Udupi CAT topper in job-studies dilemma

MANGALURU: Among the 11 candidates who secured a perfect score of 100 percentile in CAT 2018 is Niranjan Prasad from Udupi, a final-year BTech (dual degree) student at IIT-Madras.
Prasad said the score came as a complete surprise. “I never expected that I would score hundred percentile. However, now I have a lot of decisions to make before I take my next step as I have received some job offers too,” explained Prasad.
Speaking to TOI over phone, Prasad admitted he was in a dilemma. “I am in a state of confusion, whether to work or continue my studies. I will come to a conclusion after discussing the matter with my parents and elders,” Prasad said. He currently has two job offers in his kitty.
Asked how he was able to crack the test, Prasad said he started preparing from last year. “I used to work for 2-3 hours every day. But I could not concentrate much on CAT as I had my dual degree examinations to write,” he said. “Once I identified my weak areas, I started to practise my lessons more. Also, I have written many competitive examinations and tests in the past, like CET, JEE-Mains and others. What matters the most in such tests is time management. So, first I tried to answer all the easy questions and tackled the tougher ones later.”
Prasad had bagged top rank in National Talent Search Competition and 23rd rank in CET. He also scored well in GRE.
Prasad hails from Manipal in Udupi district. Prasad completed early education in Udupi before joining IIT-Madras. “As parents, we are happy about Niranjan’s achievement. He may choose to join IIM-Ahmedabad for future studies,” said Jayadeva.