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Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content
Updated on Dec 24, 2025 17:49 IST
IIM has shared the formula of Scaled CAT score calculation for three different slots. Read below to understand how scaled score in CAT is calculated and the formula that will be applied to prepare the CAT 2025 result of about 2.95 lakh test takers. Read more.

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.  

CAT score calculation

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

CAT 2025 result: 12 candidates get 100 percentile

CAT 2025 result: Check state wise toppers' list

Table of contents
  • 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:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the CAT exam cutoff required to get admission to IIM Bangalore?
A: 

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)
Q:   What is the difference between qualifying CAT cut off and final CAT cut off?
A: 
Qualifying CAT cut off percentiles of an IIM is the minimum percentile (sectional as well as overall) required by candidates to be eligible for the Written Ability Test (What) and Personal Interview PI round. These are only eligibility score and not the score for selection. The final CAT cut off percentiles are the scores on the basis of which a candidate is actually selected for the What-PI round. The qualifying CAT cut offs are released publically before the CAT exam and result as a part of selection criteria for the MBA/PGP batch of that year. The qualifying cut offs for CAT are release category wise - General, NC/OBC. General-EWS, SC/ST, PwD. The qualifying cut offs percentiles of General category candidate is higher than then rest. The final CAT cut offs are not released publically. The cut offs are estimate on the basis of candidate's selection for What-PI. The final CAT cut offs for General category candidate is also higher than then rest.
Q:   What is the CAT cut off for IIM Lucknow?
A: 
The CAT cut offs for IIM Lucknow is usually around 97-99 percentile. The two courses - PGP Agri-Business Management (ABM) and PGP Sustainable Management (some) are extremely popular among MBA aspirants who wish to make a career in these areas. The institute also offers PGP programme. The qualifying CAT cut off for IIM Lucknow's Written Ability test (What) and Personal Interview PI is 90 percentile for General category students, whereas for SC candidates, it is 70 percentile. For ST and PwD candidates, it is 60 percentile. Given below are the sectional and overall qualifying CAT cut offs for IIM Lucknow PGP course. General category: 85 VARC 85 DILR 85 Quantitative Aptitude 90 (Overall) NC-OBC category: 77 VARC 77 DILR 77 Quantitative Aptitude 82 (Overall) EWS category: 77 VARC 77 DILR 77 Quantitative Aptitude 82 (Overall) SC category: 55 VARC 55 DILR 55 Quantitative Aptitude 70 (Overall) ST category: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall) PwD category: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall) Click here for detailed IIM Lucknow admission and selection criteria: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/iim-lucknow-shortlist-admission-criteria-blogId-18509.

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 = (RG1 ) M0.1G

-------------------------------- + G

M10.1G1

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 = (RG2 ) M0.1G

---------------------------------------- + G

M20.1G2

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 = (RG3 ) M0.1G

----------------------------------- + G

M30.1G3

Check in detail CAT scaled score calculation:

CAT_Scaled_Score_Calculation

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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

CAT Percentile predictor prepared by Shiksha.com helps students to get their predicted CAT percentile on the basis of their expected exam score. So, predict your CAT 2025 exam score by clicking the link below:

CAT Percentile Predictor

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Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content

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

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Student Forum

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Write here...

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

Nishtha Shukla

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

Esha Singh

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

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

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

Vikrant Shekhar

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

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

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

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

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

Rashmi Sinha

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. 

ComponentsWeightage %
CAT Score35
Behavioural Assessment Test5
Written Analysis Test (WAT)5
Group Discussion (GD)10
Personal Interview (PI)20
Graduation5
Academic Diversity (Engineer / Non-Engineer)2.5
Gender Diversity (Male / Female)2.5
Regional Diversity2.5 (Candidates from North-East &
Jammu & Kashmir)
Sports2.5 (Only for National and
International level competitions)
Work Experience1000%

R

Rashmi Sinha

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

Aishwarya Malhotra

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

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Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10