Hi I am a female OBC candidate. my 10th percentage is 85.8, 12th (science)- 86.5% and completed my Bsc Bio degree with 79.31%. I have full time work ex of 8 months and I left my job because of health issues in may 2026. I have recently started preparing for CAT and will also be giving XAT and SNAP and maybe CMAT. I have not given any mocks yet as I have just started the preparation, how can I maximize my study hours and gain the maximum out of it to be able to get into top B school. and which colleges should I target. Also I face difficulty in sitting for long hours, can only study for an 1-2 hour max at a stretch and my quants and varc section is also weaker than dilr

Hi, your profile is fairly strong, and since you’ve only recently started preparing, you still have enough time.

With your 8/8/7 academics, OBC category, female diversity and 8 months of work experience, Target 98.5–99+ percentile in CAT for a strong shot at several good IIMs and other top B-schools.

Since QA and VARC are currently weaker, don’t try to study for very long stretches immediately use 60–90 minute focused sessions, gradually increasing your stamina. Start with fundamentals in QA and VARC and introduce mocks once you have covered the basics rather than waiting until the entire syllabus is complete.

You can target IIM Kozhikode, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Shillong, newer IIMs, FMS, MDI, IIFT and other strong CAT colleges.

Most importantly, don’t worry about your mock performance when you start taking them, your immediate goal should be building concept.

Hope this Helps!