A 30-mark score in CAT 2026 is likely to be below the 80 percentile range based on recent CAT score vs percentile trends. In the last six years, the overall score required for the 80 percentile has ranged from 34 to 49 marks.
The closest benchmark was CAT 2023, where 34 marks corresponded to the 80 percentile. For CAT 2026, the exact percentile at 30 marks will depend on paper difficulty, candidate performance and score normalisation.
CAT 2026 will be conducted by IIM Indore on November 29, 2026, across three sessions.
The exam will have 68 questions for 120 minutes, with 24 questions in VARC, 22 in DILR and 22 in QA. Each correct answer carries 3 marks, while an incorrect MCQ attracts a 1-mark penalty.
30 Marks in CAT: Check the Past Overall Score Trends
The recent overall CAT score trends show that 30 marks have stayed below the 80 percentile benchmark.
| CAT Year | Score for 80 Percentile | Position of 30 Marks |
| 2025 | 38 | Below 80 percentile benchmark |
| 2024 | 45 | Below 80 percentile benchmark |
| 2023 | 34 | Below 80 percentile benchmark |
| 2022 | 36 | Below 80 percentile benchmark |
| 2021 | 45 | Below 80 percentile benchmark |
| 2020 | 49 | Below 80 percentile benchmark |
The 80 percentile score ranged between 34 and 49 marks during 2020-2025. In 2023, the gap was the smallest, with 30 marks being only 4 marks below the 80 percentile score. In 2020, the difference was much larger at 19 marks.
Therefore, 30 marks cannot be treated as an 80 percentile score on the basis of recent overall trends. If CAT 2026 has a difficulty level and score distribution similar to these years, 30 marks is likely to fall below the 80 percentile range.
30 Marks in CAT 2026: Expected Percentile
There is no fixed percentile for 30 marks because CAT percentile changes with the overall performance of candidates. The same raw score can receive a different percentile in different years.
The historical 80 percentile benchmarks provide a useful reference. At 30 marks, the score is:
- 4 marks below the 80 percentile benchmark of 2023
- 6 marks below the 80 percentile benchmark of 2022
- 8 marks below the 80 percentile benchmark of 2025
- 15 marks below the 80 percentile benchmark of 2024
- 15 marks below the 80 percentile benchmark of 2021
- 19 marks below the 80 percentile benchmark of 2020
Based on this range, 30 marks in CAT 2026 can be expected to be below 80 percentile, unless the exam is significantly tougher and the overall score distribution shifts downward.
An exact expected percentile should not be assigned before the actual CAT 2026 score distribution is known.
How Does 30 Marks Perform Across CAT Sections?
A 30-mark score has a very different position when looked at section-wise. Past sectional trends show that 30 marks can be considerably stronger in some sections than it is at the overall level.
VARC
The 95 percentile benchmark in VARC was between 29 and 34 marks from 2020 to 2025. In 2024, exactly 30 marks corresponded to the 95 percentile benchmark.
| CAT Year | VARC Score for 95 Percentile |
| 2025 | 32 |
| 2024 | 30 |
| 2023 | 29 |
| 2022 | 29 |
| 2021 | 34 |
| 2020 | 32 |
This means that 30 marks in VARC has historically been around the 95 percentile range, although the actual percentile can vary by year.
DILR
DILR has shown a lower score requirement for high percentiles in several years. The 99 percentile benchmark ranged from 27 to 38 marks between 2020 and 2025.
| CAT Year | DILR Score for 99 Percentile |
| 2025 | 30 |
| 2024 | 38 |
| 2023 | 27 |
| 2022 | 29 |
| 2021 | 34 |
| 2020 | 34 |
A 30-mark DILR score reached the 99 percentile benchmark in 2025 and was close to the same level in some other years.
This shows why sectional difficulty has to be considered before comparing a sectional score with the overall score.
QA
In QA, the 99 percentile benchmark ranged from 25 to 43 marks during 2020-2025.
| CAT Year | QA Score for 99 Percentile |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2024 | 32 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2022 | 33 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2020 | 43 |
Thus, 30 marks in QA has been around or above the 99 percentile benchmark in some years, while in other years it has been below it. The variation is mainly linked to the difficulty and score distribution of the section.
Why 30 Marks Can Give Different Percentiles in CAT
CAT percentile is not calculated by simply converting marks into a fixed percentage. It depends on how a candidate performs relative to other test-takers. CAT also uses normalisation across different sessions before the final percentile is determined.
For this reason, 30 marks in CAT 2026 will not automatically mean the same percentile as 30 marks in CAT 2025 or 2024.
A difficult paper can bring down the score required for a particular percentile, while an easier paper can push that score higher.
The 2020-2025 overall trends demonstrate this clearly. The score corresponding to the 80 percentile moved from 49 marks in 2020 to 34 marks in 2023, before rising to 38 marks in 2025.
CAT 2026 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
CAT 2026 will have three sections, with candidates getting 40 minutes for each section. Switching between sections will not be permitted during the allotted time.
| Section | Questions | Time |
| VARC | 24 | 40 minutes |
| DILR | 22 | 40 minutes |
| QA | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 120 minutes |
A correct answer carries 3 marks, while an incorrect MCQ results in a 1-mark deduction. Non-MCQ questions do not carry negative marking.
With 30 marks as the target score, accuracy becomes important because unnecessary MCQ attempts can reduce the final score through negative marking.
Conclusion
If you are preparing for CAT 2026 and want to improve your score beyond the 30-mark range, MBA Karo’s CAT Course can help you work on concepts, practice and mock-test performance in a structured way.
Use regular practice to identify the sections where you are losing marks and focus on improving accuracy.
The goal should be to move from a low overall score to a stronger and more consistent CAT score through targeted preparation, sectional practice and repeated mock analysis.
