How Om, Aaryaman, and Manhar Cracked CAT with 99.5+ %ile.

Transitioning from a CAT repeater to a topper requires the right strategy, consistency, and access to the right resources. In this exclusive interview, we spoke with three engineers who completely transformed their CAT journey.

Om Gaikwad (99.52%ile), Aaryaman Dadwal (99.88%ile), and Manhar Joshi (99.97%ile) were all working professionals who significantly improved their CAT scores using structured preparation and Cracku’s specialized resources.

Their preparation strategies, mistakes from previous attempts, and practical tips can help CAT 2026 aspirants plan their preparation more effectively.

Meet the Cracku's CAT Toppers

These three aspirants proved that even working professionals can achieve 99+ percentile in CAT with the right preparation strategy.

What Went Wrong in Their Previous CAT Attempt?

For many CAT aspirants, the first attempt often acts as a learning experience. These toppers identified the exact areas where they went wrong and worked strategically to improve them.

Om Gaikwad

"I didn't like reading, which affected my VARC performance. My Quant concepts were also weak because I didn't follow a structured revision plan."

Aaryaman Dadwal

"Math was my biggest fear. In my previous attempt, I didn't even know what kind of questions could appear in DILR."

Manhar Joshi

"I was overconfident in Quant. I skipped topics like Number Systems even during my JEE preparation. In VARC, I struggled with ambiguous options."

Their biggest realization was that identifying weaknesses early is crucial for CAT preparation success.

Section-Wise CAT Preparation Strategy

VARC Preparation Strategy

Manhar Joshi achieved a 100 percentile in VARC, and his preparation approach focused on understanding the logic behind answers.

Learning Option Elimination

"Sayali Ma’am’s video solutions were extremely helpful. They taught me how to eliminate incorrect options instead of blindly selecting the answer."

Building a Reading Habit

Om Gaikwad improved his VARC by reading three CAT Daily Articles every morning.

This helped him become comfortable with different reading styles and genres commonly seen in CAT RC passages.

DILR Preparation Strategy: Mastering Set Selection

DILR is considered the most unpredictable section in CAT. According to the toppers, the key is not solving every set but selecting the right ones.

Targeted Practice

The toppers used the Cracku Study Room to practice specific set types like:

• Arrangements

• Games and Tournaments

• Puzzles

• Logical grids

Learning From Live Mock Attempts

Manhar highlighted the importance of watching Maruti Sir’s live mock attempts.

"Watching live mock attempts helped me understand which sets to pick and which ones to skip during the exam."

This skill is critical because set selection can make or break the DILR section.

Quant Preparation Strategy: Overcoming Fear of Math

Aaryaman Dadwal significantly improved his Quant score, reaching 99.8+ percentile in QA.

Quant Rush Practice

He solved over 2,500 questions in the CAT Quant Rush section.

"I never solved fewer than 100 math questions per day."

Bridging Conceptual Gaps

Om used the Cracku Study Room to move from basic concept clarity to CAT-level application.

This helped him strengthen areas like:

• Algebra

• Geometry

• Arithmetic

• Number Systems

How DashCAT Mocks Helped Them Score 99+ Percentile

All three toppers agreed that DashCAT mock tests played a crucial role in their preparation.

Preparing for Tough Exams

Om explained:

"DashCATs prepare you for the worst-case scenario. When CAT 2025 had tough DILR sets, we didn't panic because DashCATs had already prepared us."

Cross-Mock Performance Analysis

Aaryaman emphasized the importance of Cross-Mock Analysis, which tracks performance across 20+ CAT mock tests.

This helped him identify long-term weaknesses such as:

• Permutation & Combination

• Geometry

• Probability

Importance of the Study Room for CAT Preparation

The Cracku Study Room contains 25,000+ adaptive CAT practice questions.

The toppers used it extensively to reach “Cracku Level Proficiency” in weaker areas.

Benefits of the Study Room include:

• Topic-wise practice

• Difficulty-based questions

• Adaptive learningPerformance tracking

How Working Professionals Balanced Job and CAT Preparation

Balancing a full-time job with CAT preparation is challenging, but these toppers managed it with disciplined schedules.

Om Gaikwad: The Early Morning Strategy

• Woke up at 6:00 AM to practice VARC

• Used 15-minute office breaks to solve topic tests on his phone

Manhar Joshi: The Weekend Strategy

Working 12-hour shifts in an MNC, Manhar utilized weekends effectively.

• Took 2–3 mock tests every weekend

• Spent several hours analyzing each mock

Aaryaman Dadwal: The Bold Decision

Aaryaman eventually left his job to focus entirely on his final CAT attempt.

"It was stressful, but it allowed me to study 6–8 hours daily with complete focus."

How Om, Aaryaman, and Manhar Cracked CAT with 99.5+ %ile: Conclusion

The journey from a CAT repeater to a 99+ percentile topper shows that success in the CAT exam depends on the right strategy, regular practice, and consistency. These toppers improved their scores by identifying weak areas, practicing regularly, and analyzing mock tests to perform better in VARC, DILR, and Quant.

For CAT 2026 aspirants, the main focus should be on structured preparation, continuous practice, and proper mock analysis. With discipline, the right resources, and a clear preparation plan, even repeaters can score 99+ percentile and get into top MBA colleges.