CAT Score vs Percentile 2023: Analysis, Cut off Marks for IIMs

CAT score vs percentile 2023 is the analysis of the score required by the candidates to attain a certain percentile for admissions. CAT score denotes the performance of the candidate in the exam and the marks obtained. In contrast, the CAT 2023 percentile is the relative score attained by the candidate compared to the other candidates.

CAT (Common Admission Test) is a national-level exam conducted by one of the Indian Institutes of Management or IIMs on a rotational basis every year. The CAT exam pattern includes 66 questions in MCQ & non-MCQ format, and the time allotted for the exam is 120 minutes.

CAT Score vs Percentile 2023

CAT score vs percentile 2023 is the conversion of the raw scores into percentile to obtain the number of candidates eligible to participate in the selection process held by various IIMs and top B-schools. The expected CAT score vs percentile is displayed below in the table. 

CAT Raw Score Calculation

We will now look into CAT raw score calculation process. Suppose, two candidates have appeared for the CAT exam. The details of both the candidates and the calculation of their score are:

• For candidate A: He/She answered 60 (out of 66 questions). The total correct answer given is 55, and the incorrect answers are 5.
  • The mark given for the correct answers is 55*3 = 165, whereas, for the wrong answers is 5*1 = 5.
• For candidate B: He/She answered 50 ( out of 66 questions). The total correct answer given is 40, and the entire incorrect answers are 10.
  • The mark given for the correct answers is 40*3 = 120, whereas, for the wrong answers is 10*1 = 10.
• The CAT Score calculation as obtained for both the candidates are:

CAT Score = Marks for correct answers - Marks for incorrect answers

NOTE: Because of the negative marking for incorrect answers, there is a deduction of marks from the total marks. This is how the CAT Score is calculated.

What is a CAT Score?

The CAT Score is the total marks that the candidate scores in the qualifying exam. It depends on various factors, such as:

• Marking Scheme

  • The CAT score is calculated based on the sectional marks of the question paper
  • There will be a total of 66 questions for the CAT exam, out of which 24 problems will be from Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, from Quantitative ability 22 problems will be there, and 20 questions will be there from Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation
  • Thus, the authority calculates the CAT Score based on the marks obtained by the candidates in all three sections

• The CAT raw score pattern consists of:

  • The total marks allotted for the exam is 198
  • The candidates will get +3 marks for each of the correct responses
  • For each incorrect response, a deduction of 1 mark
  • Unattempted and non-MCQ includes no deduction of marks

What is a CAT Percentile?

CAT Percentile is the relative score. It determines the number of candidates who qualified for the exam. CAT percentile is calculated by comparing the candidate's performance with the other candidate and thus obtaining a relative score. 

CAT Percentile is very important for the screening of the candidates who are appearing for the first round of admission at IIM. 

The top 10 candidates are the ones who will score 90 percentile or above in the CAT exam. The percentile does not indicate the real/exact marks that the candidate scored. Perhaps, you can also try the CAT Percentile Predictor to assume a rough figure of the percentile.

How is CAT Percentile Calculated?

How percentile is calculated in CAT? CAT Percentile indicates the performance compared to all other test-takers. 

To calculate the CAT Percentile, the formula is: 

 P = [(N−r) N] × 100.

 Let us take an example: Suppose, a total number of 2,00,000 lakhs candidates appeared for the CAT exam.

 If person A scored rank 4,000, then his/her CAT Percentile will be - CAT Percentile = 1- [4000/200000] * 100 = 98 Percentile.

What is Scaled Score in CAT?

A scaled score in CAT basically means the score that you can see on your CAT scorecard. After the raw score, all the scores are normalized and then what an individual candidate gets after normalization, is printed on the scorecard. That is called the Scaled Score.

What is Normalisation of CAT Score?

The candidate's raw score or CAT total score is transformed to the normalised score. The raw score is defined as the actual score candidate gets in CAT 2023 exam individually, with the marking method in MCQs being +3 for every correct answer and -1 for every erroneous answer. Non-MCQs provide the same reward as MCQs but no penalty. 

Normalisation is done to make the exam fair for every candidate. Suppose, one shift is very tough compared to the next shift. So, if candidates are based on raw scores, then naturally, next shift students will get an unfair advantage as their questions were easier. So, a general normalisation method is followed, so that all the shifts, relevant to its toughness level, can be judged on equal ground.

CAT 2023 Cutoff

The cutoff for CAT defines the minimum marks that the candidate must score to qualify for the CAT exam, and, through this, they can secure admission in various colleges/institutes. Different branches of IIMs will release the score and percentile for the CAT exam aspirants. However, here is the previous year's data through which students can get an idea of the cutoff for different IIMs.

IIMS CAT Cut off with CAT Scores basis

IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) CAT Cut-off is dependent on the CAT Score. The CAT Cut-off of top IIMs is furnished in the following table data (Table 1-5), as per NIRF management ranking. It encompasses:

• Category -  SC (Schedule Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe), Other Backward Tribe (OBC), General, PwD (Persons with Disabilities), Transgender, Economically Weaker Section (EWS), and more

• The 99%tile: Section-wise and Overall score and CAT Raw Score for obtaining 99 percentile, depends on 

  • VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension ) score of 65-70 gets you 99 percentile in VARC
  • DI & LR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning) score of 50 plus fetches 99 percentile. In DILR
  • QA (Quantitative Ability) score of 55 plus in QA
  • Lastly, obtaining 160 plus fetches 99 percentile

• Aggregate: total score by combining different parameters

Below are the scores (approximate) given for different IIMs (Refer Table 1-6). You can calculate your percentile score by looking at the tables.

Table 1: CAT Cut off with CAT Scores IIM Ahmedabad

The CAT Score vs Percentile of IIM Ahmedabad has been provided below in Table 1,  which explains the relation between the different scoring parameters for the different categories for the CAT Cut Off.

Table 2: CAT Cut off with CAT Scores IIM Bangalore

Given below are the estimation of CAT Cut off on the basis of CAT score, IIM Bangalore. The three-section scores of a candidate will fetch an aggregate for the cut off based on the raw scores achieved.

Table 3: CAT Cut off with CAT Scores IIM Calcutta

Here is the estimation of CAT Cut off on the basis of CAT score, IIM Calcutta cited below:

Table 4: CAT Cut off with CAT Scores IIM Lucknow

Here is the estimation of CAT Cut off on the basis of CAT score, IIM Lucknow. Nonetheless, the ST category holds an aggregate of 65 based on the three section scores performance as illustrated below.

Table 5: CAT Score vs Percentile IIM Kozhikode

Both IIMs and top schools receive a CAT percentile score on the basis of CAT Score during the overall selection process as illustrated in the data table below for the different categories.

CAT Score vs Percentile: Composite Score

To derive the composite scores, individual institutes employ their parameters. Furthermore, some top B-schools and IIM release their final merit list based on the composite scores. In addition, candidates are called for the GD and PI round based on that. Some of the factors that are considered for the creation of CAT composite scores are as follows:

• The overall CAT scaled score
• Performance in class XI and XII
• Marks scored in Bachelors
• Work experience.
• Gender Diversity
• Academic Diversity

Top IIMs Accepting CAT 2023 Percentile

The top IIMs in India and their CAT percentiles are listed below. In addition, the composite score calculation and the acceptance criteria of each IIM varies.