What to expect for 85 Percentile in CAT 2025?

85 Percentile in CAT 2025: What to expect? Scoring 85 percentile in CAT  2025 will help management aspirants fetch  48.3 overall marks (around 45‑46 scaled points). Aspirants can expect 22.8 marks in VARC, 14.9 marks in DILR, and 13 marks in QA. It won’t guarantee a seat at the top three IIMs, but it’s strong enough for newer and mid‑tier IIMs. Recruiters still like these candidates, offering average salaries of Rs 12 to 18 LPA, top domestic packages up to Rs 45 to 55 LPA, and occasional international roles of Rs 60 to 70 LPA, especially in analytics and product management. The detailed analysis on this page will brief you on what to expect and how to make the most of an 85 percentile.

85 Percentile in CAT 2025: What to expect?

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Management aspirants can check the detailed overview of the projected outcomes for achieving an 85 percentile score on the CAT 2025 exam

Expected Overall Score for 85 Percentile in CAT 2025

According to the previous year’s CAT score vs percentile analysis, 85 percentile is most likely to fetch about 48.3  raw marks (or roughly 45- 46 scaled points), depending on how hard the test slot was.

Expected Sectional Marks vs 85 Percentile in CAT 2025

• VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension): At 85 percentile, candidates are likely to get about 22.8 marks out of 72. That means you should aim for roughly 8‑9 correct answers (3 marks each).
• DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning): Expect around 14.9 marks out of 66. That’s about 5‑6 strong question sets (or 12‑14 correct answers) while keeping mistakes low.
• QA (Quantitative Ability): Aim for roughly 13 marks out of 66. Solving 5‑6 questions correctly with good accuracy should get you there.

85 Percentile in CAT 2025: Expected Interview Calls from IIMs

An 85 percentile isn’t enough for the top three IIMs, but it’s still a strong score for many other IIMs:

• New “baby” IIMs (Nagpur, Sambalpur, Amritsar, Jammu) often shortlist candidates in the 85‑90 percentile range.
• Mid‑tier IIMs (Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode) usually set 85 percentile as the minimum cut‑off for the general category.
• IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta require a higher 90‑95 percentile, but you can still get a call with 85 percentile if your sectional marks are good and your overall profile (work experience, academics, extracurriculars) is strong.

Is 85 percentile considered “Very Good” in CAT 2025?

In CAT, “very good” usually means a percentile of 90 or higher, especially for the top three IIMs (A, B, C). Scoring 85 percentile is still good; you’re ahead of most test‑takers, and you’re a strong candidate for many IIMs and other top B‑schools. It won’t guarantee a seat at the elite institutes, but it definitely keeps you in the running.

Placement Opportunities for a 85 Percentile in CAT 2025

Recruiters still like candidates with an 85 percentile, but the pay is a bit less than for a 90 percentile. At such a percentile, it typically offers Rs 12 to 18 LPA in consulting, finance, or IT; the best domestic packages go up to Rs 45 to 55 LPA at mid‑tier IIMs. International jobs can sometimes pay Rs 60 to 70 LPA, especially in analytics and product management.

Also read | CAT Slot-wise marks vs expected percentile |

Also read | CAT Percentile Expectations |

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