CAT Syllabus 2025: What to expect in VARC, DILR, QA sections; must-know topics

This year, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode will conduct CAT 2025. The MBA entrance exam includes questions from topics such as Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA), which are concept-based and considered trickiest.

CAT 2025 is a gateway for admissions to top Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top b-schools in India. To prepare for one of India’s most competitive exam, students should first fully understand the exam pattern, key topics, and difficulty level of each section.

CAT 2025 is scheduled on November 30. The exam will be held in three sessions in around 170 cities across the country. Candidates will be given 120 minutes to complete the exam. IIM Kozhikode’s Professor P N Ram Kumar has been appointed as the convenor for the CAT exam 2025. The last date to register for CAT 2025 is September 13.

Also read IIM admissions 2025 go beyond CAT cut-offs; how top B-schools weigh your scores, academics, work experience

CAT VARC Syllabus 2025: Difficulty level, key topics

The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section is designed to evaluate candidates' English language and their ability to analyze complex texts. As per last year’s CAT analysis, the VARC section had 24 questions for which students were allotted 40 minutes.

The questions were asked from topics such as AI, ChatGPT, forecasting, para jumbles, and fill-in-the-blanks. According to the students’ reaction, the VARC section was difficult in slot 3, moderate in slot 2, and high in difficulty level in slot 1.

CAT VARC 2025: Key Topics

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CAT DILR Syllabus 2025: Difficulty level, key topics

The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) section contributes nearly one-third of the total marks. The DILR section is considered the toughest by all aspirants. To ace this section, aspirants should have a clear understanding of the DILR syllabus and also practice from previous years’ questions.

As per last year’s analysis, the slot 1 DILR section questions were moderate in difficulty level and included 22 questions, whereas slot 3 was considered easy. Some of the key topics for CAT DILR questions are as follows.

CAT DILR 2025: Key topics

Also read Dreaming of IIM? Apply for CAT 2025 on iimcat.ac.in in three simple steps

CAT Quant Syllabus 2025: Key topics

To score well in this section, candidates should have an understanding of key mathematical topics such as algebra, geometry, modern math, number systems, percentages, profit and loss, and mensuration. This is one of the most challenging sections as it demands quick calculations and time management.

CAT Quant: Previous year’s slot-wise questions