Between 2014 and 2019, The CAT total marks were 300. The question paper comprised 100 questions, each carrying three marks, resulting in a maximum achievable raw score of 300. The highest topper marks out of 300 was scored by Renjith Thomas Josua in 2015.
- Maharashtra had produced the most CAT toppers in the 300-mark format.
- The 100th percentile often ranged from 230 to 270, depending on the year's difficulty.
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Key Summary
- Toppers like Patrick D’Souza and Renjith Thomas Joshua had consistently scored high in the past years.
- Between 2014 to 2024, 94% toppers in the CAT exam were engineers, according to official records.
- During that time, achieving the 100th percentile required exceptionally high scores.
- The scores vary across the years, since tougher papers require high accuracy.
- IIMs prioritise percentiles over raw marks; raw marks are rarely officially released.
Highest CAT Scores Out of 300: Year-wise List
There is no official list for the highest marks released by IIMs. Based on various reports and media coverage, the scores are given below:
| Year | Highest reported scaled scores (approx) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 241-244 |
| 2018 | 235-251 |
| 2017 | 230-260 |
| 2016 | 236-241 |
| 2015 | 240-262 |
| 2014 | 230-250 |
Also Read: Check your CAT percentile based on your CAT score.
Ques. Has any non-engineer achieved a 100th percentile with a known high score out of 300?
Ans. No, no non-engineer is known to have achieved the 100th percentile with a publicly documented high raw score out of 300.
CAT Topper Marks Out of 300: Year-wise List
CAT has produced remarkable achievers in the previous years, with toppers securing a perfect 100th percentile amid fierce competition. On average, every year, 12-13 candidates secure a 100th percentile according to official records.
CAT 2014 Toppers List (Conducting Body-IIM Indore)
In 2014, out of the 1.7 lakh candidates who took the test, only 16 students, including a female, scored in the 100th percentile, making them the top scorers of the examination.
| Topper | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Neha Mangalik | 100 |
| Harsheen Jain | 100 |
| Anuraag Reddy | 100 |
| Aashish Chiller | 100 |
| Pranjul Gupta | 100 |
| Rajesh Balasubramanian | 100 |
| Vishesh Patni | 100 |
| Soumyadeep Chakraborty | 100 |
| Vibhu Gupta | 100 |
| M. Maheedhar | 100 |
CAT 2015 Toppers List (Conducting Body: IIM Ahmedabad)
In 2015, 17 candidates, including a female, scored in the 100th percentile in the CAT. All of them were from an engineering background.
| Topper | Score/Percentile |
|---|---|
| Renjith Thomas Joshua | 262/300 (100th percentile) |
| Prateek Bajpai | 100 |
| Rajeev Reddy | 100 |
| Sanuj Mittal | 100 |
| V.K. Giri | 100 |
CAT 2016 Toppers List (Conducting Body: IIM Bangalore)
In 2016, 20 candidates had scored in the 100th percentile overall, and all of them were males and engineers. However, in the sectionals, many non-engineers and female candidates had scored in the 100th percentile.
| Topper | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Avidipto Chakraborty | 100 |
| Yash Chaudhari | 100 |
| Akshay Mehndiratta | 100 |
| Mukesh Goyal | 100 |
| Nilamjan Dutta | 100 |
CAT 2017 Toppers List (Conducting Body: IIM Lucknow)
Similar to 2016, 20 candidates had scored in the 100th percentile overall in CAT 2017. The top list contained two female candidates and three non-engineers.
| Topper | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Sai Praneeth Reddy | 100 |
| Patrick D’Souza | 100 |
| Sidharth Kumar | 100 |
| Vishal Vohra | 100 |
| Meet Aggarwal | 100 |
| Chhavi Gupta | 100 |
| Madhur Gupta | 100 |
CAT 2018 Toppers List (Conducting Body: IIM Calcutta)
As many as 7 candidates out of 11 with a 100th percentile score were from Maharashtra, including the CAT 2018 topper, Rounak Majumdar. The second in the list was West Bengal with two toppers.
| Topper | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Rounak Majumdar | 100 |
| Patrick D’Souza | 100 |
| Amit Bikram | 100 |
| Jagesh Golwala | 100 |
| Niranjan Prasad | 100 |
| Swapnil Suman | 100 |
| Anubhav Garg | 99.99 |
| Saumya Gupta | 99.99 |
| Abhishek Garg | 99.97 |
| Vineet Bajaj | 99.53 |
CAT 2019 Toppers List (Conducting Body: IIM Kozhikode)
Like in 2018, all 10 candidates were male and were from engineering/technology backgrounds.
Although women accounted for nearly 36% of the candidates, none had made it to the 100 percentilers list.
| Topper | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Somansh Chordia | 100 |
| Rishi Mittal | 100 |
| Patrick D’Souza | 100 |
| Rahul Manglik | 99.99 |
| Lakshay Kumar | 99.99 |
| Satwik Rao Kollur | 99.99 |
| Kislay Jha | 99.96 |
| Karan Goyal | 99.95 |
Also Read: CAT Toppers list, names, marks, and percentile
Ques. Do IIMs release the raw scores of toppers?
Ans. No, IIMs do not release the raw scores or even the scaled scores of CAT toppers. They only release the number of candidates achieving 100 percentiles, 99.99 percentiles, and sometimes 99.8 percentiles.
Ques. Has anyone ever achieved a score of 300/300?
Ans. No candidate has ever achieved a perfect score of 300/300 in the CAT exam during the 300-mark format.
CAT Scores: 300 Marks Vs Current Pattern
The CAT pattern has evolved over the years, reducing questions, time, and marks.
| Particular | 300 Marks | Current Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Pattern |
|
|
| Focus | Emphasised on high raw marks | Now more on normalisation, accuracy, and sectional balance |
| Difficulty impact | High scores possible | Even 120+ can yield a 99.99+ percentile in moderate papers |
Also Check: CAT 2025 Paper Analysis
CAT Toppers’ Interview
Watch the topper’s interview to gain a different perspective on the CAT exam.
Ques. How many hours should we study daily for the CAT exam?
Ans. You should study for at least 6-8 hours consistently for 8-12 months, focusing on quality over quantity. Also Check: How to prepare for CAT 2026
Ques. How many mocks should we take, and how can we analyse them to improve our score?
Ans. You should give at least 40-50 mocks with emphasis on their analysis to gradually improve your score. Learn more about: Free sectional, full, and topic-wise mock tests.
Ques. Which books/resources can we use in our preparation?
Ans. You can refer to the following books recommended by toppers:
- QA - Arun Sharma
- Vocab - Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- Reading - Hindu/Aeon essays
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques. How many sections were there in the CAT of 300 marks?
Ans. Initially, two sections (QA/DI and VA/LR) were there. Later, it changed to three sections in 2015 (VARC, DILR, and QA).
Ques. Why and when did CAT discontinue the 300-mark format?
Ans. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of questions was reduced from 100 to 68.
Ques. How did normalisation work in the old 300-mark CAT?
Ans. Similar to today, multiple slots were adjusted for difficulty. Higher absolute scores were common due to the greater number of questions.
Ques. Which year had the toughest paper in the 300-mark format?
Ans. The CAT 2015 was more difficult compared to other years, with a 99.9th percentile at around 190-200 marks due to its complex questions.
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