These CAT TOPPERS Reveal What Actually Got Them 99+ %ile

These CAT Toppers Reveal What Actually Got Them 99+ Percentile in CAT 2025

Scoring 99+ percentile in CAT is not about being a genius. It is about strategy, discipline, emotional stability, and smart decision-making under pressure.

In CAT 2025, Chandra Kiran (99.56 percentile), Jegadheep Edwin (99.72 percentile), and Alok Kumar (99.39 percentile) proved that extraordinary results come from consistent refinement. Each of them started from a different position. One improved from 60 percentile. Another moved from 98 to 99.5+. Their journeys were different, but the principles behind their success were strikingly similar.

Let’s break down what actually helped them cross the 99+ percentile mark.

Different Backgrounds, Same Strategy Shift

Chandra Kiran had already scored 98.86 percentile in a previous serious attempt. Many aspirants would consider that enough. But he understood that the jump from 98 to 99.5 was not about learning new concepts it was about improving execution. In CAT 2025, he refined his time allocation, improved mock analysis, and became more selective with questions. That precision helped him reach 99.56 percentile.

Jegadheep Edwin’s journey was even more dramatic. His first attempt resulted in around 60 percentile. The next year, with limited preparation, he reached 95.26 percentile. But in CAT 2025, with structured preparation and disciplined practice, he scored 99.72 percentile. His biggest realization was simple: CAT is not a knowledge exam. It is a strategy exam.

Alok Kumar, working as a Machine Learning Engineer, improved from 98.33 percentile to 99.39 percentile. His transformation came after correcting one behavioral mistake ego solving. Instead of sticking to tough questions to prove his ability, he started prioritizing smarter selection.

The key changes across all three were:

• Better mock analysis

• Smarter question selection

• Stronger emotional control

• Consistent daily practice

The Real Difference: Strategy Over Intelligence

A common mistake aspirants make is trying to solve everything. CAT is not designed for that. It is designed to test decision-making within constraints.

All three toppers emphasized that attempting fewer questions with higher accuracy is more powerful than attempting many with uncertainty. The exam rewards calm judgment, not aggression.

They learned to:

• Identify solvable questions quickly

• Skip early if the approach was unclear

• Avoid emotional attachment to difficult problems

• Maximize accuracy over attempts

That mindset shift created the percentile jump.

CAT VARC Strategy: Improve Elimination, Not Just Speed

In a previous attempt, Jegadheep struggled to complete even two RC passages. In CAT 2025, he left only one. The improvement did not come from suddenly reading faster. It came from practicing under time pressure consistently.

He focused on understanding why answer options were wrong, not just why one option was correct. Over time, his elimination skill became sharper, and his reading speed improved naturally.

What helped in VARC:

• Regular timed RC practice

• Deep analysis of wrong answers

• Reviewing video explanations

• Tracking weak question types

The focus was clarity, not volume.

CAT DILR Strategy: Calmness Wins the Section

All three agreed that DILR is more about mindset than intelligence. Panic is the biggest enemy in this section.

They trained themselves to spend the first few minutes wisely selecting sets. If no progress was visible quickly, they moved on without hesitation. That prevented time wastage and preserved mental energy.

Their DILR approach included:

• Careful initial set selection

• Leaving time-consuming sets early

• Avoiding panic if a set looked lengthy

• Prioritizing accuracy over attempting all sets

The ability to walk away from a bad set often added more marks than solving one extra question.

CAT Quant Strategy: Control Your Ego

Even with strong academic backgrounds, they did not assume Quant would take care of itself. They practiced consistently and simulated real exam conditions through mocks.

Alok’s biggest improvement came from one simple rule: if the method did not click within seconds, skip. Earlier, he would treat difficult questions as personal challenges. In CAT 2025, he treated them as strategic decisions.

Quant improvement came from:

• Repetition and pattern recognition

• Regular full-length mocks

• Tracking time spent per question

• Revisiting weak areas systematically

It was behavioral refinement, not theoretical overload.

Why Mock Analysis Mattered More Than Mock Scores

All three toppers repeatedly stressed one point mock scores fluctuate, but mock analysis drives improvement.

After every mock, they carefully reviewed mistakes, identified poor decisions, and adjusted strategies for the next test. Even a bad mock became useful feedback.

Their post-mock process typically included:

• Reviewing wrong and guessed questions

• Checking time distribution across sections

• Identifying repeated decision errors

• Adjusting attempt strategy

This iterative refinement created steady improvement over months.

The Mindset That Separated 98 from 99.5+

When asked what separates a 98 percentiler from a 99.5 percentiler, their answers were surprisingly simple.

• If the paper feels tough for you, it is tough for everyone.
  One bad section does not define the entire exam.
  Calmness adds percentile.

Emotional stability on exam day often becomes the hidden differentiator.

What CAT 2026 Aspirants Should Learn

The jump from 60 to 99.7 percentile is possible.
The jump from 98 to 99.5 percentile is possible.

What changes outcomes is not brilliance alone. It is:

• Structured preparation

• Smart question selection

• Deep mock analysis

• Daily consistency

• Emotional discipline

CAT rewards execution under pressure. If these students could significantly improve between attempts, so can you.