How Many Questions to Attempt in CAT Exam to Score 99+ Percentile?

Last update: Jul 11, 2025

In CAT exam, a 99 percentile score is the benchmark for entry into India’s top IIMs and elite B-schools. A percentile of 99 means you have outperformed 99% of all test-takers in that year’s exam. This percentile is often the minimum requirement to have a competing chance at premier institutions such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, FMS Delhi, and IIT Bombay (SJMSOM). For general category candidates, a score below the 99th percentile significantly reduces the chances of receiving calls from these top-tier institutes.

In previou year’s CAT Exam, the competition was among the highest in recent years. Around 3.29 lakh candidates registered, and approximately 2.93 lakh actually appeared for the exam. This makes 99 percentile equivalent to being in the top 2,900–3,000 candidates out of nearly three lakh test-takers. The difficulty level, limited seats, and competitive profiles make this percentile a critical gateway to MBA programs offering strong placement, brand value, and leadership opportunities.

Table of Contents

CAT Exam Pattern 2025
What Score Is Required for 99 Percentile in CAT?
Section-Wise Marks Needed to Score 99 Percentile in CAT 2025
How Many Questions to Attempt for 99 Percentile in CAT 2025 Based on Accuracy?
Tips to Score 99 Percentile in CAT 2025

CAT Exam Pattern 2025

CAT 2025 will follow the two-hour, three‑section format. CAT Exam Pattern 2025 consists of Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA), all under a strict sectional time limit of 40 mins each. The CAT structure combines multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions.

Section	Total Qs	MCQs + TITA	Time (min)	Marks/Q	Negative (MCQs)
VARC	24	16 RC + 8 VA; includes PJ/PC & odd TITA	40	3	–1
DILR	22	22 questions over 5 sets (mix of 4–5 Qs each)	40	3	–1
QA	22	22 questions (MCQ + TITA split)	40	3	–1
Total	68	—	120	—	—

CAT 2021–2024 Exam Pattern Trend

In 2024 the pattern changed from 66 questions to 68 questions by adding 2 more questions in the DILR section, changing from 4 sets of 5 questions each to 5 sets of 4 and 5 questions.

Year	Total Qs	VARC (Q)	DILR (Sets / Q)	QA (Q)	Duration
2024	68	24	5 sets; 22 Q	22	120 min
2023	66	24	4 sets; 20 Q	22	120 min
2022	66	24	4 sets; 20 Q	22	120 min
2021	66	24	4 sets; 20 Q	22	120 min

What Score Is Required for 99 Percentile in CAT?

To score 99 percentile in CAT 2025, candidates must aim for a raw score between 95 and 105 out of 204, which is approximately 46.5% to 51.5% of the total marks. Based on trends from 2021 to 2024, the 99 percentile score has ranged from 45% to 50% of the total marks, depending on the exam's difficulty.

Percentile	Expected Raw Score (Out of 204)	Approx. % Marks
99	95 – 105	46.5% – 51.5%
98	85 – 90	41.6% – 44.1%
95	72 – 76	35.3% – 37.3%
90	62 – 66	30.4% – 32.4%
85	52 – 56	25.5% – 27.4%
80	45 – 48	22.0% – 23.5%

Check CAT Syllabus 2025

99 Percentile Score Trend in CAT (2021–2024): How It Has Changed?

Candidates can check the 99 percentile in CAT exam from 2021 to 2024 in the table below.

Year	Total Marks	99 %ile Score	% of Total Marks
2024	204	95 – 97	46.6% – 47.5%
2023	198	75 – 77	37.9% – 38.9%
2022	198	83 – 85	41.9% – 42.9%
2021	198	97 – 99	49.0% – 50.0%

Section-Wise Marks Needed to Score 99 Percentile in CAT 2025

To score 99 percentile in CAT 2025, candidates should target 34–38 marks in VARC, 30–34 in DILR, and 31–35 in QA, totaling 95–105 marks out of 204. This translates to roughly 47–52% accuracy per section, making it essential to attempt moderately but with high precision across all sections.

VARC

Percentile	Score
99	34 – 38
98	32 – 33
95	29 – 31
90	25 – 28
85	21 – 24

DILR

Percentile	Expected DILR Score
99	30 – 34
98	28 – 29
95	25 – 27
90	22 – 24
85	18 – 21

Percentile	Expected QA Score
99	31 – 35
98	29 – 30
95	26 – 28
90	23 – 25
85	19 – 22

Check CAT Cutoff 2025

How Many Questions to Attempt for 99 Percentile in CAT 2025 Based on Accuracy?

To score 99 percentile in CAT 2025, candidates must aim for a raw score between 95 to 105 out of 204, which is achievable by attempting around 38 to 45 questions with 80% to 90% accuracy. Section-wise, this means attempting 16–18 questions in VARC, 11–13 in QA, and 11–12 in DILR, adjusting slightly based on accuracy levels. Higher accuracy allows fewer attempts, while moderate accuracy requires more attempts. Due to CAT’s normalization process, accuracy is more critical than total attempts, making it essential to focus on precision while maintaining speed.:

With 85–90% Accuracy

Section	Total Questions	Safe Attempts	Accuracy	Safe Raw Score
VARC	24	16–18	85–90%	36–38
DILR	20	11–12	85–90%	30–32
QA	22	11–13	85–90%	30–32
Overall	66	38–42	85–90%	90–95

With 80–85% Accuracy

Section	Total Questions	Safe Attempts	Accuracy	Safe Raw Score
VARC	24	17–19	80–85%	36–38
DILR	20	12–13	80–85%	30–32
QA	22	12–14	80–85%	30–32
Overall	66	41–45	80–85%	95–100

With 90–95% Accuracy

Section	Total Questions	Safe Attempts	Accuracy	Safe Raw Score
VARC	24	14–15	90–95%	36–38
DILR	20	10–11	90–95%	30–32
QA	22	10–11	90–95%	30–32
Overall	66	34–37	90–95%	95–100

Tips to Score 99 Percentile in CAT 2025

VARC: Attempt more questions (16–19) as accuracy is generally lower. Prioritize easy RCs first, then move to VA. Avoid overthinking odd sentences and para-completion.

DILR: Always start with the easiest set. Don’t spend too long on one set. Solving 2 full sets accurately is enough for 99 percentile.

QA: Give 2–2.5 minutes per question. Attempt easy questions first. Skip tough ones early to avoid wasting time and missing scoring opportunities.

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