CAT Total Marks 2025: Section Wise Marks Distribution

Overview: What are the CAT total marks? The CAT exam will be conducted on 30 November 2025. To learn about the CAT exam pattern and CAT 2025 total marks, continue reading!

Important Events of the CAT 2025 Exam:

• The CAT exam 2025 notification is released on 27th July 2025. Candidates must fill out the CAT 2025 application form to register for CAT 2025 by September 13, 2025.
• The CAT Exam admit cards will be available from November 5, 2025, to November 30, 2025.
• The Common Admission Test 2025 is one of the toughest MBA entrance exams, and it opens entry to the most prestigious management institutes, including IIMs.
• The CAT exam consists of a total of 68 questions (as per CAT 2024), and the full marks for the CAT are 204.

Download FREE Study Material for CAT Exam 2025 by Supergrads

• The CAT exam 2025 consists of three sections, viz. VARC, DILR and QA, with each section having a sectional timing of 40 minutes.
• Knowing the CAT exam pattern and CAT marking scheme helps you decode your understanding of the CAT exam 2025.

Read on to get the complete details about the CAT 2025 total marks and CAT Total Marks vs Percentile.

CAT Exam 2025: Highlights 

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted by one of the IIMs in India every November.

CAT is a computer-based exam conducted online only. CAT 2025 has three major sections: VARC, DILR, and QA, each with a 40-minute sectional time.

The CAT total marks are based on the score from 68 questions across these sections, which assess a candidate's aptitude in verbal ability, data interpretation, logical reasoning, and quantitative ability.

To get a better understanding, have a look at the key highlights of the CAT exam 2025 and CAT 2025 total marks:

Particulars	Details
CAT Full Form	Common Admission Test (CAT)
Conducting Institute	Indian Institute of Management (IIMs)
Exam Level	National Level
Exam Frequency	Once a year
CAT Exam Date 2025	Sunday, November 30, 2025
Registration Fees	SC/ST/PwD - INR-1300/- GEN - INR 2600/-
Eligibility Criteria	Graduation with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST students)
Number of Applications in the CAT exam	3.29 lakh (in 2024)
Exam Purpose	Admission in IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1,200 B-Schools in India
Courses Offered Through the CAT Exam	MBA/ PGDM
CAT Entrance Exam Sections	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Ability (QA)
Mode	Online Computer-Based Test (CBT) with MCQs and non-MCQs
No. of test cities for the CAT Exam	170
Website	https://iimcat.ac.in/

CAT Total Marks 2025: Exam Pattern (Expected)

The CAT exam duration, or the Common Admission Test (CAT), is conducted with a standard time limit of 120 minutes, or 2 hours, with sectional timings, where each section has a time limit of 40 minutes.

This allows individuals to develop effective test-taking strategies. The CAT total marks are based on a total of 68 questions, typically divided into three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Quantitative Ability (QA)
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR).

Also Read | CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria

Have you wondered how many marks the CAT exam consists of? A detailed breakdown of the sections and the number of questions is given below:

CAT Exam Sections	Number of MCQs	Number of Non-MCQs	Total Questions
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	21	3	24
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	14	8	22
Quantitative Ability	14	8	22
Total	49	19	68

Also Read | CAT Exam Preparation Books 2025 

CAT Total Marks 2025: Marking Scheme 

CAT is of how many marks? When considering CAT total marks, it is important to understand the marking scheme. This includes awarding marks for correct answers and deducting marks for incorrect ones.

To perform well, it is crucial to be thoroughly prepared with the CAT exam syllabus. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and non-MCQ-type questions.

Here's a detailed breakdown of the CAT exam marking scheme:

Type of Questions	CAT Marking Scheme	CAT Negative Marking Scheme
MCQ	+3 marks will be provided for every correct answer	-1 is deducted for every incorrect answer
Non-MCQ (TITA- Type in the answer)	+3 marks will be provided for every correct answer	There is no negative marking for TITA questions

Also Read | CAT Exam Pattern 2025

How to Calculate Your Score from CAT Total Marks 2025?

To calculate your CAT 2025 score or total marks, you need to follow some steps. 

The process involves a raw score calculation, followed by a "normalization" or "scaling" procedure, which ultimately determines your final scaled score and percentile.

The steps to calculate your CAT score include:

Step 1: Raw Score Calculation

First, you need to calculate your raw score based on the marking scheme.

• For each correct answer, you are awarded +3 marks.
• For each incorrect MCQ (Multiple Choice Question): -1 mark is deducted.
• For non-MCQs (TITA - Type In The Answer): There is no negative marking.
• For unanswered questions: There is no penalty.

Your raw score is the total of the marks from your correct answers minus the marks deducted for incorrect MCQs.

Step 2: Normalization and Scaling

As the CAT exam is conducted in three slots, the difficulty level of each slot can vary across these sessions. To ensure fairness, the process of “normalization” or “Scaling” is used by the exam authorities.

This process adjusts the raw scores to account for differences in the difficulty level, location, and score distributions across the different sessions.

The formula for this is complex and not publicly disclosed in full detail. However, it's based on statistical principles involving:

• The mean and standard deviation of all candidates' raw scores in your section and session.
• The mean of the raw scores of the top 0.1% of candidates in your section and session.
• The mean and standard deviation of all candidates' raw scores across all sessions.
• The mean of the raw scores of the top 0.1% of candidates across all sessions.

The scaled score is the final score that is reported on your CAT scorecard, and it is this score (not the raw score) that is used for further calculations.

Step 3: Percentile Calculation

Your percentile score indicates your performance relative to all other candidates who took the exam. A percentile of 99 means you scored higher than 99% of the total test-takers.

The percentile is calculated using the scaled scores. The formula is as follows:

P=NN−r×100

Where:

• P = Percentile of the candidate.
• N = Total number of candidates who appeared for the CAT exam across all sessions.
• r = Rank of the candidate based on their scaled score.

In case of a tie, where two or more candidates have the same scaled score, they are assigned the same rank.

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Ideal Attempt Strategy Based on CAT Total Marks 2025

Making the ideal strategy for the CAT exam is very important for achieving good scores, as it goes beyond simply trying to answer as many questions as possible. The key is a balanced approach that combines speed, accuracy, and smart time management, while being mindful of the sectional time limits and negative marking.

Here is a breakdown of an ideal attempt strategy based on what is generally observed to be effective for top scorers:

1. Understand the Importance of Accuracy over Attempts

Since there is a penalty of -1 for every incorrect MCQ, a high level of accuracy is more important than attempting a large number of questions. For a 99+ percentile, a raw score of around 96-105 is often needed, which translates to a good number of correct answers with minimal errors. 

For example, to reach the 99 percentile, aiming for around 32-35 correct answers with 100% accuracy is a strong target. With an accuracy of 90%, you would need to attempt about 36-39 questions.

2. Make Section-wise Strategy

The CAT exam is divided into three sections with a 40-minute time limit for each, so a targeted strategy for each section is vital. Here are CAT 2025 preparation tips presented in three separate tables, each dedicated to one section VARC, DILR, and QA

1. Preparation Tips for VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)

Aspect	Details
Weightage	24 Questions (36% of the exam)
Key Focus Areas	• Improve comprehension through reading editorials, non-fiction, and opinion columns • Dedicate 30–45 minutes daily to reading practice • Practice para jumbles, odd-one-out, and summary-based questions • Solve RC passages in 8–10 minutes for time efficiency • Attempt sectional mocks and analyze errors to refine approach

2. Preparation Tips for DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)

Aspect	Details
Weightage	20 Questions (30% of the exam)
Key Focus Areas	• Regularly solve DI sets (tables, bar/line graphs, caselets) and LR sets (arrangements, puzzles) • Aim to solve 2 DILR sets daily for consistency • Prioritize accuracy over speed solving just 2–3 correct sets can ensure a high percentile • Practice set selection differentiate between doable and time-consuming sets  • Refer to previous years' CAT DILR sets to understand trends

3. Preparation Tips for QA (Quantitative Ability)

Aspect	Details
Weightage	22 Questions (34% of the exam)
Key Focus Areas	• Master Arithmetic it contributes over 40% of QA questions • Focus on Percentages, Averages, Time & Work, TSD, Profit & Loss  • Use mental math tricks and shortcuts to reduce calculation time • Attempt timed QA sectionals to build speed and accuracy • Identify weak areas and revise fundamentals periodically

Given that the TITA questions have no negative marking, you should attempt them even if you are not 100% sure of the answer. A target of 10-12 correct answers is generally considered good for the 99%ile percentile.

3. Time Management and Mindset

• Time Allocation: Do not waste too much time on a single question. If a question is taking longer than you anticipated, skip it and move on.
• Mock Tests: Regular practice with mock tests is essential to refine your strategy, improve time management, and build the endurance needed for the exam. Analyze your performance in each mock to identify weak areas and fine-tune your approach.
• Don't Over-stress: Staying calm and composed on the exam day is crucial. Trust your preparation and stick to your strategy.

Also Read | CAT Exam 2025 Shift Timings

CAT Total Marks 2025: Pattern Over The Years

The CAT exam has changed over the past few years. In 2011, the total number of marks was 60. This increased to 100 in 2014, then decreased to 76 in 2020, finally to 66 in 2023, and then to 68 in 2024.

The total marks of CAT exam 2025 will remain the same as in 2024, and the pattern will also be similar.

In 2024, the maximum mark in the CAT exam was 204 marks. However, a change in the pattern was observed over the years. To better understand the CAT exam total marks, here is a simplified version of CAT exam:

Importance of Understanding CAT Total Marks 2025

You might be wondering why it is important to understand the total marks in the CAT paper or the CAT 2025 Exam pattern. By pre-understanding the CAT 2025 total marks, the sectional mark analysis helps you develop an effective exam strategy. 

Some more reasons to familiarize yourself with the CAT 2025 total marks: 

• Knowing the CAT exam total marks, sectional weightage, and scoring pattern can help candidates allocate their time and resources efficiently.
• Understanding the marking scheme enables aspirants to focus on their strengths and improve their weaknesses.
• A clear understanding of the marking scheme enables aspirants to set realistic targets.
• Knowing the scoring pattern helps aspirants track their progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Understanding the CAT exam marks enables aspirants to make informed decisions about their preparation, such as which sections to focus on and how to allocate their study time.
• By understanding the total number of marks in CAT exam, aspirants can better prepare and increase their chances of success.

Check | Supergrads CAT Toppers Interview

Conclusion 

As we wrap up, a basic understanding of the CAT exam total marks is important for developing an effective preparation strategy for CAT 2025.

By knowing the CAT total marks, sectional weightage, and scoring pattern, aspirants can efficiently allocate their time and resources, focus on their strengths, and improve their weaknesses.

With a clear understanding of the marking scheme, candidates can set realistic targets, track their progress, and increase their chances of success in the CAT exam.

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