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The CAT 2026 will take place on November 29, 2026, in online mode across 170 cities. Its scores will be accepted by 21 IIMs and over 1,200 B-schools across India for admission into postgraduate management programs. The official notification will be released somewhere in July end, with registration starting from August first week (tentative). The notification will provide key details, including the exam date, registration schedule, admit card release, and result announcement, enabling candidates to plan their preparations and complete all exam-related steps on time.
Looking to take CAT 2026? Attend the Free CAT 2026 Workshop by Sumit Sir
CAT 2025 Exam Overall Analysis ( Slot 1 )
The CAT 2025 exam is scheduled for November 30, 2025, and will serve as a key step for admission to the 21 IIMs and top MBA colleges across India. IIM Calcutta will be conducting this year’s exam.
First-Cut Analysis of Slot 1:
CAT 2025 Slot 1 Analysis – Difficulty Level, Good Attempts, Section-Wise Breakdown
CAT 2025 Slot 1 was conducted on 30th November 2025, from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM across test centres in India. With the first slot now over, students have started sharing their reactions, and experts have begun analysing the exam pattern, difficulty level, and expected good attempts. Slot 1 plays an important role every year, as it sets the tone for the remaining two slots.
Based on detailed student feedback and expert insights, here is the complete, updated CAT 2025 Slot 1 Analysis, including difficulty levels, section-wise review, and score vs percentile expectations.
CAT 2025 Exam Structure: No Major Pattern Changes
The overall exam pattern remained similar to CAT 2024 with a total of 68 questions and 120 minutes of duration. Each section had a fixed 40-minute time limit.
CAT 2025 Paper Pattern Summary
|
Section |
MCQs |
TITA |
Total Qs |
Duration |
|
VARC |
20 |
4 |
24 |
40 mins |
|
DILR |
11 |
11 |
22 |
40 mins |
|
QA |
14 |
8 |
22 |
40 mins |
|
Total |
45 |
23 |
68 |
120 mins |
Marking Scheme: +3 for correct MCQs/TITA, –1 for incorrect MCQs, no negative for TITA.
CAT 2025 Slot 1 Difficulty: Slightly Tougher Than CAT 2024
Most students found VARC and QA trickier compared to last year, while DILR was the toughest section of the exam.
Overall Difficulty Level
|
Section |
Difficulty Level |
|
VARC |
Moderate–Difficult |
|
DILR |
Difficult |
|
QA |
Moderate–Difficult |
|
Overall |
Medium–Difficult |
CAT 2025 Slot 1 VARC Analysis
The VARC section had 4 RC passages (16 questions) and 8 Verbal Ability questions. This year's slot included a new feature: vocabulary-based application questions in RC, which surprised many test-takers.
Key Features of VARC 2025
- 4 RCs, each with 4 questions
- Topics included psychology, economics, music, and complex systems
- One RC (on tail events and complex systems) was significantly tougher
- Parajumbles made a comeback after one year
- VA section had:
- 3 Parajumble Questions
- 2 Parasummary Questions
- 1 Out of Context
- 2 Paracompletion Questions
Good Attempts in VARC
|
Good Attempts |
Difficulty |
Expected Percentile |
|
17–18 |
Moderate–Difficult |
95+ |
|
12–13 |
Moderate |
~85 |
CAT 2025 Slot 1 DILR Analysis
The DILR section was the most challenging part of Slot 1. While the structure remained identical to CAT 2024, the logic and data sets were more complex. Half the questions (11) were TITA, making the section accuracy-dependent.
Set Breakdown
|
Set Topic |
Qs |
Type |
Difficulty |
|
Employee Performance Ratings |
5 |
4 TITA |
Medium |
|
Import–Export Data |
4 |
MCQ |
Easy–Medium |
|
Circular Arrangement (4 people, 7 chairs) |
5 |
Mixed |
Medium |
|
Yes/No Tapping Puzzle |
4 |
Mixed |
Medium–Difficult |
|
Train Movement – Stations A to E |
4 |
TITA |
Medium |
Good Attempts in DILR
|
Good Attempts |
Accuracy |
Expected Percentile |
|
8–9 |
~80% |
85 %ile |
|
12–13 |
~85% |
95+ %ile |
CAT 2025 Slot 1 QA Analysis
Quantitative Aptitude was similar in feel to CAT 2024 but had trickier questions in Algebra and Modern Math. Arithmetic contributed the largest portion, with 8 questions.
Topic-wise Question Distribution
|
Area |
No. of Qs |
Difficulty |
|
Arithmetic |
8 |
Easy–Medium |
|
Algebra |
5 |
Medium–Difficult |
|
Numbers |
3 |
Medium |
|
Geometry |
3 |
Medium |
|
Modern Math |
3 |
Medium–Difficult |
A well-planned approach was crucial here, as picking the right questions made a big difference.
Good Attempts in QA
|
Good Attempts |
Expected Percentile |
|
13–14 |
95+ |
|
7–8 |
85 %ile |
CAT 2025 Slot 1 Highlights
- Overall paper was tougher than CAT 2024.
- DILR emerged as the most challenging section.
- VARC saw new question types and return of parajumbles.
- QA retained its arithmetic dominance.
- Good attempt range for scoring 90 percentile is around 40–43 questions overall
Conclusion
CAT 2025 Slot 1 presented a more challenging exam than last year, especially in VARC and DILR. Students appearing in Slots 2 and 3 should stay calm, focus on accuracy, and avoid over-attempting.
As soon as response sheets are released, score predictors and sectional cutoffs will become clearer.
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