CAT exam result 2025 – Check scorecard, percentile & what’s next

How to check the CAT result 2025?

Once the CAT 2025 exam is conducted, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) will announce the CAT exam result on the official website. Candidates who appear for the exam will need to log in using their credentials to view their scores.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to checking your CAT result 2025:

• Visit the official CAT website: iimcat.ac.in
• Click on the "Login" button on the homepage.
• Enter your CAT 2025 User ID and Password.
• After logging in, you’ll be directed to your dashboard.
• Click on the "CAT Result/Scorecard" link.
• Your result will appear on the screen displaying your scores and percentiles.

Make sure to download and save a copy of your result for future reference. The result window may not stay open indefinitely, so act promptly once it's released.

Note: ensure your internet connection is stable to avoid any interruption while downloading the result. Candidates are also advised to keep their login credentials ready beforehand to avoid last-minute delays..

How to download the CAT 2025 scorecard

Once the CAT exam result 2025 is announced, candidates will be able to download their official scorecards from the CAT website. The scorecard serves as a crucial document during the entire admission process. It includes not only your scaled scores but also sectional and overall percentiles that B-schools use to shortlist candidates for the next rounds.

Here’s how you can download your CAT 2025 scorecard:

1. Log in to the official CAT website using your User ID and Password.
2. Go to the result or scorecard section in your dashboard.
3. Click the "Download Scorecard" link or icon.
4. Your CAT 2025 scorecard will be downloaded as a PDF file
5. Save it securely and take a printout for interviews and admission rounds.

Your CAT scorecard will contain the following details:

• Candidate’s name, registration number, and category
• Section-wise scaled scores for VARC, DILR, and QA
• Overall scaled score
• Sectional and overall percentiles

Make sure the information on your scorecard is correct. If you find any discrepancies, contact the CAT helpdesk immediately.

How is CAT percentile calculated?

The CAT percentile score represents your relative performance in comparison to all other test-takers. It tells you what percentage of candidates scored less than you in the exam. It’s important to note that percentile is not the same as your raw score. A high raw score may not always translate to a high percentile, especially if others have scored similarly or better.

Here’s how the percentile is generally calculated:

Percentile = [(Total number of candidates – Your rank)/Total number of candidates] x 100

For example, if 2 lakh candidates appeared for the exam and your rank is 2,000, your percentile would be:

Percentile = [(200,000 - 2,000)/200,000] x 100 = 99

This means you scored better than 99% of the candidates.

Types of percentile scores

Percentiles are calculated for:

• Each individual section: Verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC), data interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR), and quantitative ability (QA)
• Overall performance: Based on your total scaled score across all sections.

Percentile scores help B-schools compare your performance fairly with others, especially when shortlisting candidates for further admission rounds. Keep in mind that even small differences in raw scores can cause noticeable changes in percentiles at the top end of the spectrum.

What is the CAT normalisation process?

The CAT normalisation process is a statistical method used to ensure fairness in scoring across different exam slots. Since the Common Admission Test (CAT) is conducted in multiple sessions throughout a single day, there may be slight variations in difficulty levels from one slot to another. To make the scores comparable, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) applies a normalisation formula that adjusts raw scores based on the relative difficulty of each session.

Why is normalisation needed?

Different exam slots may have questions that vary in complexity. Without normalisation, a candidate who attempted a tougher slot could be unfairly disadvantaged. Hence, to maintain equity, raw scores are scaled.

How does it work?

• Raw scores of each candidate are first calculated for each section.
• Using statistical techniques like mean and standard deviation, these scores are adjusted to account for differences in difficulty across slots.
• The adjusted (or scaled) scores are then used to compute percentiles.

This process ensures that candidates from all slots are evaluated on a level playing field. For instance, if Slot 1 had a slightly tougher Quant section than Slot 2, the normalisation will reflect this by adjusting scores accordingly.

In summary, the normalisation process guarantees that no candidate is unfairly advantaged or penalised simply based on the session they were allotted. It plays a crucial role in maintaining transparency and consistency in CAT results. Since CAT is held in multiple slots with different difficulty levels, the normalisation process ensures fairness in scoring.

Key points:

• Raw scores are adjusted using statistical methods.
• Normalisation accounts for variations in difficulty levels.
• Scaled scores are then used to determine final percentiles.

This means two candidates scoring the same raw marks in different slots may receive different scaled scores.

What after CAT 2025 results?

Once you check your CAT exam result, here are the next steps:

1. Shortlisting by IIMs and other institutes
   After the result, IIMs will release individual shortlists for the next stage: WAT (written ability test), GD (group discussion), and PI (personal interview). Institutes also consider your academic profile, work experience, and diversity factors.
2. Apply to other B-schools
   Use your CAT score to apply to other top B-schools like FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, IMT, and more.
3. Prepare for WAT-GD-PI rounds
   Start preparing for interview rounds as soon as the result is out. Brush up on current affairs, your profile, and practice mock interviews.
4. Stay updated
   Regularly check your email and the official websites of B-schools for interview calls, dates, and further steps.

CAT result 2024: highlights

Before you gear up for CAT 2025, let’s look at some key outcomes from the last cycle:

• Exam & result dates: CAT 2024 was held on November 24, 2024, and results were announced on December 19, 2024.
• Participation: Approximately 3.29 lakh candidates registered, with 2.93 lakh actually appearing.
• Top scorers: A total of 14 students scored a perfect 100 percentile—13 were engineers, 1 from a non-engineering background.
• Other high achievers:
• 29 candidates scored 99.99 percentile
• 30 candidates scored 99.98 percentile
• Gender & discipline breakdown:
• Among perfect scorers: 13 male and 1 female
• 86% of the top 73 scorers were engineers—higher than 73% in 2023e
• Category-wise cut-offs (General category):
• Top IIMs required 98 %ile and above, with some close to 99+

Top IIMs required 98 %ile and above, with some close to 99+ These highlights show the level of competition, particularly the margin required for top percentiles, and the dominance of engineers among elite ranks. Use these insights to set your preparation goals and stay aware of where CAT 2025 is heading.