How Many Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for a 99 Percentile Score?

Abhinav Chamoli

Updated On: July 07, 2025 11:53 AM | CAT

To score over the 99 percentile in CAT 2025, you must solve at least 45-50 questions out of 66 with good accuracy, and this can be achieved by having a strategic and methodical study approach. Find out how many questions to attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 percentile here.

How Many Questions to Attempt in CAT for a 99 Percentile Score

Wondering how many questions to attempt in CAT 2025 for a 99 percentile score? Well, out of 66 questions asked, if you attempt around 45-50 questions with 85-90% accuracy, you can score a 99 percentile. A raw score ranging from 96 to 105 will be required. Since every wrong answer leads to a deduction of 1 mark, guesswork is not a successful strategy for scoring a 99 percentile or above in the CAT 2025 exam . If you don't know how to score 99 percentile in CAT should consider two crucial factors: the number of accurately answered questions and time management. Achieving a high score in CAT is always dependent on your accuracy more than it is on the number of questions you attempt. Planning and strategizing your CAT preparation in a way that is focused on your desired outcomes is one of the most important things you can do to increase your chances of scoring 99 percentile.

Also Read:

Which IIM is Likely to Conduct CAT 2025?

Total Seats in IIMs 2025

What's New in CAT 2025 Exam Pattern?

200 Days Study Plan to Crack CAT 2025

List of IIMs for 95-99 Percentile in CAT 2025

How Many Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score?

Based on expert advice, attempting every question on the CAT exam is not advisable as it has a negative marking. It's best only to answer questions you are confident about, as even a small mistake can lead to a drop in score. Achieving a 100 or 99 percentile depends on how accurately and effectively you can answer questions. To aim for a 99+ percentile, experts suggest getting at least 75% of the questions right. Maintaining accuracy in each section is important because both sectional and overall percentile scores are crucial for admission to IIMs.

If you are taking the test for the first time, you should be familiar with every aspect of the exam, including the CAT 2025 exam pattern , CAT 2025 syllabus , marking scheme, etc. The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in the last week of November 2025, in three slots across several test cities across India. The following table depicts how many overall attempts for CAT are required to get the 99 percentile marks if we assume that 96-105 marks must be achieved for a 99 percentile.

Accuracy

Attempts Required

Correct

Incorrect

Raw Score

100%

32-35

32-35

0

(35x3) - 0 = 105

90%

36-39

34-35

2-4

(35x3) - 4 = 101

80%

44–48

35-38

10

(38x3) - 10 = 104

70%

54-58

38-41

15-17

(41x3) - 17 = 107

Find how many sectional attempts for CAT are required to get the 99 percentile marks for obtaining a raw score ranging from 96-105 marks.

Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 100% Accuracy

Section Total Questions Minimum Correct Answers Required Net Marks
VARC 24 11–12 33–36
DILR 20 10–11 30–33
QA 22 10–12 30–36
Total 66 32–35 96–105

Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 90% Accuracy

Section Total Questions Target Attempts Minimum Correct Answers Required Net Marks
VARC 24 14–16 13–14 39–42
DILR 20 12–13 11–12 33–36
QA 22 11–13 10–12 30–36
Total 66 36–39 34–35 102–105

Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 80% Accuracy

Section Total Questions Target Attempts Minimum Correct Answers Required Net Marks
VARC 24 16–18 13–15 35–42
DILR 20 14–15 11–12 33–36
QA 22 14–15 11–12 33–36
Total 66 44–48 35–38 101–105 marks

Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 70% Accuracy

Section Total Questions Target Attempts Minimum Correct Answers Required Net Marks
VARC 24 19–21 13–15 36–39
DILR 20 16–17 11–12 33–36
QA 22 18–20 13–14 36–42
Total 66 54–58 38–41 100–105 marks

Also Read:

CAT Attempts vs Percentile 2025

Colleges Accepting 80-90 Percentile in CAT

List of Top IIMs in India 2025

How to Get 99 Percentile in CAT 2025?

Achieving a 99th percentile score in the CAT 2025 is challenging and requires a well-planned preparation strategy, hard work, and determination. Here are some top tips to enhance your speed and accuracy in the CAT 2025.

  • Find Out Your Strengths and Weaknesses: As discussed above, you only need to attempt around 60% of the questions in CAT 2025 to get a 99th percentile score. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to spend less time on the remaining 40%. When striving for the top, it's not only about what you attempt that matters but also about what you choose to leave.
  • Practice Solving Questions: Engaging in daily problem-solving activities effectively enhances both speed and accuracy in CAT 2025. Consistently tackling questions will enable you to refine your approach, identify the most efficient strategies for arriving at solutions, and determine which questions to prioritize.
  • Work on Time Management: As you work through the questions, keeping track of time is crucial. Knowing how long you're taking to solve each question is essential for effective time management. Remember, you have only 40 minutes to complete each section, so every minute counts.
  • Check CAT Exam Analysis: You should carefully review the CAT paper analysis , paying close attention to the paper pattern, difficulty level of questions, specific topics covered in each section, and any trends or changes observed over time. This analysis will help you tailor your preparation to meet the exam's demands effectively.
  • Check CAT Toppers Tips: To succeed on the exam, know the toppers tips for CAT 2025 . You may also consider the recommended study materials for your specific needs. While it's beneficial to learn from the experiences of others, it's equally important to tailor their advice to align with your learning style and requirements.

Expected Good Attempts for 99 Percentile in CAT 2025

The CAT exam consists of three sections: Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR). Each section is allotted 40 minutes out of the total 120-minute exam duration. The time taken per question varies across sections. Due to differences in difficulty levels, the average time taken to attempt VARC is less than the average time taken to attempt a Quant question. As a result, the number of attempts required is not equally divided between sections. See the table below for details.

CAT Section

Total Questions

Good Attempts

Accuracy Raw Score

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

24

18-20

80–90% 42-48+

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

20

12–14 85–90% 36–42+

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

22

14–16 85–90% 36–42+

Total

66

47

- 96-105

Hope this article gave you the insight you needed to score 99 percentile in CAT 2025. Remember, scoring well requires hard work, a smart approach, and perseverance. All the best for your CAT 2025 preparation!

Related Links:

97 Percentile in CAT 2025 Means How Many Attempts? 100 Percentile in CAT 2025 Means How Many Attempts?
CAT 2025 Score Weightage in IIMs 98 Percentile in CAT 2025 Means How Many Attempts?
Minimum Percentile in CAT 2025 to Get into IIM 95 Percentile in CAT 2025 Means How Many Attempts?

Check out 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. If you have any queries, feel free to ask them on our QnA Zone . Stay tuned with us for more informative articles related to CAT 2025!

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FAQs

Does sectional score matter for 99 percentile in CAT 2025?

 Yes, each IIM has sectional cutoffs for admission, and you must meet the same to be eligible for admission. You need to meet the sectional cutoff requirement in order to reach 99 percentile as an overall score in CAT 2025.

How many correct attempts do I need for 99 percentile in CAT 2025?

You’ll typically need around 32–35 correct answers out of 66, assuming you have an 80-90% accuracy level in order to reach 99 percentile. This figure may differ depending on the difficulty level of CAT 2025 and the number of CAT 2025 applicants.

What is a good attempt in the CAT exam for scoring 99 percentile?

A minimum of 47 questions can be considered a good attempt in the CAT exam for scoring 99 percentile. The ideal number of questions candidates should attempt in Quantitative Aptitude is 17, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension is 18, and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning is 13.

How many questions should I attempt in CAT to get a 99 percentile?

You must correctly attempt 25 questions in the VARC section, 21 questions in the Quants section, and 15 questions in the LRDI section to get a 99 percentile in CAT 2025. A minimum attempt of 47 questions will put a candidate in an advantageous situation. 

What marks is 99 percentile in CAT?

To understand what marks equate to a 99 percentile in the CAT, consider the following: a score of 114.15 achieves a 99.93 percentile, gradually decreasing to an 83.64 score, which hits the 99 percentile mark.

How much marks is 99.8 percentile in CAT?

An overall score of 125 marks is 99.8 percentile in CAT which corresponds to 55% of the total marks. To score a 99.8 percentile in each section, candidates must score at least 48 in the VARC section, 36 in the DILR section, and 43 in the QA section.

How much should I score in each section to get a 99 percentile in CAT?

You should score at least 40-48 in the VARC section, 29-39 in the DILR section, and 33-47 in the QA section to get a 99 percentile in CAT. To obtain a 100 percentile, the minimum scores stand at 57 for the VARC and QA sections and 48 for the DILR section.

What percentile is 110 marks in CAT?

110 marks in CAT is equivalent to 99.5 percentile. If you have a CAT score of 110 after normalization, in terms of percentage, it will be (110/198)*100 = 55.55%. It is important to note that your score of 110 is higher than 99.5% of the total test-takers.

What is the CAT score vs percentile analysis?

The CAT score vs percentile analysis is used to estimate the percentile score of a candidate based on their raw scores on the exam. The CAT score reflects the raw marks obtained in the exam, while the CAT percentile indicates a candidate's performance relative to others, showing what percentage of candidates scored less than you.

How many marks are required for 99.5 percentile?

A score of 92.87 is required for a 99.5 percentile on the CAT. Candidates must score at least 43 in the VARC section, 32 in the DILR section, and 38-40 in the QA section to score a 99.5 percentile in each section.

Is 99.8 a good percentile in CAT?

Yes, 99.8 is a good percentile in CAT. With this percentile, you can get admission to IIM A, B, and C with a 99.8 percentile on the CAT. To receive a 99+ percentile on the CAT 2025, candidates need to score between 98 and 105 (expected).

How can I score 99 percentile in the CAT exam?

To score 99 percentile in the CAT exam, focus on understanding concepts deeply, practice consistently, and take numerous mock tests to improve speed and accuracy. Prioritize weak areas, learn time management skills, and analyze mock test performances to strategize effectively and improve.

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