PW Student Deepak Kumar’s IPMAT Success Story: From a Non-Maths Background to IIM Rohtak

For Deepak Kumar, cracking IPMAT was a second attempt at a goal he had already come close to achieving. After receiving interview calls from the IIMs in his previous attempt but getting waitlisted, he decided to continue college while preparing for IPMAT again.

As a non-Maths student, Deepak knew he needed to strengthen his fundamentals. At the same time, college meant that he could not follow a fixed study schedule. His preparation with PW IPMAT Masterquest batch therefore revolved around using his available time effectively, staying consistent with daily targets, and learning from every mock.

How Deepak Kumar Turned a Previous Waitlist Into a Second Attempt

Deepak had already prepared for IPMAT once and had received interview calls, including from IIM Indore. However, he was eventually waitlisted. Instead of giving up, he decided to take a partial drop and prepare alongside college.

“So maine last year bhi prepare kara tha, and last year bhi maine Indore ka bhi interview call tha, matlab saare IIM's ka mere paas inter call tha. But unfortunately I got waitlisted.”

This time, Deepak had two priorities to manage: college and IPMAT preparation. Since he had already studied with PW during his previous preparation, he joined the Master Test batch and continued working towards his goal.

How PW Helped Deepak Build His Maths From the Basics

Coming from a non-Maths background, Deepak felt that understanding concepts thoroughly was particularly important for his IPMAT preparation. This was where PW IPMAT MasterQuest batch’s teaching approach helped him.

“To mere ko kaafi accha laga ki ekdum basic se — because coming from a non-Maths background — so mere liye kaafi important ban jaata hai ki concepts ko ekdum deeply thorough karna.”

For Deepak, the focus on detailed conceptual understanding made it easier to approach Maths without leaving gaps. He also found the doubt support useful whenever he got stuck during preparation.

“Aap jaise apni live classes mein karate the aap ekdum sab kuch thorough karate the. So jo ki bahut zyada hi help hoti thi meri.”

College meant that attending live classes at fixed timings was not always possible. Deepak therefore used PW’s recorded lectures and adjusted the playback speed to fit classes into his schedule. He also used the quizzes and other practice opportunities available through the batch during smaller pockets of free time.

This flexibility helped him continue his preparation alongside college without waiting for a fixed study routine. Instead of letting an unpredictable schedule affect his preparation, he adapted the available PW resources around his day.

How Deepak Kumar Managed College Alongside IPMAT Preparation

With college running alongside his preparation, Deepak did not have a fixed study routine. Instead, he adjusted his preparation according to his college schedule.

Recorded lectures became useful because he could watch them when he had time rather than depending entirely on live-class timings.

“Main live classes bhi recorded hi dekhta tha kyunki mere — mere ko live aisa time nahi mil paata tha aur main recorded dekhta tha to main speed badha ke 2x pe dekhta tha jisse it saves a lot of time.”

He also used smaller pockets of time for preparation, whether in the college library or while travelling.

This approach allowed Deepak to continue his IPMAT preparation without letting his college schedule completely disrupt his study routine.

How Deepak Kumar Used Mocks to Improve His IPMAT Preparation

Deepak treated mocks like the actual exam instead of attempting them just for practice.

“Sir jab main mock deta tha, I give mock as a real exam because most of the people give mock for the sake of it — do not, for the sake of it, treat it like an actual examination.”

He also attempted mocks during the actual IPMAT time slots to train himself to stay focused during the exam hours. After every mock, he noted his mistakes and worked separately on conceptual gaps and pressure-related errors.

“Main kya karta tha, ek matlab bookmark kar leta tha ki ye concepts hai aur likhta tha ki what the thing I did wrong, then agar koi conceptual mistake hai ya phir kahin main pressure mein reh ke nahi kar pa raha, so us cheez ko main us pe kaam karta tha.”

He eventually attempted around 30 to 40 IPMAT Indore mocks, using the learnings from each test to improve his next attempt.

How Deepak Kumar Bounced Back From IPMAT Indore to Crack Rohtak

IPMAT Indore did not go as Deepak had expected. Instead of letting the setback affect his next opportunity, he shifted his focus to Rohtak.

“But on the actual day of IPM Indore, I don't know, I just screwed up the paper. I think I do not handle the paper. But after my IPMAT Indore went over, so I was really very tensed that this is a dream, IPMAT like Indore is a dream of many IPMers, so now what, so I get — get — get up and now started ki mind mein tha na ki bhai Rohtak bhi aa gaye 10th mein ko to uske liye bhi to karna hai, agar ek preparation kharab ho gayi thi so what — it doesn't define actually.”

For the Rohtak exam, he focused on staying calm and not letting pressure affect his performance.

“And one more thing that when you are going to write an examination na, be calm and be chill, like ekdum chill reh ke do.”

This helped him move past the Indore setback and focus on the opportunity ahead, eventually securing admission to IIM Rohtak IPM 2026.

How Deepak Kumar Handled the IIM Rohtak Interview

Deepak’s IIM Rohtak interview turned out to be much shorter than he expected. While the candidate before him had been interviewed for around 15–20 minutes, Deepak’s interaction lasted only about 5–6 minutes.

The short interview initially made him unsure about the outcome. However, the result brought clarity.

“But after I see the result, I made it in first merit list, so I don't know it's a roller coaster for me.”

For Deepak, staying confident during the interaction was important. He made sure that nervousness did not affect his communication.

“Confidence is more important because throughout the interview I do not like — maine unko ye show hi nahi karne diya ki I was panicking, I constantly throughout the interview I made a small smile on my face.”

He eventually secured his place in IIM Rohtak’s IPM 2026.

Deepak Kumar’s 3 Tips for Future IPMAT Aspirants

Looking back at his preparation, Deepak shared three specific lessons rather than generic advice.

His first was to avoid comparing mock scores with other students.

“Do not compare your mocks score with anyone.”

His second was to trust the faculty and the preparation process.

“Build trust on your faculties and build trust on what you are learning.”

Finally, he advised students to focus on actually using the resources they already have instead of continuously collecting more.

“Most of the people procure so much that they end up doing nothing, so whatever you have, at least try to capitalize on most of the use of it.”

Deepak Kumar’s journey from being waitlisted in his previous attempt to securing IIM Rohtak IPM 2026 shows that one setback does not have to decide the outcome of the next attempt. By building his concepts from the basics, managing college alongside preparation, analysing his mocks, and staying focused after the Indore setback, he was able to turn his second attempt into a successful one. 

For IPMAT aspirants, his experience highlights the value of consistent preparation, effective practice, and learning from every test rather than comparing your journey with others.