From battling poor health conditions to overcoming academic setbacks, candidates from Gujarat who cleared the Common Entrance Test (CAT) have set an inspiring example of grit and perseverance. The CAT results were released on Thursday.
Aishwarya Iyer (21), who has been struggling with fibromyalgia for a few years, was forced to take a gap year after class 12 due to her health condition. The disease is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain that prevents the body from functioning normally and is accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood problems. However, her perseverance paid off as she scored 99.33 percent in CAT.
A third-year BBA student at Ahmedabad’s Nirama University, Aishwarya started facing physical challenges in high school while learning taekwondo and faced setbacks both physically and academically.
“I was 15-16 years old when I started developing this condition which continued till June 19. I had to take a year off due to my health problems. There was a relapse just before the CAT exam. But that didn’t hamper my goals,” Aishwarya told The Indian Express. told
Mridul Tiwari; Hetav Shah
A topper in both class 10 and 12, while studying in Bengaluru where her family shifted due to her father’s job in the IT sector, she continued to topper in her college as well.
“It was challenging at times. But I found the right support system … which I found in my family and mentors. It’s important to focus on health,” Iyer said.
“Academically, (your) health defines what you are capable of achieving. Even after studying so hard, health is not under anyone’s control. It is important to balance mental and physical health,” he advised candidates to identify their strengths and weaknesses before taking the exam. Giving said.
Ahmedabad-resident Harshit Gupta (21) failed his Class 12 pre-board maths exam and scored less than 60% in his board exam. However, he has scored 99.51 and 99.74 percentile overall in QA (Quantitative Aptitude).
Gupta, who is originally from Jaipur and is pursuing a BBA from Nirma University, went into a metaphorical shell for more than two years after the shock.
“I stayed away from class 10 after covid…it affected my grades badly. I felt lonely as all my friends went to other schools,” said Gupta.
Post-Covid, Gupta said he “didn’t step out of his house for two months” which added to his isolation which adversely affected his academics.
“I got addicted to my cell phone because I scrolled for 12 hours a day and it happened for four months. Then reality hit. I took a gap after class 12 when I couldn’t find a good college. I started preparing for CAT…after failing maths…I resolved to score well and crack the CAT exam,” he added.
“My parents believed in me and supported me… While I would diligently work on the assignments given by my mentors, consistency was key. I used to study maths for 3-4 hours to make up for the deficit,” he said.
Another student, Hetav Shah (19), who scored 99.86 percentile, felt that he had to work hard because of his Gujarat Board studies. A BBA student in Ahmedabad, he said he faced difficulties with English as a subject and developed reading habits.
“One should first start with novels because they are interesting and take up reading because eventually it becomes easier to process more material,” added Shah.
Among the 14 candidates who scored 100 percent in CAT for admission to Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and other business schools in the country, none of the candidates from Gujarat could secure a place, while Mridul Tiwari from Surat scored 99.98 percentile and Rahul Awasthi from Ahmedabad scored 99.98 percentile. 99.96 percent.
Mridul Tiwari, who completed electrical engineering from Sardar Vallabhbhai Institute of Technology, Surat in 2023, has been working at Hazira for the past one year, scoring 99.98 percentile. This was his third attempt.
“I had received calls from organizations earlier but not from the people I aspired to. I am hoping to get a seat in IIM Calcutta but if not I have other options,” he said.
This year the number of CAT exam centers has increased from 167 to 170 in Gujarat. As per available details, 86 non-IIM institutions will use CAT 2024 scores for admissions to their management programs this year.
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