“English toh nahi hoga.”
This was a recurring challenge Raghav Jindal openly admits he faced during his IPMAT preparation. While Maths felt manageable and Logical Reasoning seemed doable, Verbal Ability became the thing that unsettled him the most. Each time he faced this challenge, it reinforced in him the fear that his one weakness could pull him down and undo everything else he was working towards. Today, Raghav holds AIR 3 in IPMAT and has secured admission into one of the top management institutes in the country, IIM Indore. But his journey began not with confidence, but with uncertainty.
Raghav completed his schooling at Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh, following what seemed like a familiar path for a student studying commerce with math. Pursuing B.Com or BBA appeared to be the obvious next step, and IPMAT was not something he had actively planned for. That changed when Career Launcher conducted a counselling session at his school.
“I did my 11th and 12th from Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh. And I came to know about IPMAT when Career Launcher actually came for a counseling session in our school.”
As he learned more about the Integrated Programme in Management, what stood out was the breadth of the curriculum.
“What actually attracted me was the curriculum… economics, psychology, mathematics, finance, humanities, coding and a second language. You are learning about everything.”
For Raghav, this wasn’t just an entrance exam; it felt like an opportunity to explore multiple disciplines before committing to a specialization.
When he began preparing, Raghav resisted the urge to dive straight into solving questions. Instead, he focused on understanding the exam itself.
“So, I will first learn more about the exam. What is the exam all about? Like what subjects are being asked? What type of questions are being asked? What is the level of questions?”
“Then you start manifesting yourself, like what if I actually do clear it?”
That thought became a quiet motivator, especially during difficult phases.
Mock tests soon revealed his strengths and weaknesses. Quantitative Aptitude felt comfortable, and Reasoning was manageable, but Verbal Ability consistently pulled his scores down.
Whenever the fear became too loud, Raghav picked up the phone and called Vineet sir, his mentor at Career Launcher.
“I used to call Vineet sir sometimes and tell him that I won’t be able to do English. I will be able to do Maths, but not English.” At one point, the doubt felt overwhelming.
“So, I was like, in this, I will not be able to clear IPMAT Indore.”
Instead of dismissing these fears, his mentor pushed him to be specific.
“He used to tell me, Raghav, where is the problem exactly? Like, which section, which question are you facing a problem in?” That shift- from seeing Verbal Ability as a weakness to viewing it as a set of solvable gaps- marked a turning point.
Improvement came gradually, built on consistency rather than shortcuts.
“First of all, I started reading Aeon Essays,” Raghav shares. “For vocabulary, I did Word Power Made Easy.” Along with this, Career Launcher’s study material became a regular part of his preparation. Mock tests continued to play an important role, but his approach to them changed. “One mock tells you very little. But when you see like two-three mocks combined, you see in which topics you are making more mistakes.” Analysing patterns across multiple mocks helped him refine his strategy and focus his preparation more effectively.
Balancing school studies with IPMAT preparation was another challenge, but Raghav opted for prioritisation rather than rigid schedules. “My funda was to focus on one thing at a time.” As board exams approached, he shifted his attention to school, returning fully to IPMAT once that pressure eased.
A significant turning point came during the IIM Rohtak interview, which did not go as planned. “IIM Rohtak interview was a wake-up call because interviews I was not taking seriously.” That experience forced him to rethink his approach. “After that, I started taking interviews seriously,” revisiting academics and current affairs with renewed intent and focus.
Throughout this journey, he shares that his family’s emotional support was crucial.“My mother is the first person that I would talk with such a thing about,” Raghav credits his mother for helping him stay grounded during moments of self-doubt.
When the results were finally announced, they reflected two years worth of steady efforts and honest self-assessment: AIR 3 in IPMAT and admission in IIM Indore. Looking back, Raghav’s advice to future aspirants is clear. “There is a sectional cut-off in the paper. So, you have to prepare your weaknesses also. You cannot be like, I will just keep improving my strengths and weaknesses I will leave behind.” His story is a reminder that success doesn’t come from being fearless, but from acknowledging weaknesses early and choosing to work through them.
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