CAT 2025 Exam Analysis: Difficulty Level, Section-by-Section Review, Comparison with Last Year

CAT 2025 Exam Slots 1, 2, and 3 Paper Analysis: With Slot 3 completed, CAT 2025 exam is likely to display tighter score ranges across percentiles, particularly in DILR and QA, given the higher difficulty levels recorded throughout the day. Check out section-specific expert reviews here.

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode has completed the Common Admission Test 2025. The test was scheduled in three sections. Slot one began at 8:30 am and ended at 10:30 am. Slot two began at 12:30 pm and lasted until 2:30 pm, while slot three began at 3:30 pm and ended at 5:30 pm.

According to the conducting authority, about 2.58 lakh students took the CAT 2025 Exam out of a total of 2.95 lakh registered and eligible candidates. The overall attendance rate was roughly 86 percent.

Initial student feedback from test centers indicates that the CAT 2025 exam Slot 1 paper was “manageable but slightly more difficult” than last year’s Slot 1. This year’s test consists of 66 questions covering Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). According to the marking method, applicants will receive three marks for each correct response, one mark for each incorrect answer, and no penalty for questions that are not attempted.

CAT 2025 Slot One (8:30 am – 10:30 am)

CAT 2025 Overall Difficulty: ‘Tricky’, marginally tougher than last year

According to Gautam Puri, Co-founder and MD of Career Launcher, CAT 2025 exam Slot 1 contained 68 questions to answer in 120 minutes, with the entire paper rated as “quite tricky” and more difficult than the previous year. While VARC and QA were essentially comparable to last year’s CAT, DILR had a modest increase in difficulty.

Ramnath Kanakadandi, Senior Course Director at T.I.M.E., provided a comparison overview of the test pattern, noting that there were no major pattern or question-type surprises this year, and the overall number of questions remained the same as in the previous year’s CAT. Kanakadandi’s analysis of section-wise breakup:

Section	No of Questions	Sectional Time
VA & RC	24	40 minutes
DI & LR	22	40 minutes
QA	22	40 minutes
Total	68	120 minutes

CAT 2025 VARC: Slot 1 Exam Analysis

According to Puri, the VARC part in Slot 1 was comparable to last year’s CAT, with 24 questions (4 TITA and 20 MCQs) to complete in 40 minutes. The passages were thick, but the questions focused on essential themes, making the portion manageable.

Kanakadandi provides further insights that reveal a more detailed breakdown. Similar to last year, the portion included questions on Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability in a mixed sequence. There were four RC passages, each with four questions, of moderate complexity, and one tough passage. RC topics included:

• Income Inequality and Economic Growth
• Electronic music.
• Law and Mental Health.
• Noise and Social Order

In Verbal Ability, there were two paragraph formation questions (returning after a year’s absence), two paragraph summary questions, and sentence placement questions in CAT 2025 exam.

CAT 2025 DILR section: Slot 1 Exam Analysis

Puri remarked that the DILR portion was slightly more challenging than the previous year, with 22 questions, 11-12 of which were TITA. Around ten attempts would be regarded as a good performance.

T.I.M.E.’s study further deconstructs the five sets asked in CAT 2025 exam Slot 1:

Set	Area	Topic	Questions
1	DI	Spider + Bar	4
2	LR	Seating Arrangement	4
3	LR	Quant-based (Train Tickets)	5
4	LR	Quant-based (Feet Tapping)	4
5	LR	Distribution Puzzle + Rank Arrangement (Employee Rating)	5

T.I.M.E.’s analysis revealed that the Spider + Bar set was the most approachable and should have been prioritized. Other caselets took longer to complete, with two of them being very challenging. He also stated that attempting a second caselet after Spider + Bar would have resulted in dramatically greater time constraint.

CAT 2025 QA: Slot 1 Exam Analysis

According to Puri, the QA followed the same pattern and difficulty level as last year’s CAT 2025 exam, with a focus on number-based questions. Around 11-12 solid attempts may play a significant effect on percentile outcomes.

According to T.I.M.E., QA included 22 questions that covered the typical CAT mix:

• Majority in Arithmetic and Algebra
• One question each from Numbers and Modern Math.
• Three questions from geometry
• The pattern and topic distribution were both predictable.

The initial impression from CAT 2025 exam is that the first session was slightly more difficult than previous year, owing to a trickier DILR component.

While VARC and QA were consistent with expected trends, students attempting Slot 1 appeared to agree that the paper required careful question selection and better time management.

CAT 2025 Slot Two (12:30 pm – 2:30 pm)

CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Analysis: Difficulty level and expert insights

According to T.I.M.E., the overall structure of Slot 2 of CAT 2025 exam on November 30 remained same from last year, with 68 questions divided across three sections and no changes in pattern or sequence.

CareerLauncher classified the slot as somewhat tough but more approachable than Slot 1, owing to DILR’s wider range of solvable sets.

CATKing noticed that some of their expected topics emerged in this slot, including a ChatGPT-based passage and one on animals.

CAT 2025 Slot 2: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

According to T.I.M.E., Slot 2 followed the same mixed sequencing of RC and VA questions as CAT 2024, with four reading comprehension sections each containing four questions. CATKing acknowledged that at least two of these sets corresponded to their CAT 2025 Exam expectations, notably a passage employing ChatGPT and another with an animal theme. Across institutes, the reading comprehension portion was rated as intermediate, with one paragraph being particularly difficult due to thick writing and few options.

The Verbal Ability part remained its regular structure, which included questions on Para Formation, Para Summary, Sentence Placement, and Odd One Out. T.I.M.E. stated that the distribution was similar to last year and that the difficulty remained moderate, with a few challenging items. According to CareerLauncher, VA needed attentive reading but did not contain any unexpected twists, and the entire portion was manageable for well-prepared candidates.

CAT 2025 Slot 2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

T.I.M.E. reported that CAT 2025 exam Slot 2 featured 22 questions spread across five sets, with the same structure as Slot 1 but significantly different themes. CareerLauncher saw that the slot had a scheduling-based set, a route or pathway set, and a network-graph set.

T.I.M.E. added that unlike Slot 1, Slot 2 did not have a single standout “must attempt” set; instead, two sets were relatively easier and could be identified with careful reading. CareerLauncher noted that one network-based set was time-consuming but the rest were solvable with a systematic approach. Across sources, the consensus is that the section was moderate to moderately difficult, though still easier than Slot 1.

CAT 2025 Slot 2: Quantitative Ability

T.I.M.E. reported that there were no structural surprises in Slot 2 QA, with the section featuring 22 questions from the standard mix of Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Numbers and Modern Math. Arithmetic and Algebra dominated. CATKing highlighted that Time & Work and Geometry had a strong presence in this slot and noted the absence of Probability questions. CareerLauncher commented that a few Algebra questions were lengthy but doable and that the section rewarded candidates who managed time carefully. Geometry included typical CAT-style problems involving triangles and circles, while Arithmetic continued to offer quicker scoring opportunities.

Across institutes, QA was rated as moderate with some calculation-heavy items, but remained predictable in terms of topic coverage.

CAT 2025 Slot 1 vs Slot 2 overall view

Slot 2 of CAT 2025 exam can be characterised as more balanced than Slot 1. VARC emerged as the most accessible section of the slot, while DILR required structured navigation but offered better attempt opportunities compared to the morning session. QA remained steady, moderately difficult and rooted in familiar areas.

CATKing’s observation that certain predicted RC themes appeared in this slot was corroborated through student reports and other institute analyses. Students with strong time management were likely to have recorded higher attempts in Slot 2 than earlier in the day.

CAT 2025 Slot Three (4:30 pm – 6:30 pm)

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Exam Analysis: Difficulty level and section-wise review

The final slot of CAT 2025 concluded at 6:30 pm, marking the end of this year’s three-session CAT 2025 Exam conducted by IIM Kozhikode. According to Career Launcher’s Gautam Puri, student reactions indicated that Slot 3 was moderate to difficult, closely aligned with the overall difficulty of CAT 2024 but marginally tougher in parts. Candidates noted that while VARC remained accessible, DILR posed steady challenges and QA emerged as the most demanding section of the day.

Slot 3 followed the same structure as the earlier sessions, with 68 questions across three sections to be attempted in 120 minutes. Initial estimates highlight that smart question selection was essential, particularly in QA, where difficulty escalated compared to the morning and afternoon sessions.

CAT 2025 VARC: Slot 3 Exam Analysis

Slot 3’s VARC section was rated easy to moderate, similar to both CAT 2025 exam Slot 1 and Slot 2. Candidates worked through 24 questions in 40 minutes, with a mix of reading comprehension passages and verbal ability questions consistent with the established pattern.

Students estimated that 8–9 net correct answers would likely correspond to the 90 percentile range, reflecting a relatively manageable section despite occasional dense passages.

CAT 2025 DILR: Slot 3 Exam Analysis

DILR in Slot 3 was reported as moderately difficult, matching the overall tone of the day but more demanding than VARC. The section comprised 22 questions, and many candidates highlighted the need for careful prioritisation, as certain caselets required extended time to break through.

Early performance indicators suggest 5–6 solid correct attempts would place a candidate around the 90 percentile. Students noted that while the structure was predictable, the logical depth and data complexity were higher than expected.

CAT 2025 QA: Slot 3 Exam Analysis

The QA section in Slot 3 was described as difficult, and for many test-takers, it was the toughest section not only of the slot but of the entire day. The section had 22 questions, and the distribution leaned more heavily toward concepts requiring multi-step reasoning under time pressure.

Most candidates agreed that 5–6 correct answers may be enough for the 90 percentile, pointing to the sharp increase in difficulty compared to earlier slots.

Based on preliminary calculations, a candidate scoring 25–27 net correct across all three sections in this slot may reach the 99 percentile, reflecting the overall challenging nature of the session.

Overall CAT 2025 Exam Difficulty across three slots

Across all three slots, CAT 2025 Exam maintained a moderately difficult profile, slightly tougher than CAT 2024. While VARC remained broadly consistent and marginally easier in parts, DILR emerged as the most challenging section of the test this year. QA also oscillated toward the tougher side, particularly in Slot 3, which recorded the highest level of difficulty for the section.

Final assessment across sections (all slots combined):

• VARC: Similar to CAT 2024 but marginally easier overall
• DILR: Clearly more difficult than CAT 2024
• QA: Similar to CAT 2024 but slightly more challenging

With the completion of Slot 3, CAT 2025 Exam is expected to show tighter score ranges across percentiles, especially in DILR and QA, given the elevated difficulty levels reported throughout the day.