◆ Strategy
Percentile vs Marks · CAT 2026
How many raw marks you need for each percentile, overall and per section. Projected for 2026 from the consistent pattern of CAT 2021-2025.
How to read this
CAT scores are normalised across slots, and the exact mark-to-percentile line moves a little each year with paper difficulty. So these are ranges, not promises. An easier paper pushes the bar up (you need more marks for the same percentile); a harder paper pushes it down. Use these to set targets and read your mocks, not as a guarantee. Your blueprint targets are highlighted like a marker. These bands are IMS's CAT 2026 slot-wise projections (the range spans the easiest to the toughest slot), cross-checked against the CAT 2024 actuals. Plan around the band, not a single number.
Overall (out of ~204)
| Percentile | Expected raw marks (2026) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 99.9%ile | 115 - 122 | Top IIM A/B/C territory |
| 99.5%ile | 97 - 103 | Strong calls across old IIMs |
| 99%ile | 83 - 90 | Calls across the old IIMs |
| 98%ile | 75 - 81 | New IIMs + strong non-IIMs |
| 97%ile | 70 - 75 | New & baby IIMs, top non-IIMs |
| 95%ile | 65 - 70 | Many good B-schools |
| 90%ile | 51 - 53 | Solid tier-2 |
| 85%ile | 41 - 45 | |
| 80%ile | 37 - 40 |
Section-wise (each section, raw marks)
Sectional percentiles matter for calls too. Note how low DILR scores can be, a modest DILR raw is a high percentile, which is exactly why it's such a powerful lever.
VARC · out of 72
| %ile | Raw |
|---|---|
| 99 | 40 - 41 |
| 98 | 34 - 36 |
| 97 | 32 - 34 |
| 95 | 30 - 32 |
| 90 | 23 - 25 |
| 85 | 19 - 20 |
DILR · out of 66
| %ile | Raw |
|---|---|
| 99 | 30 - 34 |
| 98 | 27 - 31 |
| 96 | 25 - 28 |
| 95 | 23 - 26 |
| 90 | 17 - 19 |
| 85 | 13 - 15 |
QA · out of 66
| %ile | Raw |
|---|---|
| 99 | 28 - 33 |
| 98 | 25 - 30 |
| 95 | 20 - 25 |
| 92 | 17 - 21 |
| 90 | 15 - 18 |
| 85 | 13 - 16 |
Your blueprint, mapped to this table
For your 99%ile target, the Score Blueprint works out to: VARC 47 (99.4) + DILR 37 (99) + QA 34 (96.5) → overall ≈ 101 → the 99%ile band above. Change the target in the sidebar and these update instantly.
Want this for your exact target?
This table is reference data for every percentile. To turn your target into a required score + section split (and match colleges), use the Score & College Planner. Current target: 99%ile.
Use it on every mock
After each mock, convert your section raws into percentiles with this table (or your mock platform's). Track the trend, not any single score. The highlighted rows track your current target (change it in the planner or the sidebar); set your own split by strength there too. When all three sections sit at or above your planner targets consistently, you're on track.
Want this auto-updated?
Once CAT 2025's official mark-vs-percentile data is fully out (and again after CAT 2026), I can refresh these tables with the exact published figures. For now they're the best projection from recent years.