Students must attempt at least 45 to 50 out of 66 questions with an accuracy of 85% to 90% to get 99 percentile score in the CAT 2025 exam.
If you wish to know how many questions to attempt in CAT 2025 for a 99 percentile score , you must attempt at least 45 to 50 questions out of 66 questions in the paper. You must also focus on accuracy, which must range from 80% to 90% least to get 99 percentile score in the CAT 2025 exam. Scoring a 99 percentile or above is an immense achievement since out of one lakh plus people appearing for the exam, last year, only 29 students scored 99% or above in the exam.
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How many Questions to attempt in CAT 2025 to get 99 Percentile?
In the CAT 2025 exam, attempting every question is not a smart move, as there is no limit on the number of attempts. Yet, to get a CAT 2025 score of 99 percentile, students must aim to answer ¾ questions in every section on the paper. There is a very feeble chance of a question change in the exam, so students must prepare accordingly. Students can go through the tabulated strategy to attempt for 99 percentile in the CAT exam given below.
Accuracy | Attempts Required | Correct | Incorrect | Raw Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
100% | 32-35 | 32-35 | 0 | (35x3) - 0 = 105 |
90% | 36-39 | 34-35 | 2-4 | (35x3) - 4 = 101 |
80% | 44–48 | 35-38 | 10 | (38x3) - 10 = 104 |
70% | 54-58 | 38-41 | 15-17 | (41x3) - 17 = 107 |
CAT Marking Scheme
You must concentrate on the strategy of aiming for a specific score range from the outset when preparing for the CAT exam 2025. The CAT marking scheme is shown below.
- You are awarded three marks for each correct attempt, and one mark is deducted for every wrong answer in CAT. However, no penalty is incurred for leaving questions unanswered.
- There is no negative marking for Non-MCQs. They usually appear in the Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT.
- One of the key strategies that you must employ during your CAT 2025 exam is to avoid attempting questions you are not sure about. The CAT exam is designed in a manner where students are encouraged to prioritize accuracy over 100% completion. The overall accuracy target should be 85 to 95 percent.
- The CAT exam pattern is always changing. Over the past two years, CAT has experienced changes in the number of questions and the weightage of each topic. Therefore, achieving a score of 99 percentile is dependent on your preparation. It all comes down to answering the most questions correctly and quickly.
Section-Wise Attempt Strategy for 99 Percentile in CAT 2025
Find how many sectional attempts for CAT are required to get the 99 percentile marks for obtaining a raw score ranging from 96 to 105 marks.
Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 100% Accuracy
Students can go through the section-wise number of questions to attempt in the CAT 2025 exam to get 99 percentile for 100% accuracy.| Section | Total Questions | Minimum Correct Answers Required | Net Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 11–12 | 33–36 |
| DILR | 20 | 10–11 | 30–33 |
| QA | 22 | 10–12 | 30–36 |
| Total | 66 | 32–35 | 96–105 |
Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 90% Accuracy
Students can find the section-wise number of questions to attempt in the CAT 2025 exam to get 99 percentile score with 90% accuracy.
| Section | Total Questions | Target Attempts | Minimum Correct Answers Required | Net Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 14–16 | 13–14 | 39–42 |
| DILR | 20 | 12–13 | 11–12 | 33–36 |
| QA | 22 | 11–13 | 10–12 | 30–36 |
| Total | 66 | 36–39 | 34–35 | 102–105 |
Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 80% Accuracy
Students can go through the section-wise questions to attempt in the CAT 2025 exam to get 99 percentile with 80% accuracy.
| Section | Total Questions | Target Attempts | Minimum Correct Answers Required | Net Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 16–18 | 13–15 | 35–42 |
| DILR | 20 | 14–15 | 11–12 | 33–36 |
| QA | 22 | 14–15 | 11–12 | 33–36 |
| Total | 66 | 44–48 | 35–38 | 101–105 marks |
Number of Questions to Attempt in CAT 2025 for 99 Percentile Score with 70% Accuracy
Students can find the section-wise questions that they must attempt in the CAT 2025 exam to get 99 percentile with 70% accuracy.
| Section | Total Questions | Target Attempts | Minimum Correct Answers Required | Net Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 19–21 | 13–15 | 36–39 |
| DILR | 20 | 16–17 | 11–12 | 33–36 |
| QA | 22 | 18–20 | 13–14 | 36–42 |
| Total | 66 | 54–58 | 38–41 | 100–105 marks |
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| CAT Attempts vs Percentile 2025 | |
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How to Get 99 Percentile in CAT 2025?
Achieving a 99th percentile score in the CAT 2025 is challenging and requires a well-planned preparation strategy, hard work, and determination. Here are some top tips to enhance their speed and accuracy in the CAT 2025.
- Find Out Your Strengths and Weaknesses: As discussed above, students only need to attempt around 60% of the questions in CAT 2025 to get a 99th percentile score. Understanding strengths and weaknesses will allow you to spend less time on the remaining 40%. When striving for the top, it's not only about the attempt that matters, but also what has been skipped in the exam paper.
- Practice Solving Questions: Engaging in daily problem-solving activities effectively enhances both speed and accuracy in CAT 2025. Consistently tackling questions will enable students to refine their approach, identify the most efficient strategies for arriving at solutions, and determine which questions to prioritise.
- Work on Time Management: As students work through the questions, keeping track of time is crucial. Tracking the time taken in each question will help students calculate the overall paper-solving time. Students will only have 40 minutes to solve each section, so they must work on their speed accordingly.
- Check CAT Exam Analysis: Students should carefully review the CAT paper analysis , paying close attention to the paper pattern, difficulty level of questions, specific topics covered in each section, and any trends or changes observed over time. This analysis will help them tailor their preparation to meet the exam's demands effectively.
- Check CAT Toppers Tips: To succeed on the exam, know the toppers' tips for CAT 2025 . Stduents may also consider the recommended study materials for their specific needs. While it's beneficial to learn from the experiences of others, it's equally important to tailor their advice to align with their learning style and requirements.
Also Read:
CAT Score vs Percentile 2025
How to Increase Speed and Accuracy for CAT 2025?
Speed and accuracy are going to be the most important tools in your arsenal when attempting the CAT 2025 question paper. Check the tips below to improve your speed and accuracy before CAT 2025:
- Build Strong Fundamentals: Start by mastering basic concepts in Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC). Clarity in fundamentals minimizes confusion and reduces the time spent on each question.
-
Practice Section-wise:
- Quantitative Aptitude: Focus on arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. Learn mental calculation tricks and shortcuts.
- DILR: Practice diverse puzzles and interpret complex data sets daily.
- VARC: Improve reading speed through editorials, journals, and comprehension exercises.
- Take Timed Mock Tests: Regular mock tests simulate the actual exam environment. Analyze each test to identify weak areas and adjust strategies. Focus on accuracy before speed — it’s better to attempt fewer questions correctly than many with errors.
- Analyze Mistakes: After every test, review wrong answers and understand why you missed them — concept gap, calculation mistake, or misreading. Create a “mistake log” for future reference.
- Develop Smart Skipping: Learn to identify time-consuming or tricky questions quickly. Move on instead of wasting time — accuracy improves when you avoid unnecessary risks.
- Improve Reading & Decision Speed: Practice reading comprehension daily and set mini-goals for solving sets faster.
- Maintain Consistency: Dedicate fixed study hours daily and track progress weekly. Balanced revision, adequate sleep, and stress management keep your mind sharp for CAT 2025.
Expected Good Attempts for 99 Percentile in CAT 2025
The CAT exam consists of three sections, namely Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation &Logical Reasoning (DILR). Students can find the detailed expected good attempts for 99 percentile in CAT 2025 given below.
CAT Section | Total Questions | Good Attempts | Accuracy | Raw Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 18-20 | 80–90% | 42-48+ |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 12–14 | 85–90% | 36–42+ |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 14–16 | 85–90% | 36–42+ |
Total | 66 | 47 | - | 96-105 |
Students must focus on improving their speed & accuracy while they solve the previous year's question papers, sample papers, mock papers, etc.
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FAQs
Yes, each IIM has sectional cutoffs for admission, and you must meet the same to be eligible for admission. You need to meet the sectional cutoff requirement in order to reach 99 percentile as an overall score in CAT 2025.
You’ll typically need around 32–35 correct answers out of 66, assuming you have an 80-90% accuracy level in order to reach 99 percentile. This figure may differ depending on the difficulty level of CAT 2025 and the number of CAT 2025 applicants.
A minimum of 47 questions can be considered a good attempt in the CAT exam for scoring 99 percentile. The ideal number of questions candidates should attempt in Quantitative Aptitude is 17, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension is 18, and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning is 13.
You must correctly attempt 25 questions in the VARC section, 21 questions in the Quants section, and 15 questions in the LRDI section to get a 99 percentile in CAT 2025. A minimum attempt of 47 questions will put a candidate in an advantageous situation.
To understand what marks equate to a 99 percentile in the CAT, consider the following: a score of 114.15 achieves a 99.93 percentile, gradually decreasing to an 83.64 score, which hits the 99 percentile mark.
An overall score of 125 marks is 99.8 percentile in CAT which corresponds to 55% of the total marks. To score a 99.8 percentile in each section, candidates must score at least 48 in the VARC section, 36 in the DILR section, and 43 in the QA section.
You should score at least 40-48 in the VARC section, 29-39 in the DILR section, and 33-47 in the QA section to get a 99 percentile in CAT. To obtain a 100 percentile, the minimum scores stand at 57 for the VARC and QA sections and 48 for the DILR section.
110 marks in CAT is equivalent to 99.5 percentile. If you have a CAT score of 110 after normalization, in terms of percentage, it will be (110/198)*100 = 55.55%. It is important to note that your score of 110 is higher than 99.5% of the total test-takers.
The CAT score vs percentile analysis is used to estimate the percentile score of a candidate based on their raw scores on the exam. The CAT score reflects the raw marks obtained in the exam, while the CAT percentile indicates a candidate's performance relative to others, showing what percentage of candidates scored less than you.
A score of 92.87 is required for a 99.5 percentile on the CAT. Candidates must score at least 43 in the VARC section, 32 in the DILR section, and 38-40 in the QA section to score a 99.5 percentile in each section.
Yes, 99.8 is a good percentile in CAT. With this percentile, you can get admission to IIM A, B, and C with a 99.8 percentile on the CAT. To receive a 99+ percentile on the CAT 2025, candidates need to score between 98 and 105 (expected).
To score 99 percentile in the CAT exam, focus on understanding concepts deeply, practice consistently, and take numerous mock tests to improve speed and accuracy. Prioritize weak areas, learn time management skills, and analyze mock test performances to strategize effectively and improve.
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