On November 30, 2025, around 2.58 lakh candidates appeared for the CAT exam 2025. A score of 100 marks in CAT percentile can increase your MBA admission prospects because you can get admission into top MBA colleges.
- A percentile between 99.5 and 99.9 is scored by getting 100 marks, depending on slot difficulty and normalisation.
- After scaling, this raw score may increase slightly, depending on the slot and normalisation process.
- Candidates become eligible for calls from top IIMs, IITs, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, and other elite B-schools with a percentile range of 99.5 to 99.9.
- Calls from almost all IIMs, including the top three, can be expected by reserved-category candidates with strong profiles.
This guide will help you know your percentile, understand slot-wise variations, and identify the best colleges you can target if you have scored over 100 marks.
Also Read: Understand CAT 2025 results better: check official scorecard and expected IIM cutoffs here
Expected CAT Score vs Percentile 2025 (Overall)
Based on predictions from leading coaching institutes and historical data, here’s the expected score vs percentile mapping for CAT 2025:
| Raw Score Range | 2025 Expected Percentile |
|---|---|
| 120+ | 99.9+ |
| 100-110 | 99.5-99.9 |
| 90-95 | 99-99.5 |
| 80-85 | 98-99 |
| 70-75 | 97-98 |
A score of 100 marks in CAT percentile places you in the top 0.5% of all the candidates who have given the examination. Many doors are opened to the most prestigious management institutes in India with the help of this score.
Ques. Do you consider 100 marks in the CAT percentile enough for admission into IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, or Calcutta?
Ans: Yes, 100 marks (99.5+ percentile) can be considered as a good score to get a call, provided your profile, including academics, work experience and diversity, is strong.
Ques. What if the candidate is from a reserved category?
Ans: A reserved category candidate has a very high chance of getting calls from all IIMs, including the top three.
Also Read: CAT marks vs percentile trends from 2025 to 2022
The Score of CAT vs Percentile Trends for 100 Marks
The percentile for 100 marks can change a bit each year. This change depends on how many people take the test and how hard the exam is. Here are some recent trends:
- The normalisation process may slightly increase your scaled score, especially if your slot was tougher.
- A 100-mark score has consistently been a ticket to the 99.5+ percentile club.
| Year | Total Candidates | 100 Marks Raw Score | Expected Percentile | Scaled Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 2025 | 2.58 lakh | 100 | 99.5-99.9 | 104-108 |
| CAT 2024 | 2.88 lakh | 100 | 99.7 | 104-107 |
| CAT 2023 | 2.33 lakh | 100 | 99.8 | 103-106 |
| CAT 2022 | 2.30 lakh | 100 | 99.8-99.9 | 102-105 |
Also Read: Step-by-step guide on how CAT scores are calculated
Ques. What are the other exams that you should consider?
Ans: If you want to maximise your options, you should consider other exams such as XAT, SNAP, NMAT and GMAT.
Ques. What is the next step you should prepare for after getting a high percentile?
Ans. You should prepare for WAT-PI rounds, research your target colleges, and ensure that your application is strong.
How 100 Marks Converts Across CAT 2025 Slots?
The difficulty level of the CAT exam changes for every slot. The differences between slots can still affect your percentile, although the normalisation process helps maintain fairness.
Slot 1 is conducted from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
- The overall difficulty of this slot will vary from moderate to difficult.
- A 100 mark achiever can expect a percentile range from 99.5 to 99.7.
- Quantitative Ability can be considered the best section for getting 100 marks.
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension is considered to be the toughest section of all.
Slot 2 is conducted from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
- The overall difficulty of this slot will be moderate.
- A 100 marks achiever can expect a percentile anywhere between 99.6 to 99.8.
- VARC (if RCs are direct and para-jumbles are easy) is the best section for getting 100 marks.
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning is the toughest section of all.
Slot 3 is conducted from Evening: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
- The overall difficulty of this slot will widely vary from moderate to difficult
- 99.7 to 99.9 will be the expected percentile to get 100 marks.
- DILR (if sets are easier) is the best section for getting 100 marks.
- QA (if algebra is dominant) is the toughest section.
Also, check: Find out what counts as a good CAT score for top B-Schools
Slot-Wise Section Performance Table for 100 Marks:
| Section | Slot 1 Percentile | Slot 2 Percentile | Slot 3 Percentile | Best Slot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall (100) | 99.5-99.7 | 99.6-99.8 | 99.7-99.9 | Slot 3 |
| VARC (100) | 99.8-99.9 | 99.9 | 99.7-99.8 | Slot 2 |
| DILR (100) | 99.7-99.8 | 99.8-99.9 | 99.6-99.8 | Slot 2 |
| QA (100) | 99.7-99.8 | 99.6-99.7 | 99.8-99.9 | Slot 3 |
List of Colleges Accepting 100 Marks in CAT Percentile
You qualify for calls from the best B-schools in India by getting a score of 100 marks in the CAT percentile. Here’s a list of top institutes and their expected cutoffs for CAT 2025:
Also Read:
Premium level Institute IIMs (A, B, C)
- 99-99.9 percentile is the expected cut-off for the top IIMs
- General, OBC, SC, ST and PwD categories have criteria-based relaxation
- The selection process also considers profile, academics, and diversity factors.
Also Read: How academics and work experience are weighted in CAT 2025 admissions
Other Leading Institutes
- FMS Delhi (Marks required: 99+ percentile)
- MDI Gurgaon (Marks required: 97-99 percentile)
- SPJIMR Mumbai (Marks required: 98-99 percentile)
- IIT Bombay, Delhi, Madras (Marks required: 98-99 percentile)
- NITIE Mumbai (Marks required: 97-99 percentile)
- IIM Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore (Marks required: 97-99.5 percentile)
Check:
- The most important WAT topics for IIMs you must prepare
- Key PI tips and commonly asked interview questions in IIMs
Baby and New IIMs
- Expected Cutoff for baby and new IIMs varies from 95 to 98 percentile for the General category, but is lower for reserved categories.
Other Top Private Colleges
- IMT Ghaziabad requires 95-97 percentile
- IMI Delhi requires 90-95 percentile
- XIMB Bhubaneswar requires 90-95 percentile
- TAPMI Manipal requires 85-90 percentile
Also Read: Complete admission process for IIMs for the 2026 batch
Top MBA Colleges Accepting 99.5+ Percentile in CAT 2025 according to States
Maharashtra
| College | Required Percentile Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| JBIMS Mumbai | 99.9+ | Extremely competitive; often treated as equivalent to top IIMs in ROI and placements. |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 98–99 | Profile-based shortlisting; strong emphasis on academics and work experience. |
| NITIE Mumbai (now IIM Mumbai) | 97–99 | Specialises in operations/supply chain; good for technical backgrounds. |
Also Read: Know which IIMs do not consider work experience in shortlisting.
Karnataka
Primarily, IIM Bangalore dominates the high-percentile bracket; others like TAPMI fall below 99.5+.
| College | Required Percentile Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Bangalore | 99.5–99.9 | One of the top IIMs; holistic selection including academics and interviews. TAPMI (85–90) does not qualify under 99.5+. |
Tamil Nadu
IIM Madras is the key high-cutoff institute; Great Lakes is lower.
| College | Required Percentile Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Madras | 98–99 | Strong focus on analytics and consulting placements. Great Lakes Chennai (90–95) does not meet the 99.5+ threshold. |
Also Read: Know which IIMs do not consider work experience in shortlisting.
Delhi NCR
| College | Required Percentile Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FMS Delhi | 99+ | Exceptional ROI (low fees, high placements); government institute. |
| MDI Gurgaon | 97–99 | Strong in marketing/HR; international immersion programs. |
| IMI Delhi | 90–95 | Below 99.5+; good for finance/operations but not in this elite bracket. |
Uttar Pradesh
IIM Lucknow leads; IMT is mid-tier.
| College | Required Percentile Range | Notes |
| IIM Lucknow | 97–99.5 | Emphasis on leadership and consulting; Agri/ABM programs available. |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 95–97 | Dual-country option; strong alumni network but below 99.5+ for top calls. |
Also Read: Total seats available across all IIMs and top MBA colleges.
Strategy for 100-Mark Scorers: What Next?
For candidates who scored around 100 marks in CAT 2025, you're in an excellent position. This score typically translates to a 99+ percentile, opening doors to India's top business schools. Here's a practical roadmap to make the most of your outstanding performance.
Immediate Actions
- After getting your CAT results, take these steps right away:
- Download your response sheet from iimcat.ac.in to verify your scores
- Calculate your raw score using the marking scheme (+3 for correct, -1 for wrong MCQs, 0 for wrong TITA)
- Check percentile predictors from Career Launcher, Cracku, or Collegedunia for accurate estimates
- Identify 15-20 target colleges in the 99+ percentile range, including all old IIMs
- Start preparing for the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) immediately
With 100 marks, you're looking at calls from IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode, and other top institutions. Don't wait for official results to start interview preparation.
You will be among the top 0.5% of aspirants if you score 100 marks in CAT percentile 2025, which is considered to be a remarkable achievement. You will get admission to the most prestigious management institutes in India, including the top IIMs, IITs, FMS, and more, if you score well. You can maximise your chances of securing admission to your dream B-school with careful planning, strong profile-building, and focused preparation for the next rounds.
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