CAT Normalization Process 2025: How Scaled Score is Calculated, Revised Process for 3 Shifts
To ensure fair assessment and a level playing field for all the CAT applicants, the exam authority follows the CAT normalization process 2025. CAT scores are adjusted to account for location and scale differences across various forms. Furthermore, CAT scores are also normalized for sectional consistency.
CAT Normalization Process 2025: CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in different slots, and the overall difficulty level of the exam may vary. Therefore, to ensure fairness while calculating the final CAT 2025 scores, the exam authority provides the CAT normalization process 2025. This process is used to ensure that all the test-takers are evaluated based on the same standards and no one is given undue advantage or is at a disadvantage in the exam. Also known as the scaling and equating process, the CAT normalization process adjusts for location and scale differences of score distributions across different forms. As per the official notice, during the evaluation, the scores will be adjusted to account for location and scale differences across various forms. Once normalized across these different forms, the scores will undergo further normalization to ensure consistency across the different sections.
The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on November 30, 2025, across 170 test cities in India in three different slots. Find below the complete details about the CAT normalization process 2025.
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How is CAT 2025 Normalisation Calculated?
The CAT Normalization Process is carried out in two steps.
In the first step of the CAT normalization process, IIMs adjust the exam scores for 'scale differences of score distribution across different question papers'.
In the second step, after the normalization process has been applied across different question papers, the scores across different sections are normalized.
After a candidate has attempted the CAT question paper, their 'Raw Scores' are calculated which are based purely on the number of correct answers and the number of wrong answers in the CAT exam. To calculate the raw score, a candidate must know the:
CAT Marking Scheme (+3, -1)
No. of Correct Answers
No. of Incorrect Answers
Raw Scores in CAT can be calculated by using the following formula.
Raw Score = 3 x (No. of Correct Answers) - 1 x (No. of Incorrect Answers) |
Once the raw scores have been calculated, the CAT normalization process can be applied to get the Scaled Score of a candidate in CAT. The CAT scorecard which is released with the declaration of CAT Results contains the scaled scores of a candidate. The CAT percentile, whether it be overall or section-wise, is also calculated using the CAT scaled scores.
Also Read: MBA Admission Process 2026
Importance of Normalization in CAT 2025
Candidates appearing in different shifts get different question papers for CAT. Even though the conducting body i.e. IIMs ensures that the question papers are identical in their difficulty level, there may be some discrepancies in the difficulty level of question papers or test forms.
Hence, a probability arises that candidates of one slot may get an easier question paper than candidates of the other slot. To nullify this advantage, IIMs employ the CAT Normalization process. It is the adjustment done in the CAT score of participants to ensure that there is no discrimination for or against any candidate in the calculation of final CAT scores. The normalized CAT 2025 result is a very important factor in the overall CAT selection process 2025 as well.
What is the Scaled Score in CAT 2025?
The CAT exam is conducted in multiple sessions (two or three). Since the question paper for each session is slightly different from one another, a scaled score is produced through the CAT normalization process to ensure fairness and equality in the performance comparison of all candidates. This scaled score could vary in different ways from the raw score.
Revised CAT Scaled Score Calculation
Since CAT 2025 is being conducted in 3 shifts, the following information has been updated to account for the same.
The scaled score of CAT is calculated across each section of the exam. Once the scaled score of each section has been calculated, the overall score can be calculated by simply adding up the scaled scores of each section.
In order to easily understand the process of normalization of CAT scores, it is better to break down the process into multiple steps and understand each variable that is used in the formula. Let's first understand the steps to calculate CAT scaled score and then we will take a look at the formula.
These steps are applied section-wise i.e. raw scores of only one section are considered at a time when calculating scaled scores.
Step 1: Mean (Average) and Standard Deviation (SD) of the raw scores of candidates who appeared in the 1st shift are calculated and added together.
M1 = Mean of 1st Shift + SD of 1st Shift |
Step 2: Mean and SD of the raw scores of candidates who appeared in the 2nd shift are calculated and added together.
M2 = Mean of 2nd Shift + SD of 2nd Shift |
Step 3: Mean and SD of the raw scores of candidates who appeared in the 3rd shift are calculated and added together.
M3 = Mean of 3rd Shift + SD of 3rd Shift |
Step 4: Mean and SD of the raw scores of all of the candidates who appeared across all three of the sections are calculated.
M = Mean of all three shifts + SD of all three shifts |
Step 5: Mean of the raw scores of the top 0.1% of the candidates who appeared in the 1st shift is calculated.
Let this be M1.01 |
Step 6: Mean of the raw scores of the top 0.1% of the candidates who appeared in the 2nd shift is calculated.
Let this be M2.01 |
Step 7: Mean of the raw scores of the top 0.1% of candidates from the 3rd shift is calculated.
Let this be M3.01 |
Step 8: Mean of the raw scores of the top 0.1% of the candidates across both sections is calculated.
Let this be M0.1 |
Step 9: The following formula is used to calculate the scaled score of a candidate. Please note that the given formula is for a candidate who appeared for the 1st shift.
Scaled Score = M + {(R - M1) x (M0.1 - M) / (M1.01 - M1)} |
The relevant values in this formula must be changed accordingly to calculate the scaled score of a candidate in the other two shifts.
Here, R is the Raw Score of the candidate whose scaled score is being calculated.
Overall Scaled Score = Scaled Score in DILR + Scaled Score in QA + Scaled Score in VARC |
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How Do IIMs Calculate CAT Composite Score?
The CAT composite score is an essential factor in evaluating a candidate's overall profile for admission into MBA programs offered by the IIMs. While the CAT score is significant, the composite score considers other factors such as academic background, work experience, extracurricular activities, and diversity. It's worth noting that candidates with similar CAT scores may still have different composite scores due to differences in these parameters. The composite score provides a comprehensive assessment of a candidate's potential for admission into IIMs. Below are the parameters considered when calculating the CAT composite score:
Class 10th Marks
Class 12th Marks
Graduation Percentage/ Grade
Work Experience
Academic Background
Gender Diversity
How Is the CAT Composite Score Calculated?
The CAT composite score is calculated by IIMs using the following formula:
Also check: What After CAT 2025 Exam?
How is CAT 2025 Percentile Calculated?
A CAT percentile shows what percentage of candidates have received a score higher than yours in the CAT exam. To calculate the CAT percentile, it is important to know two things:
Your rank in CAT (R)
Total no. of candidates who appeared for CAT (N)
The steps outlined below are used to compute a candidate's CAT 2025 overall and sectional percentile scores. The QA section is used as an example to demonstrate the percentile score calculating method.
Step 1: The total number of appearing candidates(N) for CAT is taken into account. It includes the morning, afternoon, and evening sessions).
Step 2: A rank (r) is assigned to all the candidates who appeared for CAT 2025, depending on the computed scores obtained in the QA section. In a scenario where two/more candidates have obtained identical scaled scores in the QA section, identical ranks are assigned to all such candidates. For instance, let's suppose that exactly two candidates have obtained the highest scaled score in the QA section. In this case, both candidates are allocated a rank of 1. Furthermore, the candidate(s) securing the second-highest scaled score in the QA segment is assigned a rank of 3, and so on.
Step 3: The candidate's percentile score (P) is calculated with rank (r) in the QA section like this:
P = [(N-r) N] 100 |
Step 4: The candidate's estimated percentile score (P) should then be rounded off to the nearest two decimal places.
Every CAT 2025 aspirant should be aware of the CAT normalization process to understand how their percentile scores are calculated. For any queries related to CAT 2025, students can write to us at the CollegeDekho QnA Zone . You can even check our CAT College Predictor 2025 and CAT Percentile Predictor 2025 tools to get an idea of your results based on your performance in the CAT 2025 exam. For admission-related assistance, call our toll-free number 1800-572-9877, or fill out our Common Application Form (CAF) .