Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level management aptitude test which is conducted by the IIM’s for admission to MBA courses offered by its 21 campuses. In addition, it is accepted by the country's premier B-Schools like FMS, SPJMIR, MDI, etc. CAT exam is conducted on a single day in three sessions at about 400 test centers in 150+ cities across India. CAT serves as a gateway to admission to top business schools. This article will provide the CAT Score Vs percentile 2023 data of examination and an in-depth analysis of the exam syllabus and pattern, along with some key insights.
CAT 2024 is tentatively scheduled for November 24, 2024, the last Sunday of the month. For CAT 2024 IIM Calcutta will be the conducting body.
CAT Score Vs Percentile 2023: What is CAT score?
The CAT (Common Admission Test) score is the raw score obtained by a candidate in each section of the exam. It is the sum of the marks acquired from correct answers, with deductions for incorrect answers. Students are awarded +3 for every correct answer, deducted with -1 for every incorrect answer and 0 for unattempted questions.
CAT Score Vs Percentile 2023: What is the CAT Scaled Score?
The CAT scaled score is the adjusted score derived from the raw score through a process of normalization. This process accounts for differences in difficulty levels across different test slots, ensuring fairness. Marks are added/deducted from a student's raw score. It varies through different sections of the exam and the slot.
For reference in CAT 2023 the third slot was on the easier side and due to normalization almost 4 marks were reduced from a student whereas for the first slot, 3 marks were given.
Exam Pattern & Total Duration:
- 120 minutes (2 hours)
- Each section is timed separately with a duration of 40 minutes per section.
Section Wise Questions Distribution and Marks
| Section | Number of Questions | Time Allotted (In Minutes) | Marks (+3 for every correct answer and -1 for every incorrect answer) |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 | 72 |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 40 | 60 |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 | 66 |
CAT Percentile Explained:
A percentile is a metric used to assess the proportion of students in the merit list who rank above or below a specific individual. For example, achieving a score of 90 percentile on the CAT indicates that 90% of the test takers scored lower than you. Consequently, candidates with a percentile of 90 or higher are considered part of the top 10% among all the test takers.
CAT Score vs. Percentile 2023: How to Calculate the CAT Percentile
Before analyzing CAT score versus percentile for 2023, candidates should understand the mathematical concept behind CAT percentiles. These percentiles, similar to those in other exams, indicate the number of individuals who have scored lower than you on the test. Essentially, the CAT marks versus percentile analysis helps determine your performance relative to other candidates. Here is the formula for calculating CAT percentiles in 2023:
Example Calculation: If a total of 300,000 students took the CAT exam and you achieved a rank of 6,000, your CAT percentile can be calculated using the following formula:
Your CAT percentile = [1 - { 6000/300,000 }] * 100 = 98 Percentile
CAT Marks Vs Percentile 2023: Percentile Vs Marks Distribution (CAT 2023) (Overall)
| Percentile | Scaled Score |
| 100 | 142.9 |
| 99.99 | 118.67 |
| 99.95 | 106.95 |
| 99.9 | 101.43 |
| 99.83 | 95.96 |
| 99.5 | 84.29 |
| 99.37 | 81.75 |
| 99 | 76.02 |
| 98.5 | 71.15 |
| 98.37 | 70.31 |
| 98 | 66.68 |
| 97.7 | 65.91 |
| 97 | 61.56 |
| 96.6 | 59.99 |
| 96 | 58.1 |
| 95.42 | 56.13 |
| 95 | 54.86 |
| 94 | 53.32 |
| 93 | 52.35 |
| 92.05 | 47.99 |
| 91 | 46.13 |
| 90 | 45.16 |
| 85 | 42.29 |
| 80 | 41.19 |
| 75 | 40.02 |
VARC SECTION- Scaled Score Vs Percentile
| Percentile | Scaled Score |
| 100 | 61.66 |
| 99.99 | 57.32 |
| 99.87 | 51.02 |
| 99.5 | 44 |
| 99.26 | 41.76 |
| 99 | 39.7 |
| 98.21 | 35.88 |
| 96.72 | 31.47 |
| 95 | 28.68 |
| 93.5 | 26.33 |
| 90 | 23.39 |
| 86.43 | 20.66 |
| 80 | 17.58 |
| 75 | 15.27 |
| 62.28 | 11.53 |
DILR SECTION- Scaled Score Vs Percentile
| Percentile | Scaled Score |
| 100 | 50.6 |
| 99.99 | 42.7 |
| 99.9 | 36.58 |
| 99.71 | 32.78 |
| 99.43 | 29.71 |
| 99.14 | 27.56 |
| 99 | 27.39 |
| 98.37 | 24.58 |
| 96.83 | 20.88 |
| 95.53 | 19.6 |
| 90 | 15.63 |
| 84.87 | 13.01 |
| 80 | 11.67 |
| 77.88 | 10.81 |
| 72.94 | 9.67 |
QA SECTION- Scaled Score vs Percentile
| Percentile | Scaled Score |
| 100 | 49.46 |
| 99.98 | 41.87 |
| 99.9 | 37.83 |
| 99.5 | 31.39 |
| 99 | 28.18 |
| 98.5 | 25.73 |
| 98 | 24.31 |
| 97.5 | 23.71 |
| 97 | 22.7 |
| 96.5 | 21.69 |
| 96 | 21.41 |
| 95.5 | 20.44 |
| 95 | 19.68 |
| 94 | 17.91 |
| 93.5 | 17.66 |
| 93 | 17.54 |
| 92.5 | 15 |
| 90 | 13.63 |
| 80 | 9.2 |
TOP MBA Colleges to Target Based on CAT Percentile
Here are the MBA colleges to target based on the percentile range:
- If you have a percentile between 98-100:
- Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad)
- Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore)
- Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta)
- Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi (FMS Delhi)
- Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow)
- Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM Kozhikode)
- Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore)
- If you have a percentile above 95:
- Indian Institute of Management Shillong (IIM Shillong)
- SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai (SPJIMR Mumbai)
- National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai (NITIE Mumbai)
- Management Development Institute, Gurgaon (MDI Gurgaon)
- Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT)
- Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay (SJMSOM IIT Bombay)
- Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi)
- Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad
- New IIMs (Udaipur, Ranchi, Raipur, Trichy, Rohtak)
If you have a percentile between 90 and 95
- Baby IIMs (Amritsar, BodhGaya, Nagpur, Sambalpur)
- Xavier Institute of Management (XIMB), Bhubaneswar
- Vinod Gupta School of Management (VGSoM), IIT Kharagpur
- Department of Industrial and Management Engineering (IME), IIT Kanpur
-International Management Institute (IMI), Delhi
If you have a percentile between 80 and 90
- Fore School of Management (FSM), Delhi
- Goa Institute of Management (GIM)
- Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM), Chennai
- LalBahadurShastri Institute of Management (LBSIM), New Delhi
- T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal
- University Business School (UBS), Chandigarh
Note: This is not an exhaustive list and you will find more info about colleges on the InsideIIM site.
Quick Links:
Preparation Strategies and Time Table for CAT 2024
Free CAT Mock Test 2024
List of Books for CAT Exam 2024
Free online cat exam coaching by ARKSs
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the difference between CAT marks and percentile?
A: CAT marks are the raw scores a candidate achieves in the exam, calculated based on the number of correct and incorrect answers. The percentile, however, is a relative ranking that indicates the percentage of test-takers who scored lower than a particular candidate.
Q2) How many questions should I attempt in CAT to achieve a 99 percentile?
A: For the past two years it has been observed that the difficulty of paper has been increasing, with IIM C being dubbed as Quant heavy college one can expect a paper similar to the 2023 level where 76 marks assured 99 percentile.
Q3) How can I improve my CAT percentile?
A: To improve your CAT percentile, focus on strengthening your conceptual understanding, practicing with mock tests, analyzing your performance to identify weak areas, and managing your time efficiently during the exam. Revision, especially as the CAT exam approaches is very important.
Q4) How do sectional scores determine my overall CAT percentile?
A: Sectional scores are crucial as most top B-Schools have sectional cut-offs that candidates must meet in addition to the overall cut-off. Strong performance in all sections is necessary to secure a high overall percentile and meet the criteria of top business schools.
Q5) How does the normalization process impact my CAT score?
A: The normalization process adjusts your raw score to account for varying difficulty levels across test slots. This ensures fairness, so candidates in an easier slot are not unfairly advantaged over those in a tougher slot.
