CAT 2025 Exam Difficulty Level: 10-Year Trend Analysis and Score Vs Percentile Estimates; Will Drop in Registrations Impact Difficulty?

CAT Exam Paper Difficulty Level 2015–2024: 10-Year Trend Analysis

This section is based on CAT difficulty level trend for last 10 years. While the overall CAT exam pattern trends are same (3 sections) but the CAT IIM paper setter trends for difficulty level vary from year to year. 

This section is based on CAT difficulty level trend for last 10 years. Over the last decade, the CAT exam has shown significant variation in difficulty levels depending on the IIM that conducted it. According to 10-year CAT difficulty level analysis by MBAUniverse.com, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta have historically set tougher papers, while IIM Kozhikode and IIM Indore have maintained relatively moderate difficulty levels. Here are the key trends on CAT exam paper difficulty level from CAT 2015 to CAT 2024. It will help in understanding the CAT IIM paper setter trend. Table 1 has more details. 

• Conducting IIMs influence CAT difficulty level trend: 10-year CAT exam paper analysis shows that CAT difficulty level tends to vary depending on which IIM conducts the exam. IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta tend to set tougher papers, while IIM Kozhikode and IIM Indore usually maintain moderate difficulty.
• DILR section – Most Volatile: The DILR section remains the most volatile part of CAT. It was rated difficult in several years including 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2023, even when the overall paper was moderate or easy.
• VARC section – Most Stable: The VARC section has been the most stable, staying moderate in most years, though it turned easy in 2018 and again in 2024 under IIM Calcutta.
• Quant QA section – Impact of IIM: The Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section has generally followed the overall trend. It is of moderate difficulty when the paper is balanced and set by IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore. It is of high difficultly when IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Lucknow set the test.
• IIMs Balance Tough Sections with Easier Ones Next Year, and Vice Versa: A consistent pattern observed over time is that if a section is difficult in one year, it tends to be easier in the following year. IIMs seem to follow this balancing approach to ensure fairness and test consistency.

Table 1: CAT Exam Paper Difficulty Level: 10 Years Trend Analysis by MBAUniverse.com 

Source: MBAUniverse.com

CAT 2025 Exam Difficulty Level: Expectation & Prediction  
The trend from the previous CAT exams supports the observation that IIMs balance paper difficulty across years. Specifically, in 2023, under IIM Lucknow, both DILR and QA sections were rated difficult to very difficult, resulting in an overall tough paper. The following year, IIM Calcutta set a comparatively easier paper, with DILR turning easy and overall difficulty rated as easy. 

In fact according to CAT experts like Arun Sharma, author of bestselling CAT books, and Maruti Konduri, Founder of Cracku, CAT 2023 paper was one of the toughest CAT papers in last 10 years. Next year, to balance a very difficult paper, CAT 2024 paper was set to be one of the easiest papers in last 10 years. 

Following this cycle, CAT 2025 is expected to return to a moderate level across the three sections. So, the difficulty level of the DILR Section, which was easy last year, may turn to moderate, while the difficulty level of VARC and Quant section may remain same. Overall, CAT 2025 paper may be more difficult that CAT 2024 paper. 

Hence, IIM Kozhikode CAT paper difficulty level is expected to be more difficult than CAT 2024. Check table 2 for details. 

Table 2: CAT Exam Paper 2025 Difficulty Level: Expectation & Prediction 

Source: MBAUniverse.com

CAT Score vs Percentile Trends: Difficulty Level Reflected in Required Marks 
So, if CAT 2025 difficulty level is expected to go up moderately that last year, what are the CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile estimates. To answer this, MBAUniverse.com did an analysis of CAT score vs percentile data from 2021 to 2024. It highlights how exam difficulty directly impacts the marks required for top percentiles. In CAT 2024, candidates needed around 125 marks for the 99.9 percentile, significantly higher than the 100 marks required in CAT 2023, confirming that CAT 2023 was considerably tougher. A similar trend is seen across other percentiles. For instance, the 99 percentile required 95 marks in 2024 compared to only 77 in 2023. This consistent inverse relationship between difficulty level of CAT exam paper and the scores required to score high percentages indicates that even small changes in paper toughness can cause large shifts in percentile cut-offs. Refer table 3 for CAT Score Vs Percentiles for previous years. 

Table 3: CAT Score Vs Percentile: Previous Year’s Trends by MBAUniverse.com 

Source: MBAUniverse.com

Expected CAT Score Vs Percentile 2025 will be released soon by MBAUniverse.com.

CAT Exam Pattern: Previous Year’s Trends 
A question related to difficulty level is, can there be a change in CAT 2025 exam pattern? Based on CAT exam pattern previous year’s trend analysis by MBAUniverse.com, a major change in CAT exam pattern looks unlike. The overall CAT exam pattern trend 2025 is expected to be similar to last five years with 65-70 questions. Chek table 4 for analysis of CAT exam pattern for last 15 years. 

Table 4: CAT Exam Pattern: Previous Year’s Trends by MBAUniverse.com 

Source: MBAUniverse.com

CAT 2025 Registration Numbers Drop: Impact on Difficulty Level?
The drop in CAT 2025 registration numbers from 3.28 lakh in CAT 2024 to 2.95 lakh candidates this year has raised a common question from aspirants: Will the drop in CAT registration numbers make CAT 2025 exam easier? The short answer is no. The difficulty level of CAT exam does not directly depend on how many students register, but on previous year’s exam papers and which IIM is conducting (as explained in the above article).
However, the drop in registration numbers can influence “percentiles” slightly because percentiles are “relative scores”. If you are taking CAT 2025, then your percentile reflects how well you perform compared to others, not how many questions you answered correctly.

Let’s take an example to explain this point:
To score 99 percentile, you need to perform better than 99% of test-takers.

•  In CAT 2024, where 3.28 lakh candidates had registered, the top 3,280 candidates fell in the 99 percentile bracket.
• In CAT 2025, where 2.95 lakh candidates have registered, the top 2,950 candidates will get 99 pecentile.

So, yes, you need to outperform fewer people to reach the same percentile. But, the CAT 2025 exam paper difficulty level will remain what IIM Kozhikode decide. 

In summary, this article on CAT 2025 difficulty level analysis highlights how each IIM has approached the test differently, and how the CAT exam difficulty level is influenced by previous year’s paper. In light of above analysis, given that CAT 2024 paper was easy to moderate, IIM Kozhikode CAT paper difficulty level is expected to be more difficult than CAT 2024. Read above in-depth article to know the expected CAT paper difficulty 2025 based on the past year’s pattern. Also read CAT 2025 Score Vs Percentile estimates, CAT 2025 Exam Pattern, and Last 30 Days CAT Preparation Strategy by Toppers. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) on CAT 2025 Exam Difficulty Level

Q: Which IIM will conduct CAT 2025? 
A: IIM Kozhikode is conducting CAT Exam 2025. IIM Kozhikode had also conducted CAT 2019 exam. 

Q: What will be the difficulty level of CAT 2025?
A: MBAUniverse.com has analysed the past 10 years of CAT exam papers to understand how difficulty levels have evolved across the three sections. Analysis highlights how each IIM has approached the test differently, and how the CAT exam difficulty level is influenced by previous year’s paper. Based on this analysis, IIM Kozhikode CAT paper difficulty level is expected to be more difficult than CAT 2024.

Q: What is the hardest year of the CAT exam?
A: Based on analysis of CAT exam pattern for last 10 years, the hardest year of the CAT exam were CAT 2015 by IIM Ahmedabad, CAT 2018 by IIM Calcutta and CAT 2023 by IIM Lucknow. 

Q: What is the toughest year of the CAT exam?
A: Based on analysis of CAT exam pattern for last 10 years, the toughest year of the CAT exam were CAT 2015 by IIM Ahmedabad, CAT 2018 by IIM Calcutta and CAT 2023 by IIM Lucknow. 

Q: What is the prediction for the CAT 2025?
A: As per the above analysis of last 10 years difficulty level trends, the prediction for CAT 2025 is that CAT 2025 paper will be more difficult than CAT 2024. 

Q: What are the expectations for CAT 2025?
A: As per the above analysis of last 10 years difficulty level trends, IIM Kozhikode CAT paper difficulty level is expected to be more difficult than CAT 2024. 

Q: What will be the impact of drop of CAT 2025 Registration Numbers on Exam Difficulty Level?
A: The drop in CAT 2025 registration numbers from 3.28 lakh in CAT 2024 to 2.95 lakh candidates this year has raised this valid question from aspirants. The difficulty level of CAT exam does not directly depend on how many students register, but on previous year’s exam papers and the IIM conducting the exam. However, the drop in registration numbers can influence “percentiles” slightly because percentiles are “relative scores”. So, candidates taking CAT 2025 need to outperform fewer number of people to reach the same percentile as in CAT 2025. But, the CAT 2025 exam paper difficulty level will remain what IIM Kozhikode decide.