CAT 2025 Results Near—But the Real Twist Lies in Normalisation & Percentile Math

CAT 2025 Results Near: As CAT 2025 inches closer to its result date—expected in the first week of January 2026—students across India are eagerly waiting to see where they stand. But this year, one key factor is more important than ever: the normalisation process.

With the exam conducted in three different sessions—morning, afternoon, and evening—thousands of students experienced different difficulty levels. To ensure fairness, IIMs use a scientific scaling method that adjusts scores so that no session has an unfair advantage.

At the same time, IIM Kozhikode has been handling a flood of responses during the answer key objection window, which closes on December 10 at 11:55 PM. This year, the objection fee has also been raised to ₹1,500 per question, indicating stricter evaluation and tighter scrutiny.

Together, these two major updates—normalization and answer-key objections—will heavily influence the final CAT 2025 percentiles.

Why Normalisation Matters: A Deep Dive Into How Percentiles Are Calculated

Despite heavy coaching and preparation, most students remain unsure about how CAT percentiles are actually computed. Here’s a simplified explanation of the process.

1. Total Candidates Are Counted (N)

CAT 2025 was held across 339 centers in 170 cities, making the total candidate pool large and diverse. This total number (N) becomes the base for percentile calculations.

2. Candidates Are Ranked by Scaled Score

Each section—QA, DILR, and VARC—gets its own ranking list.

If two or more candidates score the same scaled marks, they receive the same rank.
Example:
If two people get the highest score in QA, both receive Rank 1.

3. Percentile Formula

CAT uses a straightforward formula:

P = (N – r) / N × 100

Where:

• N = total number of candidates

• r = candidate’s rank in that section

This means the percentile is based on how many people scored lower than you.

4. Rounding Percentiles

Percentiles are rounded to two decimal places.

• Anything above 99.995 becomes the 100th percentile.

• 99.984+ becomes 99.99, and so on

This rounding pattern often explains why multiple candidates score in the 100th percentile.

Answer Key Objections: What You Need to Know

The answer key released by IIM Kozhikode includes:

• Question IDs

• Candidate’s marked responses

• Correct options

• Test date & slot details

Students have until December 10 to challenge discrepancies. However, objections must include valid documentary proof, or they will be rejected.

This year’s higher objection fee—₹1,500—signals that IIMs want only well-justified challenges.

Once objections are reviewed, IIM Kozhikode will release:

• The final answer key

• The CAT 2025 result

This final key will determine the last round of score scaling.

What Students Should Expect Before Results

With the combined weight of:

• Session difficulty differences

• Large candidate turnout

• Tighter answer-key scrutiny

• Rising competition for IIM seats

…students can expect higher normalisation adjustments this year.

Candidates should also remember:

✔ Even a few scaled marks can dramatically shift your percentile
✔ Performance in weaker sections can heavily pull down overall percentile
✔ Percentiles—not raw marks—decide IIM shortlist chances

CAT 2025 was intense, competitive, and unpredictably diverse across slots. As results approach, normalization will play the most crucial role in determining percentiles. Meanwhile, the answer-key objection process ensures that the evaluation is transparent and accurate.

While the wait may feel long, the final week before the result is also the moment to stay calm, trust your preparation, and gear up for the next steps in your MBA journey.