Thank You
Thanks for your interest. We will contact you shortly with one of our consultants to guide you through the process.
2025 CAT Marking Scheme: The Common Admission Test (CAT) is administered once a year, typically in November. Admission to the top business schools in India for MBA, PGDM, and other managerial programs requires passing this well-known exam. The CAT exam is accepted by prestigious management schools like IIMs, FMS, IITs, and many more, and it is used as the basis for admission to managerial programs. This 120-minute computer-based test evaluates a test-taker’s proficiency in three areas: quantitative aptitude, data interpretation and logical reasoning, and verbal ability and reading comprehension. Let’s examine the CAT scoring system, question types, marking scheme, and much more!
The 2025 CAT Marking Scheme
An overview of the CAT exam is given in the table below, which includes important information about the exam’s length, paper format, marking scheme, total number of questions, marks distribution, and various sections.
| Components | Details |
| Total Questions | 68 |
| Total Marks | 204 |
| Total CAT Exam Sections | 3 |
| CAT Exam Duration | 2 hours |
| Mode of Paper | Online Mode |
| Question Types | MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA) |
| CAT Exam-Making Scheme | For MCQ Questions:Correct answer: +3 marksIncorrect answer: -1 markUnattempted question: 0 marksFor Non-MCQ (TITA) Questions:Correct answer: +3 marksIncorrect answer: 0 marks (no negative marking)Unattempted question: 0 marks |
| CAT Exam Section names | Quantitative AptitudeReading Comprehension & Verbal AbilityData Interpretation & Logical Reasoning |
2025 CAT Negative Marking
Only multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are subject to negative marking in CAT. For every wrong MCQ response, one mark is deducted. Non-MCQ questions, or Type In The Answer (TITA) questions, do not, however, carry a zero. This implies that candidates can attempt non-MCQ questions without worrying about receiving a lower grade for providing an incorrect response.
Breakdown of Negative Marking:
- MCQs: each incorrect response results in a -1 mark.
- There is no deduction for non-MCQs (TITA questions).
- No penalties for unattempted questions.
The CAT Scoring System
A candidate’s performance is assessed using the CAT scoring system in comparison to other candidates. This is how it operates:
- After taking into consideration both right and wrong answers as well as questions that were not attempted, a candidate’s raw score is the sum of their marks.
- Scaled Score: To take into consideration variations in exam slot difficulty, the raw score is normalized. This guarantees the evaluation process is fair.
- Percentile: The percentile, which shows the proportion of applicants who received a score of the same or lower, is determined by the scaled score. A 99 percentile, for instance, indicates that the applicant outperformed 99% of test takers.
CAT Percentile vs. CAT Score
A candidate’s overall CAT score is determined by how well they perform in the three sections of the test: Quantitative Ability (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC). Nevertheless, the CAT A relative metric known as the percentile shows how a candidate’s performance stacks up against that of other test takers.
Types of CAT Questions
There are two main categories of questions on the CAT exam:
1. Multiple Choice Questions, or MCQs
- Candidates must choose the correct response from the four options provided for these questions.
- carries a negative grade for inaccurate responses.
2. Type in the answer (TITA) is a non-MCQ.
- There are no options in these questions. Candidates must type the appropriate response in the space provided.
- Since there is no negative marking, they are less dangerous.
What is the CAT exam’s sectional time limit?
Each section of the 120-minute (2-hour) CAT exam has a specific amount of time allotted to it. During the exam, candidates are unable to move between sections. Every section needs to be finished in the allocated time. The exam duration and sectional time limits are broken down below.
| Selection | Duration |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comp. | 40 Minutes |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 40 Minutes |
| Quantitative Ability | 40 Minutes |
| Total Exam Duration | 120 Minutes |
Total Marks for CAT 2025
A total of 204 marks are awarded for passing the CAT exam. Three marks are awarded for each right response, and one mark is deducted for wrong MCQ responses. Negative marking is not applied to non-MCQ questions. The distribution of the total marks is as follows:
| CAT Sections | Number of Questions | Marks |
| VARC | 24 | 72 marks |
| DILR | 22 | 66 Marks |
| QA | 22 | 66 Marks |
| Total | 68 Questions | 204 Marks |
CAT Total Questions (Year-to-date Trend)
MCQ and non-MCQ question counts change annually. The breakdown for the previous three years is as follows:
| Year | Total Questions | MCQ Questions | Non-MCQ (TITA) Questions |
| 2024 | 68 | 48 | 20 |
| 2023 | 66 | 49 | 17 |
| 2022 | 66 | 52 | 14 |
CAT Marking System 2025: Final Thoughts
You can better prepare for the CAT now that you have a reasonable understanding of its marking scheme. So, start studying for the CAT exam and remember the format. so that you can strategically prepare for the test and ace it. I wish you luck!