Enter your VARC, DILR, and QA scores to instantly predict your overall CAT 2026 percentile and section-wise percentiles. Know your IIM shortlist chances across all categories. Based on official CAT 2025 normalization data. Free, no signup.
Verified from IMS, Career Launcher, Cracku post-result analysis of CAT 2025 (result: December 24, 2025). Scores are scaled/normalized — not raw marks.
| Scaled Score (out of 198) | Expected Percentile | Approx. Rank | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 127+ | 99.90+ | Top 300 | Exceptional |
| 100–126 | 99.50+ | Top 1,500 | IIM ABC zone |
| 88–99 | 99.20 | Top 2,400 | |
| 86–87 | 99.00 | Top 3,000 | Easier slot |
| 79–85 | 98.00 | Top 3,000 | Tougher slot |
| 74–78 | 97.50 | Top 7,500 | |
| 70–73 | 95.00 | Top 15,000 | IIM L/K/I zone |
| 63–69 | 92.00 | Top 24,000 | |
| 58–62 | 90.00 | Top 30,000 | New IIM zone |
| 50–57 | 85.00 | Top 45,000 | |
| 44–49 | 80.00 | Top 59,000 | Baby IIM zone |
| 36–43 | 75.00 | Top 73,000 | |
| 28–35 | 70.00 | Top 88,000 | |
| 0–27 | 30–68 | Below 1 Lakh |
Each section scored independently. Missing sectional cutoff disqualifies you from IIM shortlisting.
| Overall %ile Target | VARC Score | DILR Score | QA Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.0+ | 40+ | 28+ | 36+ | DILR was tough in 2025 |
| 97.0 | 35+ | 22+ | 30+ | |
| 95.0 | 30+ | 18+ | 24+ | |
| 90.0 | 24+ | 13+ | 18+ | |
| 85.0 | 19+ | 9+ | 14+ | |
| 80.0 | 15+ | 6+ | 10+ | Min IIM cutoff |
| 70.0 | 10+ | 3+ | 6+ | Danger zone |
Paper difficulty shifts the score-percentile relationship significantly each year.
| Year | Score for 99 %ile | Difficulty | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ~105 | Hard | 2.44L |
| 2020 | ~101 | Hard | 1.90L |
| 2021 | ~108 | Moderate | 1.92L |
| 2022 | ~110 | Moderate | 2.23L |
| 2023 | ~76 | Hard | 2.87L |
| 2024 | ~95 | Moderate | 2.95L |
| 2025 | ~85 | Moderate | 2.93L |
| 2026 | ~80–95 (est.) | TBD — Nov 2026 | ~3L (est.) |
Key takeaway: In harder papers (2023), 76 marks gave 99 percentile. In moderate papers (2022), 110 marks were needed. Focus on accuracy and TITA attempts — not raw question count.
Minimum CAT percentile for interview shortlisting at each IIM, by category. Actual call percentiles are typically 2–5 points higher than these qualifying minimums.
| IIM | General | OBC/EWS | SC | ST | Process Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 99.5+ | 97+ | 85+ | 80+ | Composite score + GD-WAT-PI |
| IIM Bangalore | 99.0+ | 96+ | 82+ | 75+ | 55% CAT + 45% profile |
| IIM Calcutta | 99.0+ | 95+ | 85+ | 80+ | 100% CAT for shortlist |
| IIM Lucknow | 97.0+ | 92+ | 80+ | 70+ | Good for non-GEM profiles |
| IIM Kozhikode | 96.0+ | 88+ | 75+ | 65+ | Diversity-friendly |
| IIM Indore | 96.0+ | 88+ | 80+ | 70+ | High academics emphasis |
| IIM Shillong | 93.0+ | 83+ | 70+ | 60+ | |
| IIM Trichy | 91.0+ | 81+ | 68+ | 58+ | |
| IIM Raipur | 90.0+ | 80+ | 65+ | 55+ | |
| IIM Ranchi | 90.0+ | 80+ | 65+ | 55+ | Strong HR stream |
| IIM Udaipur | 90.0+ | 80+ | 65+ | 55+ | |
| IIM Kashipur | 88.0+ | 78+ | 62+ | 52+ | |
| IIM Nagpur | 88.0+ | 78+ | 62+ | 52+ | |
| IIM Vizag | 85.0+ | 75+ | 60+ | 50+ | Baby IIM |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 85.0+ | 75+ | 58+ | 48+ | Baby IIM |
| IIM Jammu | 85.0+ | 75+ | 58+ | 48+ | Baby IIM |
| IIM Sirmaur | 83.0+ | 73+ | 55+ | 45+ | Baby IIM |
| IIM Sambalpur | 75.0+ | 65+ | 50+ | 40+ | Baby IIM |
| IIM Amritsar | 83.0+ | 73+ | 55+ | 45+ | |
| IIM Mumbai | 96.0+ | 88+ | 75+ | 65+ | Ex-NITIE; strong ops |
Many excellent B-schools accept CAT with lower cutoffs — several offer better ROI than newer IIMs.
| College | CAT %ile Cutoff | Total Fees | Why Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| FMS Delhi | 99.0+ | ~₹2L | Best ROI in India — lowest fees among top MBA colleges |
| XLRI Jamshedpur | 97.0+ | ~₹27L | Also accepts XAT; top HR and Business Management |
| MDI Gurgaon | 97.0+ | ~₹24L | Strong placements; Gurgaon location advantage |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 98.0+ | ~₹23L | PGDM; unique social sector and diversity focus |
| IIFT Delhi/Kolkata | 97.0+ | ~₹16L | Best for International Business MBA |
| IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) | 98.0+ | ~₹10L | IIT pedigree; tech + management |
| IIT Delhi (DMS) | 97.0+ | ~₹8L | Excellent placement from IIT Delhi campus |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 90.0+ | ~₹18L | Strong Delhi NCR placements |
| XIMB Bhubaneswar | 90.0+ | ~₹17L | Jesuit school; ethics and culture focus |
| TAPMI Manipal | 85.0+ | ~₹19L | Finance & Analytics specialization |
| Great Lakes Chennai | 85.0+ | ~₹20L | Excellent for experienced professionals |
| FORE School Delhi | 85.0+ | ~₹18L | Strong consulting and finance placements |
| MICA Ahmedabad | 85.0+ | ~₹22L | Marketing specialist; also own MICAT exam |
Reading Comprehension (4 RC sets × 4 Qs) + Para Summary, Para Jumbles, Odd One Out
Data Interpretation (tables, charts, caselets) + Logical Reasoning (seating, arrangements, puzzles)
Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, Modern Math (PnC, Probability)
The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 is India's most competitive MBA entrance exam, conducted by the IIMs on a rotational basis. Over 20 IIMs and 1,200+ B-schools across India accept CAT scores. With approximately 3 lakh candidates expected in 2026, CAT is one of the most fiercely competitive relative evaluation tests in the world — where a single percentile point separates thousands of candidates.
What makes CAT unique is its percentile-based evaluation. Unlike fixed-score exams, your CAT percentile reflects your performance relative to all other candidates that year. The same 80 marks can give 98 percentile in a tough paper and 97 percentile in an easy one — which is why this predictor uses the most recent official data (CAT 2025) as the closest benchmark for CAT 2026.
CAT 2025 was conducted by IIM Kozhikode on November 30, 2025 across 2 slots. Results were released on December 24, 2025. DILR was notably harder than 2024 — in Slot 1 (tougher), just 28 marks in DILR fetched 99 sectional percentile. This variability across sections and slots is exactly why section-wise percentile prediction matters as much as overall prediction.
A high CAT percentile is necessary but not sufficient. Every IIM uses a composite score — understanding each IIM's formula is critical for setting realistic targets and profile strategy.
General category male engineers (GEM) face the steepest competition at top IIMs. At IIM Ahmedabad, GEMs typically need 99.7+ percentile for a realistic shortlist call. A General female with the same percentile receives gender diversity bonus. OBC/EWS gets category relaxation. Both result in interview calls at lower percentiles.
GEMs can overcome this through: (1) exceptional CAT scores (99.8+), (2) targeting IIMB and XLRI where work experience matters more, (3) applying to FMS Delhi where the process is more merit-based and fees are minimal, (4) non-IIM schools like SPJIMR and MDI where the composition is more balanced.
Enter your VARC, DILR, and QA scores above for an instant section-wise and overall percentile prediction with IIM shortlist analysis.
Predict My CAT 2026 PercentileData sourced from IMS India · Career Launcher · Cracku · MBAUniverse · Official CAT 2025 scorecard analysis
