Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )
CAT 2024 analysis - The CAT 2024 paper analysis has sectional difficulty level, topic wise weightage, number of good attempts and expected CAT cut offs for MBA admission. Check out CAT 2024 exam analysis for slot 1, 2, and 3 by Career Launcher and TIME.
CAT 2024 analysis
CAT 2024 analysis by Career Launcher and TIME – The CAT 2024 exam was conducted today at over 400 exam centres in three slots. As per the CAT exam analysis 2024, IIM Calcutta set a moderate paper. The CAT question paper 2024 of first slot was moderately tough, so was the question paper of second slot. The CAT 2024 slot 3 question paper was also moderate. Section-wise, CAT 2024 exam analysis reveals that VARC and DILR questions were easy to moderate whereas CAT Quantitative Aptitude section was slightly tougher n comparison to the other two sections. There were no parajumbles in the VARC section of CAT 2024. DILR had 22 questions in all the slots. In-depth, CAT analysis 2024 has been share here by Career Launcher and TIME.
Latest: CAT 2024 live updates: Slot wise analysis, question papers, reviews, cut offs
CAT 2024 response sheet and answer key PDF
CAT 2024 question paper PDF download slot 1,2,3
CAT 2024 Slot 2 Answer Key PDF question paper analysis
In CAT exam, each candidate gets 120 minutes to solve the paper. There are three sections in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. For each section 40 minutes are allotted as sectional time limit. For PwD candidates, the sectional time limit is 53.20 minutes per section. Candidates have to complete each section within the given time limit. Since the CAT is an online mode exam, the test screen will move from first section to the next section automatically as soon as the time limit gets over. Thus candidates have to be mindful of the on-screen timer and pre-decide the number of questions to solve in each section. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT has 24 questions, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section has 22 questions and Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions in CAT so candidates can devise a strategy to use 40 minutes per section as per their strength and weakness.
Check the key highlights of CAT 2024 exam below. The CAT exam pattern has changed. There were 68 questions in CAT 2024, instead of 66. In VARC, there were no parajumble questions.
27 Dec '25 - 28 Dec '25
30 Sep '25 - 30 Dec '25
30 Dec '25
4 Jan '26
9 Jan '26
5 Jan '26 - 10 Jan '26
29 Nov '25 - 11 Jan '26
13 Jan '26
22 Jan '26
23 Jan '26
| CAT 2024 Particulars |
Details |
|---|---|
| Number of questions |
68 |
| Difficulty level |
Moderate |
| Sectional break up |
VARC: 24 DILR: 22 QA: 22 |
| Total marks |
204 |
| Good attempt |
98-99 for 99%tile |
Also read:
Read below CAT 2024 paper analysis by Career Launcher. Read to know the key highlights of the exam this year by expert.
| CAT 2024 slot 1 sections | Number of good attempts | Ideal score attempt |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | 14-16 | 40 |
| DILR | 10-11 | 32 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 10 | 35 |
| Total | 36 | 90 |
The RC passages were around 400-450 words each. 2 questions were Non-MCQs or TITA questions. Odd-sentence-out questions and para completion were both included in the section this year.
| Passage Topic/ Area |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
16 |
Easy to Moderate |
| Para summary |
4 |
|
| Para completion |
2 |
|
| Odd one out |
2 |
Check below the break up of RC section of CAT 2024 slot 1:
CAT has 68 questions. Each question carries three marks. There is negative marking of minus one for incorrect attempts. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Total marks in 204.
| RC Passages |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility & Human Economics |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Entertainment/ Netflix |
4 |
3 |
Easy |
| Australian Spices |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
| Craftsmanship |
4 |
4 |
Moderate |
Check below the break up of VA section of CAT 2024 slot 1:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasummary |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
| Odd Sentence |
2 |
2 |
Easy |
| Para completion |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
DILR section was comparatively easier, even though there were 2 extra questions from previous years. There were a total of 10 non-MCQs in CAT DILR slot 1.
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candlestick – Shares based |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
| Games and Tournament |
5 |
4 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Bar Graph- Blogger based |
4 |
2-3 |
Moderate |
| Bar Graph-Set theory based |
4 |
2-3 |
Moderate |
| Caselet- percentage based |
5 |
3-4 |
Moderate |
The Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT 2024 slot 1 had 8 non-MCQs questions. And as always, Arithmetic dominated the section followed by Algebra.
| Sections |
Units |
Number of questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number System |
Remainder, Indices |
2 |
Moderate- Difficult |
| Algebra |
Log, Equations, Functions, Maxima-Minima, Sequence & Series, Algebraic Expression |
8 |
Moderate |
| Arithmetic |
TSD, T&W, SI-CI, Percentage, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios |
8 |
Easy |
| Modern Math |
P&C |
1 |
Moderate- Difficult |
| Geometry |
Circle, Cuboid/Square, Coordinate Geometry |
3 |
Moderate |
CAT slot 2 analysis 2024 reveals that the question paper was similar to slot 1 paper, i.e. easier that CAT 2023. There were no parajumbles in CAT 2024 slot 2 as well. A score of 90-92 will be ideal for CAT slot 2 test takers.
The RC passages were of 400-450 words. Out of 24 questions, 2 were non-MCQ type. Parajumbles were absent in the second slot of CAT 2024 too. Check details below:
| Passage Topic/ Area |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
16 |
Easy to Moderate |
| Para summary |
4 |
|
| Para completion |
2 |
|
| Odd one out |
2 |
Check below the break up of RC section of CAT 2024 slot 2:
| RC Passages |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spices Trade |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Peer Review |
4 |
3 |
Easy |
| Externalities |
4 |
4 |
Easy |
| Carnivore-Human Conflict |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
Check below the break up of VA section of CAT 2024 slot 2:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasummary |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
| Odd Sentence |
2 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Para completion |
3 |
3 |
Moderate |
CAT 2024 DILR section too had 22 questions. There were 5 sets with 4-5 questions each. Check below the break up of CAT DILR section of slot 2:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Graph - Frequency Distribution/ Average Based |
5 |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Two Scatter Plot (x/y axis- PAT/ES) |
5 |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Grid Based (Row/Column- Number Arrangement) |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Roots and Network (Maxima-Minima) |
4 |
2 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| Data Arrangement(7 Students, 3 Coaches/ Rating Based) |
4 |
2 |
Easy-Moderate |
In the Quantitative Aptitude of CAT 2024 slot 2, there were 22 questions in total, out of which 8 were non-MCQ type. This slot was also dominated by Algebra and Arithmetic.
| Sections |
Units |
Number of questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number System |
Remainder, Indices |
2 |
Moderate- Difficult |
| Algebra |
Log, Sequence & Series, Functions, Inequalities, Mod/Linear Equations, Quadratic Equations |
8 |
Moderate |
| Arithmetic |
TSD, T&W, SI-CI, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios |
8 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Modern Math |
P&C |
1 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Geometry |
Circle, Trapezium, Coordinate Geometry |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
CAT slot 3 analysis 2024 suggests that the paper was moderate. There were no parajumbles in CAT 2024 slot 3 as well. A 41-42 correct attempts will be enough in this slot.
In CAT 2024 slot 3 too, there were no parajumbles. There were 2 non-MCQs and the overall difficulty level was moderate. Check below CAT VARC Slot 3 break up.
| Passage Topic/ Area |
No. of Questions |
Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
16 |
Easy to Moderate |
| Para summary |
3 |
|
| Para completion |
3 |
|
| Odd one out |
2 |
Check below the break up of RC section of CAT 2024 slot 3:
| RC Passages |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact of AI |
4 |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Languages |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
| Chinese Moutai |
4 |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Saving outer space and other planets |
4 |
2 |
Moderate |
Check below the break up of VA section of CAT 2024 slot 3:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasummary |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
| Odd Sentence |
2 |
2 |
Easy |
| Para completion |
3 |
3 |
Easy |
DILR section of CAT 2024 slot 3 also had 22 questions. It was slightly more difficult than CAT slot 1 and slot 2. Check the sectional break up and difficulty level below:
| Question type |
Number of questions |
Number of doable questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrient –Food Grain (Table based) |
4 |
3-4 |
Easy Moderate |
| GDP (Table based) |
4 |
3-4 |
Easy-Moderate |
| AC Temperature (Line Graph) |
5 |
2-3 |
Moderate-Difficult |
| OTT (Bar Graph) |
4 |
3-4 |
Easy-Moderate |
| ATM Network |
5 |
4-5 |
Easy-Moderate |
The Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT 2024 slot 3 also had 8 non-MCQs questions. Similar to slot 1 and slot 2, Arithmetic dominated the section followed by Algebra.
| Sections |
Units |
Number of questions |
Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number System |
Remainder, Indices |
2 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Algebra |
Log, Equations, Functions, Sequence & Series, Integer Solution, Maxima Minima |
8 |
Moderate |
| Arithmetic |
TSD, T&W, SI-CI, Percentage, PLD, Mixture, Averages, Ratios |
8 |
Easy-Moderate |
| Modern Math |
P&C |
1 |
Easy |
| Geometry |
Circle, Polygon, Triangle |
3 |
Easy-Moderate |
Read below CAT 2024 paper analysis by T.I.M.E. Read to know the key highlights of the exam this year by expert.
| Section |
Number of Questions |
Sectional Time |
|---|---|---|
| VARC |
24 |
40 Minutes |
| DILR |
22 |
40 Minutes |
| QA |
22 |
40 Minutes |
| Total |
68 |
120 Minutes |
The questions in VARC section of CAT 2024 were similar to last three years. The surprise element was absence of parajumbles. There were 16 RC questions, 3 para summary questions, 2 odd one out questions and 3 from sentence fillers.
There were a total of 22 questions, including 2 sets of 5 questions each and 3 set of 4 questions each. The questions were overall doable.
There was no change in the Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT 2024. The questions in Quant section were a bit easier than last year’s slot 1. Algebra and Arithmetic dominated this section.
To be updated.
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Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
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Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
GIBS accepts scores from all major management entrance exams, including:
CAT
XAT
MAT
CMAT
GMAT
ATMA
State CET
This gives students multiple options to apply. Along with entrance exam scores, GIBS also looks at the overall profile, communication skills, and interest in management, which makes the admission pr
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 days ago
At GIBS Bangalore, the admission process for CAT and MAT candidates is kept simple and transparent.
GIBS follows a general merit-based admission approach. This means selections are mainly based on:
Entrance exam scores (CAT/MAT)
Academic background
Personal interaction and overall profile
There is no rig
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 3 days ago
No, CAT scores are not compulosry for admissions to MBA course at Techno India University. Because the university considers scores from other entrance exams too, likewise, CAT/ MAT/ XAT/ CMAT/ GMAT/ JEMAT/ TNJEE scores. Thus, you can get enrolement with CAT scores. However, it is not compulsory.
C
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
In CAT 2025, 26 candidates scored 99.99 percentile. 14 are from engineering background and 12 are from non engineering background. And among them 4 are female candidates.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 4 days ago
In CAT 2025, the number of 100 percentilers was 12. Maximum toppers were from Delhi (3). IIM Kozhikode had released the state wise toppers data along with CAT 2025 result on December 24, 2025.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 4 days ago
A total of 2.58 Lacs candidates appeared for CAT 2025. Check below gender wise break up.
Category | Number of registrations | Number of test takers |
|---|---|---|
Female | 1.10 lakh | 0.97 lakh |
Male | 1.85 lakh | 1.61 lakh |
Transgender | 9 | 9 |
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
In CAT 2025, two female candidates have scored 100 percentile in CAT 2025. Number of 99.99 percentile scorer females in 4 and the number of 99.98 percentile scorer females in 5.
E
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, there is a 10% scholarship for those who have scored 80 percentile and above in the CAT exam. Scholarship based on CAT is offered based on document verification once you join the program. There are limited scholarship seats which are offered on first-cum-first-serve basis. This scholarship is v
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
In 2024, the CAT cutoff percentile for the Shiv Nadar University Chennai was 60 for the students belonging to the General AI quota. The is the overall sectional cutoff. More details are below:
| Section | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Overall | 60 |
| Quants | 40 |
| VA-RC | 40 |
| DI-LR | 40 |
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
| Exam | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| CAT (percentile) | 88 | 88 |
| XAT (percentile) | 85 | 85 |
With these cut off details, students can decide the kind of preparation they will have to do.
A
Contributor-Level 10
In CAT 2025, the following changes were seen: