CAT Score vs Percentile 2025: Cutoff, Score & Percentile Calculator
According to the expected CAT score vs percentile 2025 analysis, a raw score of 102 will be able to fetch you a 99.9 percentile. The slot-wise CAT 2025 score vs percentile will be released after the examination has been conducted for each slot.
Students can check the CAT score vs percentile 2025 to understand the detailed comparison between a CAT score and a CAT percentile. As per the CAT score vs percentile in previous years, if a student has achieved a raw score of 102, then they will earn a percentile of 99.9. For a 99.5 percentile in the CAT examination , a student will require a CAT score of 89. For a 98 CAT percentile, a student will be required to score a raw score of 71.
A CAT score refers to the CAT total marks secured by a student in the CAT exam, but a CAT percentile is the percentage of students that fall below a certain percentile. Scroll through this article to learn about the ways to compare and calculate CAT scores vs CAT percentile, CAT score vs percentile 2024 analysis, and find the previous year analysis of CAT scores and percentiles here.
Also Read: What is a Good Score/Percentile in CAT 2025?
What is CAT Score?
The CAT score refers to the total marks a student receives in the CAT (Common Admission Test) based on the marking scheme set by the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs). To put it simply, the total score in all three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. The CAT raw score serves as the basis for the CAT marks vs percentile analysis.
How to Calculate CAT Score?
CAT score can be obtained by simply calculating the number of correct and incorrect answers. All you need to do is follow the steps given below.
Step 1 : First, calculate the number of correct answers you marked and multiply each by 3.Step 2 : Now calculate the number of incorrect answers and minus the total with the total number of correct answers multiplied by 3.
Step 3 : The obtained result will be your CAT score.
Here's the CAT 2025 score calculator formula:
CAT Score = (No. of Correct Answers) * 3 - No. of Incorrect Answers |
Also Read: CAT Score Weightage in IIMs
What is CAT Percentile?
The CAT exam percentile indicates the rank of a student in comparison to the other students who also took the exam in the same time frame, based on different parameters. To put it briefly, the percentile will reflect a student’s position among all the other test-takers, and this process will determine their CAT ranking. It is a measure that is done to evaluate the percentage of students who have scored lower or higher than you in the CAT final merit list . The CAT percentile, thus, plays a vital role in determining the CAT marks vs percentile rank.
How to Calculate CAT Percentile?
The CAT percentile is just a representation of the total number of students who are behind or lower than you in the merit list. To calculate the CAT percentile, students can follow the steps given below:
Step 1
: Find the total number of candidates (N) who appeared in all the sessions of the CAT exam.
Step 2
: Assign ranks to candidates based on their scaled scores. If multiple test-takers have similar scores, they will receive the same ranks.
Step 3
: Calculate the percentile using the given formula:
CAT Percentile = (R/N) × 100 |
where,
R
= Rank of the candidates assigned based on scaled CAT score or total number of candidates who rank below you.
N
= Number of candidates who appeared in CAT exam (all three sessions)
Let's understand CAT percentile calculation with an example.
Suppose that 50 candidates appeared for the CAT exam. You have done well in the exam and scored 3rd rank on the entrance test, which means that 47 students scored less than you. Now, your percentile should be calculated as follows:
| 47/50*100 = 94 Percentile |
While calculating the CAT percentile, you may question how multiple individuals can secure a perfect 100 percentile in the CAT exam. The answer lies in rounding off. It is important to note that the CAT scorecard displays percentiles up to two decimal points, and thus, rounding off is necessary. Rounding up to the 100 percentile is required for a score to be considered perfect. This is an important factor to consider when analyzing CAT marks vs percentile.
CAT Score vs Percentile Difference
The CAT raw scores are the CAT total marks based on correct and incorrect answers. The percentile of CAT refers to the relative rank among all the test-takers. CAT percentile uses scaled scores after the normalization process has been conducted across all slots. Refer to the table given below to check out the major differences between the CAT score vs percentile 2025:
Metric/Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
CAT Raw Score | Total score calculated from the student’s answers |
CAT Scaled Score | Adjusted score calculated after normalization |
CAT Percentile | Rank in comparison to other CAT test-takers |
CAT Score vs Percentile 2025 Slot-wise Analysis (Expected)
The CAT score indicates the total marks you attain in the exam as per the marking scheme while the CAT percentile denotes your performance with respect to the total number of candidates who qualified for the exam. So, if your CAT percentile is 95, then it means that your CAT result is higher than 95% of the candidates who took the exam. To get an idea of how much score you should get to achieve a specific percentile, have a look at the expected slot-wise CAT 2025 score vs percentile analysis provided below.
CAT Slot 1 2025 Marks vs Percentile
CAT VARC Score | CAT DILR Score | CAT QA Score | Overall CAT Score | CAT Percentile |
45-47 | 39-41 | 35-37 | 100-102 | 100 |
39-41 | 34-36 | 31-33 | 91-93 | 99+ |
28-30 | 28-30 | 21-23 | 65-67 | 95+ |
22-24 | 22-24 | 17-19 | 56-57 | 90+ |
20-22 | 19-20 | 16 | 42-45 | 85+ |
17-19 | 16-18 | 13-15 | 39-41 | 80+ |
CAT 2025 Slot 2 Score vs Percentile
CAT VARC Score | CAT DILR Score | CAT QA Score | Overall CAT Score | CAT Percentile |
46-48 | 40-42 | 36-39 | 103 | 100 |
40-42 | 35-37 | 32-34 | 94-96 | 99+ |
30-33 | 30-32 | 222-25 | 67-69 | 95+ |
24-26 | 25-26 | 18-20 | 57-59 | 90+ |
20-22 | 20-22 | 17 | 43-46 | 85+ |
18-20 | 17-19 | 14-16 | 40-42 | 80+ |
CAT 2025 Slot 3 Score vs Percentile
CAT VARC Score | CAT DILR Score | CAT QA Score | Overall CAT Score | CAT Percentile |
45-47 | 39-41 | 35-37 | 100-102 | 100 |
39-41 | 34-36 | 31-33 | 91-93 | 99+ |
28-30 | 28-30 | 21-23 | 65-67 | 95+ |
22-24 | 22-24 | 17-19 | 56-57 | 90+ |
20-22 | 19-20 | 16 | 42-45 | 85+ |
17-19 | 16-18 | 13-15 | 39-41 | 80+ |
The CAT score vs percentile 2025 will be calculated based on your rank as per your score. If you appeared for the exam, check your estimated score by using our CAT Percentile Predictor .
CAT Score vs Percentile 2025: What Score is Required for 99%, 95%, 90%?
You must know the CAT score required for 99%, 95%, and 90% in CAT since these are the typical cutoff scores and ranges that are accepted by Tier 1 B-schools in India. Check out the score required for 99, 95, and 90 percentile in CAT 2025:
CAT Percentile | CAT VARC Score | CAT DILR Score | CAT QA Score | Overall CAT Score |
CAT 2025 Slot 1 Score vs Percentile | ||||
99+ | 40 | 25-27 | 25-28 | 80 |
95+ | 28-30 | 18-20 | 20-22 | 55 |
90+ | 22-24 | 15-17 | 15-17 | 45-48 |
CAT 2025 Slot 2 Score vs Percentile | ||||
99+ | 40-42 | 22-23 | 27-28 | 82-83 |
95+ | 30-33 | 18-20 | 20-22 | 57-58 |
90+ | 24-26 | 14-15 | 15-17 | 46-48 |
CAT 2025 Slot 3 Score vs Percentile | ||||
99+ | 38-40 | 23-24 | 27-28 | 78-80 |
95+ | 28-30 | 18-20 | 18-20 | 57-58 |
90+ | 24-25 | 15-17 | 15-17 | 46-48 |
What Does 99 Percentile in CAT Indicate?
Achieving a 99 percentile score in CAT indicates that your performance is greater than 99% of other test-takers.
For instance, if your CAT score after normalization is 110, then your percentage would be (110/198)*100 = 55.55%. However, with a score of 110, you have surpassed 99% of total test-takers, which means your CAT percentile score is 99. |
Also Read : CAT Attempts vs Percentile 2025
CAT Score vs Percentile 2025 Step-by-Step Process
Understanding the process of converting CAT scores to percentile is crucial for the CAT score vs percentile 2025 analysis. The three stages of converting raw CAT score into the final percentile are as follows:
CAT Raw Scores: This can be calculated based on the CAT 2025 marking scheme and the level of precision with which you answer the questions. Additionally, you can check it using the response sheet that IIMs release after the CAT exam.
CAT Raw Score to CAT Scaled Score: This calculation is done by the IIMs after the normalization of raw results for all CAT exam slots.
CAT Scaled Score to CAT Percentile Score: This stage of calculation is done by IIMs depending upon the number of test takers across the CAT exam slots.
Also Read: Low Scores in CAT? Here's How to Get Admission in Top B Schools in India
IIM Scaling and Normalization Process 2025
IIMs follow a smart scaling and normalization process to determine your merit based on the CAT exam in different sessions. The normalization process ensures complete justice when it comes to appraising equity and fairness in performance across multiple sessions. The CAT normalization process for each section involves the following steps:
Calculate the mean and the standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the VARC section for all candidates appearing in the morning session. Let Mean = M1 and SD = S1, so G1 = M1 + S1.
Calculate the mean and the standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the VARC section for all candidates appearing in the afternoon session. Let Mean = M2 and SD = S2, so G2 = M2 + S2.
Calculate the mean and the standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the VARC section for all candidates appearing in the evening session. Let Mean = M3 and SD = S3, so G3 = M3 + S3.
- Calculate the mean and the standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the VARC section for all candidates appearing in CAT (i.e., including all three sessions). Let Mean = M and SD = S, so G = M + S.
- Next, you need to find the average raw score for the top 0.1 percent of candidates who took the VARC test in the morning session. This value should be labelled as M1 0.1.
- Now, calculate the average raw score for the top 0.1 percent of candidates who took the VARC test in the afternoon session. This value should be marked as M2 0.1.
- Similarly, determine the average raw score for the top 0.1 percent of candidates who took the CAT exam in both shifts in the VARC section. This value should be labelled as M 0.1.
- This method can also be used to determine the scaled score for each section. Therefore, the total scaled score will be the sum of the scaled scores of the VARC, DILR, and QA sections.
How IIMs Calculate CAT Composite Score?
For admission to their MBA courses, IIMs calculate a composite score that takes into account several parameters beyond just the CAT score. The composite score reflects an overall evaluation of your profile. It's worth noting that even if two candidates have the same CAT score, their composite scores may differ due to differences in these parameters. Ultimately, the composite score is a comprehensive measure of your potential for success in the IIM program. Here are the parameters that are considered while drawing a composite score:
Class 10th Marks
Class 12th Marks
Graduation Percentage/ Grade
Work Experience
Academic Background
Gender Diversity
The formula for calculating the CAT composite score used by the IIMs is as follows:
CAT Score Vs Percentile Over the Years
The CAT cutoff varies every year due to the difficulty level of the exam, number of test takers, etc. You must check the CAT 2022 cutoff , CAT 2021 cutoff , and CAT 2020 cutoff to understand the score vs percentile analysis better. Check the table below for the CAT score vs percentile over the last 5 years.
CAT Percentile | CAT Score 2024 | CAT Score 2023 (Scaled) | CAT Score 2022 | CAT Score 2021 | CAT Score 2020 | CAT Score 2019 | CAT Score 2018 |
99.5 | 89 | 85 | 92 | 110 | 115 | 168 | 167 |
99 | 80 | 77 | 84 | 98 | 101 | 156 | 154 |
98 | 71 | 63 | 75 | 85 | 91 | 148 | 143 |
95 | 57 | 55 | 62 | 73 | 76 | 123 | 121 |
90 | 49 | 46 | 49 | 60 | 63 | 104 | 103 |
85 | 40 | 34 | 42 | 52 | 56 | 92 | 89 |
80 | 36 | 30 | 36 | 46 | 48 | 83 | 79 |
Total Marks | 198 | 198 | 198 | 198 | 228 | 300 | 300 |
Total Questions | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 76 | 100 | 100 |
Check out the links below to learn more about CAT 2025!
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