CAT Score vs Percentile: How Many Marks Do You Need for 90, 95, 99 & 99.5 Percentile?

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Nidhi Goswami
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CAT Score vs Percentile

The CAT Score vs Percentile is a constant topic for discussion. Now that the CAT 2026 exam will reportedly take place on 29th November 2026, interested candidates must be keen about knowing the difference between it. Previous candidates might know everything about it but if you’re appearing for the first-time then you must know the difference between CAT score vs Percentile. 

This year around 284,000 lakhs of candidates have registered for the CAT exam which states that competition will be tough and everyone will give their best shot. Henceforth, an advance briefing about how your CAT raw scores are scaled through a standard normalization process to generate a CAT percentile is very important. This blog will speak about the prominent difference between CAT score vs Percentile, expected CAT 2026 percentile and more.

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What is the Difference Between CAT Score vs Percentile?

CAT Score (Raw/Scaled)CAT Percentile 
The actual definition of the CAT score are the marks which you obtained in the CAT exam based on your answers. Every candidate will be eligible to get +3 marks for a correct response and -1 for an incorrect response.Basically, CAT percentile is denoted as the relative performance of an individual candidate in comparison to all the other candidates who appeared for the CAT exam.
Also, considered as Raw Scores which highlights every candidate’s individual performanceFair information about your relative rank. Through this information, you will also get to see the CAT percentile of the other test-takers who obtained a score less or equal to you. 
If the difficulty level in the CAT exam is high, your performance will significantly drop even if you have delivered an exceptional performance.Even if the CAT exam was tough, you can still score a high CAT percentile with a low score. 
It doesn’t play any important role in the shortlisting process of top B-Schools. Instead, CAT scaled scores are utilised for calculating the composite score. B-schools uses CAT percentile to conduct a pre-screening session 
If we discuss the CAT score vs Percentile key differences then the major point is also about maximum limit. In the CAT Raw/scaled score category, it’s certainly capped at the overall marks of the question paper.Practically, the CAT percentile is capped at 99.99%.
Basically, your CAT raw scores will remain hidden. Candidates will get to see only their scaled score on the final scorecard of the CAT exam.Here, relevant CAT percentiles from VARC, QA and DILR will be equally visible. Besides this, it also displays your overall CAT percentile.
The stability level of the CAT (Raw/Scaled) score fluctuates according to the difficulty level of the CAT exam. This happens until it undergoes a standard normalization process.All the top MBA colleges in India use it as their stable benchmark as it helps in normalization of a candidate’s performance amongst all the three slots.

CAT Score vs Percentile 2026 (Expected)

CAT PercentileExpected Overall Score (2026)
99.90%ile105 – 115
99.50%ile90 – 100
99%ile85 – 90
98%ile65 – 85
95%ile60 – 65
90%ile50 – 55

CAT Score vs Percentile 2025

In the CAT 2025 exam, the overall percentile at 99.90% is 111.4, where VARC covers 53 marks, DILR covers 38 marks and QA covers 37 marks. If you need to know the respective overall and sectional percentile score at 99.50%ile, 99%ile, 98%ile, 95%ile and 90%ile, candidates should refer the table specified below for a clear reference of CAT score vs percentile.

PercentileVARCDILRQAOverall
99.90%ile533837111.4
99.50%ile48333193
99%ile44302784.8
98%ile39262573
95%ile33221962.3
90%ile26171551.5

CAT Score vs Percentile 2024

The overall percentile required in CAT 2024 at 99.90%ile is 127, which is slightly higher in comparison to the CAT 2023 exam, where a candidate is required a 101.43 CAT score vs percentile at 99.90%ile. Simultaneously, have a look on other percentiles as well across the sections in the table specified below .

PercentileVARCDILRQAOverall
99.90%ile555045127
99.50%ile444137103
99%ile41383395
98%ile36342779
95%ile30272270
90%ile24221758

CAT Score vs Percentile 2023

Top B-schools in India accept candidates at maximum CAT marks vs percentile due to intensive competition for MBA/PGDM seats. In the CAT 2023 exam, candidates required an overall 84.29 marks for 99.50%ile, 76.02 marks for 99%ile and more, which you will have a look on a table.

PercentileVARCDILRQAOverall
99.90%ile513738101.43
99.50%ile44303284.29
99%ile40272876.02
98%ile35242566.68
95%ile29191954.86
90%ile23161345.16

CAT Score vs Percentile 2022

In CAT 2022 examination, candidates who score 110 overall marks with 52 in VARC, 46 in DILR and 43 in QA can made it to 99.90%ile, 99.50%ile at 95 marks and respectively other CAT 2022 score vs percentile is specified in the table given below.

PercentileVARCDILRQAOverall
99.90%ile524643110
99.50%ile45383595
99%ile41333084
98%ile35282772
95%ile29232260
90%ile24201749

CAT Score vs Percentile 2021

The CAT 2021 exam covers 117 marks at 99.90%ile, 107 marks at 99.50%ile and respectively other CAT score vs percentile is specified in the table given below.

PercentileVARCDILRQAOverall
99.90%ile564249117
99.50%ile493641107
99%ile45333497
98%ile40302884
95%ile34242372
90%ile28201860

How Does the CAT Normalization Process Work?

If there’s a discussion about CAT Score vs Percentile then how can we forget the normalization procedure which is the most important component to shortlist the deserving candidates for the upcoming rounds. Below is the step-by-step description about the process which notable MBA colleges in India follow every year.

  • Calculation of the Raw Score: Following the CAT marking scheme, the raw score of the candidate is calculated by the MBA colleges of India. All the candidates who attempt right questions get +3 marks whereas -1 is given for all the incorrect questions. There is 0 marking for the incorrect or unanswered TITA questions.
  • Slot-Wise Calculations: The CAT exam happens in 3 different slots and every year the complexity level varies in every slot. In this stage, the mean and standard deviation of all the candidates raw scores are computed separately for every section in every slot.
  • Score Scaling Procedure: In this particular stage, the score of every test-taker is scaled with the help of a mathematical formula. 
  • CAT Percentile Computation: Once the standard normalization is completed, then the candidates are ranked according to their overall performance. This percentile demonstrates the total percentage of all the candidates who scored nearly equal or below your CAT score. As a result, every candidate understands their relative place amongst all the other CAT exam takers.

CAT Score vs Percentile: Section-Wise Analysis

This section helps you to understand the section-wise analysis of CAT score vs percentile.

CAT Score vs Percentile for VARC

Percentile20252024202320222021
99.90%ile5355515256
99.50%ile4844444549
99%ile4441404145
98%ile3936353540
95%ile3330292934
90%ile2624232428

CAT Score vs Percentile for DILR

Percentile20252024202320222021
99.90%ile3850374642
99.50%ile3341303836
99%ile3038273333
98%ile2634242830
95%ile2227192324
90%ile1722162020

CAT Score vs Percentile for QA

Percentile20252024202320222021
99.90%ile3745384349
99.50%ile3137323541
99%ile2733283034
98%ile2527252728
95%ile1922192223
90%ile1517131718

How Many Marks Needed for 99.50%ile in CAT Exam?

CAT Exam YearVARCDILRQAOverall
CAT 202548333193
CAT 2024444137103
CAT 202344303284.29
CAT 202245383595
CAT 2021493641107

How Many Marks Needed for 99%ile in CAT Exam?

99%ile is the good percentile to get calls from several top B-schools, and to target this percentile, you need the respective score bracket which is mentioned in the table given below based on the last 5 years’ CAT score vs percentile.

CAT Exam YearVARCDILRQAOverall
CAT 202544302784.8
CAT 202441383395
CAT 202340272876.02
CAT 202241333084
CAT 202145333497

How Many Marks Needed for 95%ile in CAT Exam?

CAT Exam YearVARCDILRQAOverall
CAT 202533221962.3
CAT 202430272270
CAT 202329191954.86
CAT 202229232260
CAT 202134242372

How Many Marks Needed For 90%ile in CAT Exam?

CAT Exam YearVARCDILRQAOverall
CAT 202526171551.5
CAT 202424221758
CAT 202323161345.16
CAT 202224201749
CAT 202128201860

Frequently Asked Questions: CAT Score vs Percentile

Why does the CAT percentile differ every year?

In the CAT score vs Percentile calculations, the CAT percentile changes every year due to several factors. It varies according to the complexity level of the exam, total number of candidates and difficulty level across Slot 1, Slot 2 and Slot 3.

How much is the major difference between CAT score vs Percentile?

CAT score is actually the marks which a candidate obtains in the CAT exam following the +3 and -1 marking scheme. Meanwhile, the CAT Percentile showcases your relative position amongst all the other test-takers from the CAT exam.

What should be my CAT score for 90%ile?

If you’re aiming to obtain approximately 90% in the CAT exam, then you must target to score at least 50-55 marks. However, ensure that you make the maximum number of correct attempts with no negative marks in the CAT question paper.

What is meant by a CAT scaled score?

Upon modifying the CAT Raw, scaled score is obtained for the CAT exam. All the questions in every slot will come along with different complexity levels. All the IIMs and other top B-schools use such techniques for standard normalization.

What score do you need to aim for in full-length CAT mocks?

Don’t run behind a specific CAT percentile instead be consistent and develop a strong command on time-management and accuracy. If you wish to achieve 99%ile+ then be particular about balancing across different sections by choosing the right questions.

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