IIM Kozhikode will use the same formula of Scaled CAT score calculation for three different slots, as used in previous years. Read below to understand what is scaled score in CAT and how it is calculated and the formula that has been applied to prepare the CAT 2025 result.
What is scaled score in CAT? The exam is held in three slots every batch of candidates got different set of questions. The examination authority normalize the CAT scores of all candidates to assess their performance on a standardised scale. This is critical to ensure none of the candidates have any advantage or disadvantage over another due to varied difficulty levels of the test slot. For result preparation, CAT authorities calculate raw scores of candidates and then evaluate each performance on a common scale so that there is fairness in percentile calculation. Read below to know how CAT 2025 score has been calculated for Slot 1, Slot 2 and Slot 3.
Latest: CAT 2025 result out, cut off, admission criteria- live updates
- What is scaled score in CAT Exam?
- Scaled CAT Score Calculation for All Three Slots
- CAT Scaled Score vs Percentile 2025
What is scaled score in CAT Exam?
The CAT exam pattern changed in 2020 and it became a three slot exam (earlier there were only two slots). The exam authorities introduced a modified process of Scaled CAT Score calculation in line with three-slot system. CAT 2025 will follow the same method of Scaled Score calculation for preparation of candidate scorecards. Read below to understand the scaled score in CAT and its calculation for performance normalisation and assessment.
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
The CAT cut offs for IIM Bangalore hovers between 97-100 percentile. The qualifying CAT cut off required for being eligible for IIM Bangalore's Written Ability test (What) and Personal Interview PI is 85 percentile for General category students, whereas for SC candidates, it is 70 percentile. For ST candidates, it is 65 percentile and for PwD candidates it is 60 percentile. Given below are the sectional and overall qualifying CAT cut offs for IIM Bangalore.
- General category: 80 VARC 75 DILR 75 Quantitative Aptitude 85 (Overall)
- NC-OBC category: 75 VARC 65 DILR 65 Quantitative Aptitude 75 (Overall)
- EWS category: 70 VARC 65 DILR 65 Quantitative Aptitude 75 (Overall)
- SC category: 65 VARC 60 DILR 60 Quantitative Aptitude 70 (Overall)
- ST category: 55 VARC 55 DILR 55 Quantitative Aptitude 65 (Overall)
- PwD category: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall)
Scaled CAT Score Calculation for All Three Slots
IIMCAT has shared the formula of scaled CAT score calculation of students appearing in the exam in three different slots this year. In the process below, the CAT scaled score calculation has been explained with the example of Quantitative Aptitude section, same methodology is applied for scaled score calculation for VARC and DILR. If any candidate’s scaled score is more than 100, it will be rounded down to 100.
Step 1: Calculate the Mean (M) and the Standard Deviation (SD) of the raw scores in QA section for all candidates appearing in the morning session. Let Mean = M1 and SD = S1 and G1 = M1 + S1.
Step 2: Calculate the Mean (M) and the Standard Deviation (SD) of the raw scores in QA section for all candidates appearing in the afternoon session. Let Mean = M2 and SD = S2 and G2 = M2 +S2.
Step 3: Calculate the Mean (M) and the Standard Deviation (SD) of the raw scores in QA section for all candidates appearing in the evening session. Let Mean = M3 and SD = S3 and G3 = M3 + S3.
Step 4: Calculate the Mean (M) and the Standard Deviation (SD) of the raw scores in QA section for all candidates appearing in CAT (i.e. including all the three sessions). Let Mean = M and SD = S and G = M + S.
Step 5: Calculate the Mean (M) raw score in QA section of the top 0.1% candidates in the morning session and denote it by M10.1
Step 6: Calculate the Mean (M) raw score in QA of top 0.1% candidates in the afternoon session and denote it by M20.1
Step 7: Calculate the Mean (M) raw score in QA of top 0.1% candidates in the evening session and denote it by M30.1
Step 8: Calculate the Mean (M) raw score in QA of top 0.1% candidates appearing in CAT (i.e. considering all the three sessions) and denote it by M0.1.
Suppose now XYZ is a candidate who appeared in the morning session and her raw score in QA section is R. Then the scaled score of XYZ in QA, say r given by:
r = (R − G1 ) M0.1 − G
-------------------------------- + G
M10.1 − G1
In case XYZ is a candidate who appeared in the afternoon session and her raw score in QA section is R. Then the scaled score of XYZ in QA, say r given by:
r = (R − G2 ) M0.1 − G
---------------------------------------- + G
M20.1 − G2
In case XYZ is a candidate who appeared in the evening session and her raw score in QA section is R. Then the scaled score of XYZ in QA, say r given by:
r = (R − G3 ) M0.1 − G
----------------------------------- + G
M30.1 − G3
Check in detail CAT scaled score calculation:
CAT Scaled Score vs Percentile 2025
Check the table below for a comparison of CAT scaled score vs percentile to understand the calculation of exam score better:
| Percentile |
VARC Score |
DILR Score |
QA Score |
Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.9 |
51 |
46 |
48 |
122 |
| 99.5 |
44 |
39 |
40 |
103 |
| 99 |
40 |
34 |
33 |
90 |
| 98 |
34 |
31 |
30 |
81 |
| 95 |
30 |
26 |
25 |
70 |
| 90 |
23 |
19 |
18 |
53 |
| 85 |
19 |
15 |
16 |
45 |
| 80 |
17 |
13 |
14 |
40 |
| 75 |
15 |
11 |
12 |
34 |
Read More:
- CAT Score vs Percentile: How to Calculate?
- Understanding CAT Normalization Process
- Top MBA colleges accepting CAT scores
- MBA colleges accepting cut off 50-60 percentile in CAT 2025
- MBA colleges accepting cut off 60-70 percentile in CAT 2025
- MBA colleges accepting cut off 80-90 percentile in CAT 2025
- MBA colleges accepting cut off 70-80 percentile in CAT 2025

News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Jul '26 | XAT 2027 registration dates |
Sep '26 | XAT 2027 mock test |
Aug '26 | SNAP 2026 Registration Process |
28 Nov '26 | SNAP 2026 admit card session 1... |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Registration Window |
Aug '26 | NMAT 2026 Scheduling Window |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
1 Apr '26 - 25 May '26 | MAT May 2026 Registration PBT |
1 Apr '26 - 8 Jun '26 | MAT May 2026 Registration CBT |
Jul '26 | IBSAT 2026 Registration |
Dec '26 | IBSAT 2026 Exam Date |
17 Feb '26 | CMAT 2026 result |
31 Jan '26 - 2 Feb '26 | CMAT 2026 exam answer key obje... |
9 May '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam 2 |
7 Apr '26 - 8 Apr '26 | MAH MBA CET 2026 exam |
16 Mar '26 - 10 Apr '26 | TANCET registration window |
May '26 | TANCET admit card download |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Student Forum
Answered 6 hours ago
Candidates should practice at least past 10 years' CAT question papers to have a good control over the exam. Many times, questions are repeated so prior practice will be helpful. CAT question papers are also best source of RC passages.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 6 hours ago
Yes, the question papers of all CAT exam slots are different from each other. This is done to ensure that there is no question leak before the next slot, and that second and third slot candidates have no advantage over first slot candidate.
E
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 8 hours ago
XIM University accepts the CAT cutoff for admission to the MBA course. According to the XIM University CAT cutoff 2025, a percentile of 91 (both overall and sectional) would be required to be eligible for XIM University admission.
Candides should know that just clearing the final cutoff does not gr
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 10 hours ago
Yes, Talent Skillsvarsity admissions are possible without the CAT scores. The below are the Talent Skillsvarsity admission related criteria:
- PG course: NMAT, MAT, CMAT, CET, XAT, ATMA, & GMAT.
Selection: Aptitude test, personal interview round & panel interview
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 10 hours ago
IBS Mumbai CAT cutoff 2025 was released for admission to the PGPM course for various All India categories. The cutoff was published in the form of percentiles.
For the General AI category, the overall percentile was 70 and 40 sectional for to the PGPM programme. Students who attain these percentile
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 10 hours ago
To attain admission in Loyola Institute of Business Administration, students who belong to the General category under the All India quota would need to attain a CAT percentile of 80 overall and 50 for the Quants, VA-RC and DI-LR sections.
Other categories will have different cutoffs accordingly. Gen
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 14 hours ago
IMI New Delhi admission to the MBA/PGDM courses is based on the CAT exam. The CAT cutoff is not released publicly and can only be accessed via students' registered login ID and password. As per the past years' cutoff trends, the overall estimated CAT cutoff percentile is 90.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
MDI Gurgaon admission is a two-stage process for its PGDM courses. For the final selection at stage 2, the weightage for the CAT score is 35%. Candidates can refer to the table below to view the various components along with their weightage for final admission at this institute.
| Components | Weightage % |
|---|---|
| CAT Score | 35 |
| Behavioural Assessment Test | 5 |
| Written Analysis Test (WAT) | 5 |
| Group Discussion (GD) | 10 |
| Personal Interview (PI) | 20 |
| Graduation | 5 |
| Academic Diversity (Engineer / Non-Engineer) | 2.5 |
| Gender Diversity (Male / Female) | 2.5 |
| Regional Diversity | 2.5 (Candidates from North-East & Jammu & Kashmir) |
| Sports | 2.5 (Only for National and International level competitions) |
| Work Experience | 1000% |
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes, students do not need CAT scores to get admission in Ashoka Women's Engineering College MBA. The college only considers Andhra Pradesh MBA ICET scores. No other exams are considered.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes, you could get into DoMS IIT Madras with a CAT percentile of 85 if you belong to the General AI category. According to the estimated DoMS IIT Madras CAT cutoff 2025, the overall percentile was 85.11, and the sectional cutoff was 50.
Hence, students who have a cutoff of 85 can avail admission to
N
Contributor-Level 10
Registration - To be notified
Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
Read Full Bio