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CAT Score vs Percentile 2025: CAT Marks vs Percentile Section-Wise, Previous Year's 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021
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CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile: Candidates preparing to appear for the upcoming CAT 2025 exam and targeting IIMs must know the essence of it. Candidates targeting top IIMs and other B-Schools in India must know that to score 100%ile in the CAT 2025 exam, they must have an overall CAT 2025 target score in the range 150-153. Whereas, if they fall in the 99%ile category, their overall CAT 2025 target score should be in the range 96-132.
This Story also Contains
- What is CAT Score vs Percentile?
- How is CAT Score Converted to the CAT Percentile?
- How to Calculate CAT Score 2025: Methodology
- How is CAT Percentile Calculated?
- How to Compute CAT 2025 Percentile?
- How CAT Composite Score is Considered to Determine CAT Scores Vs Percentile?
- CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile (Expected)
- CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2024: Section-Wise
- CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2023: Section-Wise
- CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2022: Section-Wise
- CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2021
- CAT Percentile Predictor 2025
- Total Number of CAT Exam Takers from 2020 to 2024
- Top MBA Colleges in India to target based on CAT Score vs Percentile
- Strategy to Score 99+ CAT Score vs Percentile
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 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.
What is CAT Score vs Percentile?
CAT score vs percentile explains how a candidate's raw or scaled marks in the CAT exam converts into a percentile, which indicates their relative performance among all test-takers. Let us understand what is CAT score and percentile for a better understanding.
- CAT Score: The marks you obtain will be based on correct answers, where you will be awarded +3 marks and in case of incorrect answer -1 mark will be deducted across Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA) sections. After the normalisation process, it will become scaled score.
- CAT Percentile: Shows the percentage of the candidates who scored less than or equal to you. A candidate with 95 percentile mean that you performed better than 95% of test-takers.
CAT Score vs Percentile - Key Differences
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.
CAT 2025: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages
Comprehensive CAT prep guide with focused practice on Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
Download NowCAT 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 |
How is CAT Score Converted to the CAT Percentile?
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.
CAT raw score- The CAT raw score is calculated manually through individual CAT response sheets, which are released along with the CAT official answer key.
Conversion of raw score to CAT scaled score- As there are 3 slots in the CAT exam, the difficulty level of all of the CAT slots might be different. Because of this, the CAT raw score undergoes a normalisation process to determine the CAT scaled score.
Conversion of scaled score to CAT percentile- The CAT scaled score of the candidates will be determined to provide relative data as to how ahead a particular CAT aspirant is as compared to other test takers.
How to Calculate CAT Score 2025: Methodology
To calculate the CAT score, candidates can follow the process. Also, you can use the CAT score calculator tool to calculate your CAT score.
For MCQs: CAT Raw Score -3 x (Number of correct answers) – 1 x (number of wrong answers)
For Non-MCQs: CAT Raw Score- 3 x (Number of correct answers)
Final Raw Score: CAT raw score for MCQ+ CAT raw score for non-MCQ
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.
How is CAT Percentile Calculated?
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.
How to Compute CAT 2025 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.
How CAT Composite Score is Considered to Determine CAT Scores Vs Percentile?
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.
CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile (Expected)
IIM Kozhikode will conduct 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), along with the difficulty level that candidates can expect.
CAT Percentile | CAT VARC Score | CAT DILR Score | CAT QA Score | CAT Overall Score |
100 | 39.17 | 61.86 | 52.15 | 153.17 |
99+ | 12-52 | 33-61 | 31-46 | 96-132 |
98+ | 28 | 31-33 | 28-31 | 97-98 |
97+ | 31-42 | 12-33 | 15-24 | 80.07 |
| 89-90 | 54.79 | 63.99 | 61.14 | 55.86 |
CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2024: Section-Wise
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 |
CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2023: Section-Wise
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 |
CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2022: Section-Wise
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 |
CAT Score vs Percentile Trend 2021
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? |
CAT Percentile Predictor 2025
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
How to Use CAT Percentile Predictor 2025?
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.
Total Number of CAT Exam Takers from 2020 to 2024
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 |
Top MBA Colleges in India to target based on CAT Score vs Percentile
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.
Top MBA Colleges to Target: 99+ CAT Score vs Percentile
Here is a list of top MBA colleges that will accept 99+ percentile in the CAT 2025.
- Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM A)
- Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM B)
- Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM C)
- Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM Indore)
- Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM K)
- Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai (IIM M)
- Faculty of Management Studies (FMS Delhi)
- Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi)
Top MBA Colleges to Target: 95+ CAT Score vs Percentile
Check out the following list of top MBA colleges which will target 95= CAT percentile for the CAT 2025 exam.
- Indian Institute of Management, Jammu (IIM Jammu)
- Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai (TISS Mumbai)
- Management Development Institute, Gurgaon (MDI Gurgaon)
- Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak (IIM Rohtak)
- Indian Institute of Management, Sirmaur (IIM Sirmaur)
- Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi (IIFT Delhi)
- Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur (IIM Udaipur)
- Indian Institute of Management, Bodh Gaya (IIM Bodh Gaya)
Top MBA Colleges to Target: 90+ CAT Score vs Percentile
The following is the respective list of MBA colleges which will accept students for MBA admission with 90+ CAT percentile.
- Indian Institute of Management, Amritsar (IIM Amritsar)
- T.A. Pai Institute of Management (TAPMI)
- Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA Ahmedabad)
- International Management Institute (IMI Delhi)
- Indian Institute of Management, Visakhapatnam (IIM Visakhapatnam)
Top MBA Colleges in India Accepting 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.
Strategy to Score 99+ CAT Score vs Percentile
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.
- Scoring a perfect 99+ CAT percentile depends on the difficulty level of the exam. Therefore, candidates must know the CAT pattern clearly and understand the weightage of all three sections: VARC, DILR and QA.
- One must build strong basics, learn fundamental concepts in Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Statistics for the QA section.
- Make sure you practice reading daily (editorials, articles) for VARC.
- Candidates must solve puzzles regularly to improve their DILR thinking.
- Ensure that you take regular CAT mock tests per week and move to 2-3 mocks per week.
- Lastly, you must have a section-wise strategy and follow that for a high CAT percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What score is the 99th percentile in CAT 2025?
A:
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.
Q: How many marks is the 92 percentile in CAT?
A:
The 92 percentile in the CAT exam ranges around 50 marks.
Q: How CAT percentile is calculated?
A:
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.
Q: How can I check my CAT percentile?
A:
Candidates can score as well as check the CAT percentile using the scorecard.
Q: What is the basic formula for CAT percentile?
A:
CAT percentile formula is (1 - All India Rank(Total Candidates in the Exam) * 100%).
Q: I have secured 85 percentile in CAT. Will I get good MBA college?
A:
Yes, there are many B-schools which offers MBA with 85 percentile in CAT. Check few names of premier B-schools.
- GIM Goa
- GLIM
- FORE School of Management
- LIBA
Q: Which MBA college accept CAT score in range of 60 to 70 percentile?
A:
There are many B-schools offers MBA admission for 60 to 70 percentile in CAT. Check name of few B-schools.
- AIMS Institutes (AIMS), Bangalore
- International School of Business & Media, Kolkata
- Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
- Doon Business School (DBS), Dehradun
Q: Which MBA college accept CAT score in range of 70 to 80 percentile?
A:
There are many B-schools offers MBA admission for 70 to 80 percentile in CAT. Check name of few B-schools.
- Christ University-Institute of Management, Bangalore
- Amity Business School, Noida
- Birla Institute of Technology and Science
- Asia-Pacific Institute of Management (AIM, Delhi)
- GITAM School of Business
Q: 90 percentile in CAT means how many marks?
A:
In order to secure 90 percentile in CAT entrance test, candidates have to score 72-75 overall score.
Q: What is a good score in CAT?
A:
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.
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Hello,
Here are Documents Required for CUSAT CAT (NRI Quota):
- Academic Documents includes (Class 10-mark sheet, Class 12-mark sheet, Transfer Certificate)
- NRI Sponsorship Documents
- Other Supporting Documents (Candidate’s passport, Proof of residence abroad)
To know more access below mentioned link:
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/cusat-cat-application-form
Hope it helps.
You can get the previous year's CUSAT CAT papers in pdf format sample papers from careers360 article. Follow the link given below from careers360 to get the the CUSAT CAT previous years question papers.
Link- https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/cusat-cat-sample-papers
Hello,
Since the CAT application form correction window is closed, you must contact the CAT help desk immediately to explain the situation, as you can't edit a wrong date of birth after submission. If it's a major error like date of birth, you may need to go to the exam center with proof and the correct admit card, although getting it corrected before the exam date is the most important first step.
I hope it will clear your query!!
Hi there,
You have to apply separately for each symbiosis college, like SIBM Pune, as they as not automatically included. The CAT form automatically includes many IIMs, but the SNAP exam is a separate test that is given for admission to Symbiosis Institute, which requires its own separate application and fee.
Hope it helps!!!
Toppers usually study 3–6 focused hours a day, but it’s not just about time — it’s about smart preparation and consistency. Focus on quality practice, regular mocks, and targeted revision.
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