How to Prepare for CAT 2025 While Working: Strategy, Timetable & Expert Tips

How to Prepare for CAT 2025 While Working: Strategy, Timetable & Expert Tips

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Komal MiglaniUpdated on 27 Jun 2025, 10:49 AM IST

How to prepare for CAT 2025 while working? This is one of the most asked CAT questions by the candidates. A good population of the CAT exam takers constitute the candidates who are balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation. For any candidate who is currently doing their professional job and is planning to start their CAT preparation, it is important to follow the CAT 2025 strategy for working professionals. Managing both job and CAT preparation might sound difficult, but it is possible with focused and consistent efforts and efficient time management skills. Balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation might be initially difficult for the candidates. Hence, they are advised to start slow and gradually increase their pacing. It is important for the candidates not to be stressed or feel underachieved during their CAT preparation while working. In this article of Careers360, we will go through the various CAT 2025 strategies for working professionals, which will guide the candidates in balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation and enhance their CAT 2025 preparation for working professionals.

This Story also Contains

  1. Why Should a Candidate Prepare for CAT while Working?
  2. Challenges Working Professionals Face in CAT Preparation
  3. CAT 2025 Strategy for Working Professionals
  4. CAT Preparation Time Table for Working Professionals
  5. Common Mistakes to Avoid during CAT 2025 Preparation for Working Professionals
  6. CAT Mock Test by Careers360
  7. Top CAT Preparation Books
  8. CAT 2025 Preparation Resources by Careers360
How to Prepare for CAT 2025 While Working: Strategy, Timetable & Expert Tips
How to Prepare for CAT 2025 While Working: Strategy, Timetable & Expert Tips

Why Should a Candidate Prepare for CAT while Working?

Many candidates decided to quit their jobs while preparing for the CAT examination. This is because the CAT exam journey is vast and requires a lot of time. According to the experts, the candidates are advised to start their preparation at least 6 months prior to the CAT exam day. To accommodate this CAT preparation timetable, many working professionals decide to resign from their jobs and focus full-time on the CAT preparation. But this is not always the best practice. Some of the major reasons why the candidates should focus on balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation are:

Advantages of Work Experience in MBA Admissions

During the CAT GDPI section, the candidates with work experience are observed to be performing better. This is because with the vast experience of the candidates in the industry, they will be able to accurately answer the hypothetical scenario-based questions asked in the group discussions, followed by the personality questions asked during the CAT Interview. This will help the candidates to attain a positive image in front of the reviewers and secure admission in the top B schools of the country. In the selection parameters, the B-Schools provide weightage to the work experience of the candidates.

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Job Acts as a Backup Plan

The acceptance rate for the top B schools in the country is low. This means that not every candidate can make it into the top institutes. Having a job will act as a backup for the candidates if their CAT exam results do not go in their favour. The candidates can even attempt the examination the next year while working, which will help them candidates to perform even better. Having a backup is always better for the candidates.

CAT 2025: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages
Comprehensive CAT prep guide with focused practice on Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
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Financial Stability

Enrolling in CAT preparation classes and purchasing the best CAT preparation materials can be very expensive for the candidates. When the candidates have a job, they do not want to depend on any secondary sources for money, and instead, they can purchase them with their own money. This will make their CAT preparation independent.

Challenges Working Professionals Face in CAT Preparation

There are various challenges that the candidates might potentially face during their CAT 2025 preparation for working professionals. The candidates must be aware of how to prepare for CAT 2025 while working by tackling these challenges. This is one of the most important CAT 2025 strategies for working professionals. Having a good knowledge of how to balance work and CAT 2025 preparation comes from the perfect understanding of how to outsmart the challenges faced by the candidates during their CAT preparation while working.

Limited Daily Study Hours

Balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation means limited study hours per day. The candidate would be occupied with both work and commute from 8 AM to 7 PM. This is almost 11 hours. Now, the time management skills of the candidates will be put to the test. The CAT success of the candidates will depend on how well they manage their remaining 13 hours. These limited study hours pose a bit of a challenge for the candidates because the CAT 2025 syllabus is vast and demands a lot of study time.

Mental Fatigue After Work Hours

It is normal to be exhausted both mentally and physically after office hours for the candidates. The daily commute, hectic work schedules, followed by any pressure from the higher authorities might dishearten the candidates and affect their mood to prepare for the CAT exam. One of the important CAT 2025 strategies for working professionals is to leave what happens at the office at the office and start afresh after reaching home by doing some form of meditation. This will help the candidates to stay undisturbed and prepare for the CAT examination.

Lack of Consistency

Consistency is the key to CAT success. It is essential for candidates during their CAT 2025 preparation for working professionals to stay consistent with the CAT preparation. But constant travel, deadlines, and stress might be a hindrance for the candidates as this can affect their CAT preparation while working schedule. This will lead to procrastination and the topics not being covered in time. This may lead to the candidates missing the most important topics for the CAT 2025 preparation, and this, in turn, affects the CAT percentile of the candidates.

CAT 2025 Strategy for Working Professionals

It is necessary that the candidates are aware of the various insights into how to prepare for CAT 2025 while working. This will help the candidates to structure their CAT 2025 preparation for working professionals in the right manner that can yield the best results. This section will provide the candidates with the expert's suggestions on how to prepare for CAT 2025 while working.

Create a Realistic and Flexible CAT Preparation Plan while Working

The work environment is often unpredictable and dynamic. Preparing for the CAT while working makes it more difficult to manage. So, for balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation, the candidates should start by creating a CAT preparation timetable which can accommodate both the uncertainties of work as well as the requirements of the CAT examination. The candidates are advised to make their CAT 2025 prep for working professionals timetable as flexible as possible. To make sure that all the targets are met, the candidates should also put in efforts to start their CAT preparation journey as early as possible.

Use the Free time wisely

The most important point that the candidates should understand on how to prepare for CAT 2025 while working is that they should make the complete use of all the available free time that they can muster. During the weekdays, they can start their preparation early in the morning, and in the evenings, they can start their CAT preparation while working after the reaching back home. During weekends or holidays, the candidates should spend at least 5 hours on the CAT preparation. This should ideally be the time when the candidates attend various CAT mock tests, both sectional and complete, solve CAT sample papers, and refer to as many CAT previous year question papers as possible.

Carry CAT Preparation Materials to the Office

One of the CAT 2025 strategies for working professionals is that they carry CAT preparation materials (preferably online)such as important formula sheets, short notes, etc, to the office so that they can refer to those during short breaks. This will help them to retain the concepts and make the most of their available break time.

Analyse Your Performance Deeply

While staying consistent is essential during the candidate’s CAT preparation, assessing their current preparation level is also very important. The candidates can divide their CAT 2025 preparation for working professionals into phases, which involve the various topics of CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude and in the end write a mock test to analyse their preparedness for the CAT exam. Among the CAT 2025 strategy for working professionals, not getting disheartened while making common CAT mistakes is an important one. The candidates should embrace the mistakes that they have made and learn from it so that they do not repeat the same mistakes during the CAT examination.


Stay Consistent

Since there are a lot of possible distractions that may occur during the candidate’s CAT 2025 preparation while working, it is important for the candidates to stay consistent in learning the most important CAT topics. If the candidate is not able to complete a CAT topic on a particular day that they had planned, they must complete the topic on some other day without procrastinating it further. Only through this consistency can it be maintained. This is why the CAT preparation timetable for the working professionals designed by the candidate should be very flexible to adapt the changes as per work and study, and requirements.

Allow Time for Leisure Activities

Balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation can be very tedious and at times can even give the candidates burnout. It is important for the candidates to allocate leisure time in their CAT preparation timetable, such as watching a movie, going out to meet friends or going for a small hike, etc, so that they can complete their preparation comfortably without a lot of stress. This will ensure that the candidates are doing fine both mentally and physically. But the candidates should also be cautious not to spend a lot of their time on leisure activities, such that they start procrastinating their CAT preparation.

CAT Preparation Time Table for Working Professionals

One of the most important CAT 2025 strategies for working professionals is to create a flexible yet achievable CAT preparation schedule which will accommodate all the work and study requirements of the candidates. Careers360 has designed a CAT preparation timetable in 5 months for the candidates. If the candidate is unaware of choosing the right CAT 2025 evening study plan or a complete CAT study plan, they can refer to the table provided below for reference.



Month

Day

Time Slot

Focus Area

Topics Covered

Month 1

(Foundation)

Mon–Fri

5:30–7:30 AM

QA – Arithmetic

Percentages, Profit & Loss, Averages, TSD, Time & Work, Mixtures, Alligations

8:00–11:00 PM

VARC

RC (Basic), Para-jumbles, Sentence Completion, Para Summary, Sentence Correction

Saturday

9:00–11:00 AM

QA – Arithmetic

Boats & Streams, Escalator Qs

11:00–1:00 PM

DILR – DI

Tables, Bar Graphs, Line Graphs

2:00–4:00 PM

DILR – Logic

Linear & Circular Arrangements, Scheduling

4:00–5:00 PM

VARC

Para Summary, RC Set

Sunday

9:00–11:00 AM

DILR – Logic

Venn Diagrams, Binary Logic

11:00–1:00 PM

DILR – Logic

Blood Relations, Syllogisms

2:00–4:00 PM

VARC

One-word Substitution, Odd One Out, Analogy

4:00–5:00 PM

Weekly Review

Recap QA/VARC/DILR key points

Month 2

(Algebra & Geometry)

Mon–Fri

5:30–7:30 AM

QA – Algebra & Geometry

Linear & Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Logs, Surds, Triangles, Circles

8:00–11:00 PM

VARC + RC

Para Completion, RC (Inference), Sentence Correction

Saturday

9:00–11:00 AM

DILR – Logic

Games & Tournaments, Team Assignments

11:00–1:00 PM

DILR – Logic

Selection & Distribution, Matrix Grids

2:00–4:00 PM

VARC

Para Summary, Syllogisms, RC Practice

4:00–5:00 PM

QA – Geometry

Coordinate Geometry, Mensuration, Polygons

Sunday

9:00–11:00 AM

DILR – DI

Line Graphs, Mixed Graphs

11:00–1:00 PM

DILR – Logic

Logical Deductions, Routes, Networks

2:00–4:00 PM

VARC

RC (Medium-Difficult), Grammar Fix

4:00–5:00 PM

Weekly Review

Mixed Topic Revision

Month 3

(Modern Math + DI Mastery)

Mon–Fri

5:30–7:30 AM

QA – Modern Math

Set Theory, P&C, Probability, Progressions (AP, GP, HP), Functions

8:00–11:00 PM

VARC + RC

Difficult RCs, OOO, Sentence Correction, Analogies

Saturday

9:00–11:00 AM

DILR – DI

Spider Charts, Radar Charts, Pie Charts

11:00–1:00 PM

DILR – Logic + DI

Caselet DI, Reasoning-based DI, Visual Puzzles

2:00–4:00 PM

VARC

Full RC Sets, Para Jumbles, Para Summary

4:00–5:00 PM

QA – Mixed

Coordinate Geometry, Algebra Recap

Sunday

9:00–11:00 AM

DILR – Logic + DI

Cubes, Dice, Directions, Logical Games

11:00–1:00 PM

QA – Number System

Number System, Remainders, Factorials, LCM/HCF

2:00–4:00 PM

VARC

Grammar, RC Mixed Difficulty

4:00–5:00 PM

Sectional Tests

1 DILR or 1 VARC Mock + Review

Month 4

(Practice Phase)

Mon–Fri

5:30–7:30 AM

QA Practice

Mixed topic sets – Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math

8:00–11:00 PM

Sectional Practice

VARC, DILR, QA on alternate days

Saturday

9:00–11:00 AM

Sectional Mock

Full DILR (40 mins)

11:00–1:00 PM

Sectional Mock

Full QA (40 mins)

2:00–4:00 PM

Sectional Mock

Full VARC (40 mins)

4:00–5:00 PM

Error Log Review

Identify errors and fix gaps

Sunday

9:00–11:00 AM

Sectional Retake

Reattempt weak sections

11:00–1:00 PM

Topic Recap

Focus on low-score topics

2:00–4:00 PM

Speed Practice

Timed QA/DILR drills

4:00–5:00 PM

Weekly Review

Mixed Revision + Notes

Month 5

(Mock Test & Strategy)

Mon–Fri

5:30–7:30 AM

Revision + Weak Areas

Topic-wise recaps, flashcards

8:00–11:00 PM

Mock/Sectional + Review

1 sectional/2 topic mocks per week

Saturday

9:00–12:00 PM

Full-Length CAT Mock

QA + DILR + VARC

2:00–5:00 PM

Mock Analysis

Deep review + score log

Sunday

9:00–12:00 PM

Full-Length CAT Mock

New mock (rotation)

2:00–5:00 PM

Revision/Correction

Error log + concept rework + confidence building


Common Mistakes to Avoid during CAT 2025 Preparation for Working Professionals

There are good chances that the candidates might fall into the trap of falling into common pitfalls that they might face during their CAT preparation while working. Understanding these common CAT mistakes and not repeating them in the examination will give the candidates a better clarity on how to prepare for CAT 2025 while working. A few are listed below.


  • Procrastination due to work pressure. This is a common issue seen in professionals who take part in the CAT preparation. The candidates should follow a flexible but achievable CAT preparation timetable that could accommodate any necessary changes in the last minute if required. This will help the candidates to cover the concepts that they had left behind as well.

  • Ignoring mock analysis. Attempting the mock test alone is not sufficient. The candidates should analyse the mock tests and asses their performance as well. This will help them to understand their improvement stage by stage.

  • Spending too much time on theory without application. While conceptual knowledge is important, the candidates should also prioritise solving as many problems as possible in all the CAT sections. Complete theory questions are asked only rarely in the CAT examination, so spending too much time on theory alone is not advisable.

  • Unrealistic daily goals that lead to burnout. While creating a CAT timetable, setting impossible goals will only lead to burnout and underachievement. The candidates should initially start with a few topics and then asses how many topics they are able to cover in day vowing to their work commitments. Then, based on it, a further CAT preparation timetable must be devised as per the convenience of the candidates. This is the best approach to balancing work and CAT 2025 preparation.

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CAT Mock Test by Careers360

For the working professionals who are planning to attempt comprehensive CAT mock tests, Careers360 has designed one for them. This CAT mock test is designed with extensive insights into the candidate’s performance, such as the time taken to solve a question, best and worst performing sections, section-wise analysis and comprehensive answer key.


Title

Mock Test Attempt Link

CAT Mock Test by Careers360

Attempt Now

Top CAT Preparation Books

Seeking practice from the best-rated CAT preparation books is always advisable for the candidates. With the help of extensive research, Careers360 has shortlisted a set of books for the CAT preparation of working professionals. These books will include a lot of practice questions, clear explanations for each topic and expert-crafted solutions for the various CAT previous year question papers. The section-wise best-rated CAT preparation books are listed below.



CAT Section

Book Name

Author Name

Quantittaive Aptitude

Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations

R.S. Aggarwal

Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT

Sarvesh Verma

NCERT Mathematics Books (Class 9–10)

NCERT

How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT

Arun Sharma

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT

Arun Sharma

Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT

Nishit K. Sinha

A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning

R.S. Aggarwal

Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency

Ananta Ashisha

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT

Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay

Word Power Made Easy

Norman Lewis

PSC for VA for CAT

Nishit Sinha

High School English Grammar & Composition

Wren & Martin


CAT 2025 Preparation Resources by Careers360

The candidates can download the various CAT preparation resources designed by Careers360 using the links given below.



eBook Title

Download Links

3000+ Most Important Words - Vocabulary Builder

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500+ Most Important Idioms and Phrases

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300+ Most Important Phrasal Verbs

Download Now

Permutation & Combination - Video Lectures and Practice Questions

Download Now

Mastering DILR Questions with Expert Solutions

Download Now

CAT 2025 Exam's High Scoring Chapters and Topics

Download Now

Mastering CAT Exam: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages

Download Now

CAT 2025 Mastery: Chapter-wise MCQs for Success for VARC, DILR, Quant

Download Now

CAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Answers

Download Now

CAT DILR Questions with Solution, Download LRDI Questions for CAT

Download Now

CAT 2025 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Study Material

Download Now

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How important are mock tests and performance analysis in CAT prep for working professionals?
A:

Mock tests alone aren't enough; consistent performance tracking and error analysis are essential for identifying weak areas and building exam-day strategy, especially for those juggling job responsibilities with limited study time.

Q: What are the biggest challenges faced by working aspirants and how can they overcome them?
A:

Limited study hours, mental fatigue, and lack of consistency are common struggles; these can be mitigated by using free time wisely, maintaining flexibility in the study plan, and incorporating short breaks and mindfulness practices.

Q: What are the main sections and topics to cover in CAT 2025 for working candidates?
A:

The CAT syllabus is divided into three core areas: Quantitative Aptitude (covering Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Modern Math), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, with each topic receiving dedicated weekly focus in the prep plan.

Q: How can working professionals manage time effectively for CAT 2025 preparation?
A:

Time management is crucial; professionals should craft a realistic, flexible schedule that includes early morning and late evening study slots, along with focused weekend sessions for mocks and revision, as outlined in the 5-month study plan.

Q: Why should I continue working while preparing for CAT 2025 instead of quitting my job?
A:

Staying employed while preparing for CAT offers several advantages, including gaining weightage during B-school admissions due to work experience, financial independence to afford prep resources, and a crucial backup plan in case the exam doesn't go as expected.

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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

The three key formulas that can solve almost all Profit & Loss problems are:

  1. Profit/Loss % = (Profit or Loss / Cost Price) × 100%, where CP is the cost price.

  2. Discount % = (Discount / Marked Price) × 100%, where MP is the marked price.

  3. Mark up % = (Mark up Value / Cost Price) × 100%, where CP is the cost price.


These formulas can be adapted for problems involving discounts, marked price, or successive gains/losses.

For detailed examples and variations, you can from the article

https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/profit-and-loss-for-cat-2025-only-3-formulas-needed-for-all-variations

With a 70 percent in CAT Examination, you can go for various B-Schools or private collages. The S. K. Patel Institute of Management in Gandhinagar is an option for those who score 70-80 percent in their CAT examination or The Gujarat Institute of Management (GIM) in Goa with a cutoff of 60-80 percentage. These are the collages you can look for in Gujarat or nearby.

Collage in other regions: BA Colleges Accepting 70-80 Percentile in CAT 2025

Thank You.

Hello dear candidate,

NO. your application for CAT will not rejected for wrong gender small mistake in the OBC NCL certificate. You will be considered as an OBC candidate.

you just need to get your OBC certificate corrected and need to inform the CAT helpdesk about this error.


Hello,

Here are some top MBA colleges in India with fees under Rs. 2 lakh and their exam/cutoff details:

  • SIMSREE, Mumbai – Fee around Rs. 1.3–1.4 lakh for 2 years. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, ATMA. Cutoff is very high, usually 99+ percentile in CAT/CMAT.

  • PUMBA (Dept. of Management Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University) – Fee around Rs. 1.2–1.3 lakh. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, ATMA. Cutoff approx. 75+ percentile in CAT, 90–95+ percentile in CMAT, high scores in MAH-CET.

  • TISS, Mumbai (MA HRM & other management-related programmes) – Fee around Rs. 1.7–1.9 lakh. Accepts CAT for some courses. Qualifying cutoff is around 60–70 percentile, but final selection cutoffs are higher.

These are the main government institutes where the full MBA/PG programme fee is within Rs. 2 lakh. Cutoffs vary slightly each year and by category, but SIMSREE and PUMBA generally need high scores, while TISS has its own process along with CAT shortlisting.

Hope it helps !

Hey! With a NEET score of 344 in the ST category, it is highly unlikely to get admission in any government BDS college in Delhi through the All India Quota. The cutoff for government BDS seats in Delhi usually falls around 400–450 for ST category, so your score is below that range.

You can consider private dental colleges, state quota seats in other states, or reattempt NEET next year to improve your chances.