CAT Marking Scheme 2026: Negative Marking & Score Calculation

CAT Marking Scheme 2026 Overview

Based on the current CAT pattern, the scoring structure is as follows. Candidates should check the official CAT 2026 notification for the final marking scheme.

Feature	CAT 2026 Details
Total questions	68
Total marks	204
Marks for a correct answer	+3
Negative marking	-1 (MCQs only)
MCQs	Distribution may vary
TITA	Distribution may vary; no negative marking
Unanswered questions	0 marks

The distribution of MCQs and TITA questions may vary from year to year. Candidates should refer to the official CAT 2026 instructions for the final question distribution.

Know All About CAT Admit Card here

CAT Negative Marking 2026

Negative marking is applicable to incorrect multiple-choice questions. Candidates lose 1 mark for every incorrect MCQ.

TITA questions do not carry negative marking, so an incorrect TITA response receives zero marks.

When Should You Avoid Guessing?

For MCQs, blind guessing carries a risk because an incorrect answer attracts a one-mark penalty. If you can eliminate one or more options, you can make a more informed decision. TITA questions do not carry negative marking, so candidates may choose to attempt them even when they are less certain, provided they can reasonably derive an answer.

Check the CAT Answer Key and calculate your expected score.

CAT Marks for Correct & Incorrect Answers

Situation	Marks
Correct MCQ	+3
Incorrect MCQ	-1
Correct TITA	+3
Incorrect TITA	0
Unanswered question	0

Since TITA questions do not carry negative marking, they can provide scoring opportunities when candidates are reasonably confident about their answers.

Explore Our Other CAT Resources

CAT Colleges	CAT Toppers
CAT Exam Pattern	CAT Cut Off
CAT Syllabus	CAT Result

How to Calculate Your CAT Score

The CAT raw score can be calculated using the following formula:

Raw score = (Correct answers × 3) − (Incorrect MCQs × 1)

Incorrect TITA responses and unanswered questions neither add to nor reduce the raw score.

To calculate the raw score, apply the above formula to the correct answers and incorrect MCQs. Under the current structure, VARC has a maximum of 72 marks, while DILR and QA each have a maximum of 66 marks.

CAT Score Calculation Example

Suppose you attempt 40 questions in a mock test:

MCQs: 22 correct and 6 incorrect

TITA: 8 correct and 4 incorrect

Therefore:

Correct answers = 22 + 8 = 30

Marks for correct answers = 30 × 3 = 90

Incorrect MCQs = 6

Deduction for incorrect MCQs = 6 × 1 = 6

Incorrect TITA = 4, with no negative marking

Therefore:

Raw score = 90 − 6 = 84

The raw score is 84 out of a maximum of 204 marks, assuming the 68-question, 204-mark structure applies.

Calculate your raw score after each mock test to identify where you are losing marks and where you can improve.

Explore the Important CAT Exam Day Guidelines for Aspirants

CAT Raw Score vs Percentile

The raw score represents the marks obtained based on the CAT marking scheme, while the percentile indicates your relative performance among candidates.

A 95 percentile broadly means that your performance is higher than that of around 95% of candidates, based on the percentile calculation methodology used for CAT.

Since CAT is conducted in multiple slots, the CAT authorities use a normalization and scaling process to account for differences in difficulty across sessions before percentiles are calculated.

The following table shows estimated CAT scores for the year 2025:

Percentile	Approx. Score Needed
99	81-84
95	65-67
90	52-53
85	45
80	40

These figures are rough estimates and are not official CAT data. Actual CAT score-to-percentile relationships can vary depending on factors such as the difficulty level of the examination and the normalization process.

Check the CAT Exam Timing, Slot-Wise Schedule and Reporting Time

CAT Score Calculation for Different Question Types

For MCQs, candidates receive 3 marks for a correct answer, lose 1 mark for an incorrect answer and receive 0 marks for an unanswered question.

For TITA questions, candidates receive 3 marks for a correct answer and 0 marks for an incorrect or unanswered question.

This distinction is important when deciding which questions to attempt. For TITA questions, the absence of negative marking gives candidates more flexibility to attempt questions when they can reasonably derive an answer. For MCQs, candidates should consider the likelihood of being correct before attempting a doubtful question.

Top CAT Coaching & Preparation Resources:

CAT Coaching in India	CAT Coaching in Jaipur
CAT Coaching Online	CAT Coaching Fees
CAT Coaching in Jodhpur	Online vs Offline CAT Coaching

How the CAT Marking Scheme Affects Your Strategy

1. Prioritise Accuracy

A high number of attempts does not necessarily lead to a higher score if many of those attempts are incorrect MCQs. Focus on maintaining accuracy while attempting questions.

2. Avoid Blind Guesses

Do not answer MCQs blindly. An incorrect MCQ attracts a negative mark, so candidates should consider the available options and their level of confidence before attempting a doubtful question.

3. Pick Questions Wisely

Use the beginning of each section to identify questions or sets that appear more manageable, then prioritise them based on your strategy.

4. Balance Speed and Accuracy

Do not rush through easy questions, as doing so can lead to avoidable mistakes. At the same time, spending too much time on a difficult question can reduce the time available for other questions.

5. Respect the Sectional Time Limit

Each section has a 40-minute time limit, and unused time cannot be carried forward to another section. Practise completing each section within the prescribed time.

6. Learn From Your Mock Tests

Analyse each mock test to identify questions that you should have skipped but attempted, as well as questions that you left unanswered. Also identify mistakes caused by calculation errors, poor question selection or ineffective time management.

Everything about CAT application form correction in one place.

Conclusion

Under the CAT 2026 marking scheme, candidates receive +3 marks for each correct answer, −1 mark for each incorrect MCQ and no negative marking for incorrect TITA questions. The raw score is calculated based on correct answers and incorrect MCQs, while CAT's normalization and scaling process is used when calculating scores and percentiles across different sessions.

Candidates should aim to maximise accuracy while strategically choosing which questions to attempt. Regularly taking full-length CAT mock tests and analysing performance can help identify areas for improvement. CAT 2026 is scheduled for November 29, 2026, so candidates should use the remaining preparation time to become familiar with the marking scheme, sectional time limits and question types.

Read More about CAT difficulty level in detail!