How many questions to attempt in CAT for 100 percentile is the most common question for candidates aiming for the Top IIMs. Attempting 50-55 questions with zero errors can fetch 100 percentile in CAT. 90%-95% accuracy often helps in securing 100 percentile in CAT.
In easier slots, to score 100 percentile, 50-55 questions need to be answered with above 95% accuracy. In difficult slots 42-45, high-accuracy answers can fetch 100 percentile. 15-16 in VARC, 11-13 in DILR, and 15-16 in QA, accurate answers section-wise are required to score 100 percentile.
- Only 0.004%-0.006% candidates score 100 percentile in CAT
- Overall raw score needs to be more than 105-115 out of 204 to secure 100 percentile.
- Scaled score for 100 percentile can range from 140-145 and above.
- Scaled scores of 42-47 in VARC, 27-33 in DILR, and 30-34 in QA correspond to higher scores.
- Difficulty level plays a vital role in the correct number of questions required for 100 percentile; the more difficult the slot is, the less number of correct answers are required.
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Key Summary
- 45-55 accurate attempts (out of 68) with 90–95% accuracy usually fetch 100 percentile.
- In easy slots: 50–55 questions with 95% + accuracy.
- In difficult slots: 42-45 high-accuracy attempts may be enough.
- Section-Wise Target for 100 Percentile (CAT 2025 pattern):
- VARC (24 Qs): 18-20 correct
- DILR (22 Qs): 16-18 correct
- QA (22 Qs): 17-18 correct
- Raw & Scaled Score Requirement:
- Raw Score: 105-120 out of 198-204
- Scaled Score: 140-145+
- Past trend: 100-135 raw score = 100 percentile (depending on difficulty).
CAT 100 Percentile Marks
- Scoring 100 percentile means the candidate has outperformed 99.99% of the test takers.
- 0.0045-0.006% of all candidates manage to secure 100 percentile.
- In recent years, an average score of around 110-135 can put a candidate in 100 percentile.
- 100 percentile does not mean you have a score of 100% or that all questions should be attempted with correct answers.
- You need to do extremely well compared to other candidates.
- Scaled score plays a vital role in scoring 100 percentile.
- Scaled score for 100 percentile can range from 140-145 and above.
- If the difficulty level is high, and the comparative scores are lower, the scaled score will be lower, so the chances of having more 100th percentile scorers are possible.
- The table below shows 100th percentile scores for the past 5 years.
| Year | 100 percentile holders | Raw Score | Scaled score | Paperdifficulty | Engineers | Non engineers | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 | ~120-125 | ~140 | Easy-moderate(Tough VARC) | 8 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| 2023 | 14 | ~100-105 | ~138.6 | Easy(Tough QA) | 7 | 2 | 11 | 3 |
| 2022 | 11 | ~110-115 | ~145-8 | Easy-moderate | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| 2021 | 9 | ~124-130 | ~160 | Moderate | 11 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| 2020 | 9 | ~130-135 | ~160 | Moderate | 13 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
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CAT Score vs Percentile-Check Section-Wise Analysis last 5 years(2024-2020)CAT Score vs Percentile
- To understand how many questions to attempt in CAT for 100 percentile, you should know the expected score vs percentile breakdown.
- 45-45 questions are to be answered accurately, depending on the difficulty level of the paper, to get in 100 percentile.
- A 100 percentile in CAT is expected to translate to around a 105-110 raw score and a 140-145 scaled score.
- Depending on the difficulty level of the paper and the competition, the raw score for 100 percentile can vary between 102-120.
Read More:
CAT Score vs Percentile| Percentile | Raw score | Scaled score | Rank (Estimated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 105-110 | 140-145 | Top 10-50 |
| 99-.9 | 95-104 | 125-139 | Top 300-600 |
| 99.5 | 85-94 | 115-125 | 1200-1600 |
| 99 | 72-84 | 98-14 | 3000-5000 |
| 95 | 50-54 | 75-85 | 12000-15000 |
| 90 | 40-43 | 60-70th | 25000-30000 |
| 85 | 35-38 | 53-58 | 45000-50000 |
| 80th | 32-35 | 48-52 | 60000-65000 |
| 70th | 18-31 | 42-46 | 80000-90000 |
| 60 | 24-27 | 37-41 | 110000-120000 |
| 50 | 20-23 | 32-36 | 140000-150000 |
| 40 | 15-18 | 26-31 | 175000-190000 |
| 30 | 12-14 | 20-25 | 210000-225000 |
| 20 | 8-11 | 14-19 | 240000-260000 |
| 10 | 5-7 | 9-13 | 275000-290000 |
| <5 | 0-4 | 0-8 | 290000-300000 |
How Many Questions to Attempt for 100 Percentile?
- How many questions to attempt for 100 percentile in CAT is the most asked question for over a decade.
- As seen in the above Quora post, there is no fixed number of questions to get 100 percentile. 100 percentile depends on relative performance and accuracy.
- Before 2020, at least 80-90 questions were needed for 100 percentile as the maximum score was 300.
- Post 2020, the maximum score range is between 204-198, so 45-55 accurate answers are needed for 100 percentile.
- An accurate attempt of 45 to 505 questions with an accuracy rate of over 90 to 95% is needed to hit the 100 percentile range in CAT 2025.
| Section | Total Questions | Target attempts for 100 Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 18-20 |
| DILR | 22 | 16-18 |
| QA | 22 | 17-18 |
| Total | 66 | ~35-55 |
How many questions to attempt for 99 percentile
- Accurate attempts of 32 to 39 questions are required for 99 percentile.
- 70 to 75% of questions in all sections, with an overall 85 to 90% accuracy, will help in crossing 99 percentile.
| Section | Total Questions | Target attempts for 99 Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 12-14 |
| DILR | 22 | 11-14 |
| QA | 22 | 10-14 |
| Total | 66 | ~32-39 |
How many questions to attempt for 90 percentile
An accurate attempt of 30-35 questions with an accuracy rate of over 80 to 85% is needed to hit the 90 percentile range in CAT 2025.
| Section | Total Questions | Target attempts for 90 Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 11-12 |
| DILR | 22 | 8-10 |
| QA | 22 | 10-12 |
| Total | 66 | ~28-34 |
How many Questions are in the CAT
If you are aiming for 100 percentile and have the doubt-how many questions to attempt for 100 percentile, you need to understand the sectional distribution and types of questions to strategise your preparation.
- Strengthening core areas is the key to a high score.
- VARC generally has a larger number of questions, attempting maximum in the section accurately helps in scoring more.
- DILR and Quantitative Aptitude vary in difficulty but are predictable.
- TITA questions do not carry negative marking. If your aim is anything above 98 percentile, attempting all TITAs without mistakes is a must, and that takes smart preparation with CAT Previous year papers, CAT Mock Test, and regular practice.
Check
CAT Syllabus 2025- Download pdf for Quant, VARC and DILR with Topic Wise Weightage
| Sections | Total Questions | MCQs | TITA | Time Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 18-19 | 5-6 | 40 minutes |
| DILR | 22 | 15-17 | 5-7 | 40 minutes |
| QA | 22 | 14-15 | 7-8 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 47-51 | 17-21 | 120 minutes |
Read More
How many questions to attempt in CAT for 100 percentile- Reddit & Quora Discussion
- The above Quora and Reddit posts suggest that any accurate attempt of 37-55 questions will fetch the top percentile.
- Also, the posts make it very clear that these numbers totally depend on the overall difficulty level and competitiveness of the paper.
- Not just preparation but also speed is equally important, and in-hall smart time allocation is a must to attempt the desired numbers.
Preparation Tips for 100 Percentile
If you are wondering how many questions to attempt in CAT for 100 percentile, you might be one of those aiming to get into IIMs or top MBA colleges.
You need to have a strategic and smart study plan, along with knowing how many questions you need.
| Master the Foundation |
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| Section-wise approach |
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| Take mocks and analyze your scores |
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| Be aware of slot normalisation |
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| Revision and mental conditioning |
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| PYQs |
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CAT 100 percentile-Best Books
| Section | Book Title | Author/Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT | Arun Sharma |
| DILR | Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT | Arun SharmaOr R. S. Aragwal |
| QA | Quantitative Aptitude for CAT | Arun SharmaOr R. S. Aragwal |
| CAT | PYQs and Mock | Oswaal |
How many questions to attempt in CAT for 100 percentile FAQs
Ques. How difficult is it to get the 100th percentile in CAT?
Ans. CAT is one of the difficult exams, not only as a Management entrance, but it ranks 3rd most difficult in India.
- Only the top 0.0004%-0.00106% candidates manage to get into the top IIMs.
- Less than 0.1% secure seats in well-known B-Schools.
- CAT demands high accuracy.
- Not just the overall score, but the sectional score is also equally important.
- It requires not just management aptitude but also logical thinking, quantitative aptitude, and language proficiency in terms of comprehension and diction.
Q2. Does 100 percentile mean AIR 1?
Ans. Not necessarily. 100 percentile does not mean AIR 1. Percentiles and Ranks work in different ways.
- 100 percentile means you have scored better than 99.99 percent of candidates. To get 100 percentile, you do not need a perfect score; rather, you should score more than the scaled score.
- AIR 1 means you are the only one or one of the few who have earned a raw score higher than other candidates.
- Percentile puts in the best performers bracket, Ranks place you in the order of scores.
- Generally, 100 percentile is considered as the top rank, not necessarily the AIR. Because several others with the same scaled score fall into this category.
Ques. Has anyone scored 198 in CAT?
Ans. No, so far no one has ever scored 198/198 in CAT.
- The maximum marks of CAT vary every year; before 2021, they ranged 300-228.
- No one has secured a perfect score in CAT.
- CAT is competitive and very challenging.
- Even when candidates score 100percentile, they would not have scored a perfect score.
Ques. Is 100 percentile possible mathematically?
Ans. No, it is not possible.
- 100 percentile means every other score is below yours, which might not be practically right. As percentile is awarded on the raw score, but the scaled score.
- Scaled score brackets for a specific percentile.
- So, if you have scored higher than others, you will be in 100 percentile, even if the raw score is lower.
- Percentile shows how well it performs than others.
Ques. What is the difference between 100% and 100 percentile?
Ans. 100% is a score, whereas 100 percentile is a rank position.
- 100% means you have answered all questions correctly and there is no marks lost.
- 100 percentile means you have performed better than everyone else.
- You can get 100 percentile without scoring 100%.
Ques. What does the top 1st percentile mean?
Ans. The top one per cent means you are among the top 1% of the candidates who have done better than 99% of the candidates.
- The top percentile usually constitutes 100th percentile candidates who have performed better than 99% of all the test takers.
Ques. How much percentile will I get for 100 marks?
Ans. In recent years, any score in the range of 100 fetches a 97 to 99 percentile.
- It depends on the paper's difficulty and overall competitiveness.
- In tough papers, 100 can fetch 98 or above percentile
- In easier papers, a 100 might fetch a percentile between 96 to 97.
Ques. Is it better to be in the 1 percentile or the 99th percentile?
Ans. It is always better to be in the 99th percentile.
- The higher the percentile, the better you have performed compared to others.
- One percentile means you have performed behind 99% of the candidates
- 99th percentile means you are ahead of 99%t of test takers.
Ques. What is the highest possible percentile?
Ans. The highest possible percentile in CAT is 100
- Hundred percentile indicates you have outperformed all other candidates.
- 100% is also very challenging to achieve.
- 0.004%-0.006% Percentage of candidates comes in the bracket of 100th percentile.
- Hundred percentile is usually shared between 10 to 14 candidates in recent years
Ques. How is the 100 percentile calculated?
Ans. 100 percentile is calculated using relative ranking among all candidates.
- Formula: (Total Candidates-Your Rank)/Total Candidates*100
- Top ranked candidates automatically get 100 percentile.
- Scaling and normalisation affect raw scores before the percentile.
- Each slot course is adjusted for fairness.
- Depending on the difficulty level of the paper, the scaled score will be set to consider 100 percentile.
Ques. How many questions need to be correct in CAT for 100 percentile?
Ans. Usually, 60 to 70 correct answers are needed for 100 percentile in CAT.
- 60 to 70 correct answers can fetch a score above 110.
- All the answers should have an accuracy level above 90 to 95%.
- You need to perform equally well in all the sections, too.
Ques. How many students get the 100th percentile in CAT?
Ans. Usually around 10-20 candidates score 100 percentile each year, in recent years.
- Only 0.004% to 0.006% of overall candidates secure 100 percentile.
- In 2023 and 2024, 14 students had 100 percentile.
- In 2022,11 candidates were at 100 percentile.
- In 2021 and 2020, nine candidates had 100 percentile.
Ques. Is a CAT very tough?
Ans. Yes, CAT is considered one of India's toughest entrance exams.
- It is the third most difficult exam in India.
- It has a tricky DILR and challenging VARC sections.
- Cat is also known for their time pressure and demand for accuracy.
- Cut-offs for IIM are also extremely high, which makes it further competitive.
- 2-3 lakh candidates to come in the top 2 percentile to secure seats in IIMs.
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