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What is a Good Score in CAT 2025?
CAT examination is highly important for students pursuing the MBA degrees from the top-tier MBA colleges in India. With the competition rising significantly every year, it becomes more relevant than ever before to analyze what scores make good scores in CAT 2025.
Whether you are eyeing for an IIM colleges or an institute of repute, the knowledge about expected score-percentile mapping would definitely aid your preparation by allowing you to plan it. This blog comprehensively discusses all the essential points a candidate should be familiar with concerning CAT scores, their percentile, and the expected range they need to aim for so as to maximize their chances of success.
What is a Good Percentile in CAT 2025?
CAT percentile is calculated as the percentage of candidates who have scored below a particular candidate. Obtaining a raw score does not directly reflect the values of the percentile since the score is normalized among the different slots of the examinations. Generally:
- A percentile above 99 is considered excellent and forms the cut-off for the top IIMs.
- Between 95 and 99 percentile is a very good score and ensures you getting admission into newer IIMs and several reputed private B-schools.
- 90-95 percentile is an average to good CAT score suitable for a large number of tier-2 and tier-3 MBA colleges.
- Less than 80 is a low percentile for most of the premier institutes.
Also Read, Can You Score 99 Percentile in CAT Without Online Coaching?
Expected CAT Score vs Percentile 2025
Based on trends from CAT 2024 and expert analysis, here is an expected mapping of raw scores to percentiles for CAT 2025:
| Raw Score Range | Expected Percentile Range |
|---|---|
| 127+ | 99.9+ |
| 110 – 120 | 99.7 – 99.9 |
| 94 – 103 | 99 – 99.5 |
| 85 – 93 | 97 – 98 |
| 72 – 84 | 90 – 95 |
| 60 – 71 | 85 – 89 |
This table shows that a score near 95-98 marks typically corresponds to the coveted 99th percentile, though this can vary slightly depending on exam difficulty and normalization.
Also Read, For How Many Years is a CAT Score Valid? Check Now
What Score is Good in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile?
To achieve a 99 percentile or above, candidates generally need an overall scaled score between 90 to 95 marks out of 204 (total CAT marks). Section-wise, the expected scores for 99 percentile are approximately:
| Section | Expected Score Range for 99 Percentile |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 38-42 |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 35+ |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 30-33 |
Achieving these sectional scores cumulatively leads to a 99+ percentile, which is essential for top IIMs.
Also Read, What is a Good Score in CAT 2024? Last 3 Years Comparison
What is a Good CAT Score for Top IIM Colleges?
Top IIMs such as Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, and Kozhikode generally require candidates to be in the 99+ percentile range. This translates to a CAT score of around 90 or above out of 204 marks. For newer IIMs and other reputed institutes like FMS Delhi, the cutoff percentile ranges from 94 to 98, with corresponding scores between 65 and 85.
| Percentile Range | Approximate CAT Score | Target Institutes |
|---|---|---|
| 99.5+ | 103+ | Top IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta,FMS etc.) |
| 95-99 | 66-90 | Newer IIMs, MDI, SP Jain |
| 90-94 | 55-65 | XLRI, XIMB, TAPMI, Great Lakes |
| 80-89 | 48-56 | Tier-2 and Tier-3 B-schools |
Candidates from reserved categories may have slightly lower cutoffs, but competition remains intense.
Also Read, How to Use the CAT Score Calculator? Check & Compare Now
Factors Influencing Cutoffs and Good CAT Score Requirements
Cutoffs for CAT 2025 vary widely across IIMs and other premier management institutes owing to multiple factors:
- Institute Reputation and Demand:
The highest-ranking IIMs, like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta, have considerably high cutoffs; typically, these cutoffs lie at 99+ percentile levels because of their prestige, limited seats, and great demand. The relatively newer IIMs and well-known non-IIMs would have comparatively lower levels of cutoffs at around the 95-98 percentile. - Number of Applicants and Seat Availability:
The total number of candidates appearing for an examination and the number of seats in every institute directly affect the cutoffs. Many high-scored contestants push the cutoffs higher. - Exam Difficulty and Normalization:
Since the slots of the exam might be of varied difficulty, normalisation can be looked upon, affecting final mappings of scores to percentiles. With a difficult exam under its belt, a lower raw score cutoff is expected yet chiefly to be superseded by the percentile cutoffs. - Category-wise Reservation:
Cutoffs differ as per category (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD) with relaxed percentile requirements for reserved categories. For instance, general category candidates might require above 80 percentile in each section, whereas SC/ST candidates have low sectional cutoffs. - Sectional Cutoffs:
Most IIMs enforce minimum sectional percentile cutoffs (usually 70 percentile for General category) to ensure balanced proficiency. Candidates failing to meet these sectional cutoffs are not shortlisted regardless of overall percentile. - Profile and Selection Criteria:
Apart from the CAT scores, various other factors such as Academic Profile, Work Experience, Diversity, and Performance in WAT and PI are assessed by the institutes. Hence, the cutoffs reflect a holistic selection process.
What is a Good Score in CAT 2025: Conclusion
A good score in CAT 2025 is the doorway to admission into your dream MBA program. When you develop your own goals on the basis of percentile expectation and are aware of the percentile requirement of a top IIM or major institutes, you are able to prepare confidently for the CAT.
When it comes to making those percentiles count, practice and guidance with an expert are an absolute must. Start your CAT prep with Cracku today — with exhaustive mock tests and detailed analysis, along with personalized strategies that will assist your journey to score high and secure admission into those best B-schools.
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