CAT 2025 Exam Analysis: 2.58 Lakh Candidates Appeared; No Change in Pattern; Check Slot Wise Questions, Difficulty Level, Score Vs Percentile

CAT 2025 Slot 1 Question Type and Difficulty Level: CAT 2025 Slot 1 was held from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM on November 30, 2025. Check key highlights below. 

• CAT 2025 Paper Pattern Changes: No Major Changes. Similar to CAT 2024
• Total number of questions in CAT 2025 Slot 1 Paper: 68
• Total number of questions in CAT 2025 Slot 1 VARC Section: 24
• Total number of questions in CAT 2025 Slot 1 DILR Section: 22
• Total number of questions in CAT 2025 Slot 1 QA Section: 22

CAT 2025 Slot 1 Difficulty Level Analysis 

• CAT 2025 Slot 1 Overall Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult
• CAT 2025 Slot 1 VARC Difficulty level: More Difficult than Last Year. Lengthy Paper. Moderate to Hard Difficulty Level.
• CAT 2025 Slot 1 DILR Difficulty level: Moderate to Difficult
• CAT 2025 Slot 1 QA Difficulty level: Moderate. Question Selection Important. 

CAT 2025 Slot 1 Section wise Analysis 

• VARC Section: Total Questions – 24; 4 RC Passages, 16 RC Questions; 2 Questions each from Para Summary, Para Insertion, Para Jumbles, and OC Para Jumble

• DILR Section: Total Questions – 22; 3 Sets with 4 Questions, 2 Sets with 5 Questions

• Quant Section: Total Questions – 22; Dominated by Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 1 analysis, Cracku CAT 2025 Slot 1 analysis, Career Launcher CAT 2025 Slot 1 analysis are out. India’s Top Coaching Institutes Differ on Slot 1 Difficulty Level. Check Details in Table below.

Source: Respective Coaching Institutes

CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Pattern 

As expected, CAT 2025 Slot 1 exam paper pattern had three sections: VARC, DILR, and QA. According to experts from leading coaching institutes, CAT 2025 Slot 1 paper difficulty level is moderate to difficult.

CAT 2025 Slot 1 marking pattern saw no changes. Marking scheme was +3 for every correct and -1 for incorrect. There was no negative marking for TITA Qs. 

The VA RC section consisted of questions on Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. As in the past several years, there were no direct Grammar or Vocabulary questions. Check the break up of sections in the table below. 

CAT 2025 Slot 1 DILR section saw questions on Data interpretations sets and logical reasoning. Check the break up of sections in the table below.

The quant section had Arithmetic (8 questions), followed by Algebra (4 questions) and Numbers (4 questions). There were 3 questions each on Geometry and Modern Math. The questions on Arithmetic were relatively easy. The questions on Algebra were a little complex. Check the break up of sections in the table below.

Read more details on CAT Exam Slot 1 Analysis.

CAT 2025 Slot 2 Question Type and Difficulty Level: CAT 2025 Slot 2 was held from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM on November 30, 2025. Check key highlights are below. 

• CAT 2025 Slot 2 Paper Pattern: No Major Changes seen. Similar to CAT 2025 Slot 1 and CAT 2024 Slot 2.
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 Total Number of Questions: 68
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 VARC number of questions: 24
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 DILR Section number of questions: 22
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 QA Section number of questions: 22

CAT 2025 Slot 2 Difficulty Level Analysis 

• CAT 2025 Slot 2 Overall Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 Vs Slot 1 Difficulty Level: Similar difficulty level
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 VARC Difficulty Level: More Difficult than Last Year
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 DILR Difficulty level: Moderate to Difficult
• CAT 2025 Slot 2 QA Difficulty level: Moderate. Question selection important

CAT 2025 Slot 2 Section wise Analysis 

• VARC Section: Overall pattern similar to Slot 1. Paragraph Jumbles reintroduced. 2 Summary questions (MCQ), 2 Paragraph Completion questions (MCQ), 2 Odd Sentence Out questions (TITA), 2 Paragraph Jumbles (TITA)
• DILR Section: Overall structure remained unchanged. 2 sets with 5 questions each and 3 sets with 4 questions each. Total 11 TITA questions and 11 MCQs
• Quant Section: Total 8 TITA questions and 14 MCQs

CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Pattern 

As expected, CAT 2025 Slot 2 exam paper pattern had three sections with same number of questions are Slot 1 paper. Check break up below. 

CAT 2025 Slot 2 marking pattern saw no changes. Marking scheme was +3 for every correct and -1 for incorrect. There was no negative marking for TITA Qs. 

CAT 2025 Slot 1 Vs Slot 2 Difficulty Level | CAT 2025 Score Vs Percentile Predictions by IMS 

According to IMS Coaching, CAT 2025 Slot 2 Paper Difficulty Level is higher than Slot 1. Accordingly, they have different Score Vs Percentile Predictions for Slot 1 and Slot 2. Check table below. 

IMS CAT 2025 Score Vs Percentile Predictions

The VA RC section consisted of questions on Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. As in the past several years, there were no direct Grammar or Vocabulary questions. Check the break up of sections in the table below. 

CAT 2025 Slot 2 DILR section saw questions on Data interpretations sets and logical reasoning. Check the break up of sections in the table below.

The quant section had majority of questions from Arithmetic, followed by Algebra, and Number system. There were a few questions on Geometry and Modern Math too. Check the break up of sections in the table below.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Question Type and Difficulty Level: CAT 2025 Slot 3 was held from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM on November 30, 2025. Check key highlights are below. 

• CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper Pattern: No Major Changes seen. Similar to CAT 2025 Slot 1 and CAT 2024 Slot 2.
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 Total Number of Questions: 68
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 VARC number of questions: 24
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 DILR Section number of questions: 22
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 QA Section number of questions: 22

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Difficulty Level Analysis 

• CAT 2025 Slot 3 Overall Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 Vs Slot 1 Difficulty Level: Similar difficulty level
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 VARC Difficulty Level: More Difficult than Last Year
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 DILR Difficulty level: Moderate to Difficult
• CAT 2025 Slot 3 QA Difficulty level: Moderate. Question selection important

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Section wise Analysis 

• VARC Section: (To be updated soon)
• DILR Section: (To be updated soon)
• Quant Section: (To be updated soon)

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Exam Pattern 

As expected, CAT 2025 Slot 3 exam paper pattern had three sections with same number of questions are Slot 1 and Slot 2 paper. Check break up below. 

CAT 2025 Slot 3 marking pattern saw no changes. Marking scheme was +3 for every correct and -1 for incorrect. There was no negative marking for TITA Qs. 

The VA RC section consisted of questions on Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. As in the past several years, there were no direct Grammar or Vocabulary questions. Check the break up of sections in the table below. 

CAT 2025 Slot 2 DILR section saw questions on Data interpretations sets and logical reasoning. Check the break up of sections in the table below.

The quant section had majority of questions from Arithmetic, followed by Algebra, and Number system. There were a few questions on Geometry and Modern Math too. Check the break up of sections in the table below.

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis is out. Check details below.

The first slot of CAT 2025 took place today between 8.30 am and 10:30 am. The structure of CAT 2025 had no major changes compared to that of 2024 CAT with a total of 68 questions.

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis: Section-wise Analysis 
Verbal Ability (VA)

• Segmentation and question-type distribution were adjusted.
• Paragraph Jumbles were reintroduced, marking their return after a gap.
• Breakdown of non-RC questions: 2 Summary questions (MCQ), 2 Paragraph Completion questions (MCQ), 2 Odd Sentence Out questions (TITA), 2 Paragraph Jumbles (TITA)

DILR

• The section also showed refinements in segmentation and the MCQ vs TITA mix
• Overall structure of the section remained unchanged: 2 sets with 5 questions each and 3 sets with 4 questions each.
• Total 11 TITA questions and 11 MCQ questions

QA

• The number of questions remained unchanged at 22
• Total 8 TITA questions and 14 MCQ questions

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis: Score Vs  Percentile  Estimates 

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
The VA-RC section consisted of 16 Reading Comprehension questions and 8 Verbal Ability questions. The Reading Comprehension section featured the addition of vocabulary-based application questions — a question type not previously seen in the CAT. The passage on “Alienists and the art of diagnosing mental disorders” was easier. The passages on “Income inequality and economic growth” and “Objections to Electronic Music as a musical genre” were of moderate difficulty and required careful reading. The passage on “Complex Systems and the dynamics of tail events” was tough to read, had difficult questions and lengthy options. 

About 10 to 12 RC questions could be attempted with high accuracy. Verbal Ability questions reintroduced parajumbles after the gap of a year. So, the section had 2 questions each of Summary (MCQ), Paragraph Completion (MCQ), Odd Sentence questions (TITA), and Jumbled Paragraphs (TITA). In VA, 5 or 6 attempts with high accuracy were possible. Overall, the VARC section was more difficult than that of CAT 2024 Slot 1. The LOD of the VARC section, specially the RCs, was comparable to the VARC of several SimCATs.

• An attempt of 12 or 13 questions with an accuracy of approximately 60% will fetch around 85%ile score in VARC.
• An attempt of 16 or 17 questions with an accuracy of approximately 70% will fetch 95+ percentiles in VARC.

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
Overall structure of the section remained unchanged with 22 questions spread over 5 sets- 2 sets with 5 questions each and 3 sets with 4 questions each. However, one important deviation was that half the section (11 questions) was TITA.

Overall, the Level of difficulty of the section was Medium to Difficult and it was one notch more difficult in comparison with the DILR Section of CAT 2024.

• An attempt of about 8 questions with an accuracy of approximately 80% will fetch around 85%ile score in DILR.
• An attempt of about 12 questions with an accuracy of approximately 85% will fetch 95 + percentiles in DILR 

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis: Quantitative Ability
This section was similar in terms of level of difficulty as compared to CAT-2024 and was dominated by Arithmetic (8 questions), followed by Algebra (4 questions) and Numbers (4 questions). There were 3 questions each on Geometry and Modern Math. The questions on Arithmetic were relatively on an easier side. The questions on Algebra were somewhat complex. In Arithmetic, the questions were from different topics such as SICI, Time and Work, Time-Speed-Distance, Ratio Proportion, Mixtures & Alligations, and Profit & Loss. In Algebra, the questions were dominated by Quadratic equations, Inequality with logarithms etc. In Modern Math, the questions were on Progressions, Permutations etc. In Geometry, the questions were on Circles-Quadrilaterals, and Coordinate Geometry.

Number of TITA (8 questions) and MCQ (14 questions) in this section.

Attempting the right questions was the key. In general, it would be relatively easier to score about 16-18 marks but slightly tougher to score 30+ in this section.

• An attempt of 7 - 8 questions with an accuracy of approximately 80% will fetch around 85 %ile score in QA.
• An attempt of 12-13 questions with an accuracy of approximately 85% will fetch 95 + percentiles in QA.

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis: Section-wise Analysis

The structure of CAT 2025 had no major changes compared to that of the 2024 CAT, with a total of 68 questions.
Verbal Ability (VA)

• Segmentation and question-type distribution remained the same as in Slot 1.
• Paragraph Jumbles were reintroduced, marking their return after 2023.
• Breakdown of non-RC questions: 2 Summary questions (MCQ), 2 Paragraph Completion questions (MCQ), 2 Odd Sentence Out questions (TITA), 2 Paragraph Jumbles (TITA)

DILR

• The section also showed refinements in segmentation and the MCQ vs TITA mix
• Overall structure of the section remained unchanged: 2 sets with 5 questions each and 3 sets with 4 questions each.
• Total 11 TITA questions and 11 MCQs

QA

• The number of questions remained unchanged at 22
• Total 8 TITA questions and 14 MCQs

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
The VA-RC section consisted of 16 Reading Comprehension questions and 8 Verbal Ability questions. The passages on how tetrafish adapted and evolved and biases of AI were easier. The passages on the role of ‘place’ in literature and science and culture were difficult and required careful reading. Some of the RC questions tested critical reasoning and others featured complex question stems. About 10 to 12 RC questions could be attempted with high accuracy. Verbal Ability questions were easier. The section had 2 questions each of Summary (MCQ), Paragraph Completion (MCQ), Odd Sentence questions (TITA), and Jumbled Paragraphs (TITA). In VA, 5 to 7 attempts with high accuracy were possible. Overall, the VARC section was moderate, similar to that of CAT 2025 Slot 1. The LOD of the VARC section, in both the slots, was comparable to the VARC of several SimCATs.

• An attempt of 13 or 14 questions with an accuracy of approximately 60% will fetch around 85%ile score in VARC.
• An attempt of 17 or 18 questions with an accuracy of approximately 70% will fetch 95+ percentiles in VARC.

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
Overall structure of the section remained unchanged with 22 questions spread over 5 sets- 2 sets with 5 questions each and 3 sets with 4 questions each. However, one important deviation was that half the section (11 questions) were TITA. Overall, the Level of difficulty of the section was Medium to Difficult and it was slightly more difficult in comparison with the DILR Section of CAT 2025 slot 1.

• An attempt of about 7 questions with an accuracy of approximately 75-80% will fetch around 85 %ile score in DILR.
• An attempt of about 10-11 questions with an accuracy of approximately 80-85% will fetch 95 + percentiles in DILR .

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis: Quantitative Ability
This section was more difficult in terms of level of difficulty as compared to CAT 2025 slot 1 and was dominated by Arithmetic (8 questions), followed by Algebra (5 questions), Modern Math (4 questions), Geometry (3 questions) and Numbers (2). The questions on Arithmetic were relatively on an easier side. The questions on Algebra were somewhat complex. In Arithmetic, the questions were from different topics such as Average, Time and Work, Time-Speed- Distance, Ratio Proportion, Mixtures & Alligations, and Profit & Loss. In Algebra, the questions were dominated by Quadratic equations, Inequality with logarithms etc. In Modern Math, the questions were on Progressions, logarithms etc. In Geometry, the questions were on Circles- Tangents, Hexagon and Triangles.

Number of TITA (8 questions) and MCQ (14 questions) in this section.

Attempting the right questions was the key.

• An attempt of 7 - 8 questions with an accuracy of approximately 75-80% will fetch around 85 %ile score in QA.
• An attempt of 9-10 questions with an accuracy of approximately 80-85% will fetch 95 + percentiles in QA.

IMS CAT 2025 Slot 3 Exam Analysis – To be updated soon.

Career Launcher CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis First Impressions is out. Check details below. 

Table: CAT 2025 Exam Analysis – Slot 1 (First Impressions)

Career Launcher CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis First Impressions is out. Check details below. 

Table: CL CAT 2025 Exam Analysis – Slot 2 (First Impressions)

Read complete CAT 2025 Exam Analysis by Career Launcher (CL) on this page. Detailed to be updated soon.

• CL CAT 2025 Slot 3 Exam Analysis – To be updated soon.

Cracku CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis is out. According to Cracku, CAT Slot 1 paper difficulty level was higher than last year. Check Cracku CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Analysis details below. 

Cracku CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis is out. According to Cracku, CAT Slot 2 paper overall difficulty level was higher than last year. Check Cracku CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis below. 

Cracku CAT 2025 Slot 3 Exam Analysis is out. According to Cracku, CAT Slot 3 paper overall difficulty level was higher than last year’s paper. Check Cracku CAT 2025 Slot 3 Exam Analysis overview below. 

Apart from CAT slot 1 paper analysis, this article also cover following areas:

• CAT 2025 Question Paper Pattern
• CAT 2025 Exam Pattern Vs Previous Years Paper
• CAT 2025 Question Types for each section
• CAT 2025 VARC analysis, CAT 2025 DILR analysis, and CAT 2025 Quant analysis
• CAT 2025 Difficulty Level for each section
• CAT 2025 Good attempts for each section
• CAT 2025 surprises or new types of questions
• Expected CAT score vs percentile
• Other insights and analysis from experts

CAT 2025 Score Vs Percentile explains the relationship between a candidate’s CAT 2025 Score and percentile among all test-takers. CAT Score Vs Percentile Trends for last three years are published below. CAT 2025 Score Vs Percentile estimates will be updated after paper for all slots are completed.

CAT Score Vs Percentile: Past Trends 

To compare CAT 2025 paper with last year’s paper, read CAT Previous Year Exam Analysis Trends (5 Years) to understand trends, section wise difficulty level and other details

CAT 2024 Exam Pattern was same across all the three slots. Check table below. However, there were minor changes in section wise compositions. 

CAT 2024 Exam Pattern for Slot 1, 2, 3 

CAT 2024 Slot 1 Analysis Section wise

CAT 2024 Slot 1 Exam took place on November 24, 2025 between 8.30 am and 10:30 am. CAT 2024 exam structure saw many changes compared to 2023, with a total of 68 questions. Notably, CAT 2024 Slot 1 Verbal Ability (VA) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) sections saw changes in segmentation and the distribution of MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer) questions. 

• VA Section: There were no Paragraph Jumble questions in VA in Slot 1. Like in the past years, there were no direct Grammar or Vocabulary questions.
• DILR Section: The number of sets increased from 4 to 5. This included 2 sets with 5 questions each and 3 sets with 4 questions each. 

Check CAT 2025 Slot 1 exam pattern and type of questions section wise below. 

CAT 2024 Slot 1 Exam Analysis VARC Section 

The VA-RC section consisted of 16 Reading Comprehension questions and 8 Verbal Ability questions. Like in the past years, there were no direct Grammar or Vocabulary questions. There were no jumbled paragraph questions. One additional paragraph completion question and one summary question replaced the two jumbled paragraphs.

CAT 2024 Slot 1 Exam Pattern for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

In CAT 2023, there were a total of four sets in Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section, each comprising five questions. This pattern was changed in CAT 2024. There were two sets with 5 questions in each and three sets with 4 questions in each. 

CAT 2024 Slot 1 Exam Pattern for Quantitative Ability Section

CAT 2024 Slot 1 Quantitative Ability section was comparatively was dominated by Arithmetic (8 questions), followed by Algebra (7 questions). There were 3 questions on Geometry, 3 questions on Modern Math and 1 on Numbers. Check details in the table below. Number of TITA (8 questions) and MCQ (14 questions) in this section

CAT 2024 Slot 2 was held on November 24, 2025 between 12.30 and 2:30 PM. CAT 2024 Slot 2 also had a total of 68 questions. Similar to Slot 1, Verbal Ability (VA) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) sections saw modifications in segmentation and the distribution of MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer) questions. In Verbal section, Paragraph Jumble questions did not appear. Instead, 3 Summary (MCQ) questions, 3 Paragraph Completion (MCQ) questions, and 2 Odd Sentence (TITA) questions appeared in the exam. 

CAT 2024 Slot 2 Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Section Analysis 

CAT 2024 VARC section consisted of 16 Reading Comprehension questions and 8 Verbal Ability questions. There were no direct Grammar or Vocabulary questions. Check details below. 

CAT 2024 Slot 2 Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Section Analysis 

In CAT 2023, there were a total of four sets, each comprising five questions. In CAT 2024, there were two sets with 5 questions in each and three sets with 4 questions in each. 

CAT 2024 Slot 2 Quantitative Ability Section Analysis 

Quantitative Ability Section was dominated by Arithmetic (8 questions), followed by Algebra (5 questions). There were 3 questions on Geometry, 3 questions on Modern Math and 3 on Numbers. Check details in table below. 

CAT 2024 Slot 3 was held on November 24, 2025 between 4.30 and 6:30 pm. The structure of CAT 2024 Slot 3 was same as earlier slots with a total of 68 questions. As in Slots 1 and 2, the Verbal Ability (VA) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) sections experienced modifications in segmentation and the distribution of MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer) questions. 

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension 

CAT Slot 3 VARC section consisted of 16 Reading Comprehension questions and 8 Verbal Ability questions. There were no direct Grammar or Vocabulary questions. There were no jumbled paragraph questions. One additional paragraph completion question and one summary question replaced the two jumbled paragraphs. Check details in table below.

CAT 2024 Slot 3 Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Section Analysis 

In CAT 2023, there were a total of four sets, each comprising five questions. In CAT 2024, there were two sets with 5 questions in each and three sets with 4 questions in each. Check details in table below. 

CAT 2024 Slot 3 Quantitative Ability Section Analysis 

Quantitative Ability Section was dominated by Arithmetic (8 questions), followed by Algebra (5 questions). There were 3 questions on Geometry, 3 questions on Modern Math and 3 on Numbers. Check details in table below. 

CAT Exam Analysis for Previous Years reveals that CAT exam pattern has become more focused on conceptual clarity, time efficiency, and reasoning ability. Over the last five years, the CAT exam pattern has undergone several notable changes in its pattern, number of questions, and difficulty level. Check key changes in CAT exam pattern below. 

1. Total Number of Questions:
   o In 2019 and 2020, CAT had 100 questions (VARC: 34, DILR: 32, QA: 34).
   o From 2021 onwards, the number of questions was reduced to 66 (VARC: 24, DILR: 20, QA: 22), making the test shorter but more intense.
   o This pattern has continued through CAT 2023 and is expected to remain in CAT 2025.
2. Time Duration:
   o Until 2019, CAT had a 3-hour duration (60 minutes per section).
   o From 2020 onwards, the exam duration was reduced to 2 hours, with 40 minutes per section, which increased the pressure on time management.
3. Sectional Pattern & Difficulty Level:
   o The VARC section has seen a greater emphasis on Reading Comprehension, with fewer Verbal Ability questions like Odd One Out and Para Summary.
   o DILR has become more reasoning-focused, with tougher logic-based sets and fewer straightforward data interpretation questions.
   o QA has shifted towards Arithmetic, making it more accessible for non-engineering background candidates.
4. Question Types – MCQ vs. TITA:
   o The TITA (Type in the Answer) questions have fluctuated but generally make up 25-30% of the total paper.
   o The number of MCQs has reduced, making the paper more unpredictable, as TITA questions do not have negative marking.
5. Slot-wise Variations & Normalization:
   o Since CAT is conducted in multiple slots, the level of difficulty has varied across different slots, requiring score normalization to ensure fairness in percentile calculations.

CAT Previous Year Exam Pattern is as below. 

CAT Previous Year Exam Pattern 

From the above table it is clear that CAT 2019 exam consisted of 100 questions, divided into three sections: VARC (34 questions), DILR (32 questions), and QA (34 questions). From CAT 2020 exam, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exam duration was reduced to 120 minutes, and the total number of questions was decreased to 76. Since CAT 2021, the pattern is consistent with a total of 66-68 questions. Check detailed analysis of CAT 2023 exam paper below.