How I Made My First CAT Study Plan

— By Sultan Raichand

If I’m being honest, the day I decided to make my first CAT study plan… I had zero clue what I was doing.

Everyone around me kept saying, “Bro, make a timetable first,” “Study plan banale… everything becomes easy!”

But no one tells you how to actually make one.

So here’s the real, unfiltered version of how I stumbled, struggled, and finally figured out my first proper CAT study plan — the one that actually worked for me.

The Moment I Realised I Need a Plan

When I started CAT prep, I used to randomly study whatever felt “productive.” Some days I’d solve 20 quant questions. Some days I’d read articles. Some days… I’d watch toppers’ videos instead of studying.

After two weeks of this freestyle chaos, I realised: I’m putting in effort, but not making progress.

That’s when it hit me — “A plan isn’t optional. It’s survival.”

Step 1: I Measured My Reality (Even When It Hurt)

I attempted a diagnostic test.

And it destroyed my ego in 2 hours.

VARC — manageable DILR — painful Quant — bro… tears

But that test became the foundation of my plan. It told me exactly what I needed to fix.

Step 2: I Broke CAT Into Pieces

I literally opened my notebook and wrote:

• VARC → Reading + Para-based Qs
• DILR → Sets + Logic Types
• Quant → Chapters + Levels

Once I saw CAT as small blocks instead of one giant monster, it instantly felt doable.

Step 3: I Made a Weekly Structure

This changed everything.

Here’s the simple weekly layout I started with:

Monday–Friday

• 2 hours Quant (chapter-wise)
• 1 hour DILR (one set every day)
• 1 hour VARC (reading + 5 questions)

Saturday

• Mixed practice
• Review weak areas

Sunday

• Weekly mock (at the start it was sectional tests)

This wasn’t perfect, but it gave me direction.

Step 4: I Added Only ONE Rule

A study plan is useless without one rule.

Mine was simple:

“No zero-study days.”

Not 3 hours… Not 4 hours… Just something.

Even 20 minutes counted.

This one mindset kept me going more than any timetable ever could.

Step 5: I Made It Flexible (Because I’m Human)

Some days college ruined my energy. Some days family stuff came up. Some days… laziness won.

Instead of forcing guilt, I kept 20% buffer time. This allowed my plan to breathe.

I realised: A study plan that doesn’t consider real life will fail.

What My First Realistic Plan Looked Like

Here’s how it finally shaped up:

Daily

• 1 Quant chapter
• 1 DILR set
• 30–45 min reading
• Short revision of yesterday’s mistakes

Weekly

• 1 sectional mock
• Review notebook update
• Sunday “light study” or rest

Monthly

• Full mock (when I was mentally ready)
• Check progress → Adjust plan
• Remove weak strategies, try new ones

The Biggest Lesson I Learned

A CAT study plan isn’t about perfection.

You don’t need a “toppers plan.” You need a plan that matches your:

• pacE
• strengths
• schedule
• mental bandwidth
• life situation

Your first plan will be messy. It will change. It should change.

But making that first version is the moment your CAT journey truly begins.

If You’re About to Make Your First Plan…

Here’s the simplest advice I wish someone had given me:

👉 Start small. 👉 Be honest about your level. 👉 Focus on consistency, not hours. 👉 Update your plan every 2 weeks.

Your plan doesn’t have to look perfect.

It just has to start.

— Sultan Raichand