Exam On - 30 Nov '25
CAT DILR questions often turn out to be mood spoilers as they are tricky. If you don't understand them minutely, you may land in trouble. For an effective CAT 2025 preparation, know the basics of DILR. Check out some important tips on how to prepare for DILR for CAT by MBA expert.
CAT Data Interpretation (DI) and Logical Reasoning (LR) includes tables, charts and patterns which can be tricky and time consuming. Forty minutes may fall short for completing the section, even if you do not attempt all the questions. Thus, CAT DILR preparation is not only about practice but also about developing the knowledge of which questions to attempt and which ones to skip. Preparing for DILR section of CAT exam requires a lot of analysis of what you're studying. It helps if you have a liking for visual, verbal and abstract puzzles and riddles. In this article, we have shared tips and strategy on how to prepare for DILR for CAT 2025.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning are clubbed together in CAT exam. The total number of DILR questions will be 22 with both DI and LR having 10 questions each ( In CAT 2024, the distribution was 11:9). The difficulty level will be moderate to high in CAT exam 2025. The best source of DILR CAT preparation is previous years’ CAT question papers and sectional mock tests.
In CAT 2025, DILR will be the second section. VARC will precede DILR which means your mind would have already gone through a lot by the time you'll reach DILR sections. Some important points about this section are listed below:
DILR often poses challenge to the test takers. CAT DILR questions have acted as a “mood spoiler” in the test many a times. Hence, it becomes very necessary to understand this section and then make a CAT 2025 preparation plan.
“Charts/Graphs talk more than numbers do” – It’s an accepted rule in the corporate world. Newspapers/Magazines and many other important report use charts/graphs to show data easily to its audience or reader. This justifies importance of Data Interpretation in post-MBA life.
Data Interpretation requires Mathematical calculations but cannot be called a part of Mathematics because there is no theory, no property and no formula. It’s a skill to be acquired and not knowledge to be remembered.
Typical varieties of Data Interpretation questions for CAT exam include Tables, Line Charts, Pie Charts, Bar Charts, Mixed Charts or any other unusual but structured representation of data. One more variety that has maintained its presence in CAT Data Interpretation questions and other MBA entrance tests is Caselets. These are sets of paragraphs which include numerical data in them which, generally, need to be put in a structure to be understood easily.
Also Read:
1.Calculation Based: These are sets with questions which deal with percentage increase/decrease or nominal increase/decrease. They require a good control over basic calculation and approximation.
Example: Which is the year in which ABC Ltd. has witnessed the highest percentage growth over the previous year?
2.Counting Based: These are generally large data sets in which aspirants are supposed to count the instances which meet the questions’ needs. They require patience and focus to ensure that not a single mistake happens.
Example: How many states (from the data given) have male literacy rate more than 80 per cent, and female literacy rate less than 75 per cent?
3.Logic Based: Sometimes charts prefer to give you data in ranges or with conditions where it’s not possible to find the exact data. But one can surely be asked to find a number which can be arrived at if there is a need of maximizing or minimizing the number.
Example: Maximum how many of the employees of the range 35 to 45 years would be above 40 years if average age of employees of this age group is 42 years?
4.Structure Based: These DILR questions of CAT include some specials sets.
Example: Goals of various teams in a tournament, sales-disposal data of a particular product in market etc.
Check below free CAT mock tests by Shiksha to know your preparation level:
| CAT_Mock_Test_1 | CAT_Mock_Test_1 Solutions |
| CAT_Mock_Test_2 | CAT_Mock_Test_2 Solutions |
1.Calculation Skills: A sound control over mental calculation is a very good advantage in CAT exam. This advantage cannot be compensated by presence of onscreen calculator. Mental calculation includes Tables till 20, knowledge of Fractions from 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 till 1/20, basic Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, etc. Develop this skill during CAT DILR preparation.
Our Advice: Avoid the use of calculator during last three months. Strengthen your mental abilities by spending 10 minutes daily on basic operations.
2.Approximation skills and use of options: A visible difference in preparation of Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude is the fact that “options are a very important part of the questions”.
Typical steps of solving a CAT DI question should follow:
Step 1: Read the question, understand the need
Step 2: Have a look at the options and understand how accurately the answer need to be found
Step 3: Now look at the charts/graphs and fetch the data required
Step 4: Try to find the correct option and not the exact answer
Let’s take an example:
Suppose a question involves finding 1234 as a percentage of 5678 with four options as shown below.
(1) 32.54% (2) 13.67% (3) 21.73% (4) 26.78%
Since the options have an acceptable gap, there is no need to find the exact answer. Simple approximation and elimination will do.
Answer should be very close to 12 as a % of 56. i.e. 3 as a % of 14
3/12 would produce a 25%. So the answer is less than 25%
3/15 would produce a 20%. So the answer is more than 20%
Hence, we still don’t know the exact answer but we have no doubt in marking option (c) as the correct option
Our Advice: While solving DI sets of CAT, ensure that you have a look at options before you jump into the calculation part. A sizeable practice will inculcate this habit eventually.
Regular Practice: Cracking DI and LR questions is a skill, so it demands to be a part of routine.
Our Advice: Approximately 5 hours of DI solving every week. This should be five sittings of one hour each.
Also Read:
Logical Reasoning section of CAT includes puzzles which need basic common sense practice of variety of questions. Indeed, puzzles can be too random at times but there are some standard types of CAT LR question types which are seen more often than others. Most important among them are the LR sets involving arrangement of data in a tabular structure.
For Example: Five people live in five different cities with five different professions and have five different hobbies.
Other important question types of Logical Reasoning include problems related to Directions, Blood Relation, Decision Making, Series, Coding – Decoding, Visual Reasoning, Cubes etc.
It’s visible from CAT question papers of previous years that it prefers to present LR questions in sets whereas exams like SNAP, IIFT, NMAT, XAT, MAH CET, CMAT prefer independent questions. So, the importance of question types mentioned in the above paragraph is more in exams other than CAT.
| CAT Logical Reasoning Topics |
|
|---|---|
Various MBA entrance exams have different way of setting questions in DILR:
Also Read:
One may not need revision in LR but surely needs sufficient practice. There are two stages of LR preparation for CAT:
1.A student starts getting LR questions correct
2.A student starts getting LR questions correct in optimum time and with acceptable accuracy
Only practice can make an aspirant reach from first to second stage in CAT DILR preparation. NMAT and CMAT are known for producing time consuming LR questions which come independently instead of coming in sets. They reduce speed of the test taker in these tests. CAT produced a time consuming LR section last year. XAT does it every year. So a regular practice is the only solution.
Our Advice: Approximately 5 hours of LR solving every week. This should be 5 sittings of 1 hour each. Ensure that all major varieties are given importance while choosing material for practice.
All the Best!!
CAT Data Interpretation Sets
| CAT DI Test Easy Set 1 | CAT DI Test Easy Set 1 Solutions |
| CAT DI Test Medium Set 1 | CAT DI Test Medium Set 1 Solutions |
| CAT DI Test Difficult Set 1 | CAT DI Test Difficult Set 1 Solutions |
| CAT DITest Easy Set 2 | CAT DI Test Easy Set 2 Solutions |
| CAT DI Test MediumSet 2 | CAT DI Test Medium Set 2 Solutions |
| CAT DI Test Difficult Set 2 | CAT DI Test Difficult Set 2 Solutions |
| CAT DI Easy Questions Set 3 | CAT DI Test Easy Set 3 Solutions |
| CAT DI Medium Questions Set 3 | CAT DI Test Medium Set 3 Solutions |
| CAT DI Dificult Questions Set 3 | CAT DI Test Difficult Set 3 Solutions |
| CAT DI Easy Questions Set 4 | CAT DI Test Easy Set 4 Solutions |
| CAT DI Medium Questions Set 4 | CAT DI Test Medium Set 4 Solutions |
| CAT DI Diffcult Questions Set 4 | CAT DI Test Diffcult Set 4 Solutions |
CAT Logical Reasoning Sets
| CAT LR Easy Test Set 1 | CAT LR Easy Test Set 1 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test Medium Set 1 | CAT LR Test Medium Set 1 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test Difficult Set 1 | CAT LR Test Difficult Set 1 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test Easy Set 2 | CAT LR Test Easy Set 2 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test Medium Set 2 | CAT LR Test Medium Set 2 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test Difficult Set 2 | CAT LR Test Difficult Set 2 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test Easy Set 3 | CAT LR Test Easy Set 3 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test Medium Set 3 | CAT LR Test Medium Set 3 Solutions |
| CAT LR Test DIfficult Set 3 | CAT LR Test Difficult Set 3 SolutIons |
| CAT LR Easy Test Set 4 | CAT LR Easy Test Set 4 Solutions |
| CAT LR Medium Test Set 4 | CAT LR Medium Test Set 4 Solutions |
| CAT LR Difficult Test Set 4 | CAT LR Difficult Test Set 4 Solutions |
17 Oct '25 - 18 Nov '25
1 Aug '25 - 20 Nov '25
30 Sep '25 - 20 Nov '25
19 Nov '25 - 20 Nov '25
23 Oct '25 - 7 Dec '25
30 Sep '25 - 10 Dec '25
1 Aug '25 - 16 Dec '25
1 Jul '25 - 19 Dec '25
21 Dec '25
31 Dec '25
Read More:
About the Author
Parasharan Chari is an alumnus of SPJIMR and is currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer at a popular MBA coaching institute.
It is difficult but not impossible. If you give yourself a good enough time to improve English comprehension, grammar and vocabulary, you will be able to do it. Yes, a non- English medium student will require longer time for CAT preparation as they will have to start reading and improving English comprehension. So, may be they need to start English preparation for CAT in the second year of graduation, instead of final year (much earlier than English medium students). They may also need two attempts to crack CAT with high percentile. But that's not true for all. If you work hard and study smartly, you will be able to crack it.
CAT syllabus is vast. It has numerous topics from Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation. Covering the CAT syllabus also includes practicing a variety of sample questions on the topics included. Thus, it requires a lot of time. Candidates must given themselves atleast 3-4 months to cover CAT syllabus and keep in mind the following:
· Check the previous years' CAT papers to know topics which carry more weightage so that you can focus on those topics more.
· List down topicsin order of easy, moderate and tough and allot time to them accordingly.
· Make sure to study about 6-8 hours per day to complete the syllabus 2-3 months before the exam.
· After studying every topic, practice sample questions. Balance theory with practical.
To prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, stick to the traditional path of concepts first and practice later. Study English grammar and Verbal Ability first to understand the concept. Then practice a number of sample questions of different kinds to gain confidence, speed and accuracy. For RC passages, develop the habit of reading from early stages. Read books from all walks of life.
Practicing sample Reading Comprehension passages and questions in a crucial part of VARC preparation. This will help you understand the types of questions and RC passages asked in various entrance exams.
As an aspirant, you will be appearing for more than one entrance exam, thus you need to have the practice of different types of RC passages.
CAT Quantitative Aptitude has the potential of 100 percentile if you prepare well. The Quantitative Aptitude topics of CAT are advance level Mathematic topics from Class 9 and 10. So, for any candidate, the foundation is already there, they only need to work on it further.
The important topics of CAT Quantitative Aptitude include Geometry, Ratios and Proportion, Inequalities, Trigonometry, In-equations, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Work and Time, Algebra, Surds and Indices, Percentages, Mensuration, Time-Speed-Distance, Logarithms, Partnership (Accounts), Number System, Square Root and Cube Root, Profit & Loss, Geometric Progression, Probability, Mean-Mode-Median, Binomial theorem, Simple interest and compound interest.
Maximum questions are asked from Arithmetic and Geometry so keep the main focus on these two topic. Understand and memorise the formulas and theorems well, and practice enough questions to be thorough with their application.
10 Jul '25 - 5 Dec '25 | XAT 2026 Exam registration |
19 Nov '25 - 20 Nov '25 | XAT 2026 mock test 3 |
1 Aug '25 - 20 Nov '25 | SNAP 2025 Registration Process |
28 Nov '25 - 6 Dec '25 | SNAP 2025 admit card session 1... |
28 Oct '25 - 16 Dec '25 | NMAT 2025 Admit Card Issuance |
1 Aug '25 - 16 Dec '25 | NMAT 2025 Rescheduling Window |
17 Oct '24 - 5 Dec '24 | IIFT 2025 registration and app... |
23 Oct '25 - 7 Dec '25 | MAT PBT Registration 2025 (Dec... |
23 Oct '25 - 15 Dec '25 | MAT CBT Registration 2025 (Dec... |
1 Jul '25 - 19 Dec '25 | IBSAT 2025 Registration |
5 Nov '25 - 27 Dec '25 | IBSAT Slot Booking 2025 |
17 Oct '25 - 18 Nov '25 | CMAT 2026 registration and app... |
Dec '25 | MAH MBA CET 2026 registration ... |
2 Sep '25 - 4 Sep '25 | MAH MBA CAP 2025: Reporting to... |
Jan '26 | Publication of TANCET notifica... |
Jan '26 | TANCET registration window |
Mar '25 | IRMASAT 2025 Final Result Anno... |
Feb '25 | IRMASAT Personal Interviews |
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
At GIBS, the faculty-to-student ratio is around 1:15, which honestly makes learning a lot easier. Since the classes aren't overcrowded, the faculty actually get time to focus on each student.
You can easily ask your doubts, get personal guidance, and have open discussions. It feels more like a mentor
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
The online application for GIBS Business School is very well-organized and student-friendly for its MBA, PGDM, and BBA programs.
Application Procedure Step 1: Access the Admissions Portal
Go to the official website of GIBS Business School, and click on "Apply Online", which can be found under the sect
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
GIBS Business School considers the overall CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, and GMAT scores for the admission of candidates in the PGDM and MBA programs. Rather than using solely high cut-offs, the entrance test scores are used to judge the aptitude of a candidate in terms of analysis, quant, and verbal f
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 14 hours ago
At GIBS, they keep the entrance exam part really simple. For PGDM or MBA, they accept almost all the common exams like CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, and GMAT. Even state-level or institute-level scores are considered.
Honestly, GIBS doesn't stress too much about “only one specific exam.” As long as you
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
GIBS Business School, Bangalore, has a strong and dynamic Placement Cell that helps in securing excellent career opportunities for the students. Every year, more than 260 reputed companies have visited the campus for recruitment, offering versatile jobs in sectors like BFSI, IT, consulting, manufact
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 weeks ago
Getting into the MBA programme of NIT Trichy with a 300 SC CAT rank is somewhat uncertain. As the recent data sets suggest, NIT Trichy's CAT cutoff for SC category admission stands around 65th percentile. A 300 SC rank could be borderline depending on how many SC candidates apply and the quality of
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Candidates who did not appear for the CAT entrance exam can apply St. Xavier's College, Kolkata admissions as it is not a mandatory entrance exam. The candidates who wish to gain admissions into the MBA course of the institute have to appear for the Kolkata University entrance test for St. Xavier's
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
PGCET and CAT serve distinct purposes. The PGCET is primarily conducted for MBA admissions in colleges in the state of Karnataka, specifically for government colleges and private universities with lower fees. CAT is a national level exam for top-ranking B-schools and colleges such as the IIMs that h
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
That's a wonderful goal to push your son toward right at the start. To obtain previous CAT model papers, you can check many available popular exam preparation books in any bookstore or online store. Coaching interest such as TIME, IMS, Career Launcher, etc., usually have mock tests and sample papers
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, you can get admission to Jaypee Business School (JBS), Noida for MBA even if you don't have CAT. JBS accepts scores from several other exams such as MAT, CMAT, XAT, GMAT, ATMA, and also CUET-PG. Just make sure you have a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks, then apply with any of those va
Contributor-Level 9
Yes, CAT syllabus is difficult to crack if you do not have enough time. There are three subjects in CAT- VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Most of the candidates find RC passages tough to crack. In Quants, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry pose significant challenge during preparation. In DILR, Reasoning questions often turnout to be tricky and confusion.