Pranjal Rao

I had always been quite confident about my preparation. I was focused on getting into an IIM and believed I had a good chance of getting into the private colleges I had applied to. Then came the rejection from Christ University, Bangalore.

It broke my confidence more than I expected. But looking back, that rejection was probably the moment that changed my preparation the most.

Instead of letting it set the tone for the rest of my journey, I became more focused on improving. I started attending the Guided Practice Sessions more seriously, pushed myself through mocks, and gradually began working on the gaps I had previously overlooked. With every mock and every session, my confidence started coming back.

If I had to describe what this journey taught me, it would be simple: question the usual and find the reasoning behind what you're told.

That was something I was already inclined towards, but my time at XEP strengthened it considerably. I realised that preparation isn't just about knowing a fact or learning a method, it is about understanding why something works. That way of thinking gradually started extending beyond academics as well.

Today, I look back at the journey as something that developed me far beyond an entrance examination. It made me more confident, more curious and more willing to challenge what is simply presented as the usual way of doing things.

The journey eventually led to calls from IIM Rohtak and IIM Ranchi, along with a shortlist from IIM Indore. But one of the most valuable things I take away from the experience isn't an admission letter. It is the people I met along the way, the like-minded friends and mentors who became an important part of my journey and, I believe, a social circle I'll carry with me well beyond college and into my professional life.