Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024
How to Prepare for CAT 2025 in 1 Month: With competition rising every year, cracking CAT 2025 in just one month may seem tough, but it’s absolutely possible with the right strategy. This final stretch is your chance to focus, revise smartly, and maximise your score in CAT 2025. If you're wondering how to prepare for CAT in 1 month or need a 30 days CAT preparation strategy, this guide has you covered. From a quick revision plan for CAT to a practical one month CAT preparation plan, we’ll walk you through how to prepare for CAT 2025 in 1 month based on the latest CAT 2025 syllabus and exam trends.
With just 30 days left for CAT 2025, the pressure is real, but so is the possibility of success. If you’ve already covered the basics or are starting your final push, this one month can make a big difference. You don’t need to study 15 hours a day; you need a smart 30 days CAT preparation strategy. This final stretch is about revising smartly, testing regularly, and sharpening your strengths. Whether you're looking for a quick revision plan for CAT or trying to fix weak spots, a one month CAT preparation plan can help you finish strong. Let’s explore how to use the CAT preparation in last month to your advantage with a targeted, realistic approach.
Don’t just count study hours, make them count. Break your day into short, focused study sessions with enough rest in between. Pick 3–4 time blocks a day and assign them to different sections. Even if you study for 6–7 hours, what matters is how much you understand and remember. Use timers, stick to deadlines, and build a flexible routine that includes time for revision, practice, and mock tests. Sectional CAT 2025 time management is equally important, especially in the actual exam.
Use this time to be crystal clear about your strengths and weaknesses. Make a quick list: What topics are you confident in? What still confuses you? Now, plan your one month CAT 2025 study routine around this. Give extra time to weak areas, but continue to polish the strong ones so you don’t lose marks there. The goal is to fix what you can and stabilise what you already know.
Mocks are not just for practice, they’re for learning. Take a full-length CAT 2025 mock test every 3–4 days, and more often in the last 2 weeks. After each test, spend time analysing where you lost marks, was it accuracy, time pressure, or lack of clarity? Use this insight to improve your next attempt. Try to replicate exam-day conditions: time-bound, no distractions, and honest effort. This habit builds confidence and speed.
Stress helps no one, and the CAT is a tough exam, but it’s not impossible. Stay calm, trust your preparation, and focus on giving your best. Also, don’t neglect your body, get enough sleep, eat well, and do something relaxing for a few minutes each day. A healthy mind performs better under pressure.
The target of the CAT exam is to test the student's communication, logical, reasoning, and comprehension skills, as well as their ability to work with numbers. The CAT exam consists of three major sections and is conducted online. There is negative marking, and the questions are a combination of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and true-false (T/F) questions. The challenge is more as CAT sectional cut-offs have to be cleared.
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): Focuses on reading comprehension, paragraph jumbling, and critical reasoning, total 24 questions.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR): Measures your ability to interpret data sets and solve problems. Critical Reasoning: Statements, conclusions, arguments, actions and inferences. Total 22 questions.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA): This section assesses your mathematical skills, covering topics such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and number systems., total 22 questions.
The CAT Exam always brings surprises, so while the fundamental sections remain the same, slight changes in the number of questions or the time allotted per section may occur from year to year. For 2025, keep an eye on any official updates from the CAT website and adjust your CAT 2025 preparation strategy accordingly. For 2024, there were significant changes in the CAT question paper, with two questions added to the DILR section, resulting in a total of 68 questions. Therefore, a candidate must be mentally prepared for these sudden changes and possess a flexible skill set.
In the final month of CAT 2025 preparation, it's time to review. Review your list of strengths and weaknesses, and ensure that there are no major topics in your weaker areas. If you continue to make mistakes in certain areas, review the lessons aga to improve your understandingin. If there are topics where you don't have enough time to start from scratch, it's okay to leave them and not spend time on them for the CAT exam. Also, this month, revise all topics by practising with questions and tests again, but try to solve them in less time this time around.
If you're down to just one month before the CAT 2025 exam, don’t panic, smart planning can still help you turn things around. The first week of your one-month CAT preparation should be laser-focused on strengthening your basics. Think of it as laying the groundwork. Instead of diving straight into mocks, use this week to polish your core concepts in Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.
Focus on Core Concept Revision
The first week is all about getting your fundamentals rock solid. Don’t jump into mock tests just yet. Instead, create a focused plan to revisit the basics from all three sections, QA, VARC, and DILR. Regular reviews are key here. Break the topics down, revise in slots, and stay consistent.
Quantitative Aptitude: Brush Up the Basics
Start with topics you’ve studied before, like percentages, averages, time and work, and profit and loss. These form the base for tougher questions. Begin with easy problems to refresh the approach, then slowly move on to advanced-level questions. Accuracy and speed both matter, so focus on both.
Verbal Ability: Build Your Reading Muscle
For VARC, the goal this week is to improve comprehension and vocabulary. Read at least 30 pages a day from different genres, editorials, essays, and especially the Sunday newspaper. Solve two reading comprehension sets daily and practice summarising them in your own words. Use flashcards, word lists, or apps to strengthen your vocabulary.
DILR: Practice with Patterns
In DILR, aim to solve two sets each day. Focus on understanding the structure of graphs, tables, and pie charts. Choose problems that involve a fair bit of calculation to boost your accuracy. Keep an eye out for shortcuts and recurring data patterns, they’ll save you precious time in the actual exam.
Week 2 is the time to sharpen your exam strategies. Focus on developing logical thinking, mastering shortcut techniques, and learning smart elimination methods to improve accuracy and speed. This week is all about solving smarter, not just harder.
Mastering time management is the set target. Work on dividing your time between sections. For example, to solve one RC passage, the target time should be 8 to 10 minutes with accuracy.
Be flexible in understanding the different types of questions in each section, for QA, practice solving word problems, geometry, and algebra. For VARC, focus on reading comprehension and para-jumbles. DILR requires solving both simple and complex data sets.
Now, this time, it is essential to have an actual exam vibe, so the focus should shift from learning to practising under exam-like conditions.
It is essential to address questions from all three areas by giving them equal importance daily, at least 1 to 2 RCS and non-RCS questions. Along with five quantitative questions and five logic reasoning (LR) questions, as well as two set data interpretation (SDI) questions, these are a must.
Keeping a sound track of progress is very important. Every segment should be of equal importance. Understanding and honing last-moment upskilling will be a big help. Every day, weak areas should be visited with a clear understanding of their importance and specific targets. It's all about revising, repeating, and reading.
As the final countdown to the CAT exam begins, it's crucial to devise a comprehensive preparation strategy. In addition to CAT 2025 preparation study materials , it's essential to incorporate valuable resources such as newspapers, blogs, and articles for a well-rounded approach. Reading materials like The Hindu and The Economic Times can enhance your reading comprehension and keep you informed about current affairs. Moreover, following reputable online resources like Pagalguy, Word Pandit, Time4Education, Career Launcher, Hitbullseye, Cracku, Unacademy, Careers 360, and Byju’s can provide access to mock tests and valuable preparation tips.
Imbue the final hours of preparation with a fervent revision of pivotal formulas and concepts.
For example-
In Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation: Review essential mathematical formulas, practice problem-solving techniques, and reinforce your grasp of data interpretation methodologies. Engage in solving a variety of logical reasoning puzzles, revisit fundamental principles, and familiarise yourself with different types of rational arguments and structures.
In Language Comprehension: Enhance your reading speed and comprehension skills by practising with diverse passages from newspapers, magazines, and literary works. Focus on expanding your vocabulary and improving your understanding of grammar and syntax.
It's essential to review CAT's previous years' papers as they provide insight into the paper's algorithm. Taking mock tests is a crucial strategy for success. It's essential to analyse mock tests promptly and focus on specific areas. Analysing each section provides clarity on overall progress. Additionally, solving both practice and previous year papers to gain good marks in CAT 2025 is crucial for effective planning.
A balanced study routine is crucial for adequate preparation, so try to ensure you get sufficient sleep, eat healthily, and take regular breaks to avoid burnout. Exercise and relaxation techniques can also help manage stress and maintain focus. Try to plan your days for CAT preparation, including a daily target for concepts, revision, and practice.
Preparing well for CAT 2025 needs a clear section-wise strategy. Begin by understanding the CAT syllabus and then focus on Quant, Verbal, and DILR separately. Practise each section daily, revise often, and track your improvement. This approach helps build confidence and boosts your score in the final exam.
Strategies for Improving Analytical Reasoning Skills
In mastering Analytical Ability, aspirants should immerse themselves in Logical Reasoning and data interpretation.
Regular practice sessions help develop an intuitive understanding of logical frameworks and sharpen analytical skills.
Cultivating strong problem-solving abilities is essential for preparation.
Solving more puzzles can be a big help.
Work on the fundamentals as much as possible to grasp the topic.
Practice some common topics like Game Theory as they are part of every year's CAT paper.
Strategies for Improving Analytical Reasoning Skills
Reading Comprehension: Enhance your skills by practising with a variety of passages and answering related questions.
Vocabulary: Strengthen your vocabulary through regular reading and the use of flashcards.
Read newspapers, magazines, and books to improve reading speed and comprehension.
Participate in discussions and debates to enhance verbal expression.
Use apps and online resources to practice vocabulary exercises.
Strategies for Improving Analytical Reasoning Skills
Arithmetic: Focus on percentages, ratios, averages, and basic arithmetic operations.
Algebra: Practice solving linear and quadratic equations.
Geometry: Study the properties of different shapes and solve related problems.
Graphs: Learn to interpret and analyse data from various graphs.
Practice mental math to improve calculation speed.
Break down complex problems into more straightforward steps.
Use CAT QA shortcuts and CAT QA Important formulae for quick calculations.
Regularly solve practice tests to build familiarity with different types of questions.
Visit your calendar daily and be consistent with both your schedule and practice.
The holistic approach is fundamental, so time must be allocated area-wise, sectional-wise, as well as overall analysis-wise.
The focus should be on honing your strengths, and your eyes should be on your Weak Areas, so practice and practice more.
Daily reading will help develop a wide range of skill sets, including concentration power. To stay prepared, be an active reader with an update of vocabulary and recent, new, and interesting topics from various areas.
A calm and composed attitude is a must, so staying Positive and believing in one’s skills are essential. So, try to maintain a positive attitude and manage stress effectively.
With just a month left for the CAT 2025 exam, it’s time to shift gears. This is not the moment to learn new topics but to refine strategies, optimise performance, and stay mentally sharp. The final month plays a crucial role in pushing your score closer to that 100th percentile mark. By following a structured CAT preparation timetable 2025 and avoiding common mistakes, you can enhance your confidence and maximise your score. Here’s a clear breakdown of what to do and what to avoid in the last month of your CAT 2025 preparation.
Do’s | Don’ts |
Focus on building a strategy. | Don’t cram; build a steady understanding of concepts. |
Take regular mock tests. | Avoid comparing your preparation with others. |
Prioritise weak areas, but don’t ignore strengths. | Don’t stress over things beyond your control. |
To support candidates in their final month of preparation for CAT 2025, Careers360 has put together a selection of helpful books. These resources are designed to keep them motivated and offer the practice and tips they need. Candidates can download the materials using the links given below.
Title | Download Link |
CAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Answers | |
CAT DILR Questions with Solution, Download LRDI Questions for CAT | |
CAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude Study Material PDF - Geometry and Mensuration | |
500+ Idioms And Phrases List With Meanings & Examples For MBA Entrance Exams | |
Permutation & Combination - Important Concepts, Videos, Questions for CAT & Other MBA Entrance Exams | |
CAT 2025 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Study Material PDF | |
CAT VARC: 3000+ Most Important English Words | |
CAT 2025 Mock Test Series - 20 Sets, Questions with Solutions By Experts |
The CAT exam consists of 3 sections and each section typically carries equal weightage.
Try to practice regularly, focus on mastering fundamental concepts, and develop time-saving techniques such as mental math and shortcut methods.
Enhance your logical thinking skills by practicing puzzles, syllogisms, and critical reasoning questions. Also, diagrammatic representations can be used to visualize and solve complex logical problems.
Definitely try to Improve reading comprehension by practicing regularly and increasing reading speed. Like a bird's eye focus on vocabulary building through exercises, flashcards, and contextual learning.
Read on a daily basis from a variety of resources and wide areas, too. Expose yourself to solving at least 3 to 5 RCS per week in this last moment.
Yes, one month can be sufficient if you focus on revision, practice mock tests daily, and target your weak areas strategically. Many candidates have achieved good scores with dedicated 4-week preparation.
Attempt one full-length mock test daily during last month of CAT 2025. This helps you practice time management, identify areas for improvement, and develop exam temperament under timed conditions.
Maintaining a healthy routine by getting proper sleep, exercising regularly, and taking regular breaks is very important for CAT aspirants. Practice relaxation techniques and stay positive. Remember that stress is a daily concern before essential exams.
Yes, cracking CAT in one month is possible with strong fundamentals, a disciplined daily schedule for CAT preparation, and a focused revision plan. If you’ve already covered the syllabus once, the final month should be dedicated to smart practice, mock tests, and fine-tuning your strategy.
Your one-month CAT preparation time table should prioritise daily mock tests, sectional practice, and consistent revision of core concepts. Dedicate 8–10 hours a day with clear slots for Quant, Verbal, and DILR. Include at least one mock test every 2–3 days with detailed performance analysis.
Both are equally important. Use your CAT 2025 preparation time table to balance revision and timed practice. Revise formulae, grammar rules, and tricks, but also apply them through practice sets and mock papers.
One month before the exam is not the time to pick up new or weak topics. Focus on what you already know, refine your test-taking strategies, and strengthen your accuracy using a realistic CAT preparation time table 2025.
Hello,
Thank you for your question!
KL- MAT syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English/Verbal Ability, and General Awareness (similar to MAT/CMAT pattern).
CAT scores are valid in many private universities including KL University, but always check the year’s admission notification.
CAT vs other exams: CAT is toughest (IIMs + top B-schools), while MAT/CMAT/ATMA are relatively easier and accepted by many mid-level private universities.
Hello it will clear your doubt!
Hello Aspirant,
I saw a cat. The cat found an old map inside a drawer of the king's palace.
Here's why:
"a cat": It's the first time we mention the cat, so it's indefinite.
"The cat": Now we're talking about that specific cat we just mentioned, so it's definite.
"an old map": It's the first time we mention a map, and "old" starts with a vowel sound, so "an."
"a drawer": It's one of possibly many drawers, not a specific one known to us yet.
"the king's palace": This is a specific, unique place, so "the."
Hello Kapish
You can find the last 5 year questions of DILR for CAT at Careers360 website. Moreover, you can find the previous year papers of all the subjects i.e. DILR, Quants and VARC. I am attaching the link through which you would be able to access the same.
Here's the link:
CAT Previous Year Papers by CAREERS360
Sample paper of DILR:
CAT Sample Paper (DILR) by CAREERS360
Thank You!!!
Hello Divya,
Yes, candidates with an online BBA can sit for both CAT and GMAT provided that the degree is from a recognized (UGC approved in India or accredited abroad) institution. The leading B-schools in both India and abroad do not look down upon online degrees as long as the degree is from a recognized body, they will mostly be looking at your test scores, academic performance, work experience, and profile holistically. What matters is the legitimacy of the institution and how you showcase your abilities, not whether your degree was obtained online or in-person.
Yes, someone with an online BBA can sit for both CAT and GMAT, provided the degree is from a UGC recognized university. Top B-schools in India (like IIMs) and abroad generally accept online degrees if they are valid, and you won’t be marked down just because it’s online. What matters more is your entrance exam score, academic record, work experience, and overall profile.
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 identifies and pursues new business opportunities to drive company growth. They generate leads, build client relationships, develop sales strategies, and analyse market trends. Collaborating with internal teams, they aim to meet sales targets. With experience, they can advance to managerial roles, playing a key role in expanding the company’s market presence and revenue.
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 leads a sales team to meet targets, formulates strategies, analyses performance, and monitors market trends. They typically hold a degree in management or related fields, with an MBA offering added value. The role often demands over 40 hours a week. Strong leadership, planning, and analytical skills are essential for success in this career.
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.
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.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024
IBSAT 2025-Your gateway to MBA/PGPM @ IBS Hyderabad and 8 other IBS campuses | Scholarships worth 10 CR
Amongst top 3% universities globally (QS Rankings) | Ranked among top 10 B-Schools in India by multiple publications
75+ years of legacy | #1 Entrance Exam | Score accepted by 250+ BSchools | Apply now
1 Exam accepted by 17 Top Symbiosis Institutes for 29 MBA programmes.
NAAC A+ Grade | Among top 100 universities of India (NIRF 2024) | 40 crore+ scholarships distributed