CAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section-Wise Breakdown, Total Marks, and Time Duration

CAT 2025 Exam Pattern: Slot 1

The CAT 2025 Exam pattern didn't go through major changes. The CAT 2025 exam had 68 questions divided between the three sections -VARC (24), LRDI (22) and QUANT (22). Apart from that in the CAT 2025 Slot 1, LRDI section had 11 TITA questions and 11 MCQ. On the other hand CAT 2025 Slot 1 question, there were 8 TITA questions and 14 MCQ in the LRDI section.

CAT Exam Pattern 2025

In the past few years, the CAT exam pattern has been modified several times by the conducting IIMs. However, since 2015, the CAT paper pattern has remained unchanged in terms of total marks and total time duration. The CAT exam 2025 has been concluded on November 30, 2025, in three different CAT shift timings. The CAT exam paper pattern is a mind-driven exam designed to test a candidate's ability to solve reasoning and mathematical questions accurately in the least amount of time.

The CAT exam 2025 is all about using logical reasoning and aptitude skills. Those who are going to take the CAT 2025 must familiarise themselves with the updated CAT entrance pattern. It will help them understand the CAT exam structure and the marking scheme. The total marks of the exam are about 204. Read this article to know all about the CAT exam pattern and syllabus 2025, including the CAT paper timing, sectional time limit, total CAT marks, etc.

CAT 2025 Exam Pattern Overview:

• Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
• Total Questions: 68
• Sections:
  • VARC: 24 questions
  • DILR: 22 questions
  • QA: 22 questions
• Total Marks: 204
• Time Limit: 120 minutes (160 minutes for PwD candidates)
• No Negative marking for unanswered questions.
• The scores are scaled to account for variations in difficulty across different slots.

CAT 2025 Exam Pattern: Major Highlights

The CAT exam paper PDF will help with better CAT exam preparation. Before appearing for this national-level MBA entrance exam, one should know what the CAT 2025 pattern is. Candidates planning to opt for CAT 2025 must familiarise themselves with the latest CAT entrance exam pattern along with the CAT syllabus 2025. Last year, the CAT exam pattern for the MBA included 68 questions.

Check out the best CAT Study Material

As per the previous year's CAT question paper pattern, the exam will be held in three slots, that is, in the morning, afternoon, and evening on the same day, as a computer-based test (CBT). The CAT exam paper pattern for MBA admission is summarised in the table below.

CAT Paper Pattern and Syllabus

CAT Exam Structure

The CAT Exam 2025 structure consists of 3 main sections. These sections are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). Each section of the CAT exam has around 20 to 24 questions. The total number of questions in the CAT exam is 68 across all sections.

The CAT 2025 exam is of 2-hour computer-based exam. All candidates are expected to answer all questions within a time frame of 40 minutes per section. As per the past year trends and question papers, the CAT exam may consist of MCQs and non-MCQs. Keep in mind that the number of questions in each section might vary each year.

CAT Exam Pattern 2025 - Important points

• Candidates can use an on-screen calculator for computation during CAT 2025.
• By using an on-screen clock, candidates can check the time
• Sheets will be provided to candidates for rough work, which has to be submitted after the conclusion of the CAT Exam.
• Candidates will not be allowed to switch from one section to another while answering questions in one section.
• The CAT official mock test has been released on the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in. It generally reveals the overall and section-wise exam pattern of CAT. The three sessions in which CAT 2025 will be conducted are:
  
  
  • Morning session (8:30 am - 10:30 am)
  • Afternoon session (12:30 pm - 2:30 pm)
  • Evening session (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm).

CAT Exam Duration 2025

The CAT 2025 exam is held in three different shifts, with a duration of 120 minutes (2 hours) for each CAT slot. The CAT 2025 entrance exam has been concluded on November 30. The CAT exam is administered in morning, afternoon, and evening sessions as per the norms. Check out more details about the CAT exam 2025 slots.

CAT 2025 Time Duration

As per trends and CAT paper patterns, candidates have to solve every section in 40 minutes. After the conclusion of 40 minutes (sectional time limit), no changes or corrections will be allowed. The checkout section-wise number of CAT questions and the sectional time limit are listed in the table below.

CAT Exam Slot Timings

Browse Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score: Location-Wise

CAT Total Marks

The CAT 2025 exam has been conducted in three slots of 2 hours (120 minutes) each on a single day. The CAT total marks are 204 in total. However, candidates cannot switch between the CAT exam sections. The onscreen clock will help candidates to keep a check on the time during the CAT exam.

CAT Qualifying Marks

CAT 2025 qualifying marks will be available with the release of the CAT cutoff for the next academic session. The CAT qualifying marks will be released by the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and by other top MBA colleges that accept CAT scores for MBA/ PGDM admissions. To appear for the selection rounds of MBA admission, the first criterion is to satisfy the qualifying CAT marks criteria.

People also search: Download the past 10-year CAT question paper

CAT Exam Pattern 2025: What Kind of Questions Will Be Asked in the CAT 2025?

As per the CAT question paper, given below are the section-wise questions that can be covered in the CAT 2025 test pattern.

• VARC Section: 4 RC passages with 18 MCQs; VA 8 Non-MCQs are subdivided into Para Summaries and Context Sentences. VA came after RC. There are no Para-jumble questions. Students found questions from odd one out, summary, and fill in the blanks. This year, VARC has 22 questions.
• DILR: Data Interpretation: 3 Questions, Logical Reasoning: 2 Questions. There are some based on LR.

• QA: High on Arithmetic and Algebra. 2 questions on Geometry, 1 set, 1 AP, etc.

CAT Marking Scheme 2025

CAT test pattern 2025 includes the answer to the searched question, "Is there a negative marking in CAT?" Under the CAT marking scheme, candidates get to know the total marks awarded for each correct answer and how many marks will be deducted if the candidate answers the question incorrectly.

• For each correct answer, three marks will be awarded.
• CAT Negative Marking: For each wrong answer, one mark will be deducted.

• For unanswered CAT questions, no marks will be deducted. Also, for non-MCQs, no marks will be deducted.

The following table summarises the marking scheme for CAT 2025:

CAT Entrance Exam Pattern Changes Over the Years

How has the CAT exam paper pattern evolved over the years?

In the last few year's CAT question paper pattern has been changed multiple times. By referring to the table below, the candidates will be able to get a clear idea of how the CAT 2025 paper pattern has evolved over the years.

The paper pattern of CAT contains three sections such as,

• Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

There is no difference in the sections for each year. Also, there is no difference in the CAT question paper pattern for the MBA marking scheme.

Year-Wise CAT Exam Pattern

Check out How to Prepare for CAT

CAT Syllabus 2025

CAT conducting body will not release the official CAT exam syllabus. However, based on the CAT MBA exam pattern, candidates can check the topics on which the questions are asked.

Section-Wise CAT Syllabus 2025

CAT Mock Test 2025

The candidates can take the official CAT Mock Test. CAT conducting body will release the official CAT 2025 mock test on iimcat.ac.in. It will help to face the actual exam without any fear and also help to answer the questions within the given time.

By appearing in the mock test, the aspirants can get an idea of how to move between different sections. Before appearing in the CAT exam mock test, students must know the CAT test pattern 2025, and they must also go through the CAT sample papers.

How to answer the questions in the CAT 2025 question paper?

Before starting the CAT exam, the students should have to know how to answer questions. Candidates should use the following options when answering questions:

• Save and Next: Candidates should select the answer, save it, and move on to the next one.
• Clear Response: Candidates will have the option to delete the answer to the question they answered.
• Mark for Review and Next: If the candidate is unsure about the answer, in such a case they have the option to mark it as a review, then answer it, and then move on to the next question.

NOTE: When answering CAT questions, one should use the mouse provided. Using the system keyboard will lock the computer screen.

What does each colour on the panel represent?

Panel Colour	What it Indicates
Red	The question was not answered and is not marked for review.
Green	The question was answered and not reviewed.
Grey	Question not viewed or visited.
Violet	The question is marked for review and not yet answered.
Violet with Green tick	The question was marked and answered for review.

Previous Year CAT Exam Analysis

As per the CAT paper analysis, the exam was moderate to difficult in terms of difficulty level but the VARC and QA section was moderate in all three slots. QA section was difficult as compared to VARC and DILR. Check question question-wise break of the CAT 2025 paper pattern:

CAT Marks vs Percentile 2025 (Expected)

As per experts, the CAT 2025 will be moderate to difficult, check out below the CAT score vs percentile based on CAT cutoff marks vs percentile.

People also search for;

• How to Score 100 Percentile in CAT?
• One-Year Study Plan for CAT

Difference Between CAT Exam Pattern 2025 and Other MBA Entrance Exams

Almost all MBA entrance exams, such as the XAT, CMAT, NMAT, MAT and SNAP, share the same common features. But they do have some minute differences. Let us look at the following differences in each of the MBA exam patterns.