CAT 2025 Topper Interview: How Prateek Achieved 99.82%ile with a Focused Approach [Supergrads]

Overview: Discover how CAT 2025 Topper Prateek cracked CAT 2025 with a focused approach to score 99.83%ile (Slot 1). Explore his preparation timeline, section-wise strategy, and practical tips for CAT 2026 aspirants.

CAT 2025 Topper Prateek Interview (99.83%ile): Snapshot

• Name: Prateek
• Institute: Supergrads
• CAT Attempt: CAT 2025 (Slot 1)
• Percentile: 99.83%ile
• Background: BITS Hyderabad (Dual Degree) — Mechanical Engineering + Physics
• Preparation Duration: ~5 months (started July 2025)
• Total Mocks: 15
• Core Approach: Topic mastery + smart question selection + calm mindset

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From Engineering to MBA: What Changed for CAT 2025 Topper Prateek?

CAT 2025 Topper Prateek grew up in Delhi and studied science in school before joining BITS Hyderabad for a five-year dual-degree program. He completed a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Physics.

Initially, he was inclined towards a PhD or technical higher studies. But a mandatory six-month internship at a small Bangalore startup shifted his direction. With a lean team, he got hands-on ownership and realised he enjoyed product-building, timelines, and decision-making more than purely technical research—pushing him towards management.

When Did CAT 2025 Topper Prateek Start CAT 2025 Preparation?

CAT 2025 Topper Prateek began serious CAT preparation in July 2025, giving him roughly five months before the exam in late November. As a fresher, he knew a strong percentile would be crucial to stand out, and that shaped his prep intensity and strategy.

Study Plan & Mock Strategy (What CAT 2025 Topper Prateek Did Differently)

Instead of taking mocks every other day, CAT 2025 Topper Prateek focused on concept clarity and topic mastery. He would identify a topic, practise tougher questions within it, and keep working until the concept became “exam-ready”. This helped him build the judgment to decide what to attempt vs what to skip during the actual paper.

• Total Preparation Time: 5 months
• Total Mocks Taken: 15
• Mock Frequency: ~3 mocks/month
• Priority: Topic mastery over mock quantity

VARC Strategy: Why CAT 2025 Topper Prateek Attempted Almost Everything

One of the most striking parts of CAT 2025 Topper Prateek’s strategy was his approach to VARC. While many aspirants are advised to attempt only what they are fully sure about, he took a calculated risk.

He attempted almost every question in VARC because his usual accuracy hovered around 75%–85%. With CAT’s marking scheme (+3 for correct, -1 for wrong), he realised the odds worked in his favour. Even with a few wrong attempts, a high attempt rate could push the score up—and it worked well for him.

Quant Strategy: Strength-Based Attempts & Smart Skips

With an engineering background, CAT 2025 Topper Prateek was comfortable with maths—but he didn’t try to “solve everything”. He knew he was slower in Geometry, so he chose to skip those questions quickly and use time on areas where he was faster and more accurate.

His takeaway: identifying a slow topic and skipping it is not a weakness—it’s a time-management strength in CAT.

Mindset on Exam Day: Staying Calm = Staying Accurate

CAT 2025 Topper Prateek believes CAT is tough for everyone, and panic is the real score-killer. With tight time limits, even a prepared student can slip if they get nervous and start second-guessing. His focus was to stay calm, read carefully, and make clean decisions.

Tips for CAT 2026 Aspirants (From CAT 2025 Topper Prateek)

According to CAT 2025 Topper Prateek, the best preparation style is the one that matches your personality. Some students get motivated by low mock scores. Others get demoralised. You need to understand what drives you and plan accordingly.

He also highlights the value of mentorship—because mentors help you make tough calls like whether to fix a weak topic, change an attempt strategy, or simply take a break to avoid burnout.

Key Takeaways

• Master the basics: Don’t move on until a topic is truly clear.
• Know when to skip: Weak/slow topics can waste crucial minutes.
• Stay calm: Anxiety creates silly mistakes.
• Use the marking scheme: In sections where accuracy is decent, attempts can be optimised logically.

Conclusion

CAT 2025 Topper Prateek’s 99.83%ile journey shows that a strong foundation helps—but strategy matters even more. From a Physics + Mechanical Engineering background to a top CAT percentile, his edge came from topic mastery, attempt strategy, and calm execution.

If you’re preparing for CAT 2026, focus on building a strategy that fits you, choose your battles inside the paper, and keep your mindset steady. That’s how top percentiles are built.