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CAT Score vs Percentile 2025: Candidates who are targeting IIMs for 2026 admissions must check the CAT 2025 results using the CAT score card link below. Candidates targeting top IIMs and other B-Schools in India must know that to score 99.95%ile in the CAT 2025 exam, they must have an overall CAT 2025 target score in the range 110-115+. Whereas, if they fall in the 99%ile category, their overall CAT 2025 target score should be in the range 76-82. Before diving deep into the CAT score vs percentile, one must understand that the maximum score in the CAT entrance exam is 204, as 68 questions are distributed across the three sections. Both the CAT 2025 score and the CAT percentile are equally important, as both of them directly affect your chances of getting into IIMs and other top B-schools.
CAT 2025 Score Card Link
IIM Kozhikode will retain its three-stage admission process for the MBA (PGP) 2026–28 batch, with CAT 2025 scores carrying a final weightage of 35 percent. The minimum overall CAT cut-off for general category candidates remains at 85 percentile, with sectional qualifying scores required in VARC, DILR, and QA. Shortlisting of candidates will be based on CAT performance, academic record, and personal interview rounds.
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LATEST: CAT 2025 Cut Off LIVE UPDATES | IIM Admission Dates 2026 | FMS Delhi CAT Cut Off
ALSO CHECK: CAT 2025 Slot 1 Score vs Percentile | CAT 2025 Slot 2 Score vs Percentile | CAT 2025 Slot 3 score vs percentile
Check Out CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile vs Colleges | CAT 2025 cut off IIM ABC | Expected IIM Ahmedabad Composite Score 2026
CAT score vs percentile explains how a candidate's raw or scaled marks in the CAT exam convert into a percentile, which indicates their relative performance among all test-takers. Let us understand what is CAT score and percentile mean for a better understanding.
| CAT Percentile | CAT Score Vs Percentile 2025 Slot 1 | CAT Score Vs Percentile 2025 Slot 2 | CAT Score Vs Percentile 2025 Slot 3 |
| 99.95 | 115+ | 110+ | 112+ |
| 99.9 | 103-106 | 102-105 | 102-104 |
| 99.5 | 90-92 | 89-91 | 88-90 |
| 99 | 78-82 | 77-79 | 76-78 |
| 97 | 66-68 | 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 |
To be able to understand this topic, you must understand every term about the CAT exam properly. One must understand that the CAT score refers to the total mark obtained in the exam based on the CAT marking scheme, whereas the CAT percentile is the relative ranking received by the candidate among all the test takers. Check out the following table, which mentions the difference between the two.
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CAT Score | CAT Percentile |
Total marks obtained in the CAT exam based on correct and incorrect answers. | The relative ranking of a candidate compared to all other test takers. |
Absolute value | Relatve value |
Based on CAT marking scheme (+3 marks for correct answer and -1 marks for incorrect answer) | Based on the number of candidates who scored less than you |
0 to 198 (approx.) | 0 to 100 |
Your raw performance in the CAT exam | Your position or rank among all test takers. |
Slightly affected | Heaviy affected by normalisation and scaling |
The conversion of the CAT score to the percentile involves three stages. Firstly, the CAT raw score is calculated on the basis of candidates' performance. After that, the CAT raw score is normalised to get the candidate's scaled score, and then the scaled score determines the CAT percentile. The CAT scorecard does not show the raw score; it only mentions the CAT scaled score and percentile for each section, along with the overall CAT score.
To calculate the CAT score, candidates can follow the process. Also, you can use the CAT score calculator tool to calculate your CAT score.
Candidate | Questions Answered | Correct Answers | Wrong Answers | Marks for Correct Answers | Marks for Wrong Answers | CAT Score |
ABC | 66 | 40 | 26 | 40*3= 120 | 26*1= 26 | 120-26= 94 |
XYZ | 54 | 50 | 4 | 50*3= 150 | 4*1= 4 | 150-4= 146 |
Note that due to negative marking, wrong attempts lead to a deduction of marks from the total.
The CAT 2025 percentile will be calculated based on the scaled score of each section from which questions are asked as well as the overall scaled score. CAT result 2025 will indicate the sectional as well as the overall scaled score and the CAT percentile of candidates.
Now let us take an example and understand how is CAT percentile is calculated. Here the VARC section is just taken as an example with regard to the calculation of percentile.
Step 1: The first step is calculating the total number of candidates (N) who are likely to appear for the IIM Entrance Exam, in both sessions, i.e. in the forenoon and afternoon session.
Step 2: Allot Rank (r) based on the scaled score obtained in the VARC section to all the candidates who appeared in the CAT. If two or more candidates score the same marks in the section, then assign identical ranks to the candidates.
Step 3: Calculate the percentile score (P) of a candidate with rank (r) in the VARC section as:

Step 4: Now, round off the calculated percentile score (P) of a candidate up to two decimal points only. For example, all percentile scores greater than or equal to 89.995 are rounded off to 90
Follow the same methodology for computing the overall CAT percentile scores and for the percentile scores of other sections. Also, you can use the CAT percentile calculator tool to calculate your CAT percentile.
The final CAT scorecard will display the percentile secured by each candidate. All must know that the CAT percentile scores are calculated by the IIMs, taking into account the total number of candidates who took the exam and each candidate's scaled CAT score.
The formula for calculating the CAT exam percentile is as follows:
P: Candidate's CAT percentile
R: Rank which has been assigned to the candidate based on the CAT scaled score.
N: Total number of candidates who appeared for the CAT 2025 exam.
CAT composite scores of each candidate are calculated based on the following parameters.
CAT score (scaled)
Class 10 marks
Class 12 marks
Graduation score
Work experience
Gender diversity
Academic diversity
Here is the formula for calculating the CAT composite score.

IIM Kozhikode conducted the CAT exam on November 30, 2025, in CBT mode. Check out this CAT 2025 score vs percentile slot-wise table, where we have listed the CAT marks vs percentile 2025 (expected).
| CAT Percentile | CAT Score Vs Percentile 2025 Slot 1 | CAT Score Vs Percentile 2025 Slot 2 | CAT Score Vs Percentile 2025 Slot 3 |
| 99.95 | 115+ | 110+ | 112+ |
| 99.9 | 103-106 | 102-105 | 102-104 |
| 99.5 | 90-92 | 89-91 | 88-90 |
| 99 | 78-82 | 77-79 | 76-78 |
| 95 | 56-58 | 55-57 | 54-56 |
| 90 | 45-48 | 44-46 | 44-45 |
Check out the following table, which mentions the CAT 2024 score vs percentile.
Percentile | CAT VARC | CAT DILR | CAT QA | Overall Score |
| 100 | 39.17 | 61.86 | 52.15 | 153.17 |
99.85 | 33.96 | 55.31 | 31.17 | 118.44 |
99.14 | 12.08 | 61.56 | 43.16 | 96.79 |
89 | 15.21 | 24.46 | 16.19 | 55.86 |
On the basis of the difficulty level of the CAT exam, the same was moderate to difficult. Here we have provided last year's CAT score vs percentile section-wise as per experts and students. Candidates can expect CAT score vs percentile will be on a similar line or a bit higher since this year CAT registrations increased as compared to last year.
Percentile | Score VARC | Score DILR | Score QA | Overall Score |
99.5 | 42 | 30 | 30 | 86 |
99 | 36 | 25 | 25 | 74 |
95 | 30 | 20 | 22 | 52 |
90 | 24 | 14 | 13 | 42 |
80 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 35 |
70 | 18 | 9 | 7 | 30 |
The comparative analysis of CAT score vs percentile 2022 is quite different from 2024 and 2023. Candidates with a CAT score ranging from 48 to 144 made a CAT percentile of 95 to 100. From the year-wise CAT score vs percentile analysis, the required CAT raw score to achieve a CAT percentile above 95 increases year by year due to the higher level of competition and difficulty level of the CAT exam.
Percentile | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall Score |
99.5 | 43 | 32 | 38 | 93 |
99 | 39 | 29 | 33 | 84 |
90 | 23 | 15 | 17 | 49 |
80 | 18 | 11 | 12 | 36 |
70 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 28 |
Check out the section-wise CAT score vs percentile 2021.
Percentile | CAT VARC | CAT DILR | CAT QA | Overall Score |
99.5 | 49 | 37 | 40 | 107 |
99 | 45 | 34 | 34 | 97 |
90 | 28 | 20 | 18 | 60 |
80 | 22 | 15 | 12 | 45 |
Question- Can I get IIM with the 95 percentile? Answer- As mentioned above, the CAT cutoff for top IIMs usually ranges between 98 to 100 percentiles for candidates belonging to the General category. Those who belong to a reserved category i.e. SC or ST can expect a call from IIMs with 95 percentile in CAT. Also, the CAT cutoffs for admission to top MBA colleges such as MDI, FMS, and SPJIMR, among others, range from 90 to 99 percentile. Question-What is 30 marks in CAT percentile? Answer- The 30 marks in the CAT exam are considered to be the 80 percentile based on the previous year trends. Question-What is 60 marks in CAT percentile? Answer- CAT aspirants who achieve 60 marks in the CAT exam can expect the CAT percentile range from 90 to 92. Question-What is 50 marks in CAT percentile? Answer- MBA aspirants who achieve 60 marks in the CAT exam can score the CAT percentile ranges from 85 to 87. Question: Do sectional cutoff scores depend on CAT score vs percentile? |
Apart from above mentioned CAT percentile calculation method, candidates can calculate their CAT percentile by using a predictor tool. The accuracy of the CAT 2025 percentile predictor depends on the details provided by the CAT aspirant. While analysing the CAT percentile, the tool considers the difficulty level of the CAT exam slot, expert analysis, and student feedback to predict the CAT 2025 percentile.
Candidates can use the CAT percentile predictor free tool introduced by Careers360, which is easy to use, and they will get to know their MBA admission chances in IIMs or other top B-schools.
Use CAT percentile predictor tool by Careers360
Careers360's CAT score calculator is easy to use. Follow the provided steps:
Open the Careers360's CAT percentile predictor tool link
Enter the required CAT exam details, such as
Expected CAT score
VARC, DILR, and QA score (optional)
CAT registration number (optional)
Date of birth (optional)
Mobile number
After entering the required details, click on the 'Predict My Percentile' tab
The CAT result prediction report will be sent to candidates' registered mobile numbers
With the help of the percentile predictor tool, students can know their CAT 2025 expected score vs percentile, and the CAT expected percentile.
Check out the following table, which mentions the total number of CAT exam test takers from 2020 to 2024.
Year | Number of Candidates Registered | Number of Candidates Appeared | Percentage Increase/Decrease in test takers (%) |
2020 | 2,27,835 | 1,90,144 | (-) 9.42 |
2021 | 2,29,969 | 1,91,660 | 0.79 |
2022 | 2,55,501 | 2,22,184 | 15.92 |
2023 | 3,23,000 | 2,88,000 | 29.6 |
2024 | 3,29,000 | 2,93,000 | 1.73 |
This is one of the most important sections, where a candidate must have an understanding of which top MBA colleges they can target with 90+, 95+ and 99+ CAT percentile. The detailed information for the same has been mentioned below.
Here is a list of top MBA colleges that will accept 99+ percentile in the CAT 2025.
Check out the following list of top MBA colleges which will target 95= CAT percentile for the CAT 2025 exam.
The following is the respective list of MBA colleges which will accept students for MBA admission with 90+ CAT percentile.
Over 1000 MBA colleges in India are accepting the CAT percentile for MBA admission. Among the top CAT-accepting colleges are 21 IIMs and other top CAT MBA colleges in a non-IIM category, including MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, SJSoM IIT Mumbai, SPJIMR Mumbai, DoMS IIT Delhi and from this year IIFT has also announced to accept CAT score for the MBA (IB) admission.
IIMs and Other top B-Schools in India | Range of CAT cut off percentile |
94 to 97 | |
91 to 93 | |
95 to 98 | |
97 to 98 | |
93 to 95 | |
93 to 96 | |
85 to 88 | |
84 to 87 | |
80 to 85 | |
80 to 85 | |
94 to 95 | |
97 to 98 | |
95 to 97 | |
90 to 95 | |
90 to 94 | |
90 to 93 | |
80 to 85 | |
80 to 85 |
Question: What percentile is 40 marks in CAT exam?
Answer: A score of 40 marks in the CAT exam typically translates to approximately 80 percentile. Although this can vary by a few percentile points depending on the year's difficulty and slot.
Question: What is a safe score in CAT?
Answer: A safe score depends on the target institute, but a 99+ percentile can be considered a safe score for top IIMs like IIM A, IIM B and IIM C.
Check out the following strategy for candidates to score 99+ percentile in the CAT 2025 exam, which will guarantee them admission to top B-schools in India.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To secure 99+ percentile in CAT, candidates should attempt at least 75 percent of questions with a good accuracy rate and score 80+ in CAT 2025.
The 92 percentile in the CAT exam ranges around 50 marks.
CAT percentile is calculated based on the difficulty level of the exam, the number of candidates who appeared in the CAT exam and the candidates performance.
Candidates can score as well as check the CAT percentile using the scorecard.
CAT percentile formula is (1 - All India Rank(Total Candidates in the Exam) * 100%).
Yes, there are many B-schools which offers MBA with 85 percentile in CAT. Check few names of premier B-schools.
There are many B-schools offers MBA admission for 60 to 70 percentile in CAT. Check name of few B-schools.
There are many B-schools offers MBA admission for 70 to 80 percentile in CAT. Check name of few B-schools.
In order to secure 90 percentile in CAT entrance test, candidates have to score 72-75 overall score.
For IIMs, nothing less than 97-98 percentile is good but for other top MBA colleges 90-95 percentile is good. A majority of CAT test takers fall in the category of 80-90 percentile and 100s of B-schools accept candidates having CAT score in this range.
On Question asked by student community
HELLO,
With an overall 98.54 percentile ( QA/DILR 97.55, VARC 94.89) and strong academics 9/9/0, you have a good profile. As a B.Tech candidate you can expect calls from :-
Hope this will help you !
Hello aspirant,
Your kid has a good profile even in the general category with a BTech from IIT Delhi, three years of excellent job experience in a leading industry, and a 96 percentile in the CAT. He has a strong chance at reputable MBA schools like IIM Shillong, IIM Udaipur, IIM Trichy, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and others, depending on interview performance and profile match, even though the top IIMs often require higher percentiles.
Thank you
Hope it helps you
With an overall CAT percentile of 82.71 in CAT 2025 as a general category candidate, along with section-wise percentiles of 80.56 in VARC, 75.81 in DILR and 84.56 in QA, your chances at top IIMs are limited, as most older IIMs usually shortlist general category candidates at much higher percentiles. However, this percentile still keeps you eligible for admission calls from several Tier-2 and Tier-3 MBA colleges across India, especially those that consider overall performance, academic background and work experience along with CAT scores. You can expect calls from institutes such as IMT Nagpur, IMI Bhubaneswar, FORE School of Management (some programs), TAPMI Manipal (borderline), Great Lakes Institute of Management (Chennai or Gurgaon for PGPM/PGDM variants), K J Somaiya (depending on cut-offs), GIM Goa (through CAT or other exams), and state-level universities that accept CAT scores. Additionally, many good private universities and autonomous B-schools consider candidates in the 80–85 percentile range and conduct their own GD-PI rounds. To improve your chances, you should apply widely, prepare well for interviews, and highlight your academics, work experience, certifications and extracurricular achievements, as final selection is not based on CAT score alone.
All the best.
With an overall CAT 2025 percentile of 82.71, you are unlikely to get calls from the IIMs (including new or baby IIMs), as most of them generally shortlist candidates at 90+ percentile, even after considering category and profile factors. However, this percentile is still quite decent and opens doors to many good Tier-2 and Tier-3 MBA colleges in India that offer solid academics, reasonable placements, and good industry exposure.
At around 80–85 percentile, you have a strong chance of getting shortlisted by institutes such as IMI Bhubaneswar, IMT Nagpur, IMT Hyderabad, XIME Bangalore/Chennai, TAPMI Manipal (borderline, profile-dependent), IFMR GSB Krea University, FORE School of Management (certain programs), GIM Goa (specialised programs), LIBA Chennai (borderline), K J Somaiya Institute of Management (profile-based), Great Lakes Chennai/Gurgaon (PGDM – profile matters a lot), and Welingkar Mumbai (especially through profile + GDPI). Many reputed state universities and private institutes like PUMBA Pune, Delhi School of Management (DTU – if accepting CAT that year), BIMTECH (some programs), NDIM Delhi, ITM Navi Mumbai, and Jaipuria Institute of Management campuses are also realistic options.
Your sectional percentiles (VARC 80.56, DILR 75.81, QA 84.56) are fairly balanced, which works in your favor, as several colleges apply sectional cut-offs around 60–70 percentile. Final selection will depend not only on CAT score but also on academic background, graduation marks, work experience, diversity factors, and GD-PI performance. If you have work experience, it significantly improves your chances at colleges like Great Lakes, FORE, IFMR, and Welingkar.
In summary, while top IIMs are not achievable at 82.71 percentile, you can still secure admission into reputed mid-tier MBA colleges that provide good ROI and career growth if you perform well in the GD-PI process. It is advisable to apply broadly, focus on profile-based institutes, and prepare seriously for interviews to convert the best possible calls.
With 84.91 percentile in CAT (General, male, no work experience), top colleges like IIMs, IITs, FMS, MDI, etc. are not possible. You may get calls from private institutes such as IMT Nagpur/Hyderabad, IMI Bhubaneswar, XIME, SDMIMD, Welingkar (some programs) and similar colleges. Universities like Amity or LPU are also options.
It’s better to choose carefully, as placements and ROI may be average. Reattempting CAT or trying XAT/CMAT could improve options.
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