Yes, engineers typically find CAT's QA and DILR sections easier due to years of mathematical training, making 99+ percentile more achievable for them. However, non-engineers often edge out in VARC. The rant thread OP's claim that "99%ile is a month's work" is largely true for strong engineers with solid Quant foundations but false for non-engineers and weak-Quant candidates. At IIM Ahmedabad (Rs 27.5L fees, Rs 35.22 LPA avg, 99%+ CAT cutoff), roughly 65-70% of the batch is engineer - reflecting the engineer advantage in CAT. Data from IIM batches: engineers average 99.2-99.5 percentile at entry; non-engineers average 98.8-99.
- Engineers with IIT/NIT background specifically have a 3-5 percentile edge over non-engineer tier 2 candidates. Preparation time for 99+: strong engineers need 3-4 months; non-engineers need 6-9 months with heavy QA/DILR focus. The non-engineer disadvantage is real and diversity points exist specifically to counter this. The counter-argument (from the thread): for many, 99.95+ represents a month's work due to innate aptitude and privileged schooling. Both sides are correct - it depends on your profile. The practical takeaway: if you're a non-engineer, invest 6+ months in QA foundations (start with basic arithmetic and build up). If you're an engineer with weak VARC, read editorials daily. Don't compare your prep time to others - everyone has different starting points. Check your eligibility at collvera.com/eligibility