CAT 2025: Section-wise analysis shows shift in difficulty level; weightage, question count trends outlined
Vikas Kumar Pandit | November 1, 2025 | 04:31 PM IST | 3 mins read
CAT 2025 exam is scheduled to be held on November 30. The exam pattern has stayed consistent since 2020 with shifts in section weightage, difficulty levels, and topic focus across VARC, DILR, and QA.
Use CAT 2025 College Predictor to check your chances for IIM and top MBA calls based on CAT percentile, profile, work experience and cut-off trends.
Use NowThe Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode will conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 on November 30. With CAT 2025 a month away, candidates can review past years’ exam data to understand the paper structure, section-wise CAT exam difficulty level trends, and percentile trends used in admissions to top IIMs.
Latest: CAT 2025 College Predictor
Don't Miss: IIM -A Comprehensive Guide
CAT 2025 QP's & Solutions: Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | All Slot
Also See: Best Private MBA Colleges in India
The CAT exam pattern has remained largely consistent since 2020, with three sections—Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). The total duration of the test is 120 minutes, with 40 minutes allotted to each section.
Analysis of past CAT papers shows that Reading Comprehension has consistently dominated the VARC section, while DILR has varied the most in difficulty, often affecting overall scores. QA has remained balanced, with arithmetic-based questions forming the largest share. The section-wise difficulty trend over recent years is summarised below.
|
Year |
VARC |
DILR |
QA |
Overall |
|
2024 |
Moderate |
Moderate–Diff |
Moderate |
Moderate |
|
2023 |
Moderate–Difficult |
Easy–Moderate |
Difficult |
Difficult |
|
2022 |
Moderate |
Difficult |
Moderate |
Moderate–Difficult |
|
2021 |
Moderate–Difficult |
Difficult |
Moderate |
Moderate–Difficult |
CAT 2025: Shift in section-wise questions count
In previous CAT exams, Reading Comprehension has consistently carried the highest weightage within VARC, while DILR has shown the widest variation in difficulty, often influencing overall percentile outcomes.
QA has followed a steady pattern, with arithmetic-based questions increasing in recent years and accounting for about 35–40% of the section, followed by algebra, geometry, and modern math.
The CAT 2025 exam is expected to have 68 questions—multiple choice and non-MCQ types distributed across three sections. As per the marking scheme, each correct answer will have 3 marks, and each incorrect MCQ response attracts a penalty of 1 mark. There is no negative marking for non-MCQs.
Over the past five years, the CAT exam pattern has undergone key structural changes. In 2021, the paper had 66 questions — VARC (24), DILR (20), and QA (22). From 2023 onwards, the count rose slightly to 68, with DILR increasing to 22 questions. The year-wise and section-wise CAT exam pattern change is given in the table below.
|
Details |
2024 |
2023 |
2021 |
2020 |
|
Total Questions |
68 |
68 |
66 |
66 |
|
VARC Questions |
24 |
24 |
24 |
26 |
|
DILR Questions |
22 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
|
QA Questions |
22 |
24 |
22 |
20 |
|
Duration (minutes) |
120 |
120 |
120 |
120 |
|
Notable Pattern Changes |
DILR question increase, fixed section order |
Slight increase in questions, stable time limit |
Slight question redistribution, sectional limits |
Major reduction in time and questions; sectional timing 40 mins |
Also read IIM Calcutta enters global top 10 in QS Executive MBA International Trade Rankings
CAT Exam 2025: Topic-wise weightage analysis across sections
From 2020 to 2024, the Reading Comprehension section of the CAT exam formed about two-thirds of VARC. DILR moved from data and reasoning sets to more graph-based and Games and Tournaments questions.
Arithmetic has remained the dominant area in QA, contributing around 40% of the section, followed by Algebra, Geometry, and a limited questions from Number Systems and Modern Maths. The section-wise and topic-wise CAT weightage is given in the table below.
|
Year |
VARC |
DILR |
QA |
|
2024 |
RC 66.67%, Para Summary 12.5%, Para Completion 12.5%, Odd One Out 8.33% |
Games & Tournaments 22.73%, Distribution 18.18%, Venn Diagrams 18.18%, Line & Bar Graphs 18.18% |
Arithmetic 40.91%, Algebra 22.73%, Geometry 13.64%, Number System 9.09%, Modern Maths 9.09% |
|
2023 |
RC 68%, Para Jumbles 12%, Para Summary 12%, Para Completion 4% |
Tables/Graphs/Arrangements 100% |
Arithmetic 41%, Algebra 32%, Geometry 18%, Number System 5%, Modern Maths 5% |
|
2022 |
RC 67%, Para Jumbles 14%, Para Summary 13%, Para Completion 8% |
Reasoning-based DI 47%, Tables/Graphs 53% |
Arithmetic/Algebra 35–40%, Geometry 11%, Number Systems 18%, Modern Maths 8% |
|
2021 |
RC 65%, Para Jumbles 15%, Para Summary 13%, Odd One Out 7% |
DI 32%, Tables 35%, Games/Tournaments 7%, Ordering/Ranking 10%, Bar Graphs 13% |
Arithmetic/Algebra 35–40%, Geometry 6–8%, Number Systems 14%, Modern Maths 5% |
|
2020 |
RC 79%, Para Jumbles 11%, Para Summary 11%, Odd One Out 10% |
Tables 47%, Reasoning DI 22%, Games/Tournaments 10%, Bar Graphs 8%, Venn 7% |
Arithmetic 15%, Number Systems 26%, Geometry/Mensuration 9%, Modern Maths 8%, Algebra 12%, Time & Work 15% |
Follow us for the latest education news on colleges and universities, admission, courses, exams, research, education policies, study abroad and more..
To get in touch, write to us at news@careers360.com.
Next Story
]Goa Institute of Management achieves AACSB accreditation; joins top 6% B-schools globally
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business: GIM is aligned with AACSB’s standards through planned curriculum, innovative research, faculty excellence, and measurable student outcomes.
Vaishnavi Shukla | 3 mins readFeatured News
]- Anna University engineering colleges sack over 300 temp teachers; defiance of court orders, says association
- CBSE Board Exams 2026: NHRC says withholding admit cards over fee dispute ‘illegal’, violates RTE Act
- Delhi University: After clash over UGC Equity Regulations 2026, DU bans protests, gathering for a month
- Bihar plans to start BA, BSc degree colleges in schools; teachers flag space, staff crunch
- Maharashtra eases university teacher recruitment norms; academic weightage cut to 60% from 75%
- UP Budget 2026-27: Vocational education funds up 88%; 14 new medical colleges; school outlay highest
- 3 yrs after UGC guidelines, 80% central universities yet to appoint professors of practice, private ones lead
- NMC approves record 20,098 new MBBS, PG medical seats, 777 after initial rejection
- 2 years into paramedical courses, students find themselves in vocational training; 300 protest in North Bengal
- Vidya Pravesh: 4.2 crore students across 8.9 lakh schools covered, but numbers now falling consistently