How Many Questions to Attempt to Get 99 Percentile in CAT 2025 Exam?

If you are a CAT aspirant, it goes without saying that you aim to score 99 percentile in order to secure a most coveted seat in one of the top MBA institutions. But the question is “99 percentile in cat means how many marks?” A CAT score of 99 percentile has become a dream of many students who are applying for an MBA. In this article, we’ll do an analysis of this question and try to understand what are CAT 99 percentile marks. We’ll also see what our strategy should be in order to get the required marks for 99 percentile in CAT. The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive exam for admission into IIMs and other top B-schools like Faculty of Management Studies, DMS - IIT Delhi, etc. Their wide range of management programs can help you build a successful career in management. Once you secure a spot in one of these, it will help you kickstart your dream career in management.

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This Story also Contains

1. Importance of Scoring 99 Percentile
2. Understanding the CAT Exam Pattern
3. Syllabus and Types of Questions of CAT 2025
4. Time Management in CAT
5. Analysis of Past CAT Previous Year Papers
6. Section-wise Difficulty Level in CAT
7. Estimating the Number of Questions for 99 Percentile
8. Factors Influencing the Number of Attempts in CAT 2025
9. Understanding The Strategies of All The Subjects
10. CAT 2025 Preparation Strategies
11. Expert Tips for CAT 2025
12. What is CAT Score and Percentile

Importance of Scoring 99 Percentile

In order to know how many questions to attempt in CAT so as to get 99 percentile, first you need to understand what percentile means in the context of CAT. The CAT percentile represents the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or less than a specific candidate in the exam. For example, a CAT percentile of 99 means the candidate performed better than 99% of all the test takers that year. This means, the CAT percentile is not a direct measure of a candidate’s actual performance in the CAT exam. Instead, it compares their performance to that of all other test takers.

Achieving a 99 percentile in CAT is crucial for gaining admission into top B-schools, as the CAT cut offs for leading IIMs typically range from 98 to 100 percentile for General category students. To get closer to an IIM or a top MBA college in India, scoring 99 percentile in CAT is the most effective strategy. The CAT attempts for 99 percentile often focus on maximising accuracy and selecting the right number of questions. The CAT 99 percentile strategy involves focused preparation and time management, as the CAT cut off for admission to premier IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, and IIM Kozhikode is generally above 99 percentile for general category candidates.

Understanding the CAT Exam Pattern

In order to analyze “how many marks for 99 percentile in CAT”, first we need to understand the exam pattern of CAT. Here we discuss the latest CAT marks distribution across the three sections based on last year’s exam pattern -

• Total marks for CAT : 198

• For each correct answer : + 3 for each correct answer

• Negative Marking: - 1 or each wrong answer

• For unanswered CAT questions, no marks will be deducted

• For wrong answers to Non-MCQs, no marks will be deducted

Syllabus and Types of Questions of CAT 2025

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• Verbal Ability

• English Usage or Grammar

• Close Passage

• Synonyms Antonyms

• Facts-inferences-judgments

• Jumbled Paragraph

• Reading Comprehension

• Verbal Reasoning

• 

  4 RC passages with 18 MCQs

• 

  VA – 8 Non-MCQs are subdivided into para summaries, context sentences, and para jumbles

Expected Weightage and Number of Questions in VARC CAT

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) in CAT 2025

• Caselets

• Blood Relation

• Calendars

• Bar Graphs

• Column Graphs

• Tables

• Cube

• Clock

• Binary Logic

• Line Charts

• Combination of two or more types linked to each other

• Syllogism

• Venn Diagram

• Pie Chart

• Number and Letter Series

• Seating Arrangement

Expected Weightage and Number of Questions of DILR

Quantitative Ability (QA) in CAT 2025

• Algebra

• Higher Maths

• Geometry

• Trigonometry

• Mensuration

• Arithmetic

Expected Weightage and Number of Questions of Quantitative Aptitude

Time Management in CAT

Time management is crucial when aiming for a 99 percentile in CAT. Simply searching for "how much marks for 99 percentile in CAT" won't be helpful unless you have mastered the art of managing your time effectively. Developing a disciplined approach to CAT attempts for 99 percentile ensures that you can optimise your score and reach your goal. Proper time management is a key aspect of the CAT 99 percentile strategy, helping you to attempt the right number of questions with accuracy and confidence.

You have 40 minutes for each section.

• Attempt the easy questions first.

• Take 2-5 minutes each time you begin a section in order to review the questions and decide which ones you should do first depending on your strengths and weaknesses and the difficulty of the questions.

• For RC, it is advisable to read the questions first.

• Don’t get stuck on any question. Move on to the next one and come back to it later if you have time.

• TITA questions have no negative marking. They are generally time-consuming but if, at a glance, you find them easy, you can solve them first.

• In DILR, try to complete the seating arrangement questions in less than 13-14 minutes.

• Allocate 15-20 minutes to LR questions. The LR section is generally not as time-consuming as the DI section.

• Make the maximum use of short-tricks and formulas while solving QA.

Analysis of Past CAT Previous Year Papers

Historical Trends

Section-wise Difficulty Level in CAT

As per last year’s exam, let’s discuss the difficulty level section-wise.

Estimating the Number of Questions for 99 Percentile

Overall Attempts for 99 percentile in CAT

To achieve a very high percentile in CAT, it is essential to strike a balance between accuracy and speed. In this section, we’ll discuss the CAT 99 percentile score prediction, focusing on how many questions to attempt for a 99 percentile. A minimum of 47 questions is generally considered a good attempt to secure a 99 percentile in CAT. Let’s break this down section-wise to understand the best approach for each part of the exam, ensuring that your CAT attempts for 99 percentile are both strategic and efficient.

Section-wise Attempts for 99 percentile in CAT

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Good Attempts

Total Number of Questions - 24

Number of Good Attempts - 18

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) Good Attempts

Total Number of Questions - 20

Number of Good Attempts - 13

Quantitative Ability (QA) Good Attempts

Total Number of Questions - 20

Number of Good Attempts - 16

Also Read:

• How to prepare for CAT while working

• CAT Preparation Time Table

Factors Influencing the Number of Attempts in CAT 2025

• Your accuracy rate, time management skills and of course, the difficulty level of the exam affect the number of attempts you make in each section.

• In order to increase this, we need to analyze each section separately.

• You need to devise an effective preparation strategy as well as a flexible strategy for the exam day based on the difficulty level and keeping in mind your own strengths and weaknesses.

• Your ultimate goal is to minimize errors which is not a one-time thing to do. You have to work towards it daily throughout the course of your entire preparation.

• Let’s discuss one section at a time, which will help you get the required marks for 99 percentile in CAT.

Understanding The Strategies of All The Subjects

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• In order to maximize your score in this section, read and read - a lot!

• The best source is the newspaper. It is the most diverse reading material you can ever hope to get. The more you read, the better it is.

• Read the newspaper daily. If you are not in the habit, start with reading the first page for a week or two. Ultimately shift to news + editorial.

• Reading comprehension and vocabulary go hand in hand. Remember, if you do not have a rich vocabulary, you will face challenges at every step of the way. If you do not know the meaning of certain words in the passage or any other question, you simply won’t be able to solve it accurately.

• While reading anything, keep a notebook ready to note down the difficult words you come across. Find their meanings and note them along with a sample sentence so that you remember them for a longer time.

• Rote memorization isn't very helpful when it comes to learning new vocabulary.

• With the help of root words, you are often able to understand the meaning of the words you have never encountered before. Learning and revising through roots saves a lot of time and you tend to learn more effectively. For instance, FID is a root word that means TRUST. It forms several words like :

  • CONFIDENT – having trust in your own ability to do things and be successful

  • FIDELITY - the quality of being loyal; trustworthiness

  • INFIDELITY - the act of not being faithful to your wife, husband or partner; faithlessness

  • CONFIDANT - a person that you trust and who you talk to about private or secret things

  • CONFIDANTE - a girl/woman that you trust and who you talk to about private or secret things

  • CONFIDENTIAL - meant to be kept secret and not told to or shared with other people; to be kept in trust

  • DIFFIDENT – not having trust in your own ability to do things and be successful; shy; not having much confidence

  • PERFIDIOUS - that cannot be trusted

  • AFFIDAVIT - a written statement that you swear is true, and that can be used as evidence in court; that you claim can be trusted

  • BONA FIDE - genuine, real or legal; not false

  • MALAFIDE – illegal or dishonest

• Use mnemonics to learn vocabulary for the MAT exam. Mnemonics are memory devices that help learners recall larger pieces of information by associating them with some word or sentence. For instance,

• Also, learn vocabulary from a book. The best would be Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis. Keep revising it or you’ll forget most of the things you learn.

• Work on building your reading speed. The Pacer Method may help you. In this you trace the line you are reading with a pen or with your finger. This helps you focus only on the thing intended to be read.

• Increasing your eye span works wonders. Eye span is the maximum number of words you can read in a single glance without changing your eye position.

• For Para-jumbles, practise more and more. Start with shorter questions if you find them difficult. In the beginning, do not care about speed while practising. Accuracy is more important. Speed will come naturally with practice.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• This section comprises four sets with 5 questions each.

• Click on the option "View Question Paper" at the beginning of the DILR section in your CAT question paper. Do not spend more than 1-2 minutes looking through all of the questions. This will help you determine which sets to attempt first and which can be left to be attempted later.

• Start with the less time-consuming sets.

• If a question is taking too long, leave it and move on to the next one. Come back to it later, if time permits.

• Do answer the non-MCQ questions even if you are not sure as they carry no negative marking. But remember, they are often lengthy or tricky.

• Familiarize yourself with the different types of questions that can be asked.

• Use short tricks to solve questions.

• While solving a question, properly read all the information that is given and note the details in short.

• As per the need, make diagrams, tables, charts and symbols on the basis of the details provided.

• Sometimes, you may think you have found the correct answer and mark it as your answer in a hurry without reading the other options carefully which may be more accurate.

• Never jump to conclusions. An option may seem correct but it may be possible that there is a better option. So don’t mark your answer in a hurry. Take time to read all the options carefully.

Quantitative Ability (QA)

• Start with fundamental concepts in mathematics.

• Solve more and more problems from topics like arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data interpretation.

• Try to find time-saving methods in everything you do. Make use of formulas and tricks to shorten the process. For instance,

2 articles were sold at Rs 2,400, one at 20% profit in case 1 and another one at a 20% loss in case 2.

Case 1:

Detailed Calculations

CP = {100/(100 + P%)} x SP

Therefore CP= {100/(100 + 20)} x 2,400 = 2,000

Profit = SP-CP = 2,400 - 2,000 = 400

Case 2:

CP = {100/(100 – L%)} x SP

Therefore CP= {100/(100 - 20)} x 2,400 = 3,000

Loss = CP-SP = 3,000 - 2,400 = 600

Net Loss = 600-400 = 200

Net Loss % = (200/(2000+3000)x 100 = 4%

"Or applying shortcut:"

Net % profit or loss will be: [m-n-(mn/100)]

= (20-20-(20x20)/100) = -4%. Negative means net loss of 4%

• Make concise notes of important concepts, formulas and rules with example problems. Keep revising them. The notes should contain such brief information as you may revise just before the exam, like the following relations in data interpretation–

Value of sector = (Angel of sector/360°) x Total Value

Value of sector = (Percentage of sector/100) x Total Value

CAT 2025 Preparation Strategies

Building Strong Fundamentals

When you start studying, focus on your basics. Gain clarity and make such topics strong. Only a strong foundation can help you solve difficult questions later. You need to gain conceptual clarity in each section of CAT. For instance, in Quantitative Aptitude, start by polishing your basics. You can go through Vedic Maths which can dramatically increase your speed and accuracy. For instance, to find the square of any number ending with 5,

STEP 1: Add 1 to the number/numbers before the last digit.

STEP 2: Multiply the result with the number in which you had added 1.

STEP 3: Put 25 after the result that you get. This will be the square of the required number.

For example, to find the square of 65 –

Step 1: 1 + 6 = 7 (6 is the number before the last digit 5)

Step 2: 7 x 6 = 42

Step 3: 42...25 (Square of 65 = 4225)

Full-length and Topic-Wise Mock Tests Along with Performance Analysis

• While studying the topics, practice sectional or topic-wise tests. Once you have covered a good portion of the syllabus, you can start practicing from CAT mock tests. There is no point in solving mock tests if you haven’t studied the topics. You can’t answer the questions on something you haven’t studied.

• In order to boost your chances of success, you first need to diagnose what your weaknesses are. Solve a few mock tests or previous years’ questions for that purpose so that you are able to understand what you need to focus more on. This self-assessment will help you make an effective study plan according to your current level of learning.

• The practice of mock tests and sample papers is of utmost importance. They help you understand the level and types of questions that may be asked in the exam. They help you track your progress.

• If your marks are dipping in the tests that you are practising from, you will know that something needs to be set right. Try to identify your weak areas. Therefore, it is necessary that you properly analyze your mock test results and learn from your mistakes.

Practice and Revision

• It is crucial that you target the previous years’ questions of at least 6-7 years.

• This will help you understand the difficulty level of the exam and the types of questions asked and also the types which are repeatedly asked.

• If you are able to practice and master them, you have taken a giant step toward getting selected.

• It’s not that the exact questions are repeated but you get good practice and minimize the chances of getting any surprise questions on the day of the exam if you have practiced so much.

• If revising each and everything is time-consuming, revise the things you find tricky or you know to be important. Every few days, go through the things you have studied.

• Keep revising vocabulary regularly or you will forget most of what you learn.

Time Management Techniques

• You need to increase your speed and accuracy. Whenever you practise something, try to analyze it in order to see if there is any quicker approach to finding the solution. Work more and more to make your basics strong and work your way up. Once your fundamentals are clear, you will get the required accuracy. Aim for accuracy even if you have to sacrifice speed a little. Attempting questions in haste and making careless mistakes will harm your overall score. Strike a balance between accuracy and speed.

• As part of CAT 2025 Preparation Tips, time management plays a pivotal role so it is required that you keep track of time while studying as well as while solving mock tests and previous years’ questions.

• Though it will take time, make notes while studying. Note down the things you are learning in order to better memorize them. Keep the notes as brief as possible – as bullet points or one-liners. Writing down effectively helps in the learning process and also in revision.

• Keeping track of time while practicing will help you identify the topics in which you are taking too long to solve and help you make your time management strategy for the exam day. You’ll know beforehand which questions you generally take longer to solve and which questions you can avoid attempting in case there is a time crunch.

• You should also try to save some time for revising the answers for some errors towards the end.

• Also have a proper sleep schedule as a person deprived of sleep will inevitably be deprived of focus.

• Each aspirant’s daily activities and commitments are different and unique to them, so make sure your schedule works for you. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in the time you have and include buffer time if you’re unsure. Time management requires flexibility. You need to give yourself space for change.

• The Pomodoro Technique is considered very effective for time management and can be used as your CAT Preparation Strategy. It involves studying for 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break, and repeating this process four times. After the fourth break, a longer break of 15–30 minutes is to be taken.

• Do a time-bound practice every time. You can’t afford to waste time. During the exam, do not get stuck on difficult questions. If you can’t solve a particular question, move on to the next one and come back to it later, if time permits.

Expert Tips for CAT 2025

Tips from CAT Toppers

Tanya Gupta achieved a high percentile of 99.47 in CAT and secured admission to IIM Kozhikode. She advises that for the Quantitative section, numerals should be practised as much as you can. Read newspaper editorials, and other online material regularly.

Similarly, Shivam Chandak, one of the previous year CAT toppers who scored 99.98 percentile lays down the importance of mock test and practice by stating, “I used to regularly take the mock test and used to devote at least four to five hours. I practised a lot of questions so that I could solve exam papers with ease as solving more questions gave me the confidence to respond correctly on the day of the exam.” Many CAT aspirants usually ask the 99 percentile in the CAT means how many marks, so for them, the answer is if a candidate can secure 99 or more than that percentile in the CAT exam then their CAT score will be around 155 to 160.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not understanding the detailed syllabus of each section.

Have a thorough idea of the syllabus before you start preparing. Knowing it vaguely will be of no good. For this, you should also go through a couple of previous years’ papers. For instance, the VARC syllabus tells you that you have to study complete grammar but a thorough analysis tells you that there are not direct grammar questions as such but grammar is important indirectly for reading comprehension, sentence rearrangement, etc.

Don't Delay Preparation.

The earlier you start, the better it is. The syllabus is vast and there is great competition. You need to understand the concepts and then practice them thoroughly. You can’t afford to waste time.

The syllabus is diversified and each topic needs to be done.

Even if a topic is not very important and is rarely asked, there is no guarantee that it won’t be on your paper on the day of your exam. So leaving such topics during preparation would be risky. However, focus more on the ones repeatedly asked.

Don't Rely Only on Memorization

Don’t just do rote learning. Focus on understanding. If you do not understand the concepts, retention of information may be short-lived. Learn short-tricks and formulas but also understand them thoroughly.

Don't Overburden Yourself with Long Study Sessions

More than the number of hours, it is important that you study with focus even if the duration is not that long. Besides, studying for several hours at a stretch is not sustainable in the long run.

Seek Help If Facing Difficulties

Don’t panic if you face any problems while studying. Try to get help in order to clear your doubts. Collaborative studying with peers is advisable for this purpose. You may also join online study groups where you may find other aspirants and teachers who can guide you and solve your doubts.

Don't Neglect Revision and Review of Mistakes

If you are not regular with your revision, you are bound to forget what you have studied. Revision helps you refresh your memory and solidify the concepts that you study. Do an analysis of the recurring mistakes and weak areas. Work on making them strong.

Don't Compare Yourself with Others

Learn to compete with yourself instead of with others. Focus on self-improvement. Break the habit of comparing yourself with others.

What is CAT Score and Percentile

In order to understand how many marks for 99 percentile in CAT, you need to understand the difference between CAT score and percentile.

Calculating CAT Scores

Before understanding how the CAT percentile is calculated, let’s see first how individual scores are calculated.

- Each correct answer gives you 3 marks

- Each wrong answer leads to 1 mark deduction

- There is no negative marking for unanswered MCQs and TITAs

Once CAT gets to the raw aggregated scores, it calculates the CAT scaled scores, which is done through the process of normalization. This means raw scores are adjusted based on the difficulty level of each slot. Since all the slots will not have similar difficulty levels, normalization helps to apply a standardized scoring system to all candidates.

For example, if one slot has easy questions and candidates are able to score high marks while another has difficult questions and candidates are scoring low marks, then marks are reduced from the easy level slot to balance it with a difficult level slot.

Normalization is a statistical adjustment process in tests and is often used by other examinations as well such as GMAT and GRE.

Calculating CAT Percentile

The scaled CAT scores are then ranked in descending order and CAT proceeds to calculate the percentile score of the candidates.

A percentile is a metric used to calculate the proportion of candidates who rank above or below a specific individual. For example, if you scored 95 percentile on the CAT, it means that 95% of the test takers scored lower than you. In other words, you are among the top 5% of the test takers.

Example - If there were 1,00,000 candidates that took the CAT exam, and you achieved a rank of 10,000, then there were 90,000 test-takers who were ranked below you and your CAT percentile is [90,0000/1,00,000] * 100= 90 Percentile.