‘The Faster You Are, The Better You Will Perform’

He is not the quintessential topper, who would breathe books day and night. Nor is he the one living in a shell devoid of fun and friends. Chirag Aggarwal, the MAH CET 2014 topper is a horse of another colour, who balances every aspect of life, hoofing his way to the top. He is proficient in speaking different languages, plays tennis, is passionate about playing the guitar, has a huge friend circle to boast about and after 2014, he is addressed as the ‘Topper’.

‘Yes I topped the exam but I have not come here to tell you that. I want to tell you all of my secret strategies, just kidding! There aren’t any secrets to cracking this exam. It was easy and it will be easy for you all as well’, says Chirag with a grin on his face. Join him, as he takes us through his journey from being Chirag to 'the MAH CET 2014 topper Chirag Aggarwal'.

1. Haven you always been a topper and a hard working student?

Never been a topper! I have always been passionate about the things I do. For MAH CET hard work was the key to success!

2. What was your preparation strategy for MAH- CET 2014?

To ace all the areas and leave no stone unturned, I used to eschew learning words, so I devised a different strategy to conquer that area. I was weak at sentence correction, so I picked up a grammar book and solved it from start to end. So there was not a single strategy but many strategies.

3. What turned the table for you?

My preparation is what turned into my favour. I made sure that I go through every section and leave no scope for errors.

4. While preparing for MAH- CET 2014 what was the most difficult phase that you had to go through?

Overcoming self-doubt. 

5. When did you start preparing?

I was vacationing in Nepal in the first week of Jan, so my real preparation started in mid- January. It was the time to sort out my priorities. The real struggle started in February, when I finally devoted my entire time to CET.

6. What is the ideal time one should devote to the preparation?

It depends on the ability of the person. An IIT graduate might need two months but a commerce student might need more. Hence, it is necessary to know where you stand and how much you have to cover. Based on that, one could get a rough idea about how many hours need to be devoted to the preparation. It took me 8-10 hours a day to shine in the exam.

7. Since you were also a working professional preparing for MAH- CET, what word of advice would you want to give to others juggling between a job and the preparation?

Give a mock test and analyse it. You will get to know where you stand. Basis the result you can decide whether you want to continue working or not, I chose not to because I felt I needed time to study. It all depends on person to person. If work is unavoidable I suggest you ask your boss for flexible working hours. 

8. Can you comment on the role that coaching classes play in preparing students for MAH- CET? Do you feel these classes are necessary?

They play a big role but only to a certain extent. I have seen people ace the exam without joining a class. I believe that they are helpful but also depends on the coaching institute you chose. PT education, Time and IMS are your best bet. Sometimes doing everything on your own is not really a good thing.

9. What all management exams did you appear for?

Only MAH CET

10. How different is MAH SET as an exam?

The major difference is the exam pattern. When you compare certain sections like Quants, logical reasoning and Data interpretation of the CET with those of the CAT you will find CET very easy. Understanding and getting the answer isn’t really a big deal, what really matters, is the time you take to solve a particular question. The faster you are the better you will perform.

11. CMAT or MAH- CET? Why?

I would pick MAH- CET. My dream was to study in Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies being the best college for Finance in India and in Mumbai, because this city has always been close to my heart. So, for me it was an irresistible combination.

12. Can you highlight the positives of CET over the other exams?

The questions are easy if practiced enough. There are 200 questions so you have a lot of options.  

13. What are the mistakes students usually make while preparing for MAH- CET? How can they be avoided?

1. Wasting too much time online- They want all the information. Use whatever little you have and work towards completing it. Then look for other sources.
2. Not solving enough mocks- Please plan to solve at least 20 mocks before taking the CET 2015
3. Getting caught in a particular question- There are 200 questions to solve in 150 minutes! If you can’t solve one go to the other one. It is ok to leave questions that are difficult. Master the art of recognizing questions that are easy and do them first.
4. Not paying attention to all the areas- I advise everyone to make sure they are well versed with all the topics.

14. What will be your advice to candidates appearing for MAH- CET 2015?

• Keep a diary to track your progress.
• Make realistic goals and note down the progress you make.
• Always write what you wish to accomplish.
• The exam can be cracked but only if you work hard.
• Consider the following two months very important and focus.
• Surround yourself with positive people.
• Talk to people who have achieved and try to emulate what they did right. Also, learn from their mistakes.
• Give your best.
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15. Can you list down 5 skills that are essential for individuals to crack the exam?

• Well versed with the basics
• Smart decision making
• Time management
• Ability to keep calm under pressure
• Ability to concentrate well for the entire duration of the exam (150 minutes)

16. What specialization were the hot favourites this year? Any new specializations that looks promising to you?

Investment banking and Corporate Finance were hot favourites this year. This can be confirmed by the large number of students who have applied for such roles in the placement process. Supply chain is a new field and it does look promising.

17. How is life as a management student?

It’s very good (except for lectures on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings). My six month internship at Bajaj has really been an enriching experience.

18. What are your career plans after the course?

I plan to join a good finance company. Due to the lack of good NGOs in my locality I also plan to start my own NGO in partnership with a friend.

19. Entrepreneurship has come up in a big way. Can you share your views about the same?

Flipkart and Snapdeal are getting billion dollar valuations. Many Indian tech start-ups are being acquired by big international names. Zomato is making its presence felt in almost every country in the world. But the success rate is still quite low. I am currently designing the entrepreneurship program for JBIMS. We are doing a lot of research and we found that there is a huge gap between the quality of entrepreneurship programs in India and abroad.