Exam On - 30 Nov '25
Preparing Logical Reasoning Topics for CAT requires one to deep dive into the questions to find hidden logic, argument or pattern. Aspirants preparing for CAT 2025 must understand what each topic entails. Check here full list of CAT logical reasoning topics.
CAT logical reasoning topics list
Logical Reasoning Topics for CAT include Blood Relations, Number Series, Seating Arrangement, Data Arrangement, Binary Logic, Sets & Caselets, Assumptions, Coding-Decoding, Clocks and Calendars, Syllogism, Direction Sense, Statement and Conclusion and Puzzles. Studying CAT Logical Reasoning topics is not easy as one often doesn’t know where to start as it doesn’t fall under any subject studied in schools. Preparing for Logical Reasoning is like practicing puzzles. If you are fond of puzzles and riddles, you will find CAT Logical Reasoning or CAT LR a delight. But if you’re not, you will have to do a good amount of hard work. In CAT 2025, there will be around 11 questions on Logical Reasoning, but you’ll need to prepare all the topics as topic wise weightage is not known. So, as you plan to appear and prepare for CAT exam, have a look at the LR topics and preparation tips:
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Logical Reasoning Topics for CAT Exam
Check the table below for CAT logical reasoning important topics. Most of the reasoning questions are asked from these areas:
| Logical Reasoning Topics for CAT |
Explanation |
|---|---|
| Blood Relations |
Questions on blood relations mainly pertain to relationship between family members. They are asked in the form of family tree, coded relationships or normal description. |
| Number Series |
These questions are mathematical puzzles in which one needs to identify the next number in the series. It is easy to crack if your mental math is strong. |
| Syllogism |
Syllogism requires you to finds a logical connection between two or more sentences (premise) and make a final or valid observation. The key is to find common the common thread that brings two statements together. |
| Direction Sense |
Questions on Direction Sense often requires one to determine the final position or direction, after analyzing twists and turns, movement along the way. These include questions based on shadow, relative position, turns and rotation, coded directions, direction puzzles, distance and direction. |
| Coding-Decoding |
Coding-Decoding questions are like an interesting set of alphabets or digits, each signifying something. One has to find the coded meaning behind the set. For example: AGE can signify a number 165. The method to crack coding-decoding questions of CAT Logical Reasoning is by identifying a pattern, creating a code rule and applying the code rule. |
| Assumptions |
Assumption as it means, is all about finding the unsaid. In Assumptions questions, one needs to follow the logic of the argument to get to the conclusion. |
| Puzzles |
Puzzles in CAT Logical Reasoning are often based on series or arrangements. To solve the puzzle one needs to crack the pattern. |
| Clocks and Calendars |
Here one has to find the logic based on time or dates. Clock based questions often requires deciphering angle between hands, mirror image, water image, faulty clocks and coinciding hands of the clock. Calendar based questions in CAT Logical Reasoning pertain to finding a particular day or date, odd days, leap years, century years, date and time relationship, etc. |
| Statements and Conclusion |
A set of statements are presented with assumptions and conclusions. One needs to derive the validity of the conclusion based on the statement and validity. These questions require deep critical thinking. |
| Data Arrangement |
As the name suggests, Data Arrangement is organizing a set of people, objects, items as per the given hints, in a logical manner. |
| Binary Logic |
Binary Logic questions are all about finding true or false statements from the given set. The questions are presented in the form of scenarios with different sets of liars and truth tellers. |
| Seating Arrangement |
In these types of arrangement questions, one needs to arrange people and objects in a given direction or form. Clues and hints are given, to deduce the pattern. Road blocks in Seating Arrangement questions are the overlapping rules. |
| Sets & Caselets |
These questions are presented as scenarios or narrative, and one has to answer question related to them. These questions often require logical deduction, sequencing and arrangement. |
Get Here:
CAT question papers are released within a week of the exam in the form of a PDF as a response sheet and answer key. Candidates who have appeared for the test are able to access the CAT question paper and answer key. The question paper of every slot is released on the same day along with candidate response sheet and official answer to all question. If any candidate needs previous year CAT question papers for preparation purpose, then they can download them from Shiksha website. We have hosted last five years' CAT question papers for aspirants to download and practice. These official CAT question papers are available for download free. You can download the CAT question paper PDFs at this link: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam-question-papers Candidates must check and practice the latest CAT question paper to know the latest exam pattern and difficulty level.
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Tips to Prepare Logical Reasoning Topics for CAT
Cracking CAT reasoning topics require a lot of practice. Having an eye for detail helps in Logical Reasoning for CAT. Check here a few tips to prepare Logical Reasoning topics for CAT exam.
- Logical Reasoning does not have formulas that you can memorise and apply. The skill of logical deduction is to be developed over time. So, start early.
- Consult the best recommended CAT Logical Reasoning books for familiarizing yourself with the type of questions.
- Practice a variety of questions from each of the above mentioned CAT reasoning topics.
- Learn CAT Logical Reasoning tricks, to be able to solve questions quickly and accurately. Remember that, you will have limited time to address Logical Reasoning questions in CAT exam.
- Develop the habit of analyzing arguments. This will help you crack statements and assumptions questions.
- Develop analytical habit of identifying patterns and series.
- Learn to identify missing points and gaps in arguments, patterns, rules, conditions to identify a pattern.
Read More:
Logical Reasoning Practice Questions PDFs (Free)
The CAT VARC section is dominated by RC questions. Out of 24 questions about 14-16 are based on Reading Comprehension passages and the rest of them are based on parajumbles, para completion, etc.
CAT has about 12-16 RC question. Since, it is not mandatory to solve all the questions, candidates can maximize their scores by leaving out the questions related to the passage they find the toughest. There is negative marking in CAT so candidates must ensure that they mark only the correct options or do not mark any option at all.
The key change in CAT question paper 2024 was increase in number of questions in DLIR section. Till 2023, the DILR section used to have 20 questions. In 2024, it had 22 questions. The time limit for it was the same and no other section had less questions. Which means, in CAT 2024, candidates had to attempt 68 questions instead of 66 to solve in the same time (120 minutes). DILR sectional time limit was 40 minutes as in previous years. There was no other change in CAT 2024, the difficulty level was same as previous years.
No, it is not mandatory to attempt all the questions in CAT. Candidates can choose to attempt questions as per their preparation. It is not possible also to attempt all the questions due to time limitation and difficulty level. Reading dense RC passages often take up a lot of time. In DILR and QA too, some questions are time taking and calculation intensive due to which not much time is left in hand to attempt all questions. The aim of every test taker should be to attempt about 2/3rd of the total questions in all the sections of CAT.
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Till 2014, there were only two sections in CAT. Quantitative Aptitude was clubbed with Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning was clubbed with Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. In 2015, the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning were clubbed together and Quantitative Aptitude and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension made two individual sections. Since 2015, the sectional segregation has remained the same but the number of questions have come down from 100 to 66. The exam duration has also been reduced. Until 2019, the CAT exam was of 180 minutes and the total number of questions were 100. However, in 2020, the question paper structure was revised due to COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the total number of questions came down to 76. In 2021 and 2022, the number of questions were further lowered to 66. For the last two years, CAT is conducted for 2 hours, and the number of questions is 66. In CAT 2024 however, the number of questions were increased to 68.
The latest CAT question paper structure is: Total questions: 68 Number of sections: 3 Order of sections - 1. VARC 2. DILR 3. Quantitative Aptitude Sectional time limit: 40 minutes VARC questions: 24 DILR questions: 22 Quantitative Aptitude questions: 22.