Roadmap to CAT 2025: A Comprehensive Strategy Guide
Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )
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CAT 2025 preparation strategy - To begin CAT exam preparation, you must first understand the requirement and target score. Finalise a study plan before hand. First of all, know the CAT syllabus and question types. Then, make a monthly strategy. Read here Roadmap to CAT 2025: A Comprehensive Strategy Guide.
Roadmap to CAT 2025 preparation
CAT preparation 2025 - The ideal time to start CAT preparation is March so that you get about 9 months of study time. To begin with CAT 2025 preparation, first understand the requirements. CAT is a high difficulty level exam and requires long hours of study and practice. So, you will need to make a time table from the very beginning. Whether you’re a graduation student or a working professional, you need to set aside 6-8 hours for CAT 2025 preparation on daily basis. If you have started CAT preparation late, don't worry you can still cover the CAT prep journey in time. To help you prepare for this national level MBA entrance exam, we have a comprehensive strategy guide.
- Roadmap to CAT 2025: A Comprehensive Strategy Guide
- CAT Syllabus and Exam Pattern
- CAT Sectional Weightage
- Roadmap to CAT 2025: A Comprehensive Strategy Guide - Section Wise Preparation
- CAT Mock Test and Question Papers
- Best Books for CAT Preparation
Roadmap to CAT 2025: A Comprehensive Strategy Guide
A comprehensive CAT preparation strategy includes books, study material, guidance, problem solving sessions and mock tests. If you plan to join a coaching institute for CAT preparation 2025, you will be guided well. But if you plan to prepare by self-study, you will need discipline and dedication along with a solid CAT preparation strategy.
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CAT Syllabus and Exam Pattern
CAT syllabus 2025 includes all important topics of Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. Unlike other MBA entrance exams, CAT has no vocabulary or grammar questions. All the questions in VARC pertain to comprehension – passages, para jumble, para completion, odd sentence, etc.
Check below the most important topics of CAT 2025 syllabus that you need to focus on during the exam preparation.
- CAT Quantitative Aptitude: Geometry, algebra, arithmetic, mensuration, trigonometry, modern math.
- CAT Data Interpretation: Data structure, data sufficiency, tables, pie charts, graphs.
- CAT Logical Reasoning: Series, coding-decoding, family tree, blood relation, seating arrangement, assumptions.
- CAT VARC: Reading comprehension, fill in the blanks, para jumble, para completion, odd sentence out
Check below the key highlights of CAT exam pattern. The key to scoring high in CAT is choosing the right questions to answer and avoid negative marking.
| CAT Exam Pattern 2025 |
|
|---|---|
| Mode of CAT exam |
Computer Based Test |
| Duration of exam |
120 minutes 40 minutes per section |
| CAT exam slots |
Morning: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Afternoon: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM Evening: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM |
| Number of questions |
68 |
| CAT total marks |
204 |
| Number of answer choices |
4 |
| Question Type |
MCQ and non-MCQ |
| Marking scheme |
+3 for correct attempt -1 for incorrect attempt 0 for no answer No negative marking for non-MCQ |
CAT Sectional Weightage
CAT VARC has maximum weightage, but since sectional cut offs are critical in CAT, you cannot ignore a section with low weightage for the section with high weightage. You need to prepare for every section of the CAT 2025 equally well.
| Sections |
Important Topics |
Number of questions |
Total marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC |
Parajumbles, Sentence-Completion, Reading Comprehension, Para-Summary, Inferences |
24 |
72 |
| DILR |
Tables, Graphs, Data Caselets, Blood Relation, Venn Diagram, Seating Arrangement and Syllogism |
22 |
66 |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
Percentages, Profit & Loss, Simple Interest-Compound Interest, Time & Distance, Averages-Mixtures-Alligations, Numbers, Mensuration, Logarithms, Functions & Graphs, Indices & Surds, Quadratic Equations, Special Equations, Statistics |
22 |
66 |
Roadmap to CAT 2025: A Comprehensive Strategy Guide - Section Wise Preparation
CAT VARC preparation tips: You need to start VARC preparation early as it involves developing reading habit. Read books and novels of different types from the very beginning. If you are an avid reader already, you may not need extensive reading. Only practicing Reading Comprehension passages for CAT will be helpful. However, if you are not much of a reader, you will need to start reading on a daily basis. The key is to practice a good number of Reading Comprehension passages of various types – easy, moderate and tough. Get hold of practice paper and sample questions from various sources.
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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.
The best way to prepare for DILR section is through practice. Before starting the preparation, aspirants should check previous years’ question papers. Since there is not much conceptual understanding required in this section, practice is important.
Some of the most popular books on DILR section that you can refer are How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Pearson, to name a few.
CAT DILR preparation tips: Data Interpretation section of CAT is calculation based and has questions on tables, charts, graphs, etc. B thorough with mathematical calculations. The questions are asked in sets, so you need to be able to solve all the questions of a particular set. For this, correct selection of the CAT Data Interpretation set is important. You will be able to make this judgment if you have enough practice of all types of DI questions.
In CAT Logical Reasoning, the challenge is to understand the patterns and puzzles. There is no formula or theorem in CAT LR. There is neither any mathematical calculation involved, so all you have as the sources of preparation is practice questions. An important aspect to learn for LR is how to unravel a question. For this, take guidance and attend online practice sessions. Sectional time-bound CAT mock tests for DILR will be of great help.
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CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation tips: If your Mathematics is strong you can sail through this section with practice. However, if it isn’t then you should better start from scratch. Go back to Class 9 and 10 NCERT Maths books to understand the basics of Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry and Arithmetic. The CAT Quantitative Aptitude questions are of advanced level so after understanding the basics, start working on advance level Maths. Practice sample questions and previous years’ CAT question papers to gain control over the topics. Most of the questions are asked from Arithmetic and Algebra so pay special focus on them.
Overall, cracking CAT with high scores is dependent on your practice. The more you practice the better you gain control over topics and types of question – easy, medium, difficult, tricky or lengthy.
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CAT Mock Test and Question Papers
Shiksha has created free CAT mock tests for aspirants to practice and assess their preparation level. These mock tests are based on previous years' CAT questions so that you get familiar with the difficulty level of the actual exam.
| CAT_Mock_Test_1 | CAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| CAT_Mock_Test_2 | CAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
DOWNLOAD: Previous years' CAT question paper PDFs
CAT Questions with Solutions for Practice - PDFs
- Verbal Ability (VA) solved questions for practice PDFs
- Logical Reasoning (LR) solved questions for practice PDFs
- Logical Reasoning (LR) solved questions for practice PDFs - Part 2
- Data Interpretation (DI) solved questions for practice PDFs
- Data Interpretation (DI) solved questions for practice PDFs- Part 2
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA) solved questions for practice PDFs
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Best Books for CAT Preparation
Preparation of CAT is largely dependent of CAT books. You should refer to the book suggested by experts and previous years’ toppers for comprehensive preparation. Listed below are section wise best books for CAT preparation:
| CAT Books (DILR) |
Author/Publisher Name |
|---|---|
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning |
Gautam Puri |
| Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT |
Nishit K. Sinha |
| Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency |
Ananta Ashisha |
| How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT |
Arun Sharma |
| CAT Books (VARC) |
Author/Publisher Name |
| How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT |
Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay/Arihant |
| 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback |
Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster |
| How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT |
Sharma and Upadhyay |
| PSC for VA for CAT |
Nishit Sinha |
| CAT Books (Quantitative Aptitude) |
Author/Publisher Name |
| NCERT Mathematics books (Class 9-10) |
NCERT |
| How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT |
Arun Sharma |
| Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT |
Sarvesh Verma |
| Quantitative Aptitude for CAT |
Nishit Sinha |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
RS Aggarwal |
CAT is a speed-based test of analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or Commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advanced-level problems.
However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam.
Hope it was helpful!!!
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.
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.
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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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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
No, there is no mention of CAT scores being accepted to decide MET Institute of Management MMS admissions. The institute only mentions accepting the scores of the MAH-CET to admit candidates for the MMS course.
Thus, candidates with a valid CAT score must appear for MAH-CET to be eligible to apply.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Major topics under XAT and CAT syllabus are similar. Common sections include Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, and Verbal Ability. While the sections are same the syllabus is not identical. XAT also includes unique sections, namely Decision Making and General Knowledge.
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
Students of GIBS Business School participate in internships and live projects which are cross-functional opportunities to gain practical experience in key functional areas (marketing, sales, finance, HR, business development, and operations). Students engage in internships to gain practical exposure
M
Contributor-Level 9
Answered Yesterday
No, candidates can no longer appear for the CAT to qualify for Prestige Institute of Global Management PGDM admissions. Candidates who wish to apply for Prestige Institute of Global Management admissions must now wait for CAT 2027 or any other entrance exam to qualify for the Prestige Institute of G
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
Check CUSAT CAT exam pattern below:
Subject | Total Questions | Marks | Duration (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|
Mathematics | 90 | 360 | 75 |
Physics | 75 | 300 | 60 |
Chemistry | 60 | 240 | 45 |
Total | 225 | 900 | 180 |
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
The CUSAT CAT question paper will have 225 questions from Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology. Candidates will get three marks for every correct answer, while there is a deduction of one mark for every incorrect response.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
NMIMS does not accept scores of the CAT exam for admission in its MBA courses. Even if you have a good percentile in CAT, you have to qualify the eligibility criteria for NMIMS MBA as well as take the NMAT exam. NMAT exam is a national level exam conducted by GMAC as an entrance exam for admission i
S
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 days ago
PIBM Pune provides opportunities to students to enrol to MBA and PGDM programs even with low CAT scores based on the profile and interview performance of the student. We conduct our internal assessment test called PMAT, in which students are required to score a minimum of 50% to qualify for the GD a
K
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 2 days ago
CAT and ATMA are both MBA entrance exams. But, historically, the difficulty level of CAT exam is higher as compared to that of ATMA exam.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
IIM Calcutta offers a large diversity of courses to students in Management field. IIM Calcutta admissions are held on the basis of entrance tests. Students seeking course admissions must clear their previous qualifying examination and appear for any of the prescribed entrance exams such as CAT, amon
U
Contributor-Level 10
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 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.