have a reputation for being extremely competitive, sometimes to the point of becoming toxic. It's almost treated as a rite of passage, with people arguing that you need to experience this to survive in the corporate world. But I didn't want to spend two years in an unnecessarily stressful or competitive environment. I wanted to be somewhere people genuinely supported one another. In fact, I had also converted IIM Lucknow in the first list, and almost everyone advised me to choose it over SPJIMR because of its more recognizable brand. My brother, however, was the one person who consistently encouraged me to choose SPJIMR. I still remember him telling me, "If you want to trust me on one thing in life, trust me on this: go to SPJIMR." At the time, it felt like a leap of faith, but having come here, I can confidently say that it's been a fantastic decision, and things have worked out really well for me. The third factor was the opportunity to pursue my preferred specialization. At many other MBA institutes, I would have been pursuing a general management degree and could potentially have ended up in a sales or marketing role, which wasn't necessarily aligned with my career aspirations. At SPJIMR, I was getting Information Management and Analytics (IM&A), which aligned closely with my background in tech consulting and my long-term interests. It allowed me to build on my existing experience rather than move in a completely different direction. So, ultimately, it was the combination of experiential learning, a collaborative culture, and a specialization aligned with my career goals that made SPJIMR the right choice for me.

A: My experience at SPJIMR so far has been nothing short of fantastic. As I mentioned earlier, choosing SPJIMR over IIM Lucknow was a big leap of faith, especially when almost everyone, except my brother and mother, advised me to choose IIM Lucknow. But looking back, I think it's been one of the best decisions I've made. For starters, I secured a summer internship that I might not have gotten elsewhere, which was an incredible outcome for me. But beyond placements, what has really stood out is the culture. Everything I had heard about SPJIMR being collaborative and supportive has turned out to be true. All divisions are incredibly supportive and respectful, and the seniors are exceptionally hands-on. Whether it's the PlaceCom or any other student committee, people are always approachable and willing to help. There's very little sense of hierarchy between batches, and even the faculty are extremely accessible. Everyone genuinely seems invested in helping you make the most of your time here. The professors are excellent, and the classes are genuinely engaging, especially in the IM&A specialization. A lot of the learning is hands-on. You get to build things, experiment, and learn by actually doing, which I believe is one of the most effective ways to learn. Beyond academics, I've already made some amazing friends, and these past four months have been an incredible experience. In fact, my only concern now is that these two years are going to go by far too fast.

A: When it comes to thanking the people who have contributed to my success, I think there are far too many to name. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, and I believe the same holds true for my journey. There have been so many people who have played an important role in helping me get where I am today. First and foremost, my family, especially my mother and brother. My mother has always pushed me to do better and never allowed me to become comfortable with being average. At the same time, she's never imposed her expectations on me. She's encouraged me to figure out what I want to do next, and whatever I've decided, she's always supported me wholeheartedly. My brother has been equally instrumental. Having already completed his MBA and gone through the entire process himself, he knew what worked and what didn't. While he had to figure out a lot of things through trial and error, he made sure my journey was considerably smoother. Whether it was recommending Elite Squad, encouraging me to choose SPJIMR over IIM Lucknow, or simply guiding me through difficult decisions, his advice has consistently worked out for me. I'm also incredibly grateful to Elite Squad, the institute where I prepared for CAT. I genuinely don't think I could ever repay what they've done for me. They were much more than teachers who simply covered the syllabus. They were mentors who guided me throughout the journey. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by my backlog, burnt out, or disappointed with my mock scores, there was always someone I could reach out to. Whether it was 4 a.m. or any other time, they would respond as soon as they could. I don't think they ever left a single message unanswered, and that kind of support made a tremendous difference. I'm equally thankful to everyone who helped me prepare for my GIs and PIs. A lot of the feedback I received during those mock interviews was something I consciously incorporated into my actual interviews. I believe that played a significant role in helping me convert every interview I appeared for in the first list itself. And, of course, my friends and the people I prepared alongside. There were countless late-night discussions about what was working, what wasn't, and how we could learn from one another. Having people who understood exactly what I was going through made the entire process much more manageable. I think a journey like this is incredibly difficult to undertake alone. You need people who believe in you, guide you, and support you when things aren't going your way. I'm sure there are several people I've forgotten to mention, but I'm genuinely grateful to everyone who has been a part of my journey. I wouldn't have made it this far without them.

A: I think one of the biggest challenges I faced during my academic journey, apart from CAT, was overcoming complacency. Back in school, I found it relatively easy to grasp concepts. I would attend classes, understand what was being taught, and assume that was enough, without putting in much effort to actually practice solving problems. But competitive exams are an entirely different ball game. Understanding a concept is one thing, but having practiced it enough to recall it instantly, identify the right approach, and solve a question accurately within 30 seconds or two minutes is something else entirely. I think JEE Main was where I finally met my match. I performed terribly, and that was a major wake-up call for me. It made me realize that understanding concepts alone wasn't enough; I needed to put in the work. I took that lesson seriously, practiced much harder for WBJEE, and eventually secured admission to Jadavpur University. So, things did work out, but more importantly, I learned something that I've carried with me ever since, whether in CAT preparation, academics, or even my professional life. There is simply no substitute for effort. Some people might need 12 hours to achieve something, while others might need eight, but everyone has to put in the work. Natural ability might give you a head start, but without consistent effort and practice, you're unlikely to achieve the results you're aiming for.

A: I think there are a couple of areas in the MBA admissions process where aspirants face unnecessary difficulties. First, the interview locations and scheduling. For instance, IIT Bombay conducted its interviews on its Mumbai campus, while IIT Delhi conducted them in Delhi. For many candidates, these interviews were scheduled just a day or two apart, making it extremely difficult to travel between cities. This not only adds a significant financial burden, especially for candidates for whom these institutes might be their best options, but also means that they often arrive at interviews exhausted and unable to perform at their best. Since IITs have campuses across several major cities, I think a more practical approach would be to offer interview centres in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata, similar to what many IIMs already do. This issue isn't limited to IITs, though; some IIMs could also improve in this regard. Second, I think the application process could be streamlined. Rather than requiring candidates to repeatedly fill in the same personal, academic, and professional details for different IIMs, there could be a common application form for information that remains the same across institutes. Candidates would then only need to fill out the institute-specific sections, such as behavioural questions or statements of purpose, separately.

A: My biggest advice to CAT 2026 aspirants would be to make the most of these last two months, because I genuinely believe they're the most crucial phase of your preparation. You could have worked incredibly hard for the first six months, but if you don't give it your best during October and November, you might not get the results you're hoping for. So, make these two months count. First, don't take mocks just to score well. You might score 100 in one mock and 60 in the next, and that's perfectly normal. Your scores will fluctuate, so don't let them dictate your confidence. Instead, use mocks to experiment with your strategy, figure out what works for you, and identify your weaknesses. Try to cover the entire paper and attempt difficult questions during practice so that you're better prepared if similar questions appear in the actual exam. Most importantly, analyze every mock thoroughly. It's absolutely fine to take 20 mocks instead of 30, provided you've analyzed those 20 properly. Simply taking a mock isn't going to help you improve. It's understanding where you went wrong, identifying the gaps, and working on them that makes the difference. Second, don't burn yourself out. CAT isn't an exam that necessarily requires you to study for 10 hours every day. Consistency matters much more than occasional bursts of effort. Studying for two and a half or three hours every day is far better than studying for 10 hours one day and doing nothing for the next three. I understand that balancing preparation with college or work can get hectic, and falling behind occasionally is perfectly fine. Just make sure your backlog doesn't accumulate to the point where it becomes overwhelming. Ultimately, my advice is to work hard enough that, when you're standing in front of the exam centre, you don't feel that you had the time and opportunity to do more but didn't. As long as you know you've given it your best, whatever happens afterwards is something you can make peace with. I also genuinely believe that luck plays a significant role in CAT. In my mind, it's almost a 60–40 split between effort and luck. That might be a bold claim, but that's how I see it. You can control the effort you put in, but you can't control the kind of paper you get, your slot, or how you're feeling on the day. So, focus on the 60% that's in your hands and don't worry too much about the rest. I know it sounds a little philosophical, but I genuinely believe that things have a way of working out. You might not get the outcome you want right now, but when you look back a few years later, you'll often find that everything fell into place in ways you couldn't have imagined. So, stay calm, stay happy, and enjoy the process. This is a journey you'll remember long after the exam is over, regardless of where you eventually end up.