97th Percentile In CAT, 3 IIM Offers In Hand: Why Mohit Arora Chose The Indian Army
Mohit Arora secured the 97th percentile in CAT 2023 and received admission offers from IIM Amritsar, IIM Nagpur and IIM Jammu. However, he chose to pursue his dream of joining the Indian Army and eventually secured AIR 212.
Mohit Arora from Punjab stayed committed to his dream of wearing the Olive Green uniform even after securing the 97th percentile in the 2023 Common Admission Test (CAT) and receiving admission offers from three Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).
After completing his Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physics, Arora appeared for CAT twice, in 2022 and 2023. He secured the 93rd percentile in CAT 2022 and improved his performance to the 97th percentile in CAT 2023. His scores earned him admission offers from IIM Amritsar, IIM Nagpur and IIM Jammu.
Why Did Mohit Arora Choose The Indian Army’s Olive Green Dream?
For Arora, the goal of joining the Indian Army was deeply influenced by his family. His father, an ex-serviceman who served with the Army Postal Service, was his role model. Growing up watching his father in the Olive Green uniform inspired Arora to pursue a career as an Army officer and serve the nation.
Despite having the opportunity to pursue management education at three IIMs, Arora remained focused on his long-standing ambition. His journey eventually led him to secure an All India Rank (AIR) of 212 and earn his place in the Indian Army.
Mohit Arora’s Academic Journey
Arora is a resident of Phagwara in Punjab’s Kapurthala district. He completed his Class 10 education at Army Public School, Kolkata, and Class 12 from Army Public School, Jalandhar Cantonment.
He later pursued a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Physics from Lovely Professional University, where he graduated with distinction. His academic record was followed by strong performance in CAT, with his percentile improving from 93 in 2022 to 97 in 2023.
His CAT performance also opened doors to three IIMs - Amritsar, Nagpur and Jammu. However, instead of choosing the conventional management route, Arora continued working towards his goal of joining the armed forces.
𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 : 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐂 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐚
— Army Training Command, Indian Army (@artrac_ia) September 4, 2026
Officer Cadet Mohit Arora from Phagwara, District Kapurthala, Punjab, exemplifies resilience, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to his… pic.twitter.com/3IpbEprqDE
From 97 Percentile In CAT To Indian Army
Arora’s journey highlights how career decisions can be driven by personal aspirations beyond academic achievements or prestigious admission offers. While an IIM admission could have offered him a different professional path, he chose to remain committed to his dream of serving in the Indian Army.
His journey was described as one of resilience, perseverance and unwavering commitment. After repeated efforts, he secured AIR 212 and earned the opportunity to join the Indian Army as an officer.
The story also reflects the influence of family and personal inspiration in shaping career choices. For Arora, his father’s service was not just a source of inspiration but also a reason to pursue the Olive Green uniform himself.
His journey from studying Physics and securing distinction to scoring 97 percentile in CAT, receiving three IIM admission offers and eventually securing AIR 212 demonstrates that academic success and career aspirations do not always have to follow the same path. For Arora, the ultimate goal remained clear -serving the nation as an Army officer.
