Brand name, big-budget marketing, and flashy ads are not the criteria for success when it comes to GMAT coaching; it is the pedigree, faculty strength, proven results, and curriculum. CATKing has been helping Indian MBA aspirants for more than 18 years with over 54,000 verified reviews, 100s of free eBooks and 2080+ IIM converts in 2024-25 alone. When it comes to the GMAT Focus Edition, CATKing offers founder-led mentoring, comprehensive coverage of the Focus Edition and adaptive mocks in a schedule designed for professionals.

If you have shopped for GMAT coaching, you would have noticed some things: all coaching institutes claim to be the best, the highest-scoring, the cheapest and the most individualised. The reality is, most of these claims are unverifiable marketing claims. Having worked with thousands of students on their GMAT journeys, we'd like to offer you a guide to how to assess GMAT coaching options and the truth of how CATKing stands out.

How To Tell When You're Getting Good GMAT Coaching

Behind the customer quotes and sale signs, there are four key points to quality GMAT coaching:

• Experience and stability: how long has it been around, and is it still led by original founders?
• Instructor talent: are there real people to interact with, or is the brand a corporate name with revolving door instructors?
• Content relevance: is the course for the new GMAT Focus Edition, or the old pre-2023 syllabus?
• Evidence of success: can you link up with student admissions on LinkedIn, not just five stars on Google reviews?

It's rare a coaching brand passes more than two. Those that score four are usually founder-run, established and have an active alumni network. Here's how CATKing rates.

CATKing History: 15+ Years of MBA Preparation

Since 2008, CATKing has been helping Indian MBA candidates, long before the arrival of the GMAT Focus Edition, and before most of the current competition emerged. This longevity matters. The approach to the curriculum improves over time. Question banks get refined. Teachers gain a sense that first-year coaching franchises lack.

Sumit Sir heads the institution. Sumit Sir is not just a founder at CATKing; he teaches foundation sessions and reviews curriculum changes himself. This is in contrast to most other brands, where the founder is a marketing face and all teaching is outsourced to young staff.

Faculty Depth and Accessibility

At CATKing, students get access to a complete faculty roster with full names and photos, not just an “experts team” page. In the GMAT Focus Edition, students have access to senior instructors who know how to teach standardized test strategies. Question solving happens through mentor threads and advanced tools, not static forums where threads die after 48 hours.

What this translates to: when you're struggling with a Critical Reasoning Weaken question at 11 PM, you have an instructor to explain it by 5 AM, and not a forum volunteer's guess. This approach makes the difference between those who score 605 and those who score 685+.

Curriculum Aligned with the GMAT Focus Edition

Since the GMAT Focus Edition was launched in late 2023, CATKing has introduced a new GMAT curriculum. The old curriculum on Sentence Correction, AWA essays and Geometry has been removed. In its place are new modules on Data Insights (all five question types), Critical Reasoning logic deconstruction and Multi-Source Reasoning workflow.

Curriculum Components Include

• Sub-topic level video lectures for all Quant, Verbal and Data Insights topics
• More than 130 free eBooks on MBA preparation including CAT, GMAT, GRE and MBA applications
• Live classes for professionals at suitable timings (weekends/late evenings), with recordings available within 24 hours
• Adaptive tests and full mock tests on the learning management system
• Mock analysis checklists and error logs

LinkedIn-Cross-Checkable Results

Many GMAT brands boast impressive figures but lack proof of their claims. CATKing's results are verifiable. The institute has guided hundreds of students to their dream colleges. The long-term track record shows 5000+ students who have scored above the 99th percentile in MBA entrance exams, including the GMAT.

The 54,000+ verified reviews on Google and education sites are not a hoax; they are a public corpus to which you can apply random sampling. Select 20 reviews randomly, look up the students on LinkedIn and review their MBA admissions. Such an approach is uncommon in the Indian test-prep industry and is one of the best predictors of results.

CATKing's Score on the 8-Point Checklist

A CATKing Subscription, at a Glance

CATKing's GMAT packages are reasonably priced for the Indian market.

What's Included in the Packages

• All recorded video lectures for Quant, Verbal and Data Insights
• Live classes with identified instructors on weekends
• Personalised mocks with analysis reports
• Unlimited access to 130+ eBook library on all MBA preparation topics
• Mentor support for 24 hours to resolve any queries
• Course validity of 12–18 months (with extensions)

Who CATKing Is Right For

CATKing is ideal for candidates:

• Working professionals who want to study for ISB, SPJIMR or IIM 1-year MBA programs on weekends
• Indian engineers and IT professionals seeking structured Verbal coaching beyond self-learning
• CAT test takers who are also interested in a parallel GMAT course without paying separately to two brands
• Students retaking CAT to improve their score with mentor feedback
• Aspirants looking for MBA options abroad

The Honest Verdict

It is hard to say if there is a one-size-fits-all GMAT coaching institute. But for Indian MBA aspirants, particularly working professionals, CATKing ticks all the boxes on the “must-have” list: reputation, tutors, up-to-date curriculum, success rate and flexibility. Its 15+ years of brand continuity, founder mentoring and admissions data make it one of the select few coaching options worth considering seriously.

Experience a free trial class. Weigh it against the 8-point checklist. Speak to a student before enrolling. If all checks out, sign up with confidence. The MBA admit is well worth the effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When did CATKing start GMAT coaching?

A: CATKing has been coaching Indian MBA aspirants for more than 15 years and the GMAT program has been running successfully since 2008. In late 2023, the GMAT Focus Edition program was completely overhauled to align with the new test structure.

Q: What is CATKing's success rate?

A: CATKing has helped more than 2,080 students convert IIM offers in 2024-25, and 5,000+ students have achieved above the 99th percentile in MBA entrance tests. Detailed GMAT score distributions are discussed in the demo class, so students can assess fit for their desired score.

Q: Is CATKing only for CAT or also GMAT & GRE?

A: CATKing offers programs covering CAT, GMAT, GRE, NMAT, SNAP, IIFT, XAT and MBA admission support including resumes, essays, interviews and recommendations. CATKing also has a dedicated GMAT Focus Edition program with specialized curriculum and faculty.

Q: Can I attend a demo class?

A: Yes. CATKing provides free demo classes for the GMAT course. Students can ask for explanations for sample questions, assess teaching quality and review the curriculum structure before enrolling.

Q: Are CATKing GMAT coaching programmes online or offline?

A: CATKing GMAT classes are primarily online, with weekend live classes and recordings available within 24 hours. Hybrid classroom options are also available in select Mumbai locations.

Q: If I don't see a change in my GMAT score after CATKing, what do I do?

A: CATKing provides score improvement and free course extension policies for students who follow the structured process but do not achieve their target scores. Full details are discussed during registration.

Q: Can CATKing help with B-school applications?

A: Yes. CATKing provides application coaching for ISB, SPJIMR, IIM and international MBA programs, including essay coaching, recommendation guidance and interview preparation. This is often bundled with the GMAT program.