CAT Score vs. Percentile: What's the Difference?

Every year, lakhs of MBA aspirants appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT), the gateway to India’s prestigious management institutes like the IIMs, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, and others. Amidst the rigorous preparation, one aspect that consistently confuses candidates is the difference between the CAT score and the CAT percentile.

This blog breaks down the distinction, the calculation methods, and what each means for your MBA admission journey. By the end, you’ll have a crystal-clear understanding of how your CAT score translates into a percentile, and what percentile is good enough to land a seat in top B-schools.

What is the CAT Score?

The CAT score is the raw or scaled score you achieve based on your performance in the exam. The CAT exam comprises three sections:

• VARC: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
• DILR: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
• QA: Quantitative Ability

Each section has a total of 66 questions (as per CAT 2023 pattern), divided as follows:

• VARC – 24 questions
• DILR – 20 questions
• QA – 22 questions

Each correct answer awards +3 marks, and each wrong answer leads to a penalty of -1 mark (for MCQs only). Non-MCQs carry no negative marking.

Example of Raw Score Calculation:

If you answered:

• 18 correct out of 24 in VARC
• 12 correct out of 20 in DILR
• 15 correct out of 22 in QA

Your total raw score = (18+12+15) × 3 = 135
Assuming 9 wrong answers, deduct 9 marks: 135 - 9 = 126 (raw score)

What is a Scaled Score?

Since CAT is conducted in multiple slots, the scaled score ensures normalization across different sessions to account for variations in difficulty level.

The normalization process is similar to what’s used in large-scale standardized exams. It ensures fairness and comparability of scores.

The scaled score is calculated using a statistical technique based on equating and normalization. Though the exact formula isn't disclosed, it adjusts for:

• Slot difficulty
• Candidate performance trends

What is CAT Percentile?

A percentile is not your percentage score. Instead, it tells you how you performed relative to other candidates.

If your percentile is 99, it means you performed better than 99% of the candidates who took the exam.

Formula for CAT Percentile (Simplified Version):

Let’s assume:

• N = Total number of candidates
• R = Rank of the candidate

Then:
Percentile = [(N - R)/N] × 100

This statistical representation gives business schools an easier way to rank students across different exam slots and scores.

Score vs Percentile: How They Differ?

CAT Score vs. Percentile Conversion: Trends from Past Years

Let’s look at a rough score-to-percentile mapping based on previous CAT exams:

Note: These are just indicative figures. The actual score-to-percentile varies each year depending on:

• Number of candidates
• Overall performance
• Exam difficulty

Why the Score–Percentile Gap Widens at the Top

An interesting trend in CAT is how tiny score improvements can lead to massive percentile jumps, especially near the top end:

• Going from 94 to 97 percentile might need just 10–15 more marks
• Jumping from 99.5 to 99.9 percentile may need only 3–4 more marks

This is because the top scorers are tightly packed, making the competition much more intense at the higher end.

What is a Good CAT Percentile?

Here’s a quick guide based on B-school expectations:

What Should You Aim For?

• If you're targeting Top 10 B-schools, aim for a raw score of 95+, which typically lands you in 99+ percentile.
• Focus not only on accuracy but also on speed and time management.
• Understand that percentile matters more than raw score for admission decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Score is your direct output in terms of marks.
• Percentile is your rank compared to others.
• Percentile is used by colleges for shortlisting candidates.
• A small increase in score can result in a significant percentile jump, especially at the higher end.
• Know your target percentile based on the institute and work backward to build your score strategy.

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Check out our collection of CAT preparation books, mock tests, and expert tips on GK Publications. Whether you're aiming for the 99th percentile or just starting your prep, we have something for everyone.

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