He failed 15 competitive exams before cracking CAT at 99.86 percentile

For years, Soumil Saxena kept appearing for some of India’s toughest competitive examinations — and repeatedly returned without the result he wanted. UPSC Civil Services, RBI Grade B, NABARD Grade A, IBPS PO, LIC AAO, CAT and several other examinations appeared on his list of unsuccessful attempts.But the St Stephen’s College graduate did not stop. After facing setbacks in more than 15 competitive examinations, Saxena secured selection as an SBI Probationary Officer, worked in banking for nearly two years and then returned to CAT preparation. The result: a 99.86 percentile in CAT 2025 and admission to IIM Ahmedabad.His journey offers a reminder that one unsuccessful examination — or even several — does not necessarily decide where a career eventually leads.From St Stephen’s College to five years of competitive examsSaxena graduated in Physical Sciences from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, in 2022.