Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 1st Dec 2024
98 Percentile in CAT 2024: Scoring a 98 percentile in the CAT (Common Admission Test) is a dream for many MBA aspirants. This score places candidates in the top 2% of test-takers, significantly increasing the chances of admission to premier institutes like the IIMs and other top B-schools in India. However, achieving this percentile requires a clear understanding of the score dynamics and preparation strategy.
In this article, we break down the approximate marks required to secure a 98 percentile in CAT 2024, the factors influencing percentile calculation, and tips to achieve this target.
The CAT exam comprises three sections:
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Quantitative Ability (QA)
Each section is scored out of 68 marks, making the total score 204. However, the scaled score (adjusted based on difficulty levels) determines the percentile.
While the exact marks needed for a 98 percentile vary each year due to factors like exam difficulty and performance of candidates, historical data provides a rough estimate:
Overall Score: 105-115 out of 204
Sectional Scores:
VARC: 35-40
DILR: 30-35
QA: 35-40
These figures are indicative and can shift based on the normalization process and varying levels of competitiveness.
Several factors play a role in determining how many marks correspond to a 98 percentile:
Exam Difficulty: Tougher papers often lead to lower marks for higher percentiles.
Candidate Pool: The number and performance of test-takers significantly affect percentile brackets.
Sectional Weightage: Each section contributes equally to the overall percentile, so balanced performance is essential.
Analyze Previous Year Trends: Study past years’ score-percentile relationships to set realistic targets.
Focus on Strengths and Weaknesses: Identify your strong areas and maximize your sectional scores while improving weak sections.
Time Management: Practice mocks to optimize time across sections effectively.
Mock Tests and Analysis: Regularly attempt mocks and analyze them to fine-tune your strategy.
Consistency in Preparation: Follow a structured study plan and avoid last-minute cramming.
A 98 percentile opens doors to top B-schools such as:
IIMs: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, and more.
Other Premier Institutes: FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, etc.
These institutes often shortlist candidates with a strong CAT score coupled with an excellent academic and co-curricular profile.
Securing a 98 percentile in CAT requires a combination of smart preparation, focused practice, and a clear understanding of scoring patterns. By aiming for a score of 105-115, you can significantly boost your chances of joining a top-tier MBA program.
Stay committed, analyze your performance, and align your efforts with past trends to make your CAT 2024 journey a success.
Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | ||||||||||
Percentile | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
99% | 39-40 | 31-32 | 30-31 | 90 | 41-42 | 27-28 | 28-29 | 87 | 42-43 | 28-29 | 30-32 | 93 |
95% | 31-32 | 24-25 | 23-24 | 66 | 33-34 | 22-23 | 22-23 | 63 | 34-35 | 23-24 | 24-25 | 68 |
90% | 25-26 | 19-21 | 17-18 | 56-57 | 26-27 | 18-19 | 16-17 | 55-56 | 27-28 | 19-20 | 17-18 | 58-60 |
85% | 22-23 | 16-18 | 14-15 | 45-46 | 23-24 | 15-17 | 13-14 | 44-45 | 24-25 | 16-17 | 14-15 | 46-48 |
80% | 20-21 | 13-14 | 12-13 | 40-41 | 21-22 | 12-14 | 11-12 | 39-40 | 22-23 | 13-14 | 12-13 | 42-44 |
70% | 16-17 | 11-12 | 10-11 | 35-36 | 17-18 | 11-12 | 10-11 | 35-36 | 18-19 | 12-13 | 11-12 | 37-38 |
Typically, 105-115 marks (out of 204) are required for a 98 percentile in CAT. However, the exact score may vary based on the difficulty level and candidate performance.
Yes, balanced performance across VARC, DILR, and QA is crucial as each section contributes equally to the overall percentile.
No, admission to IIMs depends on other factors such as academic profile, work experience, and performance in the interview and WAT rounds.
Percentile in CAT is calculated based on the scaled score, considering the relative performance of all candidates and normalization for difficulty across slots.
Candidates with a 98 percentile can get calls from IIM Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode, and sometimes IIM Calcutta or Bangalore, depending on their profiles.
A tougher exam generally reduces the marks needed for higher percentiles, as scaling adjusts for the difficulty level.
Absolutely! With the right preparation and strategy, candidates from all academic backgrounds can achieve a 98 percentile.
On average, 2-3 hours of consistent daily study over 6-8 months, combined with mock tests and analysis, can help achieve this target.
Yes, regular mock tests help improve time management, accuracy, and familiarity with the exam pattern, which are key to scoring 98 percentile.
Focus on understanding concepts, practice extensively, analyze mock test performance, and maintain a consistent study routine.
A score of 64 marks in CAT would likely fall around the 85th percentile depending on the difficulty of the exam and the overall performance of candidates in this year.
So,it is highly unlikely that you will receive a call from any of the IIMs as the required percentile for an IIM call is typically much higher, usually ranging from 90% and above, especially for top IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta.
If you are looking for MBA programs, consider exploring other B-schools that may have lower cut-offs for admission.
Here are some B-schools that may have lower cutoffs for admission:
SOIL Institute of Management: Has a CAT cut-off of 75 percentile
T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal: Has an expected CAT cut-off of 85+
Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM): Has an expected CAT cut-off of 85+
MICA: Has an expected CAT cut-off of 85+
S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai: Has a CAT cut-off of 85 percentile
Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), Mumbai: Has a CAT cut-off of 97.5 percentile
Others are IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, JBIMS, XIMB, and GIM.
Now coming to your academic background which often calculated as a weighted average based on the importance of each component different b school has different criteria for it.
You can use predictor tool for prediction of most accurate information of col
leges
To get admission into the NAARM MBA program , which is officially called a PGDM-ABM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management - Agri Business Management), candidates need to apply online, take the CAT or CMAT entrance exam, followed by a shortlisting based on their scores, and then appear for a Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) on campus; the final selection is based on a combination of their entrance exam score, performance in GD/PI, and academic record, with a strong emphasis on agricultural business related skills and experience.
Reservation criteria is same here as other MBA colleges set by government of india i.e
Scheduled Caste (SC): 15% of seats
Scheduled Tribe (ST): 7.5% of seats
Economically Weaker Section (EWS): 10% of seats
Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC): 27% of seats for candidates belonging to the “non-creamy” layer
The CAT cutoff percentiles for the 2024-26 PGDM-ABM batch at the ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research and Management (NAARM) are as follows:
General: 75.14
EWS: 38.00
NC-OBC: 44.16
SC: 72.980
for a NAARM MBA PREPARATION interview (specifically their PGDM Agri-Business Management program), focus on thoroughly researching NAARM's curriculum, emphasizing your agricultural background and business acumen, practicing answers to common MBA interview questions, and showcasing your passion for the agri-business sector, while also being ready to discuss your career goals aligned with NAARM's focus on rural development and sustainable agriculture practices.be genuine with your answers.
Hello Varun,
Based on your CAT raw score and profile, here's a breakdown of your potential calls and your chances for different institutes:
1. GIM Goa, GLIM Chennai, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI Delhi:
Overall, you can expect a call from institutes that weigh work experience and academic performance heavily, but you should also be prepared for lower-tier institutes in terms of CAT score cutoffs. Ensure you target institutes that match your profile for better chances.
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Hello,
Some of the popular coaching institutes in Pune for CAT preparation include:
TIME (Triumphant Institute of Management Education)
The institute is well known for its structured approach, expert faculty, and comprehensive study material. Offers both classroom and online programs. It has a very good success record and also provides several mock tests, workshops, and test series.
Career Launcher
Provides both online and offline courses for CAT preparation. The institute is known for its focused approach and quality study material. Personalized mentoring and mock tests.
IMS Learning Resources
BYJU's (Pune Center)
Mentors' Academy
Excel Academy
These institutes, both classroom coaching and online options, will vary, so it's all up to you. Some points to be kept in mind before one selects the institute are faculty experience, success rate, mock tests available, and if they offer personal support or not.
Hello aspirant,
Here below I am providing you the name of some of the top CAT coaching institutes in Pune:
Thank you
Hope it helps you
A career as Marketing Director is also known as a marketing expert who is responsible for the overall marketing aspect of the company. He or she oversees plans and develops the company's budget. The marketing Director collaborates with the business team to plan and develop the marketing and branding strategies for the company's products or services.
A Business Development Executive (BDE) is a professional responsible for identifying growth opportunities and fostering strategic partnerships to enhance a company's market position. Typically, a BDE conducts market research, analyses industry trends, and identifies potential clients or business prospects. He or she plays a crucial role in developing and implementing sales strategies to achieve revenue targets.
A BDE often collaborates with cross-functional teams, including marketing and product development, to align business objectives. Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills are essential for success in this role. BDE strives to expand the company's customer base, drive sales, and contribute to overall organisational growth in a dynamic and competitive business environment.
Content Marketing Specialists are also known as Content Specialists. They are responsible for crafting content, editing and developing it to meet the requirements of digital marketing campaigns. To ensure that the material created is consistent with the overall aims of a digital marketing campaign, content marketing specialists work closely with SEO and digital marketing professionals.
A sales manager is a revenue-generating source for a company. Any organisation or company which sells a commodity or service requires sales to generate revenue. A Sales manager is a professional responsible for supervising the sales team. An Individual as a sales manager works closely with salespeople, assigns sales territories, sets quotas, mentors the members of the sales, assigns sales training, and builds a sales plan.
The Sales Manager work also includes hiring and laying off sales personnel after evaluating his or her work performance. In bigger entities, sales quotas and plans are usually set at the executive level. He or she is responsible for overseeing the set target or quotas met by salespeople or upholding any policy. He or she guides his or her fellow salespeople and allows them to sell.
Individuals who opt for a career as a business analyst look at how a company operates. He or she conducts research and analyses data to improve his or her knowledge about the company. This is required so that an individual can suggest the company strategies for improving their operations and processes.
In a business analyst job role a lot of analysis is done, things are learned from past mistakes and the successful strategies are enhanced further. A business analyst goes through real-world data in order to provide the most feasible solutions to an organisation. Students can pursue Business Analytics to become Business Analysts.
A marketing manager is a person who oversees a company or product marketing. He or she can be in charge of multiple programmes or goods or can be in charge of one product. He or she is enthusiastic, organised, and very diligent in meeting financial constraints. He or she works with other team members to produce advertising campaigns and decides if a new product or service is marketable.
A Marketing manager plans and executes marketing initiatives to create demand for goods and services and increase consumer awareness of them. A marketing manager prevents unauthorised statements and informs the public that the business is doing everything to investigate and fix the line of products. Students can pursue an MBA in Marketing Management courses to become marketing managers.
An SEO Analyst is a web professional who is proficient in the implementation of SEO strategies to target more keywords to improve the reach of the content on search engines. He or she provides support to acquire the goals and success of the client’s campaigns.
Digital marketing is growing, diverse, and is covering a wide variety of career paths. Each job function aids in the development of effective digital marketing strategies and techniques. The aims and objectives of the individuals who opt for a career as a digital marketing executive are similar to those of a marketing professional: to build brand awareness, promote company services or products, and increase conversions. Individuals who opt for a career as Digital Marketing Executives, unlike traditional marketing companies, communicate effectively through suitable technology platforms.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 1st Dec 2024
180+ Companies | Highest CTC 15 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
9 IBS Campuses | Scholarships Worth Rs 10 CR
400+ Company Visits | Highest CTC Offered: 21 LPA | Average CTC Offered: 8.65 LPA | 100% Placement Assurance
Highest CTC: INR 28.25 LPA | Average for Top 100 offers: INR 17.34 LPA | Ranked #63 in India under Management category by NIRF | 148 Recruiters
Round 02 Applications Deadline - 21st January 2025 | Average CTC 15.10 LPA