Quick Evaluation Overview (TL;DR)
Common Admission Test (CAT) Score & Percentile Mechanics: Conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), CAT consists of 66 questions for 198 marks split into 3 strictly timed 40-minute sections: VARC (24 Qs), DILR (20 Qs), and QA (22 Qs). For Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs), each correct answer awards +3.00 marks with a -1.00 mark penalty for wrong attempts. Non-MCQs (Type-In-The-Answer or TITA) award +3.00 marks with zero negative penalty. Sectional and composite percentiles determine interview shortlisting for top IIMs.
The Complete Guide to CAT Scoring, Scaled Scores & Percentile Distribution
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's premier gateway to post-graduate management programs across 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and top-tier non-IIM institutions such as FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, and IIT management departments. Because competition is fierce among more than 2.8 lakh test-takers, every mark has an outsized impact on percentile ranking.
Section-by-Section Exam Blueprint & Marking Rules
| Section Name | Total Questions | MCQs (With -1 Penalty) | TITA (Zero Penalty) | Max Marks | Time Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 Qs | 16–18 Qs | 6–8 Qs | 72 Marks | 40 Minutes |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 Qs | 14–16 Qs | 4–6 Qs | 60 Marks | 40 Minutes |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 Qs | 14–16 Qs | 6–8 Qs | 66 Marks | 40 Minutes |
| Total Composite Exam | 66 Qs | 46–50 Qs | 16–20 Qs | 198 Marks | 120 Minutes |
Raw Marks vs Projected Percentile Mapping (Recent Trends)
| Target CAT Percentile | VARC Raw Score (/72) | DILR Raw Score (/60) | QA Raw Score (/66) | Overall Raw Score (/198) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.9+ Percentile | 48 – 52 | 38 – 42 | 42 – 46 | 110 – 120 Marks |
| 99.0 Percentile | 38 – 42 | 26 – 30 | 30 – 34 | 80 – 86 Marks |
| 98.0 Percentile | 34 – 37 | 22 – 25 | 25 – 28 | 70 – 76 Marks |
| 95.0 Percentile | 28 – 31 | 17 – 20 | 19 – 22 | 56 – 62 Marks |
| 90.0 Percentile | 22 – 25 | 13 – 15 | 14 – 16 | 44 – 49 Marks |
| 85.0 Percentile | 18 – 20 | 10 – 12 | 11 – 13 | 36 – 40 Marks |
Strategic TITA Advantage
Because non-MCQ (Type-In-The-Answer) questions carry zero negative marks, examinees should always submit their best calculation for every TITA problem. An incorrect guess in TITA costs 0 marks, whereas an incorrect guess in an MCQ deducts 1 full mark from your earned points.
CAT Exam Blueprint & Slot Scaling Mechanics
Administered in three separate slots (morning, afternoon, evening) by the Indian Institutes of Management, the CAT consists of 66 questions to be answered in 120 minutes with 40-minute sectional countdowns:
- MCQ Questions: Correct answers yield +3 marks; incorrect answers deduct -1 mark (1/3rd penalty).
- TITA (Non-MCQ) Questions: Type In The Answer questions carry zero negative penalty. Attempt all TITA questions without hesitation.
- Equi-Percentile Scaling: Raw scores across all three slots are adjusted using the mean and standard deviation of top test takers to generate the official Scaled Score reported on scorecards.