How Swaraj Went from 93 to 99.95 Percentile in CAT 2024

Every CAT student dreams of scoring above the 99 percentile mark. But how can you really do it? Meet Swaraj, a true CAT 2024 champ who scored an incredible 99.95 percentile. In this blog, we take a close look at his journey—from early failures to final success. If you need some motivation, practical study tips, and a peek into the mindset of a top scorer, keep reading.

Who Is Swaraj Pal Kesari? CAT Topper with a Tech Background

Swaraj works as a software developer at Oracle. He’s originally from Bihar but grew up in Hyderabad. He studied B.Tech at NIT Kurukshetra and always had plans to do an MBA. His first CAT try in 2023 gave him a 93 percentile which is not bad, but far from his goal. Instead of giving up, he took it as a lesson.

CAT 2024 Preparation Strategy That Took Swaraj to 99.95 %ile

VARC Section Strategy:

Swaraj began preparing in February 2024. Because he had taken the exam before, he already knew what his weak areas were. He didn’t hide from them—instead, he faced them and made a clear plan to improve.

His biggest challenge was the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section. At first, he got very low marks, sometimes just single digits in the VARC section. But Swaraj didn’t lose hope. He started reading a lot of different things every day to improve his understanding. He also trained himself to read the passages like the exam makers would not adding his own thoughts or knowledge. He noticed that knowing too much about a topic often made him pick the wrong answer.

He went through each VARC mock test in detail: spending as much as hours to understand his mistakes. Slowly, this method worked. He moved from feeling unsure to feeling confident. By the end, he scored 96 percentile in the VARC section.

Quants Preparation Strategy

For Quantitative Aptitude (Quant), which should’ve been his strong point because of his JEE background, he had a hard time in his first attempt. But this time, he changed his approach. He focused on solving problems faster and smarter instead of solving every tough question. He learned shortcuts and tricks from videos and avoided wasting time on tricky problems. He practiced a lot and picked the right questions during the exam. This helped him turn Quant into one of his top-scoring areas, even though a few silly mistakes stopped him from a perfect score.

Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (LRDI) Strategy

Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (LRDI) turned out to be his surprise strength. In his first attempt, he could only solve one set in mocks. But this time, he practiced lots of different and tricky LRDI problems from Cracku’s CAT study material. He also used DashCat mocks for this. These new types of questions helped him think better and faster. On exam day, he solved all the LRDI sets in just 35 minutes and even had time to check his answers. His raw score of 62 (scaled to 58.9) shows how strong he had become in this section.

CAT Mock tests were a key part of Swaraj’s prep. He didn’t just use them to check progress—he used them to learn. After every mock, he spent hours looking at what went wrong. He wasn’t chasing a high score; he wanted to keep getting better. What really helped him stand out was his discipline. Even when he was tired or busy, he stuck to his daily goals. For over 80 days in a row, he hit those small targets. That daily habit helped him stay on track.

Lessons from Swaraj’s First CAT Attempt

Swaraj’s first CAT attempt in 2023 didn’t go well. He expected to do well, especially in Quant, but ended up disappointed. He got just 93 percentile, and Quant was his weakest area. But instead of blaming anything or anyone, Swaraj took full responsibility. He knew he hadn’t practiced the right way.

He went back and made a fresh, realistic plan. His main rule: don’t repeat the same mistakes. One big change he made was how he looked at failure. Low scores didn’t break his confidence, instead, they gave him feedback. Every wrong answer became a chance to learn. Every weak section became a practice zone.

He followed a simple daily plan. These weren’t huge tasks just small, doable ones. But doing them every single day gave him a rhythm. Whether it was an RC passage or a few DI sets, he made sure to never skip a day of study. That daily routine helped him stay focused through tired days, distractions, and doubts.

One of his biggest mindset changes was learning to respect the exam. He stopped trying to “win” over tough CAT questions. Instead, he looked at the test as a game that needed planning and smart moves. He let go of tough questions when needed, didn’t stress over small mistakes, and trusted that regular practice would bring results.

Swaraj’s CAT 2024 Section-Wise Percentile

CAT Preparation Tips by Swaraj for Future Aspirants

Here are Swaraj’s top tips for students preparing for CAT:

• Don’t give up after a bad try, use it as a chance to learn and do better next time.
  
• Don’t be scared of low scores in mocks. They help you improve.
  
• Aim high. As Swaraj says, “Never shorten your ambition.” Let your hard work decide how far you can go.
  
• Consistency matters more than last-minute study. Even on low-energy days, do a little bit of prep.
  
• Mock analysis is just as important as the mock itself. Learn why each answer is right or wrong.
  
• Think of CAT as a discipline—a way to learn about your own strengths and weaknesses, not just a test.
  

How Swaraj Went from 93 to 99.95 Percentile in CAT 2024: Conclusion

Swaraj’s story is about more than just scoring well. It’s about hard work, steady effort, and bouncing back after failure. His journey shows that even if you don’t succeed the first time, you can still reach your goal with the right mindset.

If you’re preparing for CAT, let Swaraj’s story be your reminder: discipline beats talent, planning beats speed, and staying on track beats short bursts of hard work. Keep going—you could be the next 99.95 scorer