CAT 2025 Answer Key & Result: How to Download & Object, Scorecard Details etc.

Applicants can access their dashboard and see their captured responses as well as the correct ones. This enables them to estimate their marks prior to the release of the actual result.

If a candidate detects any error in the answer key, they may raise objections by providing their concerns along with proper evidence through the CAT Objection Window within the specified time period. The exam body will revise the answer key after considering all objections. The CAT 2025 result will be calculated on the basis of this revised final answer key.

In CAT 2024, 14 students (including one female student) scored in the 100 %ile. Also, 29 students scored 99.99th percentile and 30 students scored 99.98th %ile.

2025 Common Admission Test Answer Key & Result Dates (Tentative)  

Within the few days following the CAT 2025 exam the answer key and response sheet will be made available online. Test-takers can download and verify their responses and raise objections against any discrepancy noticed in the provisional answer key.

How can applicants get their CAT 2025 Response Sheet and Answer Key? 

Test-takers can obtain their Answer key & response sheet for CAT 2025 following these steps:

1. Visit the official CAT website – iimcat.ac.in. 

2. Choose the Login option.

3. Provide your credentials like User ID & Password.

4. After logging in then click the link to see your CAT answer key and response sheet

5. Download and take a printout of the PDF for later reference or usage.

The response sheet has the candidate's marked answers along with the official answer for each question.

How can I file a discrepancy in the CAT 2025 Answer Key? 

If a candidate is able to notice any discrepancy in the answer key, he/she can lodge objections within the official objection window. Here's how:

1. Submit your login credentials to gain access of the official CAT website.

2. Click on the Objection Form link.

3. Select the correct section and question number.

4. Select your reason for objection: None of the provided options is correct or More than one correct option or The official answer is incorrect. 

5. Enter your explanation (not more than 500 words).

6. Pay ₹1,200 per question (bank charges and GST excluded).

7. Finally Submit the objection form. 

Note: There is no limit set on the number of objections that a candidate can lodge. 

How Candidates Can Get Their CAT Exam 2025 Results Downloaded?

Once the objections are examined, the final answer key will be published and results will be drawn accordingly. To gain access to your result follow the steps:

• Go to the official CAT website.

• Click on the Candidate Login section.

• Enter User ID and Password.

• Your scorecard will be shown.

• Download and save the PDF file.

What Will Be Reflected on the CAT 2025 Scorecard?

• CAT Registration Number/User ID

• Name of Candidate, Date of Birth, Gender, Category

• Date of Exam, Time and Session

• Contact details and email address

• Section-wise and overall scaled scores

• Section-wise and overall percentiles

Note: The CAT 2025 scorecard will only be issued through the official website and can be downloaded up to December 31, 2025.

Percentile/Normalisation

The CAT percentile is the candidate's rank above the other candidates in the exam. The CAT percentile calculation of test takers is obtained by the steps listed below:

• The test taker's total score in the CAT exam is determined by awarding +3 marks for every correct answer and deducting -1 mark for every incorrect answer.

• In order to receive a scaled CAT score, the raw scores of the test takers (section-wise and total) are then normalised.

• Following the normalisation process, the percentiles are provided in the CAT scorecard of the test taker.

How are CAT Raw Scores and CAT Scales Scores calculated to produce the CAT Percentile?

CAT Raw Score: The total marks that the test takers get after using the marking scheme of the CAT exam. 

• There are 24 questions in the CAT exam's Section VARC.

• Section DILR of the CAT Exam: 22 questions.

• There are 22 questions in the CAT exam's section QA.

The 2024 CAT exam scoring scheme states that each correct response is worth +3 points while each incorrect response is worth -1 point.

Raw CAT Score is (3*total right answers) - (number of wrong answers)

Calculation of the CAT Scaled Scores:

The steps to calculate a test taker's scaled score in each of the three portions of the CAT exam: VARC, DILR, and QA are given below: The sum of the scaled scores from these three areas gives the total scaled score. Here the scaling process of the QA section is explained. For the other two sections a similar process will be used: DILR and VARC.

• Step 1: For every morning session test taker, determine the mean and standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the QA portion.

Let Mean = M1, SD = S1 and G1 = M1 + S1.

• Step 2: For every afternoon session test taker, determine the mean and standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the QA portion.

Let G2 = M2 + S2, Mean = M2 and SD = S2.

• Step 3: For every evening session test taker, determine the mean and standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the QA portion.

Let G3 = M3 + S3, Mean = M3 and SD = S3.

• Step 4: For every test taker, get the mean and standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores in the QA portion (i.e. of all three sessions).

Let G = M + S, Mean = M and SD = S.

• Step 5: Determine the average raw score of the top 0.1% of test takers from the morning session in the QA portion, and write it like this  M10.1.

• Step 6: In the afternoon session, determine the average raw score of the top 0.1% test takers and represent it with a symbol of M20.1

• Step 7: Determine the average raw score in quality assurance for the top 0.1% of candidates throughout the evening session, and write it like this M30.1

• Step 8: Determine the average raw score in QA for the top 0.1% of candidates who appeared in the CAT exam (considering all three sections of the exam) and indicate it with M0.1

If applicant XYZ now participates in the morning session and her initial score is R in the QA section. Next, the XYZ scaled score in QA, let's say R̂ provided by:

For example, XYZ, a candidate who participated in the afternoon session, had a raw score of R in the QA segment. Next, the XYZ scaled score in QA, let's say R ̂, is provided by:

For example, XYZ, a candidate who participated in the evening session, had a raw score of R in the QA section. Next, the XYZ scaled score in QA, let's say ̂R, provided by:

The same method is used to calculate the scaled scores for the other sections of the CAT exam.

It will be rounded to 100 if this method produces a scaled score greater than 100.

CAT Score Normalisation Process

The CAT exam is conducted in three shifts with unique questions for each shift. There is a likelihood that one CAT exam shift is more or less easy compared to another because of differences in questions. Thus, CAT exam authorities implement a normalisation process wherein the scores of each test taker are normalised to put them on the same level. This ensures that there is parity in the marking process such that no candidate has an advantage or disadvantage over another. The following parameters are taken into account during the CAT normalisation process:

• Mean Score

• Median Score

• Top Ten Percentile

• Lowest Ten Percentile

• Highest Score

• Lowest Score

Percentile Calculation of CAT Scores

Finding a candidate's percentile score:

The following procedure will be followed to find a candidate's CAT 2025 sectional and overall percentile scores. Below QA section example is considered. (The procedure will also be the same for the VARC and DILR sections.)

Step 1: Determine how many candidates (N) took the CAT exam overall, taking into account the morning, afternoon and evening shifts.

Step 2: On the basis of the scaled scores, the test taker is awarded a rank ( r ) in the QA section.  In the QA if two or more candidates achieve the same scaled score, they must be given the same rank.

For instance, if two candidates are awarded the same scaled score in the QA section both will be awarded a rank of 1.

Step 3: To determine the percentile score (P) of a test-taker with rank (r) in the Quants use the following formula:

P=((N-r) N) x 100.

Step 4: Finally, a candidate's calculated percentile score (P) must be rounded off to the closest two decimal places.