The Marks needed to achieve a specific percentile in CAT changed every year due to the difficulty level and normalisation. As in CAT 2020 with a 99 percentile score, you could get about 101 marks; in CAT 2023, it fell to 76 marks, and CAT 2024 was the toughest year, so it increased again to 95 marks.
- In a year-wise comparison of CAT 2020 and 2021, you will require higher marks in different percentiles, which shows the exams were easier. In the mid-score range, the previous year's trends show a similar kind of pattern.
- To get 95 percentile, you will need 76 marks in CAT 2020, 73 marks in CAT 2021, 61 marks in CAT 2022, and only 54 marks in 2024, and it increased again in 2024 by 70 marks.
CAT Approximate Marks vs Percentile according to the previous year are:
| Percentile | CAT 2020 | CAT 2021 | CAT 2022 | CAT 2023 | CAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 101 | 98 | 90 | 76 | 95 |
| 95 | 76 | 73 | 61 | 54 | 70 |
| 90 | 63 | 60 | 49 | 44 | 58 |
| 80 | 48 | 45 | 36 | 38 | 44 |
The CAT Normalisation will affect the final result; the scaled score will adjust differences across slots. The CAT marks will vary based on the difficulty level of the exam and the performance level of candidates.
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CAT Marks vs Percentile Analysis: Last 4 Years
The CAT score will be converted into a percentile after normalisation, and the marks required to achieve a percentile differ every year according to the difficulty level of the exam and section-wise difficulty, along with the competition level.
This table shows a year-wise CAT Marks vs Percentile insights by showing the performance trends and percentile shifts.
CAT 2024 Marks vs Percentile
- The CAT Marks rose as compared to 2023, which proves that CAT 2024 was less difficult.
- The VARC was the most scoring section, which increased the percentile.
- The percentile range of 95 to 99 had high competition among the candidates.
- The Small 8–10 mark changes shifted percentile sharply, especially beyond 95 percentile.
| Percentile | Marks (Approx.) | Insights |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | 95 | Recovery in required marks; paper somewhat easier. |
| 98 | 86 | Marks for top percentiles rose again. |
| 95 | 70 | Significant increase vs 2023; competition stronger. |
| 90 | 58 | Higher baseline for a good percentile. |
| 80 | 44 | Stable but higher than 2023. |
CAT 2023 Marks vs Percentile
- The Lowest marks for 99 percentile in history, which confirms that the exam is tougher.
- Almost 25 to 30 marks lower as compared to 2022 for the same percentile.
- The normalised score differs in different slots according to the difficulty level.
| Percentile | Marks (Approx.) | Insight |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | 76 | Major drop; toughest year in recent history. |
| 98 | 67 | Sharp reduction shows great difficulty. |
| 95 | 54 | Many good students achieved lower marks. |
| 90 | 44 | Strong compression even for 90 percentile. |
| 80 | 38 | Even the 80th percentile had low marks. |
CAT 2022 Marks vs Percentile
- The difficulty level was balanced, so marks vs percentile were similar.
- The Percentile was somewhere similar to 2021, except for some papers with a slightly difficult level.
| Percentile | Marks (Approx.) | Insights |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | 90 | Slight drop in top marks requirement vs 2021. |
| 98 | 82 | Slide begins; difficulty increased somewhat. |
| 95 | 61 | Noticeable drop, showing tougher competition. |
| 90 | 49 | Lower marks sufficed compared to 2021. |
| 80 | 36 | Significant compression in the lower percentile band. |
CAT 2021 Marks vs Percentile
- It was one of the highest scoring years, as high marks are required for top percentiles.
- As the VARC was easier and QA was somewhat manageable, it increased the overall score.
| Percentile | Marks (Approx.) | Insights |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | 76 | Major drop; toughest year in recent history. |
| 98 | 67 | Sharp reduction shows great difficulty. |
| 95 | 54 | Many good students achieved lower marks. |
| 90 | 44 | Strong compression even for 90 percentile. |
| 80 | 38 | Even the 80th percentile had low marks. |
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Why CAT Scores Shift Every Year: Difficulty-Level Analysis
The CAT Marks vs Percentile changes every year because of the difficulty levels, change in exam pattern and different complexity of questions in VARC, DILR and QA. The Difficult year shows fewer scores, which means lower marks still achieved high percentiles.
CAT Difficulty-Level Impact on CAT Marks vs Percentile (Last 4 Years)
| Year | Difficulty Level | Marks Needed for 99 Percentile | Marks Needed for 90 Percentile | Insights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Moderate | 98 | 60 | Balanced paper; scoring-oriented, strong sectional separation benefited toppers. |
| 2022 | Moderately Difficult | 90 | 49 | Drop in score requirement due to tougher QA & DILR; percentile sharpness increased. |
| 2023 | Very Difficult | 76 | 44 | Lowest score requirement in 4 yrs; extreme DILR difficulty compressed score bands. |
| 2024 | Moderate-Easy | 95 | 58 | Easier structure with predictable QA; marks inflated again due to clearer scoring path. |

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Check the CAT Previous Year Paper AnalysisWhich CAT Score Gets You Into Top MBA Colleges: College-Wise Marks vs Percentile
The MBA Colleges with percentile cut-offs for shortlisting candidates from the CAT results. The CAT Cutoff shows the exam performance and institute-wise competition level.
College-wise CAT Percentile Cut-offs
| College | Overall Percentile Cut-Off | Approx. Marks Band* | Insight |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 99-100 %ile | 95+ marks in easier year / 80+ in tougher year | Ultra-selective; only the very top performers are shortlisted. |
| IIM Lucknow | 97-99 %ile | 90-95 marks | Slightly wider band than the very top IIMs; still highly competitive. |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 95-99 %ile | 85-95 marks | Top non-IIM B-school; high but slightly more accessible than top IIMs. |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 95-97 %ile | 80-90 marks | Strong national B-school; target band for many serious aspirants. |
| Tier-2 MBA colleges | 70-80 %ile | 60-70 marks | A good option for many, with a moderate difficulty level for admission. |
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CAT College Predictor


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