CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile Explained for MBA Admission helps candidates understand two major components of the CAT result. CAT score refers to the total marks obtained, while CAT percentile reflects a candidate’s relative performance among all test takers. As CAT 2025 admission processes begin, knowing the role of both becomes essential.
On 25 November 2025, IIM Kozhikode reiterated that percentile plays a key role in screening candidates for the first stage of MBA admission, including the Written Ability Test and Personal Interview. However, the basis of percentile calculation remains the CAT score.
CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile: Key Difference
CAT score is calculated from the total marks obtained in VARC, DILR, and QA after applying positive and negative marking rules. CAT percentile, on the other hand, measures the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or lower than a particular candidate.
Every candidate receives both score and percentile on the CAT scorecard. Both metrics matter, but percentile plays a crucial role in IIM and B-School shortlisting because it allows fair comparison across sessions.
How CAT 2025 Score Is Calculated?
CAT 2025 will have 68 questions carrying a total of 204 marks.
- Correct answer: +3 marks
- Wrong MCQ answer: −1 mark
- No negative marking for TITA questions
The raw score for each section is calculated first. These sectional scores are then added to prepare the overall CAT score.
Since CAT is conducted in three slots, a scaled score is calculated through normalization. This ensures fairness despite minor differences in difficulty levels of test papers.
What Is CAT Percentile?
CAT percentile shows a candidate’s performance relative to all test takers. For example, 99 percentile means the candidate scored higher than 99% of all candidates.
Percentile reflects standing among peers, not the actual score.
- Example:If 1,000 candidates take the exam and a candidate performs better than 999 of them, the percentile becomes: 999/1000 × 100 = 99.9
Thus, the percentile focuses on ranking rather than marks.
Expected CAT 2025 Score for 99 Percentile
The CAT 2025 exam conducted by IIM Kozhikode was easier than last year. Based on expected trends, the following scores may fetch key percentiles.
Estimated CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile Table
The following table gives an estimated comparison of sectional and overall scores with corresponding percentiles for CAT 2025. These estimates help candidates analyse their performance and predict possible percentile ranges.
Percentile | VARC Score | DILR Score | QA Score | Overall Score |
99.9 | 51 | 46 | 48 | 122 |
99.5 | 44 | 39 | 40 | 103 |
99 | 40 | 34 | 33 | 90 |
98 | 34 | 31 | 30 | 81 |
95 | 30 | 26 | 25 | 70 |
90 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 53 |
85 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 45 |
80 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 40 |
75 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 34 |
From the table, candidates aiming for 99 percentile should target an overall score of around 90 marks.
Why B-Schools Consider CAT Percentile?
B-Schools rely on CAT percentile because it standardises performance across lakhs of candidates. It allows institutes to compare applicants fairly across three test slots. Since percentile indicates relative performance, it becomes an objective indicator for shortlisting. Percentile also helps maintain uniform cut-offs for categories such as General, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS.
What Is CAT 2025 Normalisation?
CAT normalisation ensures fairness across all three sessions. It is based on statistical methods similar to GATE scoring. The assumption is that the ability distribution of candidates remains the same across each slot. Normalisation adjusts raw marks to reflect comparable performance levels.
CAT 2025 will follow the same normalisation method to calculate scaled scores used for percentile preparation. CAT score and percentile together shape the first round of shortlisting in IIMs and top MBA colleges, making both crucial for CAT 2025 admission.
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