Great Lakes PGPM & PGDM 2025
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Knowing the CAT 2025 syllabus is one of the first things candidates should get their hands on after deciding to take the CAT exam. The CAT 2025 syllabus is mainly spread across three sections namely, VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension), DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning), and QA (Quantitative Aptitude). The CAT 2025 exam will have a total of 66 questions. The total marks will be 198. The CAT 2025 exam will also have negative marks. According to the CAT marking scheme for every correct answer, 3 marks will be rewarded while for every wrong answer, 1 mark will be deducted.
Free Study Material: VARC | DILR | Quant | Chapter-wise Practice MCQs
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The CAT 2025 syllabus covers a wide range of topics across different subjects. Each topic for every CAT 2025 exam section has its weightage. Making it easier for the candidates the direct PDF download link for the CAT 2025 syllabus as well as the different sections of the CAT 2025 exam are available in the table given below.
CAT Syllabus 2025 | CAT Syllabus 2025 PDF Link |
CAT Syllabus | |
VARC Syllabus | |
DILR Syllabus | |
QA Syllabus |
For every section of the CAT exam, some topics are crucial to be prepared by the candidates. The important topics from the CAT 2025 syllabus are mentioned in the table below.
CAT 2025 Exam Sections | CAT 2025 Syllabus Important Topics |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
|
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) |
|
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) |
|
The topicwise weightage can help the candidates understand how to manage their time efficiently throughout their CAT preparation journey. The topicwise weightage for CAT 2025 syllabus is listed in the table given below.
CAT 2025 Exam Sections | Topics | Weightage |
VARC | Reading Comprehension | 66.7% |
Para jumbles | 12.5% | |
Summary | 12.5% | |
Odd Sentence | 8.3% | |
DILR | Data Interpretation | 20% |
Logical Reasoning | 30% | |
Abstract Reasoning | 30% | |
Data Sufficiency | 20% | |
QA | Arithmetic | 45.5% |
Algebra | 22.7% | |
Geometry | 13.6% | |
Modern Maths | 18.2% |
The details of CAT exam questions as per the CAT 2025 syllabus for each section of the CAT exam are mentioned in the table below.
Section Name | Total Questions | Non-MCQs | Expected Good Attempts |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 4 | 15-16 |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 6 | 8-9 |
Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 7-8 | 8-9 |
Total | 66 | 17-18 |
There are numerous books available to prepare for the CAT 2025 syllabus. The candidates should only use a few selective books to maximize their preparation time efficiently. The best expert-recommended books for each exam section of CAT 2025 are given in the table below.
CAT 2025 Exam Sections | Books for CAT 2025 | Author |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Word Power made easy | Norman Lewis |
Mastering the Verbal Ability for CAT exam | Ajay Singh | |
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT | Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay | |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT exam | Arun Sharma |
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT exam | K. Sinha Nishit | |
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT exam | Arun Sharma |
Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT | Nishit K. Sinha | |
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT exam | Sarvesh K Verma |
A good number of attempts in CAT would be different for each section and would depend on the accuracy with which a candidate attempts each section. With an estimated accuracy of 90% a good number of attempts would be somewhere between 40-55. Difficulty level of the exam should also be considered.
The syllabus for the CAT exam 2025 is spread across three sections namely, verbal ability and reading comprehension, data interpretation and logical reasoning, and quantitative aptitude.
The most important topics for the CAT exam 2025 include Reading Comprehension, Para jumbles, Summary, Odd Sentence, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, Data Sufficiency, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Modern Maths.
Most candidates find quantitative aptitude to be the most difficult subject asked in the CAT exam. The quantitative aptitude section of the CAT exam has 22 questions from a variety of topics like arithmetic, modern maths, geometry, trigonometry, etc.
The CAT cutoff for IIMs can be anywhere between 94 to 99.9 percentile. At CAT percentile 94 and above candidates can expect an interview call from most of the IIMs and top B-Schools.
The student cannot join the postgraduate MA program directly in the second year of the MA after completing the MBA.
Universities generally expect students to begin the first year of a masters' program even though they had qualifications at the level of a bachelor's degree. The university's curriculum along with the courses are planned to give an in-depth knowledge of the subjects.
But you could opt for:
Postgraduate Studies:
Research Career: In case research interests you, then you can pursue a Ph.D. in your specific interest.
Specialized Master's Programs: Find any specific master's course that supports the career goal.
Professional Certifications:
Make a professional certification in CFA, CA, or FRM to enhance the professional skills and better opportunities in the career field.
Job Entry via MBA
After gaining an MBA from a renowned institution, it's possible to get entry into the corporate world where the diversity in the career field is assured.
In the end, it would depend on what you would like and what you are particularly interested in. It will be better if you take a suggestion from your academic advisor or career counselor.
Hello Pratik,
If your family income exceeds 8 LPA, it will affect your eligibility for the NC-OBC category under the CAT reservation rules. The NC-OBC category requires that the family income should be below 8 LPA to qualify. If you anticipate that your income will exceed this threshold, you should update your status and notify the CAT authorities .
Here's what you can do:
Email the CAT authorities
: Inform them about the potential change in your income status and request to be considered under the
General
category, if applicable. You should do this before the examination or any further processing, as your eligibility for the OBC category depends on the income criteria.
Documents and Proof
: Make sure you have a valid
OBC certificate
and any relevant documentation regarding your family income, in case they require verification. Also, be aware that if your income exceeds 8 LPA, you might need to apply under the
General
category, as the OBC-NC reservation is no longer applicable.
General Category Consideration : If your application is accepted as General, you will be evaluated based on the General category criteria, including cutoffs and ranking.
To summarize, notifying the CAT authorities is the correct approach to avoid discrepancies later, and if your income is above the threshold, you will be treated as a General candidate for the admissions process.
For more details about CAT exam you can check out an article by Careers360 whose link is given below:
Link: https://bschool.careers360.com/exams/cat
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Hi Shreya ,
Having a tattoo on your wrist should not create a problem during the CAT exam as long as it does not contain any content that violates exam rules , such as communication-related symbols , unauthorised messages or any text resembling formulas or answers .
For a safe side , it is recommended :
1. Inform the Invigilators : Let them know about your tattoo during the identification check , so there are no misunderstandings .
2. Follow the Guidelines : Ensure you follow all instructions regarding permissible items and dress code on the exam day .
Hope this helps you .
ALL THE BEST .
To know about this please prefer our college predictor
Hello,
Yes, you can also join IIMs two years after graduation, depending upon the justification in interviews and your performance in entrance exams. If you are not sure about CAT, try those other management exams less hard:
Common Management Admission Test: Easier than CAT; 4-5 months of continuous preparation will suffice.
MAT : Much easier and takes place thrice a year.
SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test): A bit easier than CAT, apt for Symbiosis Institutes.
Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT : Hence, easier than CAT but the unique decision-making section.
Use exams like CMAT and MAT as a challenge to be competitively prepared. This can be given about 4-5 months, along with a few rounds of mock tests and smart studying.
A career as Marketing Director is also known as a marketing expert who is responsible for the overall marketing aspect of the company. He or she oversees plans and develops the company's budget. The marketing Director collaborates with the business team to plan and develop the marketing and branding strategies for the company's products or services.
A Business Development Executive (BDE) is a professional responsible for identifying growth opportunities and fostering strategic partnerships to enhance a company's market position. Typically, a BDE conducts market research, analyses industry trends, and identifies potential clients or business prospects. He or she plays a crucial role in developing and implementing sales strategies to achieve revenue targets.
A BDE often collaborates with cross-functional teams, including marketing and product development, to align business objectives. Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills are essential for success in this role. BDE strives to expand the company's customer base, drive sales, and contribute to overall organisational growth in a dynamic and competitive business environment.
Content Marketing Specialists are also known as Content Specialists. They are responsible for crafting content, editing and developing it to meet the requirements of digital marketing campaigns. To ensure that the material created is consistent with the overall aims of a digital marketing campaign, content marketing specialists work closely with SEO and digital marketing professionals.
A sales manager is a revenue-generating source for a company. Any organisation or company which sells a commodity or service requires sales to generate revenue. A Sales manager is a professional responsible for supervising the sales team. An Individual as a sales manager works closely with salespeople, assigns sales territories, sets quotas, mentors the members of the sales, assigns sales training, and builds a sales plan.
The Sales Manager work also includes hiring and laying off sales personnel after evaluating his or her work performance. In bigger entities, sales quotas and plans are usually set at the executive level. He or she is responsible for overseeing the set target or quotas met by salespeople or upholding any policy. He or she guides his or her fellow salespeople and allows them to sell.
Individuals who opt for a career as a business analyst look at how a company operates. He or she conducts research and analyses data to improve his or her knowledge about the company. This is required so that an individual can suggest the company strategies for improving their operations and processes.
In a business analyst job role a lot of analysis is done, things are learned from past mistakes and the successful strategies are enhanced further. A business analyst goes through real-world data in order to provide the most feasible solutions to an organisation. Students can pursue Business Analytics to become Business Analysts.
A marketing manager is a person who oversees a company or product marketing. He or she can be in charge of multiple programmes or goods or can be in charge of one product. He or she is enthusiastic, organised, and very diligent in meeting financial constraints. He or she works with other team members to produce advertising campaigns and decides if a new product or service is marketable.
A Marketing manager plans and executes marketing initiatives to create demand for goods and services and increase consumer awareness of them. A marketing manager prevents unauthorised statements and informs the public that the business is doing everything to investigate and fix the line of products. Students can pursue an MBA in Marketing Management courses to become marketing managers.
An SEO Analyst is a web professional who is proficient in the implementation of SEO strategies to target more keywords to improve the reach of the content on search engines. He or she provides support to acquire the goals and success of the client’s campaigns.
Digital marketing is growing, diverse, and is covering a wide variety of career paths. Each job function aids in the development of effective digital marketing strategies and techniques. The aims and objectives of the individuals who opt for a career as a digital marketing executive are similar to those of a marketing professional: to build brand awareness, promote company services or products, and increase conversions. Individuals who opt for a career as Digital Marketing Executives, unlike traditional marketing companies, communicate effectively through suitable technology platforms.
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