Can I fake my CAT response sheet using Inspect Element?
Faking your CAT response sheet using Inspect Element is pointless, and it will get you caught. The tool only edits the HTML rendered in your browser, a temporary visual trick that vanishes on refresh and touches nothing on IIM's backend servers.
How Inspect Element Actually Works
Your browser downloads HTML from a server and renders it locally. Inspect Element lets you modify that local copy.
The moment you close the tab, reload the page, or anyone else checks the same URL, the "edited" score disappears. IIM's database holds the real numbers independently.
No amount of right-clicking changes what's stored on their servers.
The case discussed in the original thread illustrates exactly how fast this unravels. A candidate allegedly claimed a perfect 204/204, but his name appeared nowhere on IIM Calcutta's published topper list.
When IIM Ahmedabad's admission team cross-verified his scaled score during the verification round, the actual figure on record was 60 marks (90th percentile), not a 99.9+ score. The fabricated screenshot had zero standing because IIMs verify directly from their own database, not from any document you submit.
What IIMs Actually Verify
Every shortlisted candidate goes through a backend score pull, not a document check. Admission teams at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta cross-reference your CAT registration number against the official scaled scores released by the convening IIM.
Screenshots, PDFs, and printed copies are supporting documents at best; the registration number is the single source of truth.
| Verification Stage | What They Check | Can Inspect Element Fool It? |
|---|---|---|
| Shortlisting | Scaled score via CAT ID | No |
| PI/WAT call letter | Score on official portal | No |
| Final admission offer | Document + backend match | No |
| Post-admission audit | Registration records | No |
The Consequences Are Career-Ending
This is not a slap-on-the-wrist situation. Penalties stack quickly
- Immediate disqualification from the current CAT cycle
- Potential permanent ban from future CAT attempts
- Admission cancellation at any IIM that relied on false data
- Criminal exposure under IT Act Section 66C (identity theft) and IPC Section 417 (cheating)
Beyond the legal dimension, the IIM community is genuinely small and deeply networked. LinkedIn call-outs, coaching institute partnerships, alumni group posts, reputational damage spreads fast and sticks permanently. IIM Ahmedabad's placement average of ₹35.22 LPA (and a total fee of ₹27.5 lakh) makes it a target, which is exactly why their verification is thorough.
What You Should Actually Do
A legitimate 98-99 percentile opens shortlists at several new IIMs, IIMs Kozhikode, Indore, and Shillong, plus strong programs at XLRI, MDI Gurgaon, and SP Jain. The gap between 90 percentile and 98 percentile is closeable in 6-9 months of focused preparation.
Mock tests, sectional analysis, and accuracy work on Verbal and DILR have moved scores by 8-10 percentile points for many repeaters. That path is slower, but it's the only one that actually leads somewhere.
Don't pretend otherwise: attempting to fake a score is not a grey area. It is fraud, and it has ended real careers before any IIM degree was ever earned.
Pro Tip: If you're unhappy with your CAT score, request the official re-checking/grievance process within the declared window rather than editing anything locally; a legitimate score correction has legal standing, a screenshot never will.