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CAT 2025 Slot 3 marks the conclusion of this year’s exam, and students can now check the memory-based questions and detailed difficulty insights shared by test-takers. The answer key has been released on 4th December. Until then, this overview gives a clear picture of how Slot 3 was structured, the types of questions asked, and the overall difficulty level. The CAT 2025 complete analysis below helps candidates assess their performance and understand the exam pattern before the official papers go live.
IIM Kozhikode may or may not release the CAT 2025 result today, but media reports say it is likely to be announced in the last week of December.
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This section covers the detailed Slot 3 analysis for all three CAT sections - VARC, DILR, and Quant. It gives you a clear view of the difficulty level, question trends, and overall exam experience in Slot 3.
Overall Level: Moderate to Difficult
Relative difficulty: Slot 3 was slightly more difficult than Slot 1 and easSlot 2.
Two RC passages were difficult.
One passage was clearly doable.
Argument-based questions were included (such as “if true” / “if false” type).
No pattern change from earlier years.
2 Parajumbles
2 Para Summary
2 Odd One Out (these were tricky)
2 Para Completion (these were doable)
Comparable to 2024 but slightly easier in some parts.
Overall, VARC leaned moderately with selective difficulty in RCs and Odd One Out
Overall Level: Easy to Moderate
A circular arrangement-based set appeared (with 6–7 friends).
A scatter plot graph-based DI set was included.
Two double-sets mentioned on the board (4 questions + 4 questions).
Incoming and outgoing calls type set.
Overall, the section felt manageable with moderate reasoning load.
Overall Level: Most difficult among all three sections in Slot 3.
Logarithm-based question
Percentages
Time, Speed, and Distance (straightforward)
Time and Work
Triangles (very easy)
One number system question
Inequality (1 question)
Surds (1 question)
8–9 questions from Arithmetic
Many questions were calculation-intensive
Despite familiarity of topics, the overall feel of the section was higher difficulty compared to Slot 1 and Slot 2.
Download the CAT 2025 question paper PDFs for Slot 1, Slot 2 and Slot 3 from the table below. These free CAT 2025 question paper PDFs also include slot-wise analysis of CAT 2025 exam, recalled questions, and early percentile predictions to help you understand how you may have performed.
Title | Download Link |
CAT 2025 Question Paper PDF Slot 1 (Memory-Based) | |
CAT 2025 Slot 2 Question Paper PDF (Memory-Based) | |
CAT 2025 Slot 3 Question Paper PDF (Memory-Based) | |
CAT 2025 Question Paper PDF Download (All Slots) |
Read More: CAT 2025 Cutoff for IIM ABC
Slot 3 is the final session of the CAT 2025 exam and is often perceived as the most unpredictable slot. Many years have seen Slot 3 carry higher difficulty, especially in sections like DILR and Quantitative Ability. Because of this, the Slot 3 paper plays an important role in score normalisation.
For students, Slot 3 analysis becomes essential to:
Understand whether the paper was tougher or easier than other slots
Estimate the percentile range realistically
Identify weak areas section-wise
Plan for the next stage of admissions (GDPI/WAT)
This section compares the expected score vs percentile across Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3. It helps you understand how performance may vary between slots and what score range could translate into a specific percentile.
| Percentile | CAT 2025 Slot 1 (Prediction) | CAT 2025 Slot 2 (Prediction) | CAT 2025 Slot 3 (Prediction) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99.95 | 115+ | 110+ | 112+ |
| 99.9 | 103–106 | 101–105 | 102–104 |
| 99.5 | 90–92 | 89–91 | 88–90 |
| 99 | 78–80 | 77–79 | 76–78 |
| 97 | 66–68 | 65–67 | 65–67 |
| 95 | 56–58 | 55–57 | 55–57 |
| 90 | 45–48 | 44–46 | 44–45 |
| 85 | 40–42 | 39–41 | 39–40 |
| 80 | 35–36 | 34–35 | 34–35 |
| 75 | 32–33 | 31–32 | 31–32 |
| 70 | 30–31 | 29–30 | 29–30 |
| 60 | 25–26 | 24–25 | 24–25 |
Check out the following CAT 2025 score vs percentile for Slot 1,2 and 3.
| CAT 2025 Slot 1 Score vs Percentile | Click on the Link |
| CAT 2025 Slot 2 Score vs Percentile | Click on the Link |
| CAT 2025 Slot 3 Score vs Percentile | Click on the Link |
There has been no official notification regarding changes in the CAT examination pattern for 2025. Therefore, the CAT 2025 Slot 3 paper had followed the same exam structure and marking scheme as the previous year.
Particulars | CAT Exam Pattern |
CAT exam time duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
Name of the Section | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) |
No of Questions | 68 Questions |
Total marks of CAT exam | 204 |
Mode of the CAT 2025 exam | Computer-Based Mode (CBT) |
CAT Marking Scheme | For every right answer, +3 will be given For every wrong answer in MCQs, a negative mark of -1 will be deducted Non-MCQs do not have any negative marks |
The CAT 2025 Slot 3 Question Paper with Solutions will be made available on this page shortly. This section is designed to help candidates get a clear understanding of the Slot 3 paper and assess their performance accurately.
We will provide:
Memory-based questions collected from multiple test-takers to closely resemble the actual exam.
Expert-curated solutions with step-by-step explanations for every question, including MCQs and TITA-type questions.
Section-wise CAT Slot 3 difficulty analysis highlighting which sections were toughest and which were easier, so students can gauge their strengths and weaknesses.
Expected cut-offs based on difficulty level, number of attempts, and past trends.
Good attempts benchmark for each section to help candidates estimate their percentile range.
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
This section is especially useful for future candidates, who can immediately check how their performance compares based on CAT Slot 1 analysis and CAT Slot 2 analysis, and for aspirants preparing for future CAT exams, as it provides insights into question patterns, difficulty trends, and time management strategies.
By revisiting this section after the exam, candidates will be able to:
Understand the actual difficulty level of the Slot 3 paper.
Identify high-weightage topics and tricky question types.
Estimate raw score and percentile before the official results.
Plan their next steps for GDPI/WAT preparation with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
CAT 2025 had around 68 questions across three sections: VARC, DILR, and Quant. The exact number may vary slightly each year based on the exam structure.
CAT (Common Admission Test) is a national-level entrance exam used by IIMs and many top B-schools in India to shortlist candidates for MBA and PGDM programs. It tests aptitude in Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning, Data Interpretation, and Quantitative Aptitude.
One of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) conducts CAT each year. The responsibility rotates among the IIMs.
The official answer key and response sheet are usually released a few days after the exam by the conducting authority, the Indian Institute of Management.
Slot 3 is usually considered the most challenging session, especially in DILR and Quantitative Ability. However, the final difficulty level will be known only after analysing the memory-based questions.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
For a raw score of 56 in CAT 2025 Slot 3, your expected overall percentile is likely to be in the range of the 90th-95th percentile. The exact percentile can vary slightly on the final normalization process and the process and performance of all test-takers. In this article you'll find more about the CAT result.
I hope it will clear your query!!
Hello,
With a projected CAT percentile of 87% but not clearing sectional cutoffs, your chances at top IIMs are limited because they require both overall percentile and sectional minimums. However, you still have a good shot at other reputed management institutes and non-IIM B-schools. Consider colleges like NMIMS, SPJIMR, IMT, TAPMI, Great Lakes, and other well-ranked private or state-level B-schools that accept CAT scores and weigh your profile holistically. Your academic record, BSc in Animation with 80%, and 5 years of work experience at Ubisoft India are strong points and may help in institutes that value work experience in their selection process. Also, explore institutes that accept XAT, MAT, or CMAT, where your profile can be competitive.
Hope this helps you.
Good Morning,
NIT Rourkela CAT cutoff range is between 70-85 percentiles for the general category. 70 is the minimum percentile needed to apply, and 85 is the highest percentile. However, the maximum percentile depends on the particular year competition. It can be changed.
Thank You.
If you filled the UGC NET form under EWS but you don’t have a valid EWS certificate, then forget using the EWS category. They won’t accept it. You’ll automatically be treated as General category during document verification.
And no, this won’t make your form “invalid” or “illegal.” It just means you won’t get the EWS benefit.
So yes — you can still go for General category posts and Professor recruitment. Just don’t try to submit a fake/invalid certificate; that will get you disqualified.
Hello,
If your CAT admit card shows your surname first followed by your first name as entered in the form, it is correct. You do not need to worry about this format as long as it matches the details you provided. Ensure all other information on the admit card is accurate and carry it to the exam along with the required identification documents.
Hope this helps you.
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