CAT 2025 score vs percentile
Scaled scores students reported from their CAT 2025 and CAT 2024 scorecards, compiled after the results. A dash means no reported data point for that percentile. Use them as a guide: the IIMs do not publish this table.
| Percentile | CAT 2025 overall | CAT 2024 overall | VARC 2025 | DILR 2025 | QA 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.9 | 111.5 | 127 | 53 | 41.5 | 39 |
| 99.5 | 93 | 104 | 46.5 | 33.5 | 31.2 |
| 99 | 84.8 | 95.1 | 42.8 | 29.7 | 27.1 |
| 98 | 76 | – | 38.4 | 26.9 | 23.9 |
| 97 | 70 | 79 | 36.3 | 24.2 | 21.9 |
| 95 | 62.3 | 70 | 32.5 | 21.5 | 19 |
| 90 | 51.5 | 58 | 26.2 | 17.3 | 14.7 |
| 85 | 44.2 | 49 | 22.1 | 13.9 | 12.6 |
| 80 | 38 | 44 | 19.2 | 11.6 | 10.4 |
Sources: cracku.in CAT score vs percentile (2025 overall and VARC, DILR, QA pages; 2024 page), cross-checked with iquanta.in. Scores are scaled scores out of 204.
How CAT percentile is calculated
Each correct answer earns 3 marks, a wrong MCQ costs 1 mark and a wrong TITA answer costs nothing. Because the three slots have different papers, the IIMs convert raw marks into scaled scores. Your percentile tells you what share of all candidates scored below you: at the 99th percentile, 99% of test-takers scored lower. With about 2.58 lakh candidates in CAT 2025, every 0.1 percentile near the top is roughly 258 candidates.
CAT 2026 exam pattern
| Section | Questions | Max marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 72 | 40 min |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 22 | 66 | 40 min |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 66 | 40 min |
| Total | 68 | 204 | 120 min |
Pattern as in CAT 2025; check the CAT 2026 notification for changes.
Frequently asked questions
How many marks are needed for 99 percentile in CAT?
In CAT 2025, about 84.8 marks (scaled score, out of 204) were needed for the 99th percentile, going by scores students reported from their scorecards. In CAT 2024 it was about 95.1. The number moves every year with paper difficulty.
How many marks are needed for 95 percentile in CAT?
About 62.3 marks in CAT 2025 and about 70 in CAT 2024.
How accurate is this CAT percentile predictor?
It is an estimate. It maps your marks onto the score-to-percentile curves students reported after the CAT 2025 and CAT 2024 results, and shows both, so you see a range. Your real percentile depends on your slot's normalisation and how everyone else did this year. The IIMs do not publish a score-to-percentile table.
What is the difference between raw score and scaled score in CAT?
Your raw score is 3 marks per correct answer minus 1 per wrong MCQ (wrong TITA answers cost nothing). Because CAT runs in three slots with different papers, the IIMs normalise raw scores into scaled scores, and percentiles are calculated on scaled scores. The scorecard shows scaled scores, which is what the curves here use.
What is the CAT 2026 exam pattern and marking scheme?
CAT 2025 had 68 questions in 120 minutes: VARC 24 questions (72 marks), DILR 22 (66 marks) and QA 22 (66 marks), with 40 minutes per section. Each correct answer is +3, a wrong MCQ is -1 and a wrong TITA answer has no penalty. Check the CAT 2026 notification for any change.
How many candidates took CAT 2025?
About 2.58 lakh candidates appeared for CAT 2025 (about 2.93 lakh in CAT 2024), as reported from the IIMs' result announcements. The rank shown here is an estimate based on the 2025 number.
Can I use my mock test score?
Mock tests are scored on their own scale, so a SIMCAT or AIMCAT score does not convert one-to-one. Enter the marks you expect in the real CAT, or use your mock's attempts and accuracy as a guide.