1. CAT Score (Raw Score)

• This is the actual number of marks you obtain in the exam.
• Calculated based on:
  1. +3 marks for each correct answer.
  2. -1 mark for each wrong answer (MCQs only).
  3. No negative marking for Non-MCQs (TITA – Type in the Answer).
• Example: If you get 20 correct answers (15 MCQs + 5 Non-MCQs) and 5 wrong MCQs, your score will be:
  1. Correct MCQs: 15 × 3 = 45
  2. Wrong MCQs: 5 × (-1) = -5
  3. Non-MCQs: 5 × 3 = 15
  4. Total Score = 45 – 5 + 15 = 55

2. CAT Percentile

• This indicates what percentage of test-takers scored less than you.
• If your percentile is 95, it means you scored better than 95% of candidates.
• Not the same as percentage (e.g., 70% marks ≠ 70 percentile).
• Calculated based on normalization (adjusts for difficulty across different slots).

Example of Percentile Calculation

• Suppose 1 lakh candidates appear for CAT.

• If your score is 120, and only 5,000 candidates scored above 120, your percentile would 

3. Key Differences

4. What’s More Important?

• Percentile matters more because IIMs and top B-schools shortlist candidates based on percentile, not raw scores.
• A 99+ percentile usually means a top rank (e.g., 99.5 = top 0.5% of test-takers).
• A 90-95 percentile is good for newer IIMs and top private B-schools.

5. Expected Score vs. Percentile (Approximate)

6. How to Improve Percentile?

• Focus on accuracy (avoid negative marking).
• Strong sectional performance (some IIMs have sectional cutoffs).
• Mock tests help gauge percentile trends.