CAT Scaled Score vs Raw Score– Every aspirant preparing for the CAT exam eventually encounters two terms that often create confusion- Raw Score and Scaled Score. While both are crucial in understanding your performance, they serve very different purposes in the CAT evaluation system. If you have ever wondered why your final scorecard shows “scaled scores” instead of the marks you believe you scored in the exam, this blog breaks it down in the simplest possible way.
This comprehensive guide explains everything clearly- what each score means, why CAT uses scaling, how percentiles are calculated, and what scores you need for top percentiles.
Latest Updates – Check Live CAT Percentile Predictor 2025 based on Response sheet Here
Table of Contents
What Is a Raw Score in CAT?
A raw score is your direct score in the exam based on the marking scheme.
CAT Raw Score Formula:
- +3 marks for every correct answer
- –1 mark for every incorrect MCQ
- 0 marks for TITA (non-MCQ) incorrect responses
- 0 marks for unattempted questions
For example:
If you got 40 questions correct and 10 incorrect:
Raw Score = (40 × 3) – (10 × 1) = 110
This is your actual score before any adjustments.
However, CAT is conducted in multiple slots every year, and the difficulty of these slots is not identical. Even small variations can affect fairness. This is exactly why raw scores are not used directly in the final result.
Also Read – CAT Response Sheet 2025 Release Date
What Is a Scaled Score?
A scaled score is your score after CAT applies normalisation to account for differences in difficulty across exam slots.
Why does CAT scale scores?
- Each slot (morning/afternoon/evening) varies slightly in difficulty
- Directly comparing raw scores across slots can be unfair
- Normalisation ensures parity among candidates
- It adjusts easier slots downward and tougher slots upward
So, scaled scores ensure that all candidates are evaluated on a common scale, regardless of their slot.
Where do scaled scores appear?
Your CAT scorecard shows a scaled score for VARC, DILR, QA and overall scaled score. Raw scores are never displayed on the scorecard. The scaled scores are then used to compute percentiles, which determine shortlisting.
If you’re wondering where your scaled score might place you, check out the CAT expected scores for 99,95,90 Percentile.
CAT Score Normalization: Simple Explanation
Normalization compares the difficulty across all CAT slots using statistical models. If your slot was harder than others, your scaled score receives a slight upward adjustment. If your slot was relatively easier, your scaled score may go down slightly.
This ensures complete fairness in the final merit list.
What Is a Percentile in CAT?
The CAT percentile represents a candidate’s relative performance compared to all other test-takers. It does not reflect the actual marks (raw scores) but instead indicates the percentage of candidates who scored less than or equal to you. In simple terms, if you secure a 95 percentile, it means you performed better than 95% of all CAT 2025 aspirants.
The overall percentile is derived from your performance across all three sections:
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
Each section’s scaled score is first converted into a sectional percentile, and then the overall percentile is computed based on your total scaled score.
Understanding CAT percentiles is crucial because B-schools use them as the primary shortlisting criterion for further admission processes like the WAT (Written Ability Test), PI (Personal Interview), or GD (Group Discussion).
To understand what percentile you need for top colleges, you can check: Good Percentile in CAT 2025
Raw Score vs Scaled Score: How Much Do They Differ?
Most of the time, the difference is not dramatic. But depending on slot variation, the scaled score may be slightly higher than your raw score, slightly lower, or almost the same.
For example:
- If your slot was tougher → Scaled score may increase slightly
- If your slot was easier → Scaled score may reduce slightly
- If slots were balanced → Raw ≈ Scaled
The purpose is not to inflate or deflate anyone’s marks, but to bring all candidates onto a common, fair scoreboard.
What Is Considered a Good CAT Score?
A “good” CAT score depends on your target colleges, but aiming for a 95+ percentile is generally recommended for top B-schools. Below is a quick score-wise classification for CAT 2025:
| Category | CAT Score Range |
| Very Good | 101-120 |
| Good | 71-100 |
| Average | 41-70 |
| Low | Below 40 |
These score ranges are based on expected CAT 2025 trends. Actual percentiles may vary depending on the exam difficulty and normalization across slots.
Common Reasons Aspirants Feel Confused After the Result
- Raw scores aren’t shown on the scorecard, so students compare their expected marks with the scaled score and feel something doesn’t match.
- Scaling isn’t linear, which means your scaled score won’t always increase or decrease in a predictable way.
- Slot difficulty affects the scaled score, so two students with the same raw score may receive different scaled scores depending on their slot.
- Percentiles depend on scaled scores and total test-takers, adding more variation that often leads to confusion.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between CAT raw scores and scaled scores is essential for interpreting your results accurately. While the raw score reflects your direct performance, the scaled score adjusts for slot difficulty to maintain fairness for all candidates. Since percentiles and admissions rely entirely on the scaled score, clarity on normalization helps you plan your CAT strategy and B-school targets more confidently.
If you want to explore how your scores may convert into percentiles or understand cutoff expectations, you can check: CAT Marks vs Percentile Guide
FAQs
Q: What is the difference between raw score and scaled score in CAT?
A: The raw score is your actual marks based on correct and incorrect answers. The scaled score is your normalized score after CAT adjusts for slot difficulty to ensure fairness across all candidates. Percentiles are calculated using scaled scores, not raw scores.
Q: Why does CAT use scaled scores instead of raw scores?
A: CAT is conducted in multiple slots with varying difficulty. Scaled scores normalize these differences so that candidates from tougher slots aren’t penalized and those from easier slots aren’t unfairly advantaged.
Q: How does the scaled score affect my percentile?
A: Percentiles are calculated based on scaled scores. Higher scaled scores generally lead to higher percentiles, which are used for B-school shortlisting. Raw scores do not directly determine percentiles.
Q: Can two students with the same raw score get different scaled scores?
A: Yes. If students appear in different slots with varying difficulty levels, the normalization process can adjust their scores differently, resulting in different scaled scores and percentiles.
Q: What is considered a good CAT score for top B-schools?
A: A good CAT score depends on your target colleges. Generally, aiming for a 95+ percentile is recommended for top B-schools. Raw scores around 101-120 are considered very good, 71-100 good, and 41-70 average based on CAT 2025 trends.
