The CAT percentile predictor is one of the important tools for MBA aspirants to look at and check which college they will get based on their current CAT scores. In a latest update, the CAT 2025 answer key has been released on December 4, 2025. Here, the importance of the CAT percentile predictor rises like anything, as it uses your CAT scores to calculate your percentile and, in turn, gives you a list of potential colleges based on your CAT 2025 exam scores. Keep reading this article for more information about the CAT percentile predictor, IIM cutoffs, the CAT normalisation process, and much more.
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Candidates who appeared for the CAT 2025 exam, which concluded on November 30, 2025, must be unsure how to calculate the CAT percentile. If you are one of them, you are on the right page. The CAT percentile is calculated based on the CAT section-wise scaled scores and overall scaled scores. The CAT percentile uses a simple method to find the CAT percentile using the number of candidates in the exam and the rank of the candidates.
Step 1: First, you are required to calculate the number of candidates, let’s say N, who appear in the CAT 2025 Exam.
Step 2: Now allot the ranks, let’s say R, to all the candidates who appear for the exam based on their scaled score obtained by the candidate in one of the CAT sections, such as VARC, DILR, or QA.
Step 3: P means percentile. The image below shows how to calculate the CAT percentile using the rank based on the DILR section scaled score.

Candidates must be worried and tangled around how much a CAT score is equal to a percentile. To solve this problem, the following table mentions the CAT score vs percentile for your reference.
CAT Percentile | CAT 2025 Slot 1 Score Vs Percentile | CAT slot 2 score vs percentile | CAT slot 3 score vs percentile |
99.95 | 110+ | 110+ | 112+ |
99.9 | 100-104 | 102-105 | 102-104 |
99.5 | 90-92 | 89-91 | 88-90 |
99 | 78-82 | 77-79 | 76-78 |
97 | — | 65-67 | 65-67 |
95 | 56-58 | 55-57 | 54-56 |
90 | 45-48 | 44-46 | 44-45 |
85 | 40-42 | 38-40 | 38-40 |
80 | 35-36 | 34-35 | 34-35 |
75 | 32-33 | 31-32 | 30-32 |
70 | 30-31 | 29-30 | 29-30 |
60 | 25-26 | 24-25 | 24-25 |
The IIM selection process involves multiple stages and checks candidates’ abilities on multiple grounds, including communication, domain knowledge, etc. Candidates are required to go through the CAT, WAT and PI selection cycle before the final selection. Refer to the following points for more information.
CAT 2025 Exam: Candidates are required to appear for the CAT 2025 exam to fill out the IIM application form 2026 and to get shortlisted for further rounds for the MBA program.
WAT: Shortlisted candidates undergo a written ability test or WAT to assess their written communication skills and aptitude to represent their thought process effectively.
Interview: The final round is a personal interview where panel members test candidates' interpersonal communications and domain knowledge before the final selection for MBA admission 2026-28.
Here are some of the top IIMs according to their NIRF 2025 rankings for the students who have written the CAT 2025 exam. As many of you wonder what college I will get into, scoring a certain CAT percentile. For this, the CAT percentile predictor helps you decide on a college based on your CAT scores and percentile. Refer to the list of IIMs in India with their MBA fees and IIM NIRF Rankings 2025.
IIM Institutions | IIM MBA Fees | NIRF Rankings 2025 |
IIM Ahmedabad | Rs. 27.5 Lakhs | 1 |
IIM Bangalore | Rs. 26.5 Lakhs | 2 |
IIM Kozhikode | Rs.22.5 Lakhs | 3 |
IIM Lucknow | Rs. 20.75 Lakhs | 5 |
IIM Calcutta | Rs. 33.5 Lakhs | 7 |
IIM Raipur | Rs. 18 Lakhs | 15 |
IIM Trichy | Rs. 21 Lakhs | 16 |
IIM Ranchi | Rs. 19.2 Lakhs | 18 |
IIM Rohtak | Rs. 17.9 Lakhs | 19 |
IIM Udaipur | Rs. 7.26 Lakhs | 21 |
IIM Kashipur | Rs. 12 Lakhs | 23 |
IIM Nagpur | Rs. 21 Lakhs | 25 |
IIM Vishakhapatnam | Rs. 20.5 Lakhs | 29 |
IIM Bodhgaya | Rs. 17.96 Lakhs | 31 |
IIM Sambalpur | Rs. 21 Lakhs | 34 |
IIM Jammu | Rs. 20.73 Lakhs | 35 |
IIM Shillong | Rs. 26.18 Lakhs | 38 |
IIM Sirmaur | Rs. 20 Lakhs | 51 |
IIM Amritsar | Rs. 21 Lakhs | 64 |
Here are the expected CAT 2025 cutoffs for students to set their target and align their exam strategy with the given cutoff requirements. The CAT percentile lets you calculate the percentile using your estimated CAT scores and predict your college based on the given CAT percentile.
List of IIM Institutions | CAT 2025 Exam Cutoff |
99+ | |
99 | |
99 | |
97 | |
97 | |
94 | |
92 | |
97 | |
92 | |
94 | |
95 | |
94 | |
92 | |
90 | |
95 | |
95 | |
90 | |
94 | |
95 | |
96+ | |
95+ | |
95-97 | |
94 | |
94 | |
— |
CAT percentile calculation depends on several factors, and a candidate calculating CAT percentile may see variation in the CAT percentile based on the level of difficulty of the CAT 2025 exam, the number of candidates who filled the exam, and the normalisation process. Check the points below for more information.
Slot Difficulty: The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in three different slots, including morning, afternoon and evening, having different levels of difficulty and due to which overall scores and percentiles may vary.
Normalisation: To minimise biases and unfair advantages, IIM Kozhikode will use the CAT normalisation process, by which the CAT raw scores will be converted into a CAT scaled score for all the candidates.
Relative Performance: The CAT percentile is about getting ahead of other candidates and not qualifying for certain marks. The rank and percentile are calculated based on the CAT raw scores and the CAT scaled score, and in turn translated into the CAT percentile in the end due to which we may see little variation in the final scores.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can calculate the expected CAT percentile with the Careers360 percentile predictor. It helps you predict your CAT 2025 percentile and helps you find a college based on your CAT percentile.
Yes, the Careers360 CAT percentile predictor is absolutely free for the students. The students are required to log in to the CAT percentile predictor to get an expected CAT 2025 percentile score and college options.
The Careers360 percentile predictor uses the same method and marking scheme to predict your CAT percentile. It helps you calculate CAT raw scores, scaled scores, and the expected CAT 2025 percentile.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Student,
With a CAT 2025 percentile of 98.25, you have a good chance of receiving calls from several IIMs, particularly newer IIMs. However, IIM Ahmedabad , Bangalore , Calcutta , and Lucknow generally require higher percentiles for General-category candidates. Calls also depend on sectional percentiles, academics, work experience, and
Hello CAT Aspirant!
If you mean the CAT ( Common Admission Test) EWS certificate, the important point is whether the certificate is valid and issued in the prescribed format, rather than simply the language used on it.
Yes, a Hindi EWS certificate can generally be accepted for CAT, provided it
If you have already received your final MA result and have technically completed the degree , but you are only waiting for the revaluation outcome, you would generally be considered a graduate rather than someone whose master's degree is still completely in progress. However, CAT has specific instructions about qualification
If you mean CAT (Common Admission Test) preparation, you can practise with previous-year CAT papers. IIM has a collection of CAT papers from 2017 to 2025, covering VARC, DILR and Quant across different slots, along with solutions and explanations. Solving the recent papers first can help you understand the current
Hello Student,
Yes, you can apply for CAT with an EWS certificate issued in Hindi, provided it is issued by the competent authority and follows the required format. However, CAT applicants need a Central-level EWS certificate, not merely a state-level EWS certificate. Since you are from Uttar Pradesh, ensure your
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