The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025, conducted by IIM Kozhikode, took place across India in three test sessions — Slot 1, Slot 2 & Slot 3.
With around 3.4+ lakh applicants, the competition this year was extremely high, and aspirants encountered a moderately difficult paper overall with sectional variations.
In this comprehensive analysis by Planet.E, we bring you a complete slot-wise and section-wise breakdown, student reactions, expected score vs percentile mapping, and insights for upcoming B-school selection rounds.
🌟 CAT 2025 Overall Analysis – Quick Snapshot
| Aspect | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate | Moderate to Difficult |
| Lengthiness | High in DILR | Slightly high in VARC | High in QA |
| Trickiness | QA + DILR | VARC RCs | DILR arrangements |
| Best Performing Section | VARC | QA | VARC |
🔹 Many students from Slot 1 & 3 felt pressured by time due to lengthy sets and tricky questions.
🔹 Slot 2 appeared slightly easier, especially in QA.
“CAT this year tested accuracy and time management more than pure knowledge.”
— Senior Mentors, Planet.E
🔵 Section-wise Detailed Analysis
💡 The order & timing remained the same:
VARC – 40 min → DILR – 40 min → QA – 40 min
No switching allowed between sections.
✍️ VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)
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Slot 1: Balanced but RCs required deep reading
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Slot 2: Long passages, trickier inference questions
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Slot 3: VA difficulty went up a notch
📝 VARC Question Structure
| Topic | No. of Qs | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 16 | Moderate-Difficult |
| Para Jumbles (No Options) | 3–4 | Difficult |
| Para Summary | 3 | Moderate |
| Odd Sentence Out | 1–2 | Moderate |
Observations:
✔ More focus on Inference + Tone
✔ Fewer vocabulary-based direct questions
✔ Accuracy booster for prepared candidates
🎯 Good Attempts: 18–22
🔥 Great Accuracy: 70–80%
Planet.E Expert Tip: Practicing critical reasoning questions improves RC performance by 40%+.
🔶 DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)
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The most challenging section across slots
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Sets were highly case-based and demanded logical precision
🧩 DILR Structure
| Type | No. of Sets | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Logical Games & Arrangement | 2 | Highly Tricky |
| Arithmetic/Charts DI | 1 | Lengthy |
| Mixed-logic Hybrid | 1 | Time consuming |
Student Feedback (Slot 1):
“Selecting the right set was the biggest challenge.”
🎯 Good Attempts: 10–14
📌 Planet.E Strategy Reminder: 2 accurate sets >> 4 incomplete sets
🔺 QA (Quantitative Ability)
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Arithmetic-heavy but slots varied significantly
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Algebra questions felt unpredictable in Slot 3
🔢 QA Topic Distribution
| Topic | Weightage | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 10–12 Qs | Moderate |
| Algebra | 7–9 Qs | Moderate-Difficult |
| Geometry | 4–5 Qs | Easy-Moderate |
| Modern Maths | 1–2 Qs | Low Weightage |
🎯 Good Attempts: 15–19
🏆 Smart Play: Choosing numbers-based arithmetic first
🎯 CAT 2025 – Expected Score vs Percentile
| Score Range | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|
| 88+ | 99+ %ile |
| 72–88 | 95–99 %ile |
| 55–72 | 85–95 %ile |
| 45–55 | 75–85 %ile |
🔹 Normalization will balance out tougher Slot 1 & Slot 3 papers.
🧠 CAT 2025 vs CAT 2024 Difficulty Comparison
| Year | VARC | DILR | QA | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 2024 | Moderate | Moderate-Difficult | Moderate | Moderate |
| CAT 2025 | Moderate | Difficult | Moderate-Difficult | Slightly more difficult |
📌 Key Takeaways by Planet.E
✔ DILR remained the deciding factor
✔ Question selection = Ultimate game changer
✔ IIM cutoffs will be competitive this year
✔ Pressure management required experience and mock practice
“Analyzing performance correctly after CAT is as crucial as preparing for it.”
— Planet.E Career Experts
🧭 What Should Aspirants Do Next?
For those expecting good percentile:
✓ Start preparing for WAT–GD–PI
✓ Update professional CV + academic records
✓ Improve speaking skills & current affairs
✓ Mock interviews with industry experts
For Repeaters:
🔹 Analyze errors, sectional weakness
🔹 Begin with concept strengthening
🔹 Join a guided mock strategy program
Planet.E offers:
🔥 WAT-GD-PI Training
🔥 Personalized Profile Building
🔥 Mock Interviews With 99+%ile Experts
✨ Why Planet.E is India’s Trusted CAT Prep Institute?
| Planet.E Advantage | Benefit to Student |
|---|---|
| Serial CAT 99+ %ilers | Exam-tested strategies |
| 15+ Years Experience | Proven success |
| 200+ IIM Calls Every Year | Higher conversion ratio |
| Personalized Mentorship | Removes exam anxiety |
🏁 Final Words
CAT 2025 has been a test of strategy, patience & precision.
Those who maintained accuracy and attempted selectively will benefit in score normalization.
Planet.E stands with every aspirant — whether you are preparing for IIM interviews or planning for CAT 2026 — your journey continues!