How to Prepare for CAT 2026: Advice from IIM Mumbai Converts, from Freshers to Work-Ex and Gap-Year Toppers

CATKing is a Mumbai-based MBA entrance exam coaching company founded by Sumit Singh, offering preparation for CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP, CET, GMAT, and GRE through online and offline classes. How do you prepare for CAT 2026 and convert a top call like IIM Mumbai (also called IIM Bombay)? In a live session, CATKing students who made it to IIM Mumbai, along with a recent graduate and a current student, shared what worked for them. They included GEM freshers, candidates with work experience, a candidate with a three-year gap and a reserved category candidate. CAT 2026 is on November 29, 2026. Here is their advice.

Who Converted IIM Mumbai and What Were Their Profiles?

 

Sumit Singh summed up the session: every type of person reaches IIM Mumbai if they have put in the effort. A weak profile, a low CAT percentile or a high one, they all made it.

What Advice Do GEM Freshers Have for CAT 2026?

• Ignore the doubters: as a GEM fresher you will hear that it will not happen. Ignore all of that and prepare.

• Apply widely: even if your CAT score comes out a little lower or higher than you expected, apply to all the colleges that work for you.

• Practise your weak section repeatedly: Yash Trivedi practised DILR a lot in his last year of college. VARC was his weak area, so he practised one RC four to five times, writing down the meanings and the summaries. He enjoyed what others call boring, because he knew why he needed an MBA.

• Find your why: find your reason, stick to that plan, trust yourself and be disciplined and consistent.

How Should You Handle Mocks for CAT 2026?

• Start now: the best time to give your first mock was yesterday.

• Frequency: give a mock every third or fourth day.

• Do not look at the results: mocks will make you cry, and they will make you laugh. Sometimes a guess will land. Just keep at it.

• Volume: Yash Trivedi gave 70 plus mocks, and Devendra gave about 50 to 60.

• The last stretch: Devendra, who was working, took days off at the end and went all in.

For how to analyse each mock, read our guide on how to analyze CAT mocks and boost your score in 2 days.

How Do You Improve VARC If It Is Your Weak Area?

VARC was the weak area for several speakers. Here is what they did.

 

See also our guides on how to solve Aeon essays and the best free RC sources.

How Can You Prepare for CAT While Working a Full-Time Job?

Mauli Sharma worked at a power plant at a very remote location, on 8 to 8, 12-hour shifts, and prepared after that. His advice: form a plan and stick to it.

• His daily routine: 2 RC passages, Verbal Ability questions of each kind, 2 DILR sets and one particular Quant topic, every day, religiously.

• Compromise elsewhere: he compromised on some other things to keep the routine.

• Work on weaknesses: besides the routine, he worked on his weak area. VARC was weak, so he read newspapers and magazines for it.

What Should Reserved Category Candidates Target?

Aditya, who is OBC, gave a disclaimer to reserved category candidates: target 99 percentile and nothing below. You have enough time. If your Reading Comprehension is not strong, start reading now, because English may not improve in a month or two. Sumit Singh adds that if the general cutoff is 97, aim for 98, whether you are ST, SC or OBC.

What Does a Three-Year Gap Mean for CAT?

Aditya spent three years on UPSC and still converted. His advice: do not think about the gap. Everything will fall into place. Give CAT first and think about the rest afterwards.

Why Do Silly Mistakes Matter in CAT?

Kunal Goyal, with four years of experience in operations, scored 97.38 percentile. His Quant and DILR were good, but his VARC got more marks and his DILR score was very low because of many silly mistakes. His advice: focus equally on all sections and more on the weak one, since you cannot tell which section will be easy on the day. Work on silly mistakes a lot, because they are a big enemy in an exam like this.

How Should You Prepare for the GDPI?

• Prepare, but do not over-prepare: prepare very well and prepare your best, but do not over-prepare for the interviews. They want to know you.

• Know your reason for the MBA: having it clear helped Yash Trivedi in his GDPI process.

• Believe in yourself: Devendra's advice was to believe in yourself, always target the best, work hard for it, ignore the noise, concentrate on one exam at a time and go all in.

Why Is IIM Mumbai Worth It, According to the Students?

Rishabh, a recent graduate working at Vedanta, said that the path felt difficult at the start, as he was selected from the second last wait list. He was determined to crack a good college. Once he converted, it was a game changer, and he came out of college as a confident person. Karthik Tiwari, currently at IIM Mumbai, is doing a summer internship at Bajaj Auto in an operations role in Pune. He said the city gives you a different vibe, and that the Powai campus is well connected with everything within reach.

Advice from IIM Mumbai Converts: Quick-Reference

 

What Should CAT 2026 Aspirants Do Now?

• Today: form a plan and stick to it.

• This week: give a mock and then repeat every 3rd or 4th day.

• For your weak section: practise it repeatedly, such as one RC four to five times.

• Cut silly mistakes: track them in every mock.

• Stay on track: join CATKing's mentor-led preparation, which includes GDPI preparation.

Related reading: CAT 2026 last 30 days checklist and 5 CAT topper mantras.

As Sumit Singh says to students: this exam is not as tough as you have made it in your mind.

Frequently Asked Questions About Preparing for CAT 2026

Can a GEM fresher convert IIM Mumbai?

Yes. Yash Trivedi, a GEM fresher, scored 99.72 percentile, and another GEM fresher converted with a 98 percentile. Their advice is to ignore people who say a fresher cannot do it, prepare well, and apply to all the colleges that work for you.

Can I convert IIM Mumbai after a gap year?

Yes. Aditya, who spent three years on UPSC, converted. His advice is not to think about the gap, to give CAT first, and to think afterwards.

Can a working professional crack CAT?

Yes. Kunal Goyal, with four years of experience in operations, scored 97.38 percentile, and Mauli Sharma prepared while working 12-hour shifts at a power plant. Devendra, who also had work experience, took days off at the end of his preparation and went all in.

How many mocks should I give for CAT?

Yash Trivedi gave 70 plus mocks. Devendra gave around 50 to 60.

When should I give my first mock?

The best time to give your first mock was yesterday. Start giving a mock every third or fourth day, and do not look at the results.

Should I worry if my first mock scores are low?

No. Mocks will make you cry, and they will make you laugh. Sometimes a guess will land. Keep at it, because mocks are the name of the game.

What should a reserved category candidate target in CAT?

Aim for 99 percentile. If the general cutoff for a college is 97, aim for 98, whether you are ST, SC or OBC.

How should I improve in VARC if it is my weak area?

Yash Trivedi practised one RC four to five times, writing down the meanings and the summaries. A current IIM Mumbai student identified VARC as his weak area, learned how to read passages quickly, took mocks, went back to the basics, and read articles daily. Mauli Sharma read newspapers and magazines.

What daily plan did a working student follow?

Mauli Sharma solved 2 RC passages, Verbal Ability questions of each kind, 2 DILR sets and one particular Quant topic religiously every day, while working a full-time job with 12-hour shifts.

What was the advice for the CAT interview?

Prepare very well, but do not over-prepare. Interviewers want to know you as a person. Also find your reason for doing an MBA, and it will help in the GDPI process.

Why are silly mistakes dangerous in CAT?

Kunal Goyal calls silly mistakes a big enemy in exams like CAT. His VARC score was high, but his DILR score was very low because of many silly mistakes, so he advises focusing on every section equally and giving more time to the weak one.