Admission to management programs is done on the basis of CAT percentile presented in the CAT score card. Candidates get to know their scaled scores in each section, percentile score in each section, overall score, and overall percentile when CAT result is announced.
The overall scaled score is the sum of scaled scores in different components.
Percentile refers to the percentage of candidates who receive score less than or equal to the score obtained by the candidate.
What is the meaning of a scaled score in CAT exam?
CAT 2017 is being held in 2 sessions. Questions in session 1 and 2 will be different. Scores obtained by candidates will be run through a normalization process to ensure fairness and equity in comparison of candidates performances in sessions 1 and 2. Through normalization, adjustment will be done for location and scale differences of score distribution across different forms. Further normalization will done across sections. Once a scaled score is obtained, it will be converted to percentile.
CAT 2017 normalization process will be similar to that of GATE. See how GATE scores are normalized to get a better idea.
CAT Score vs Percentile
After analysing past year exam results, score vs percentile is plotted. These trends vary yearly depending upon various factors.
In CAT 2016, a scaled score between 220.09 to 287.83 corresponded to 100 percentile. A scaled score of 218.43 led to 99.99 percentile, 204.73 charted to 99.97 percentile, 191.2 made for 99.90 percentile, 157 scaled score was for 98.82 percentile.
In CAT 2015, a scaled score between 254.61 to 249.9 corresponded to 100 percentile. A scaled score of 242.33 led to 99.99 percentile, 235.33 charted to 99.98 percentile, 215.43 to 215.54 made for 99.89 percentile, 180.02 scaled score was for 99 percentile.
| Overall Scaled Score | Estimated Percentile |
| Around 55 | 50 |
| 55 – 65 | 50 – 57 |
| 65 – 70 | 57 – 63 |
| 70 – 75 | 63 – 67 |
| 75 – 80 | 67 – 70 |
| 80 – 85 | 70 – 73 |
| 85 – 90 | 73 – 75 |
| 90 – 95 | 75 – 78 |
| 95 – 100 | 78 – 80 |
| 100 – 105 | 80 – 83 |
| 105 – 110 | 83 – 86 |
| 110 – 115 | 86 – 88 |
| 115 – 120 | 88 – 90 |
| 120 – 125 | 90 – 91 |
| 125 – 130 | 91 – 92 |
| 130 – 135 | 92 – 93 |
| 135 – 140 | 93 – 94 |
| 140 – 145 | 94 – 95 |
| 145 – 150 | 95 – 96 |
| 150 – 155 | 96 – 97 |
| 155 – 160 | 97 – 98 |
| 160 – 180 | 98 – 99 |
| Above 180 | 99 – 100 |
