Academic — Exam Scores

CAT Score Calculator

Estimate your raw CAT score and an indicative percentile from your answer sheet in seconds.

The Common Admission Test (CAT) uses a +3 / −1 marking scheme for MCQs, with no negative marking on TITA (Type In The Answer) questions. Enter your correct and incorrect answers below to calculate your raw score and see an indicative percentile band based on typical historical CAT trends.

Total questions answered correctly Enter a valid number of correct answers.
MCQs answered wrong (−1 each) Enter a valid number of incorrect MCQ answers.
TITA answered wrong (no penalty) Enter a valid number.

Estimated Raw Score

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Total Attempted

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Accuracy

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How to Use This Tool

  1. Count how many questions you answered correctly across all three sections (VARC, DILR, QA) and enter the total.
  2. Count how many MCQ (multiple-choice) questions you answered incorrectly — each of these attracts a −1 penalty.
  3. Count how many TITA (Type In The Answer) questions you answered incorrectly — these do not carry any negative marking, so enter them separately.
  4. Click Calculate Score to see your estimated raw score, accuracy, and an indicative percentile band.

How CAT Scoring Works

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is scored using a straightforward marking scheme applied uniformly across its three sections — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA):

Your raw score is simply the sum of marks earned this way. This calculator applies exactly that formula: Raw Score = (Correct × 3) − (Incorrect MCQ × 1).

Why Raw Score Isn't the Same as Percentile

CAT does not publish a fixed score-to-percentile conversion table, because the exam is conducted in multiple slots with different question sets and difficulty levels. To ensure fairness, the testing authority applies a statistical process called equi-percentile normalization, which adjusts raw scores from each slot based on the relative difficulty and the performance distribution of candidates in that slot, before converting to a percentile out of all ~2-3 lakh test takers.

This means two candidates with the identical raw score in different slots can end up with slightly different percentiles. Because of this, any percentile shown by a raw-score calculator — including this one — is necessarily an estimate based on historical trends, not an official or guaranteed figure.

How to Use Your Estimated Percentile

Use the percentile band from this calculator as a rough directional indicator only, useful for:

For an authoritative estimate, always cross-check with the official CAT percentile predictor tools released by IIMs or reputed coaching institutes shortly after each exam slot, which incorporate that year's actual difficulty level and response patterns.

Tips to Improve Your Effective Score

Because incorrect MCQs cost you marks, accuracy matters as much as speed. Many high scorers deliberately skip questions they are unsure about rather than guessing, since a wrong MCQ guess costs 1 mark while an unattempted question costs 0. TITA questions, having no negative marking, are often worth attempting even with moderate confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exact CAT marking scheme?

+3 marks for every correct answer, −1 mark for every incorrect MCQ answer, and 0 marks for incorrect TITA (Type In The Answer) questions and for unattempted questions.

Is the percentile shown by this calculator official?

No. CAT percentiles are calculated by the testing authority using equi-percentile normalization across all exam slots, which this tool cannot replicate exactly. The percentile shown here is an indicative estimate based on typical historical score-to-percentile trends, meant for a rough directional idea only.

Do TITA questions really have no negative marking?

Correct — TITA (Type In The Answer) questions, where you type a numerical or text answer instead of selecting from options, do not carry any negative marking for wrong answers in CAT, unlike MCQs.

Why did my raw score go down even though I attempted more questions?

If you attempted more MCQs but got a higher proportion of them wrong, the −1 penalty per incorrect MCQ can reduce your net score even with more attempts. This is why accuracy is often emphasized as much as attempt count in CAT strategy.

This calculator is provided for general informational and estimation purposes only. Results should not be treated as professional financial, tax, legal, medical, or engineering advice. Always verify critical calculations with a qualified professional or official source before making decisions.