Cochin University of Science and Technology Common Admission Test • Conducted by Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)
Provisional & Final Answer Key Release, Objection Process & Score Calculation
CUSAT releases a provisional answer key for Test Code 101 within a few days of the exam, allowing candidates to estimate their raw score before the official rank list is declared. This is followed by a short challenge window during which candidates can formally contest specific answers, after which a final answer key is published and used for actual score computation.
Log in to admissions.cusat.ac.in and locate the "Provisional Answer Key" notification under the CAT section.
Since CBT exams often use multiple randomized question sets, download both the key matching your set code and your own recorded response sheet.
Apply +4 for every correct match and -1 for every incorrect answer across all 225 questions to estimate your total score out of 900.
If you believe a specific answer key entry is incorrect, submit an objection with supporting references (NCERT page, standard textbook) within the challenge window, usually along with a nominal per-question fee.
All objections received within the window are reviewed by a subject-expert committee constituted by CUSAT. If an objection is upheld, the key is corrected for all candidates uniformly before the final answer key and rank list are published — individual objecting candidates do not receive special treatment beyond the corrected key applying to everyone.
Any question dropped or re-keyed after the objection review affects every candidate's score uniformly — either the question is scrapped entirely (with marks awarded to all who attempted it, or removed from the total question count for everyone), or the corrected option is applied across all response sheets before final scores are computed. This is why the final answer key, not the provisional one, is the authoritative basis for your actual CAT score and rank.
Since CUSAT CAT is a CBT exam, candidates can typically access their own recorded response sheet (showing exactly which option was marked for every question) through their login on the admissions portal around the same time the provisional answer key is released. Comparing your response sheet against the key, rather than relying on memory, is the most accurate way to self-evaluate your score.
For instance, if a candidate attempts 190 of the 225 questions, answers 160 correctly and 30 incorrectly, leaving 35 unattempted, the raw score would be calculated as: (160 × 4) - (30 × 1) = 640 - 30 = 610 out of 900. Using this method against the final answer key gives candidates a reliable self-estimate of their score well before the official result.
Because CBT exams often randomize question order or use multiple question sets across shifts to prevent malpractice, candidates must ensure they are referencing the answer key corresponding to their own specific set code (printed on the admit card or visible during the exam), rather than a generic key, to avoid miscalculating their score.
Revise chapter-wise mathematical formulas before launching your test: