How MBA Wallah Helped C. Haridas Scored 99.1%ile in His First CAT Attempt?

Scoring 99.1 percentile in CAT on the very first attempt is rare. Most aspirants spend months, sometimes years, preparing for this exam. C. Haridas did not. He prepared seriously for barely 15 to 20 days, yet managed to achieve what many only dream of.

With the right mindset and guidance from Physics Wallah, he turned limited time into maximum impact. His story proves that clarity and smart preparation can matter more than the number of study hours.

From UPSC Dream to MBA Decision

Haridas did not begin his journey with CAT. His preparation started elsewhere.

“My journey actually started after graduation, not in the MBA wala field, but I think in the UPSC wala field”

He dedicated four to five years to UPSC.

“I dedicatedly gave my four to five years in UPSC, but I gave my full-hearted attempt.”

“I couldn’t clear the mains, but I cleared prelims thrice even this year I clear prelims, and even this year I clear prelims, and I was waiting for the mains result.”

“The result came around November 11th, and then till November 11th, I was like hopeful for the clearing mains, and I thought I would clear it this time and preparing for the interview.”

“But it didn’t go my way, then I thought, where else could I put my focus if not UPSC, the next best option is MBA.”

This is where most students give up. But he didn’t.

Turning UPSC Preparation into a Strength

Instead of thinking his UPSC years were wasted, he converted them into an advantage.

“Toh, I thought, why not give it an attempt, and the UPSC preparation itself is a big booster towards the MBA preparation.”

“Itna saara content aap padhe hote ho to I think sabka gist nikalna aata hai. You know how to plan, how to strategise for exams, how to attempt any exams. So I thought it helped in a way, and then this year I gave, I think I prepared for around 15 days.”

This is powerful. He already knew how to plan, how to analyse, how to stay disciplined, and how to handle exam pressure. That foundation made 15 days enough.

How Practising PYQs Strengthened His Preparation

The biggest lesson from his journey is clarity in strategy.

“UPSC mein bhi PYQs ke basis mein entire preparation strategy banta hai. Yahan pe bhi maine pura entire strategy mera PYQ se based tha. Ek baar PYQ acche khaase dekh lenge. Phir then you will know ki exactly what the examiner ask and what you are preparing for.” 

“Syllabus kya hai kitna bhi vast ho agar PYQ ka ek pattern pakad lenge to I think we can strategy ki kaise attempt karna hai, kitna attempt karna hai”

Instead of running behind the entire syllabus, he studied patterns.

He focused on what is asked, how it is asked, and how much to attempt. That is smart preparation.

Knowing His Strengths and Saving Time

He did not blindly prepare everything from scratch.

“You also need to evaluate yourself for this particular exam. I think ki what are my strengths and what are my weaknesses.” 

“So, having a good grasp on I think English language and the UPSC preparation, I think my VARC was kind of sorted, and I think that kind of helped, it helped my entire preparation to be in these 20 days, kyunki agar VARC bhi alag se phir aur prepare karna padta hai. I think it would have taken some more time.”

He understood his strength in English and used it wisely.

“So I just went to the PYQs of VARC, and then I thought, okay, this is manageable. I just need to be a fresh mind on that particular day to get it, and I think it helped a lot, and then my entire focus was on DILR and Quant section”

Instead of over-preparing VARC, he focused on DILR and Quant. That saved time.

How MBA Wallah Helped in a Limited Time?

Because he had very little time, he could not join long classroom programmes. But he used MBA Wallah resources effectively.

“Your YouTube series was very much helpful”

“And then for revision and the marathon courses to make crunch studies, crunch notes, they were very helpful, sir. I think short time par prepare karne ka sabse drawback mein ye bolunga ki you have not been able to give many mocks, but that I think will be compensated by if you are focusing entirely on PYQs.”

He gave only one mock. Yet, he compensated for fewer mocks by deeply analysing PYQs.

MBA Wallah’s YouTube sessions and marathon classes helped him revise quickly, make short notes, focus only on important concepts, and prepare efficiently in a limited time, which made a big difference.

How Did He Crack DILR with the Right Strategy?

DILR can scare many students. But again, he trusted patterns.

“LRDI ka I think PYQ help bahut bahut kiye the PYQs like aisa hai I believe ki even UPSC mein aisa bola jaata hai ki questions kabhi repeat nahi hote aise hi yahan pe bhi case hai ki repeat nahi hote, but there is a fixed number of patterns you can make questions out of”

“If you have completed the entire pattern, I think you will recognise ki is tarah ke models mein aa rahe hain, is tarah ke models mein aa rahe hain, then you can make it out quick”

He did not memorise questions. He trained his brain to recognise patterns.

That is what made him fast and confident in the exam hall.

Moving Ahead with MBA Wallah for GDPI

His journey did not stop at CAT.

“I am hopeful and I am very grateful that I have joined the MBA Wallah courses
Toh, I think it would be really helpful in my GDPI preparation”  

Even after scoring 99.1 percentile, he chose to stay guided for the next stage.

By enrolling in the MBA Wallah GDPI programme, he ensured that he would receive structured guidance, mentorship, and clarity about the admission process. Instead of guessing what to prepare, he chose to prepare smartly again, just like he did for CAT.

What Students Can Learn from His Journey?

Haridas’s journey gives clear advice to every CAT aspirant.

He strongly believed in learning from previous years’ questions and understanding the exam pattern. As he said:

“PYQs ko analyse karo… pattern samjho… wahi sabse important hai.”

He believed:

• Hard work never goes waste.

• Focus on PYQs and patterns, not just syllabus.

• Stay calm and trust your preparation. Even if time is short, clarity and consistency matter more than panic.

His journey is not about 15 days. It is about years of discipline, smart strategy, and using the right resources at the right time. And that is what truly leads to a 99.1 percentile.