IIM Kozhikode on Wednesday announced the results of the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025, where two engineers Prateek Pradhan (99.82 percentile) and Naitik Singhal (99.45 percentile) have emerged as high scorers.
Pradhan, who completed an integrated course in Mechanical Engineering and Masters in Physics from BITS Pilani Hyderabad in 2025, found his calling during a six-month internship at Ergon Mobility in Bengaluru. “I was the mechanical intern and as we were five-member team, I got a lot of responsibilities and things to learn,” he recalls. It was this experience that shifted his focus from core engineering to management. “I realised the value of management. I liked the entire ownership of a product that I got to do at my internship,” Pradhan explains. Following another research stint at IIT Delhi, he decided in May-June to prepare for CAT, giving himself just four months before the exam.
Singhal’s journey began differently. A final-year student pursuing Internet of Things from MITS Gwalior, he was influenced early on by his uncle, a director at JP Morgan & Chase. Subsequently, during an engineering internship, he found himself “enjoying more people skills as compared to tech role.”
A chance encounter during a Kerala trip with a student from IIM-Ahmedabad proved pivotal. “He told me — if you want to do it, start from today. So, I started my journey at Supergrads coaching institute,” Singhal shares. He began preparation in October-November of his third year, balancing college till 4 pm with coaching from 6 to 8 pm.
CAT 2025 preparation strategy and daily routine
Both candidates adopted distinct approaches to their preparation. Pradhan, who didn’t plan to join a formal classroom coaching, relied on online study material and self-study. “I checked ChatGPT, however, I wasn’t happy with the responses and therefore, looked for study material online. I gave a mock before any preparation and saw where I was and planned accordingly,” he says. His preparation involved around five to six hours daily, spread across different topics. “I would pick a topic like ratio of proportions or log or trigonometry and just do questions. Try to figure out what’s the fastest way to attempt this,” Pradhan explains.
Singhal’s strategy emphasised consistency above all. “I will do Quants every day. Even if I don’t study anything else that day, I will solve 20 questions of this section,” he says. His study hours evolved from 2-4 hours initially to 6-8 hours at peak, while maintaining other activities. “I used to go to Badminton quite regularly in the morning. After that, in the afternoon, I used to go to coaching and sit there whether there is a class or not,” Singhal recalls.
Tackling section-wise challenges
The most challenging section varied for both high-scorers. For Singhal, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation initially posed difficulties. “Such things are not studied in school. There was no exposure,” he notes. Interestingly, despite being an engineer, his weakest section remained Quants. “People have a conventional thought that engineers have strong Quants. My lowest marks in this exam are in this section,” Singhal admits candidly.
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Pradhan found DILR “most-challenging” initially despite his sports background and engineering entrance exam JEE preparation. “I thought I would be really good at DILR because I’ve been heavily interested in sports. But DILR in CAT is slightly different. You need to follow step-by-step,” he explains. The breakthrough came through consistent practice. “If you miss a step or misunderstand a step, you’re not going to solve that set. That was the biggest thing that needed the most amount of practice,” Pradhan adds.
How mock tests helped in performance analysis
Both candidates emphasised the role of mock tests, though at their own paces. Pradhan took three to four mocks monthly. “I would really analyse my mocks. In the last few days before CAT, all I did was analyse all my mocks that I gave throughout the year,” he shares.
Singhal’s approach was similar. “Two hours for mocks, two hours for analysis of that mock, and an hour of revision of the formulas and tips and tricks,” he says.
Performance fluctuations were common. “With VARC, I had attempted so many. I had some mocks where I suddenly got 50 plus marks. In some I got like 20 marks out of the 72 total. That was a big thing I needed to work on,” recalls Pradhan.
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The exam day experience – keeping calm
The night before CAT saw contrasting approaches. Singhal kept it light. “I just gave a sectional test in the afternoon for the English section. I scored a good percentile, and realised I am ready for CAT. Then, the whole day I was out with my friends and during night, I was watching Suits,” referring to a popular tele-series centred around legal-drama.
Section-wise strategy proved crucial. Pradhan’s VARC approach was tactical: “I would do RC at the end, because if you just have one minute left and have one question left, it would be very easy to panic. With RC, you can read an entire passage and within five to 10 seconds, attempt all four questions.” For DILR, he deliberately chose a set with type-in answers. “Even if I don’t have enough time to complete this, I can still guess. If it’s wrong, I don’t get negative marks,” Pradhan explains.
Singhal’s strategy emphasised set selection. “I didn’t waste my time on the wrong questions. I was able to solve three sets. My peers, with whom I spoke with post exam, said that they selected a set in DILR that took 20 minutes. However, when I read that question, I decided to skip it. In that time, I was able to solve three sets. Therefore, the selection of questions are important,” he says.
‘Consistency is the key’: Advice for future aspirants
Looking back, both have clear advice for CAT 2026 aspirants. Singhal emphasises daily commitment: “It is just about being on your study table every day. Consistency is the key. If you are understanding the concept, you yourself get confidence.” He recommends specific practices: “If your VARC is weak, start reading books and articles. If DILR is weak, start solving Sudokus. The brain starts orienting in that direction.”
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Pradhan stresses mindset over mere preparation. “CAT is a lot about testing your confidence, and that you don’t panic. It checks how you manage your time, and decisions. Just being confident and having faith in yourself is better than anything,” he advises.
On the question of engineering advantage, both dismiss misconceptions. “Engineers don’t really have that edge. They just are familiar with numbers. The rest of the topics in Quants are normal Arithmetic, profit, loss which are done by non-engineering students,” says Singhal. Pradhan agrees: “Even non-engineers have their diversity. Everybody is studying together, it’s the same syllabus.”
With results out, what’s next?
Both candidates now await calls from top IIMs. Pradhan targets IIM-Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta or ISB, and in future, plans to work in consumer electronics companies. Notably, he took the decision to undergo a dedicated coaching session for the GD-PI rounds to improve his chances of getting into his preferred institute, unlike earlier where he prioritised self-study.
Singhal, on the other hand, aims for IIM Calcutta and Bangalore, with long-term plans to open a private equity firm. As they prepare for the next stage of GD-PI rounds, their journeys offer valuable lessons: consistency matters more than coaching pedigree, mindset can trump aptitude, and in CAT, smart work combined with self-belief creates the winning formula.
