Updated for CAT 2026

CAT Percentile Predictor 2026

Calculate your estimated CAT Percentile Score & All India Rank (AIR) based on your raw marks (out of 198). Get instant interview call predictions for Top IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore), FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, IITs, and CAP New & Baby IIMs, along with category-wise cutoff forecasts.

IIM Multi-Slot Normalization Model
All India Rank (AIR) & Scaled Score Estimation
IIM BLACKI & CAP Shortlist Forecast
Calibrated with ~3,30,000+ CAT Test Takers

Calculate Your CAT Percentile, AIR Rank & IIM Call Probability

Your CAT Percentile, AIR Rank & IIM Call Forecast Will Appear Here

Enter your estimated CAT raw score (out of 198), exam slot, category, and target B-school preference in the form above to calculate your estimated CAT Percentile Score, All India Rank (AIR), Scaled Score, and interview call probability across top IIMs (BLACKI), CAP IIMs, and premier non-IIM management institutes.

CAT 2026 Expected Marks vs Percentile & IIM Call Matrix

The CAT Percentile Score is evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100 using equipercentile slot normalization. All India Rank (AIR) reflects standing across the ~3.3 lakh candidates appearing in CAT. Projected marks vs percentile ranges and target B-school shortlist opportunities are tabulated below:

CAT Raw Score (Out of 198) Estimated CAT Percentile Estimated AIR Range Top IIMs (BLACKI) & FMS Forecast CAP IIMs & Top Non-IIM Opportunities
105 – 198 99.90 – 100 AIR 1 – 330 Guaranteed Calls — IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, FMS Delhi Top Scholarships • SPJIMR • SJMSoM IIT Bombay
85 – 104 99.00 – 99.89 AIR 331 – 3,300 High Call Probability — IIM Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore & FMS SPJIMR Mumbai • MDI Gurgaon • DMS IIT Delhi
70 – 84 97.00 – 98.99 AIR 3,301 – 9,900 Competitive Call Zone — IIM Kozhikode, Indore, IIM Mumbai (NITIE) SJMSoM IIT Bombay • IIT Kharagpur (VGSOM) • IIFT Delhi
55 – 69 93.00 – 96.99 AIR 9,901 – 23,100 Category Reserved (NC-OBC/EWS/SC/ST) Calls • General CAP Calls CAP IIMs (Trichy, Udaipur, Ranchi, Raipur, Kashipur) • IMT • IMI
45 – 54 88.00 – 92.99 AIR 23,101 – 39,600 Reserved Category (SC/ST/PwD) Premier Calls Baby IIMs (Nagpur, Vizag, Jammu, Bodh Gaya, Sambalpur, Sirmaur) • XIMB
35 – 44 80.00 – 87.99 AIR 39,601 – 66,000 SC/ST/PwD IIM Shortlist Zone TAPMI Manipal • GIM Goa • Great Lakes • FORE • LBSIM
25 – 34 70.00 – 79.99 AIR 66,001 – 99,000 ST/PwD Category IIM Cutoff Threshold KJ Somaiya • Welingkar • BIMTECH • LIBA Chennai
Below 25 Below 70.00 > 99,000 / Tier-3 Below Standard IIM Cutoffs Explore XAT / SNAP / NMAT / CMAT / MAT or Plan CAT Retake

CAT Percentile Calculation & IIM Shortlisting Process Explained

IIMs employ statistical multi-slot normalization to compute the CAT Percentile and use Composite Scores incorporating academic profile, work experience, and gender diversity for interview calls:

Official IIM Percentile Formula

The CAT Percentile (Overall and Sectional) is calculated using the official formula:

Percentile (P) = [(N − R) / N] × 100
  • N: Total number of candidates who appeared in CAT across all 3 slots (~3.3 lakh).
  • R: All-India rank assigned to the candidate based on scaled score in CAT.
  • Multi-Slot Normalization: Raw marks are scaled using mean and standard deviation adjustment across Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3.
  • Sectional Cutoffs: Top IIMs require clearing minimum percentile criteria in each of VARC, DILR, and QA (typically 80-85+ for General).

Top B-Schools & IIM Cutoffs (Estimated)

Institute Flagship Program General Cutoff (Overall) NC-OBC / SC / ST Cutoff
IIM Ahmedabad PGP (MBA) 99.5+ • Composite 92+ / 82+ / 75+
IIM Bangalore PGP (MBA) 99.2+ • Work Ex Weight 90+ / 80+ / 70+
IIM Calcutta MBA 99.4+ • High QA/VARC 92+ / 80+ / 70+
FMS Delhi MBA (ROI #1) 99.3+ • VARC Weight (40%) 92+ / 80+ / 70+
IIM Lucknow PGP / PGP-ABM 99.0+ • Composite 88+ / 78+ / 68+
CAP New IIMs Trichy, Udaipur, Ranchi 92.0 – 94.0+ 74+ / 54+ / 40+

CAT 2026 Exam Pattern & Sectional Marking Scheme

CAT is conducted as a 2-hour (120 minutes) Computer-Based Test (CBT) with 66 questions divided across three timed sections of 40 minutes each, totaling 198 marks:

Overall Exam Structure (198 Marks)

  • Duration: 2 Hours (120 minutes) — 40 mins per section
  • Total Questions: 66 Questions (MCQs & Non-MCQ TITA)
  • Total Marks: 198 Marks (+3 per correct answer)
  • Test Slots: 3 Slots in a single day — Slot 1, 2, and 3

Sectional Distribution

  • VARC (Verbal): 24 Questions — 72 Marks (40 Minutes)
  • DILR (Data & Logic): 20 Questions — 60 Marks (40 Minutes)
  • QA (Quant): 22 Questions — 66 Marks (40 Minutes)
  • Section Switching: Locked — must complete 40 mins per section sequentially

Marking & Negative Marks

  • Correct Answer: +3 Marks for both MCQ and TITA questions
  • Incorrect MCQ: −1 Mark negative penalty per wrong MCQ
  • Non-MCQ / TITA: Zero negative marking (0 for incorrect attempts)
  • Unattempted: 0 Marks (No negative marking for skipped questions)

IIM Selection Criteria

  • Composite Score: CAT Score (40–60%) + 10th/12th/Grad (20–30%)
  • Work Experience: Up to 10–15% weightage for relevant full-time experience
  • Diversity: Additional 3–5% marks for Gender & Non-Engineering Academic diversity
  • PI / WAT: Personal Interview & Writing Ability Test for shortlisted candidates

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How does the CAT Percentile Predictor calculate my CAT Percentile & AIR Rank?
The CAT Percentile Predictor applies the official IIM Equipercentile Normalization Method: Percentile = [(N − R) / N] × 100, where N is the total candidate pool (~3.3 lakh) and R is your all-India scaled merit rank. The predictor calibrates your raw score out of 198 against multi-slot scaling metrics from previous CAT editions (CAT 2021–2025) to provide an accurate scaled score and percentile estimate.
What is the difference between CAT Raw Score, Scaled Score, and Percentile?
Raw Score: The direct marks obtained out of 198 (+3 for correct, −1 for wrong MCQ, 0 for TITA).
Scaled Score: The normalized score adjusted across Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3 to eliminate difficulty variations.
Percentile (0–100): Your relative rank indicating the percentage of test-takers who scored equal to or lower than you.
What CAT Percentile is required for Top IIMs (BLACKI) and FMS Delhi?
For General category candidates, premier IIMs (IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore) and FMS Delhi generally require an overall percentile of 99.0–99.8+ along with satisfying individual sectional cutoffs (usually 80–85+ percentile in VARC, DILR, and QA). NC-OBC candidates typically need 92–95+, EWS: 93–96+, SC: 80–85+, and ST/PwD: 70–75+ percentile.
What is the CAP (Common Admission Process) in CAT?
CAP is a single coordinated admission process for New and Baby IIMs (IIM Trichy, IIM Udaipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Raipur, IIM Kashipur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Nagpur, and IIM Vizag). Candidates who meet the common minimum cutoff (typically 92–94+ percentile for General) attend a unified Personal Interview (PI) process rather than appearing separately for each new IIM.
How are Non-MCQ / TITA questions evaluated in CAT 2026?
In CAT, Non-MCQ or TITA (Type In The Answer) questions carry +3 marks for a correct answer and zero negative marking (0 marks) for an incorrect or unattempted answer. MCQ questions carry +3 for correct and −1 for incorrect answers. Attempting all TITA questions is a recommended strategy as there is no penalty for incorrect entries.
What other factors besides CAT percentile decide an IIM interview call?
IIMs shortlist candidates based on a Composite Score that blends: CAT Scaled Score (40–60% weightage), Class 10th and 12th board percentages (10–20%), Graduation marks (10–15%), Work Experience (10–15%), and Gender / Academic Diversity points (3–5%). Candidates with strong academic records and work experience often receive calls at slightly lower percentiles.