Revant Madnani’s CAT Journey to IIFT Delhi, Check Now

Cracking CAT with a 99+ percentile is often associated with consistent toppers. But Revant Madnani’s journey tells a far more relatable story one of low mock scores, self-doubt, stagnation, and eventually, smart strategy.

Starting with just 40 marks in his first mock test, scoring zero in LRDI, and feeling stuck for months, Revant went on to convert Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT Delhi).

This article breaks down his CAT preparation strategy, section-wise approach, mock test plan, and GDPI tips so aspirants can replicate what actually works.

Academic Background: From DPS Dwarka to Delhi University

Revant completed his schooling from Delhi Public School, Dwarka and pursued graduation at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, under the University of Delhi.

While he had strong academic scores in school, his college CGPA was average. After graduation, he faced the common dilemma: CA or MBA? Eventually, he chose CAT unaware of how challenging the journey would become.

The Reality Check: 40 Marks in First CAT Mock

Revant began his preparation with offline CAT coaching classes, attending sessions regularly. However, classroom attendance didn’t translate into performance.

His first full-length CAT mock result was a shock:

• Total Score: 40 marks

• Quant: 15 marks

• LRDI: 0 marks

• Couldn’t complete even one LRDI set

That zero in LRDI became a turning point.

A friend suggested he try Cracku’s mock series. He started with sectional tests. Initially, he continued struggling especially in LRDI but something important changed: he began understanding actual CAT difficulty levels and exam expectations.

CAT Mock Strategy: From Weekly Tests to Daily Practice

Instead of blindly attempting too many mocks, Revant gradually increased his frequency.

• Month 1: 1 mock per week

• Month 2: 2 mocks per week

• Final Months: 1–2 mocks almost daily

In total, he attempted around 25–30 full-length mocks.

But what truly made the difference was analysis. Each mock was deeply reviewed:

• Why was a question wrong?

• Was it a conceptual mistake or time mismanagement?

• Could it have been skipped earlier?

He treated mocks as simulations not judgment tools.

Section-Wise CAT Preparation Strategy

VARC Strategy: Improving Reading Speed & Comprehension

VARC was initially unstable for him. His major issue was reading stamina and handling complex passages.

To fix this, he followed a disciplined routine:

• Read a 3000-word essay daily

• Completed it within 30 minutes

• Chose difficult topics like philosophy, politics, and sociology

• Avoided comfort-zone reading

When he started solving tougher sectional tests, his scores dropped from 35 to around 15–20. Instead of panicking, he reframed his mindset:

“If I get used to tougher-than-CAT questions, the actual exam will feel manageable.”

Exam Day Experience:

The VARC pattern changed unexpectedly RC and VA were mixed randomly. Many aspirants panicked.

Revant did too briefly.

But he paused, reset mentally, and focused only on execution. He avoided carrying anxiety into the next sections.

Final VARC Score: ~94 percentile

LRDI Strategy: From Zero to 36 Marks

LRDI was his weakest section at the beginning. Scoring zero felt discouraging, but he decided to rebuild from scratch.

While watching detailed solutions of tough LRDI sets, he observed something crucial: toppers structured their work neatly. They used clean tables, organized grids, and systematic data representation.

Revant changed his approach:

• Focused on structured rough work

• Practiced topic-wise sets (games, tournaments, arrangements, puzzles)

• Analyzed each set deeply

Gradually, he improved from solving zero sets to consistently solving 2–3 sets per mock.

On the actual CAT exam, LRDI surprisingly became his strongest section.

Final LRDI Score: 36 marks

Quant Strategy: Removing Ego, Maximizing Score

With a mathematics background, Quant was comfortable but his approach was flawed initially.

He would attempt the toughest questions first, treating the section like an ego challenge.

Over time, he realized CAT is not about solving the hardest problem. It is about maximizing score within time.

His Exam-Day Quant Strategy:

• Scan the entire section first

• Identify easy and familiar questions

• Attempt those first

• Leave difficult ones without emotional attachment

For nearly 2–3 months, his mock scores remained stuck at 60. Seeing peers score 90 made him doubt himself. He even thought of quitting.

But instead of stopping, he continued practicing solving sectionals even during waiting times at clinics or between daily tasks.

That consistency helped him break the stagnation phase.

How Cracku’s Mock Series Helped

Revant credits Cracku for three major aspects of his improvement:

CAT-Level Sectionals

Slightly tougher tests built exam resilience.

Detailed Video Solutions

Helped him build a strong formula and error notebook.

DashCAT Full-Length Mocks

Very close to actual CAT standard. The leaderboard created healthy competition and motivation.

After CAT, he used the percentile predictor and was surprised by his score.

Final Score: 105 marks → 99+ percentile

GDPI Strategy & IIFT Delhi Conversion

Revant appeared for 7–8 interviews across different MBA colleges. He strongly believes:

A 99+ percentile does NOT guarantee final conversion.

At Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, the selection weightage that year was:

• CAT Score: 48%

• GDPI: 43%

• No academic weightage

This worked in his favor.

His Biggest GD Tip:

Start first.

Even if imperfect, initiating the discussion signals leadership and confidence qualities interview panels value.

Eventually, he converted IIFT Delhi.

Key Lessons from Revant’s CAT Journey

Revant’s journey offers powerful insights for CAT aspirants:

• Low mock scores are normal in the beginning

• LRDI can be improved from zero with structured practice

• Quant requires smart selection, not ego

• Mock analysis is more important than mock frequency

• Consistency beats motivation