CAT Exam Pattern 2025: Sectional-wise Syllabus & Subjects

EXAM

Alen Tom Shaji

2026-04-04T13:33:31.748+05:30

Know the CAT exam pattern 2025, section-wise marks, and timings. Get ready to ace India’s top MBA entrance exam.

Overview

CAT Exam Pattern 2025 has been announced by the IIM Kozhikode in the CAT exam notification 2025. The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in a computer-based mode, with a duration of 120 minutes. The CAT 2025 question paper comprises mainly three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. The sectional time limit for each section is around 40 minutes.

Last year, the number of questions in the CAT question paper increased from 66 to 68. CAT aspirants can expect an increase in the total number of questions in the CAT question paper 2025. Solving a maximum number of previous year CAT question papers helps candidates understand the CAT exam pattern and get an idea about how to easily crack the CAT test. Read the blog to understand more about the CAT exam pattern 2025, marking scheme and number of questions asked in various sections of the CAT 2025 question paper.

CAT Exam Pattern 2025: Highlights

CAT 2025: Sectional-Wise Questions & Time Limit

CAT Exam Syllabus and Subjects

Documents Required for CAT Registration 2025

CAT Exam Fees

CAT Registration 2025: Documents to be uploaded

How to Edit CAT Form Online?

CAT Exam Pattern 2025: Highlights

The important highlights of the CAT exam pattern 2025 are listed in the table below. Candidates who are in the final phase of CAT preparation can go through the table and understand what the CAT question paper is like.

Feature	Details
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Sections	3 (VARC, DILR, QA)
Total Questions	68 (VARC: 24, DILR: 22, QA: 22)
Exam Duration	120 minutes (40 minutes per section)
Question Types	MCQ & TITA
Language	English
CAT Marking Scheme	+3 marks for every correct answer. -1 for each incorrect attempt. No negative for TITA.
Sectional Time Limit	Yes, 40 minutes fixed per section
CAT Exam Slot Timings	Morning: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Afternoon: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM Evening: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Answer Choices	4 per MCQ
CAT exam total marks	204
Section Order	VARC → DILR → QA (fixed; no switching)

CAT 2025: Sectional-Wise Questions & Time Limit

The number of questions asked in different sections of the CAT exam and the time limit allowed to answer the questions in each of the CAT exam sections are given below.

CAT Paper Pattern 2025	Number of Questions	Question Types	Duration (Minutes)	Marking Scheme	Negative Marking
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	MCQ, TITA	40	+3 per correct	-1 per wrong MCQ, none for TITA
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	22	MCQ, TITA	40	+3 per correct	-1 per wrong MCQ, none for TITA
Quantitative Ability (QA)	22	MCQ, TITA	40	+3 per correct	-1 per wrong MCQ, none for TITA
Total	68		120

CAT Exam Syllabus and Subjects

Understanding the CAT exam syllabus 2025 is crucial for effective CAT preparation and achieving a good score in the CAT exam. The CAT exam syllabus includes subjects such as Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. The topics included in the CAT exam subjects under various sections are listed below.

Subjects	Key Topics
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension	Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles (with and without options), Para Summary, Odd One Out, Para Completion, Sentence Correction, Vocabulary
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning	Data Interpretation: Tables, Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, Pie Charts, Caselets, Data Sufficiency, Combination of Graphs, Radar/Area/Bubble Charts, Missing Data Logical Reasoning: Binary Logic, Circular/Linear Arrangements, Venn Diagrams, Family Tree, Blood Relations, Team Formation, Games & Tournaments, Puzzles, Network Flow, Syllogisms
Quantitative Aptitude	Arithmetic: Number System, HCF & LCM, Ratio & Proportion, Percentages, Averages, Time & Work, Time-Speed-Distance, Age Calculation, Mixtures Algebra: Equations, Progressions, Inequalities, Quadratic Functions, Geometry & Mensuration: Lines, Angles, Triangles, Circles, Polygons, Area, Volume Modern Math: Set Theory, Probability, Permutation & Combination, Logarithms, Functions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good CAT exam score?

A good CAT score is defined as a percentile. Candidates who score 99+ percentile can apply for MBA at top IIMs, and with a 95+ score, are accepted by other top MBA colleges in India.

What is the pass mark for CAT?

There is no fixed pass mark for the CAT exam. Candidates must have achieved a CAT percentile acceptable to top business schools in India for MBA admission.

What type of questions are asked in the CAT exam?

Two types of questions are primarily asked in the CAT exam: multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions. MCQ questions carry negative marking, whereas TITA questions do not.

What is the marking scheme of CAT 2025 exam?

As per the marking criteria, +3 marks will be given for correct answers and 1 mark will be deducted for incorrect answers. There is no negative marking for unattempted and TITA-type questions.

What is the CAT exam pattern 2025?

The CAT 2025 exam pattern comprises 68 questions across three sections such as VARC, DILR, and QA.