CAT WhatsApp Group
Profile 1 - General | Male | Non-Engineer | Fresher 2025 | No Work Ex
Academics
10th: 98%
12th: 98%
UG: 7.x CGPA
Work Ex: 4-5 Certifications
Review by Maruti Sir
Your 10th and 12th are solid, no complaints there. The graduation score is slightly on the weaker side but it's not bad enough to completely write off. Your acads overall are above average - not great, not poor.
Being a non-engineer is going to work in your favour. But having zero work experience will hurt a bit. Certifications are okay but they don't really substitute for actual work ex.
Taking everything together, decent but not a standout profile. You'll need to really bring it home on CAT.
Safe Target: 99.5+ for IIMs | 99.7+ for IIM ABC
Profile 2 - General | Female | Non-Engineer | 3 Years Work Ex
Academics
10th: 9+
12th: 9+
UG: 9+
Work Ex: 3 Years
Review by Sayali Ma'am
Excellent, excellent profile. Honestly, you're maxing out on almost every front. A 9-9-9 academic score is as strong as it gets. Three years of work experience - maxed out there too. And then a non-engineer female on top of that. It's hard to ask for more.
For you, it really just comes down to not messing up CAT. If you get 99.3+ you will get most calls. To be safe and get absolutely everything -aim for 99.5.
But seriously, don't mess up CAT. That's the only thing standing between you and every top call.
If you want to get your profile reviewed, check IIM Call Predictor
Safe Target: 99.3 - 99.5
Profile 3 - OBC | Male | Engineer | 2nd Year Student
Academics
10th: 93%
12th: 88%
UG (So Far): 9.1 CGPA
Review by Maruti Sir
Solid 10th, solid 12th, and 9.1 in engineering so far -really good. Try to keep it at 9+ through graduation. If you manage that, you're basically maxing out the acads component.
OBC is going to help you. Yes, being a male engineer is slightly tougher -let's just be honest about that -but your category and strong acads more than compensate.
The big advantage you have right now? Time. You're only in your second year. You've got all of third and fourth year to prepare. Start from the third year itself, don't wait until final year. Get into the habit of solving questions regularly.
Safe Target: 99 - 99.2 for top IIM calls
Profile 4 - SC | Male | Non-Engineer (Mass Media) | 1.5 Years Work Ex
Academics
10th: 76.4%
12th: 90%
UG: 7.88 CGPA (~67%)
Work Ex: 1.5 Years
Review by Maruti Sir
Your 10th is a bit on the lower side -ideally above 80 is better. Your 12th is great, 90 is solid. The graduation CGPA of 7.88, converting to around 66–67%, is slightly on the weaker side but it is what it is.
Here's what's working in your favour: you're a non-engineer from mass media and journalism -that gets you academic diversity points. SC category helps too. And 1.5 years of work experience is decent -keep adding to that, don't quit just yet.
Overall, it's a balanced profile -some good things, some not-so-great things. Focus on making CAT the strong point of your application.
Safe Target: 96 - 97 for most shortlists
Profile 5 - OBC | Male | Non-Engineer (BBA) | Fresher 2025
Academics
10th: 95%
12th: 92%
UG: 75%
CAT Score - First Attempt
Overall: 92 %ile
QA: 97 %ile
VARC: 90 %ile
DILR: 57 %ile
Should He Retake? - Maruti Sir
A 97 in QA tells me you're a sharp guy, there's genuine potential here. The only real problem is DILR. 57 is a clear weak point and that pulled your whole score down. But here's the thing -that's completely fixable.
DILR sometimes is bad luck too. You picked the wrong set, things went south. That happens. But luck can change, and if you practice enough sets, you'll get to a point where it's not just luck anymore.
You're a fresher. There's no real rush here. You do MBA once in your life, so why rush into a college that's not your target? With your profile - OBC, non-engineer - if you hit 99.3+, you'll be in a very good spot. Solve 200-300 DILR sets. That's the target.
Verdict: Retake CAT | Target: 99.3+
When Should You Retake CAT? - Maruti Sir & Sayali Ma'am
First: can you significantly improve your score? If yes, retake. Second: is there a big structural problem in your profile like a 4+ year gap or a 5 or 6 in graduation? If yes, those won't go away - so take whatever you get. But if the profile is okay and you underperformed, retake.
Maruti Sir shared that he himself got 99.31 but froze for the first 20 minutes in CAT. He got XLRI but took the CAT again, because he knew he could do better. That confidence of "I know I can do better" is the sign you should retake.
And always have a job or some other option. If you have nothing else going on, you'll be stressed on actual CAT day. That stress shows up in your score.
Profile 6 - Non-Engineer | 24 Months Work Ex | Family Business
Academics
10th: 90.14%
12th: 82.5%
UG: 93%
Work Ex: 24 Months (Family Business)
Review by Sayali Ma'am
Pretty good profile overall -a 9-8.25-9.3 is a solid academic record. Non-engineer for most colleges, which is great.
The main question was about family business work experience. First, make sure you have the paperwork in order -PF, salary slips, offer letters, bank statements. If the proof is in place, you can count it. How you talk about it in interviews can be figured out later. Right now, just focus on getting the documentation sorted and cracking CAT.
Safe Target: 99+
Profile 7 - General | Male | Non-Engineer | No Work Ex
Academics
10th: 9+
12th: 9+
UG: 9+
Work Ex: Zero
Review by Maruti Sir
Your acad profile is very, very strong. A 9-9-9 means you're not going to get automatically screened out anywhere. Unlike someone with a 6 or 7, you'll be in the running for IIM Bangalore, Ahmedabad, everyone.
The only thing holding this back is zero work experience. That's the one area where you're not adding points. But being a non-engineer also adds diversity. Everything else is fantastic.
Safe Target: 99.7+
Profile 8 - General | Female | Non-Engineer | 2nd Year Student
Academics
10th: 93.81%
12th: 95.6%
UG (So Far): 8.5 CGPA
Review by Sayali Ma'am
You're ticking multiple boxes here: non-engineer means academic diversity, female means gender diversity. Both of those are going to work in your favour when shortlisting happens.
You're still in second year, so the CGPA can only get better from here. Make that a priority -if you can push it above 9, that's a genuinely fantastic profile.
The big advantage? You have time. Use it well. You can prepare for CAT without any rush.
Safe Target: 98+ for most shortlists
Profile 9 - EWS | Non-Engineer (BCom + CS) | No Work Ex / Fresher
Academics
10th: 9+
12th: 8+
UG: 7+
Review by Sayali Ma'am
The EWS certificate helps - slightly easier than general. Non-engineer background also adds to your case. Company Secretary qualification is a solid addition.
But honestly, a 9-8-7 is an average academic profile -not bad, not great. No work experience either, so you're not getting bonus points there. For the IIMs, you have to do very well in CAT. That's the only lever you have right now.
Safe Target: 99 - 99.5 for top IIMs
Profile 10 - General | Male | Non-Engineer (BBA) | 19 Months Work Ex (by July 2026)
Academics
10th: 66%
12th: 88%
UG: 59%
Work Ex: 19 Months
Target Colleges: IIM K, L & FMS
Review by Sayali Ma'am
I'll be honest -the 66 in 10th and 59 in graduation are weak spots. The 59 especially is worrying. That's going to make things tougher.
But here's the thing -you have high aspirations and that's genuinely great to see. A lot of people with similar profiles give up, and I'm really glad you haven't.
The only way to overcome weak acads for top institutes is to absolutely smash CAT. There is no shortcut here. Leave no stone unturned. Your CAT score is the one big lever -make it count.
Safe Target: 99.8 - 99.9 to compensate for acads
Profile 11 - Non-Engineer (Ayurveda) | No Work Ex | 4-Year Gap
Academics
10th: 9.5
12th: 93.5%
UG: 74.5%
Gap: 4 Years
Review by Maruti Sir
10th, 12th, graduation - all look good. The acads are solid. Being a non-engineer helps with diversity points.
The four-year gap is something they will definitely ask about in interviews. But if it's UPSC or something similar, it's a standard enough reason that interviewers understand. There's a Cracku student with a 3-4 year UPSC gap who barely got asked about it once he had a clear explanation ready.
Don't be too stressed about the gap, but be absolutely prepared to answer that question. Right now though, the priority is two things: find a job, and prepare for CAT.
Advice: Get a job + prep hard
Profile 12 - GEM (General Engineer Male) | 27 Months Work Ex at PwC | Weak VARC
Academics
10th: 8+
12th: 9+
UG: 7+
Work Ex: 27 Months (PwC)
Review by Maruti Sir
Good work experience - PwC is a strong brand, 27 months is solid. But here's the hard truth about being a GEM candidate: you have to hit the hardest in CAT. That's just the reality.
VARC being weak is fixable. Read two articles from CAT daily articles every single day. Write down the main point of each article after reading. Double the effort in VARC compared to the other two sections.
For a GEM candidate, you cannot afford a weak section. All three should be above 30+. One section should be excellent. If you hit 99.9 in one of the three sections -and with effort you can - you will get top calls.
Safe Target (GEM): 99.7+ | No weak sections allowed
Profile 13 - OBC | Male | Non-Engineer (BCom Finance) | 18 Months at TCS
Academics
10th: 95%
12th: 95%
UG: 82%
Work Ex: 18 Months (TCS)
Review by Sayali Ma'am
Very, very good profile. A 9-9-8 for a non-engineer is hard to beat. Academic diversity points - check. OBC NCL - helps significantly. 18 months at TCS -decent, and it'll keep growing.
Don't quit your job. Let the work experience keep adding up. And now just focus on making sure CAT goes well. You've done the right things, the profile is in a good place.
Safe Target: 98 - 99+
Profile 14 - OBC | Non-Engineer (BCA) | Fresh Graduate
Academics
10th: 87%
12th: 90%
UG: 75%
Target Colleges: IIM ABC & FMS
Review by Maruti Sir
An 8-9-7.5 is a very solid academic profile. And being an OBC non-engineer -that's two advantages working together. BCA counts you as a non-engineer, which is actually better for getting calls.
Just make sure you've completed your graduation and then put all your energy into CAT. With this profile and the right percentile, you'll be in a strong position.
Safe Target: 99.6+
Profile 15 - Non-Engineer (BCom Hons, DU) | CFA Level 2 | 3 Months Work Ex + 2-Year Gap | CAT 2025: 93.85 %ile
Academics
10th: 8+
12th: 9+
UG: 7.5
CAT 2025: 93.85 %ile
Review by Sayali Ma'am
An 8-9-7.5 profile is decent for a non-engineer -nothing to be super worried about on the acads front. CFA Level 2 is also a good addition.
The issue is the 2-year gap with only 3 months of work experience. That combination doesn't look great. The fact that you're applying for jobs is the right move - keep doing that.
The main thing to fix now is the CAT score. Going from 93.85 to 99+ is very doable, especially since you're a non-engineer with a decent profile. Get there and shortlists will follow.
Target: 99+ | Improve from 93.85
Profile 16 - General | Male | Engineer | No Work Ex | 2-Year Gap
Academics
10th: 97%
12th: 96%
UG: 62%
Work Ex: Zero
Review by Sayali Ma'am
Very strong 10th and 12th -those will definitely help balance things. But the 62 in graduation is low and that's going to be a challenge.
2-year gap, zero work experience, GEM candidate -all of that together means the bar for you is very high.
There's no other way to put it: you need to hit 99.8+. With a GEM profile and these weaknesses in other areas, CAT is the one thing that can make or break your application.
Safe Target (GEM): 99.8+
Profile 17 - General | Male | Non-Engineer (BSc Maths) | Gap Years after IIT JAM
Academics
10th: 95%
12th: 94%
UG: 8.2 CGPA (~78%)
Review by Sayali Ma'am
BSc Maths people count as non-engineers but they're genuinely great at maths. That's a special combination. You should not be aiming low at all.
You did well in IIT JAM -that shows real academic ability. The fact that you couldn't convert IIT Bombay or Kanpur is disappointing but it doesn't define you.
Don't let one gap year turn into two. Get a job - even something like teaching. It's a hundred times better than an unexplained gap. And aiming for 99.9 in CAT is absolutely achievable for someone with your background.
Target: 99.9+ Get a job now
Profile 18 - General | Female | Engineer | 14 Months Work Ex | 1.5-Year Gap
Academics
10th: 9+
12th: 9+
UG: 9+
Work Ex: 14 Months
Review by Maruti Sir
9-9-9 acads, general engineer female - that's a strong profile. Being female gets you diversity points too. Work ex at 14 months is decent.
But the 1.5-year gap is not ideal. And please get a job -not just for the work ex points, but because having a job means you walk into the interview with confidence. You have something to talk about. You have options.
Students who convert IIM calls almost always have something else going on. If you can manage prep alongside a job that isn't too hectic, get one now.
Safe Target: 99.7+ | Get a job ASAP
Profile 19 - Non-Engineer (BBA) | 3rd Year Student | CAT Target: 2027
Academics
10th: 89%
12th: 64%
UG (So Far): 8.1 CGPA (3rd Rank in College)
Review by Maruti Sir
Nobody's profile is perfect. You have a good 10th, a strong graduation score so far with a college rank to back it up -those are real positives. The 12th at 64 will hurt a bit, no point sugarcoating that, but the other two scores are solid.
You're in third year planning to appear in 2027 - that's a very early start and that's a great thing. Non-engineer BBA counts you differently and helps. Use this extra time properly. Get into the habit of solving questions regularly from now.
Safe Target: 98 - 99+
Profile 20 - General | Male | Engineer | 36 Months Work Ex | 4-Year UPSC Gap
Academics
10th: 85%
12th: 87%
UG: 77%
Work Ex: 36 Months
Review by Sayali Ma'am
8-8-7.7 -above average, solid engineering profile. The 4-year UPSC gap will definitely be asked about in interviews. But here's what Maruti Sir says: the minute you say UPSC, interviewers get it. It's a well-understood story.
Just be well-prepared with your answer -it'll come up, but it won't ruin you.
The bigger positive? You have 36 months of work experience -that's maxed out on the work ex component. With a decent CAT score, your work experience will do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Safe Target: 99.8
Profile 21 - OBC | Male | Engineer (CSE) | 1 Yr Internship + Full-time from Apr 2026 | Diploma in Data Science
Academics
10th: 92.5%
12th: 94.67%
UG: 9.28 CGPA
Review by Maruti Sir
Don't have any doubts about this profile -it's very strong. A 9-9-9.28 with OBC category -that's excellent.
You started working from April itself so there's no gap. The internship won't count since you were a student, but the full-time from April onwards will add up nicely.
A diploma in data science with a CSE background is a solid combination. Focus on hitting that target percentile and the rest will take care of itself.
Safe Target: 99+
Profile 22 - GEM (General Engineer Male) | 1 Year at Bajaj Health
Academics
10th: 92%
12th: 83%
UG: 9.3 CGPA
Work Ex: 1 Year
Review by Sayali Ma'am
A very good profile - a 9-8-9.3 is hard to fault. Work ex at Bajaj Health is a good addition, keep that going.
The challenge, as always for GEM candidates, is that you have to hit harder on CAT. Aim for 99.8. It's tough, but with a profile this strong, everything else is in your favour -you just need that CAT score to match.
Safe Target (GEM): 99.8
Profile 23 - SC | Male | Engineer (Mechanical) | Recently Joined Job
Academics
10th: 8+
12th: 7+
UG: 8+
Work Ex: Growing
Review by Maruti Sir
8-7-8 - above average, fairly standard strong acads. SC category helps significantly. And getting a job after the gap period was the right call -keep accumulating that work ex, don't quit now.
With SC category, decent acads, and work experience building up, you don't need to hit 99.9 like a GEM candidate. Hit 95+ and you should be in good shape for most top calls.
Safe Target: 95+
Profile 24 - General | Male | IIT Madras (Dual Degree) | Hunting for Off-Campus Job
Academics
10th: 85%
12th: 92%
UG (IIT Madras): 6.81 CGPA
Review by Sayali Ma'am
Strong 10th and 12th -those are good. The CGPA is slightly on the lower side, especially for an IIT, but you can't change that now.
The off-campus job hunt is the right thing to be doing - keep at it. Getting a job will help you overcome the lower CGPA by showing what you're capable of.
For CAT, aim for 99.8 or slightly higher to compensate. The fact that you're from IIT Madras is definitely still a plus.
Safe Target: 99.8+
Profile 25 - General | Male | Non-Engineer (BA Mass Communication) | Final Year Student
Academics
10th: 87%
12th: 90%
UG (So Far): 79.8%
Review by Maruti Sir
Good profile to close on. One thing to know - for non-engineers, the acads scoring works slightly differently because graduation percentages in non-engineering streams are generally lower. So a 79.8 here is actually a very good score. Don't undervalue it.
You're in your final year so you have time on your side. Academic diversity as a non-engineer, and you can take CAT without being rushed. If the first attempt doesn't go as planned, you can try again. But aim to max out the score whenever you do take it.
Safe Target: 99.3+
CAT Profile Reviews & Safe Percentile Targets: Conclusion:
CAT profile reviews help aspirants understand where they currently stand and what percentile they realistically need for top MBA colleges. Factors like academics, work experience, category, and academic diversity all play a major role in IIM shortlists.
The biggest takeaway from these CAT Profile Reviews is simple: while profiles matter, CAT score still remains the strongest controllable factor. Whether you are a GEM candidate, fresher, non-engineer, or someone with gap years, a strong CAT percentile can dramatically improve your MBA opportunities and shortlist chances.
