CAT 2020 Score vs Percentile: How to Calculate them?

CAT 2020 score vs percentile analysis will help aspirants determine what CAT scores will fetch and what percentiles in the exam. While the CAT score represents the total marks secured by a student, the CAT percentile refers to the relative score. CAT scores vs percentile trends from previous years will help you understand CAT percentile calculations and expected IIM cut-offs. 

CAT 2020 Score vs Percentile Analysis

Out of 2,27,835 candidates who took the CAT exam in 2020, 9 candidates achieved 100 percentile, and 19 candidates obtained 99.99 percentile. Check out the CAT 2020 score vs percentile details below. Based on previous years’ scores vs percentile analysis, you will get a fair idea of what to expect in the current year. 

CAT 2020 Score vs Percentile Analysis

VARC	DILR	QA	Overall Score	CAT 2020 Percentile
47-49	40-42	45-47	135-137	99.5
43-45	34-36	41-43	122-124	99
39-41	33.5-34.5	38.5-39.5	112-114	98
32.5-34.5	26-28	35-37	94-96	95

Read More: CAT 2021 Score vs Percentile 

How to Calculate CAT Score vs Percentile?

Below is a table outlining the CAT exam pattern and marking scheme, which is critical for understanding the CAT score.

CAT Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

Section	Number of Questions	Marks Allocated	Duration
Quantitative Ability (QA)	24	72	40 Minutes
Verbal Ability & ReadingComprehension (VARC)	22	66	40 Minutes
Data Interpretation & LogicalReasoning (DILR)	20	60	40 Minutes
Total	66	198	120 Minutes

For every right answer, the candidate will be awarded 3 marks. At the same time, there will be a deduction of one mark for each incorrect answer. In the case of non-MCQs and unanswered questions, there is no negative marking. Let's now look into what the CAT score and percentile are.

What is CAT Score?

The total marks secured by a student in the CAT exam based on the marking scheme are known as the CAT score. In other words, the aggregate marks that a student obtains in all 3 sections (VARC, DILR, and QA) is his/her CAT score.

Read More: CAT 2022 Score vs Percentile

What are the Steps to Calculate CAT Score?

Follow the below-mentioned steps to calculate your CAT score:

1. Find the number of right answers marked in the CAT test and multiply each by 3 (3 marks are given for every correct attempt). 
2. Next, figure out the number of wrong answers and subtract the total with the total number of right attempts multiplied by three.
3. Finally, the result that you obtain is your CAT score.

Therefore, you need to use the formula shown below to calculate your CAT score:

CAT Score = (Number of Right Answers) * 3 - Number of Wrong Answers 

What is CAT Percentile?

CAT percentile indicates a student's rank in the CAT, compared to the other students who appeared for the test in the same time period, along with some other parameters. Using this unit, a candidate can calculate the percentage of students above or below him/her on the merit list.

Read More: CAT 2019 Score vs Percentile

How to Calculate CAT Percentile?

CAT Percentiles are the same as other exam percentiles. The percentiles just represent the number of students who are behind you in the exam. Find below the general formula for CAT percentile calculation:

CAT Percentile = ( 1 - AIR (Total number of students in the exam) * 100%

Let us understand the calculation of the CAT percentile through some examples.

Example 1: Suppose 50 students took the CAT exam. You performed well in the exam and secured 3rd rank. It means 47 students obtained a lower score than you. So, your CAT percentile will be calculated as shown below:

47/50*100 = 94 Percentile

Hence, you achieved the 94 percentile according to this example.

Example 2: Suppose 2,000 students sat for the CAT test. You got the first rank, which indicates that 1,999 students scored fewer marks than you. As a result, your percentile will be calculated in the following way:

1999/2000*100 = 99.95 Percentile

Therefore, according to the example given above, you secured 99.95 percentile in the CAT.

After looking at the examples mentioned above, you might be wondering how many students attain a 100 percentile in the CAT exam. Well, this is due to the factor of rounding off. Students must note that the percentile on the CAT scorecard is shown up to 2 decimal places. Therefore, it is rounded off to the 100 percentile.

However, there is no particular method through which students can determine the exact CAT score required for achieving the 99 percentile. The CAT percentile is based on the level of difficulty of the exam.

How do IIMs Calculate the Composite Score in CAT?

The composite scores refer to the final score calculated by IIMS for their MBA admissions. Besides the CAT score, many other parameters are taken into consideration by IIMs for their composite score calculation.

 Two students can have the same on-paper CAT scores but different composite scores. Here are the factors that IIMs consider for calculating the composite score:

• Grade 10th Marks
• Grade 12th Marks
• Graduation percentage or grade
• Academic Background
• Work Experience

Also Check: Top IIMs in India