CAT 2025 Slot 1 took place on 30th November 2025 in the morning session (08:30 AM – 10:30 AM). The structure of the paper remained the same — three sections with 40 minutes each under strict sectional timing.
Aspirants found the paper balanced but tricky, especially in DILR and parts of QA. Here is the complete breakdown to help you assess performance and estimate percentile outcomes.
📝 CAT 2025 Slot 1 Exam Pattern Summary
| Section | No. of Questions | Duration | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 24 | 40 min | Moderate |
| DILR | 22 | 40 min | Moderate to Difficult |
| Quant | 22 | 40 min | Moderate to Tough |
| Total | 68 | 120 min | Moderately Difficult |
🔎 Section-wise Analysis
📚 Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Difficulty: Moderate
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RC passages: 4 passages → 16 questions
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Mostly narrative, inference-based reading
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Verbal Ability: Para-jumbles, summaries, odd-sentence selection
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Accuracy was the key rather than high attempts
👑 Who gained: Strong readers & inference-based thinkers
📈 Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Difficulty: Medium to Difficult
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5 sets, mix of MCQ and TITA
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Some sets were straightforward but calculation-heavy
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Logical puzzle sets required smart selection — poor time planning hurt performance
🚩 Performance Decider of Slot 1 → DILR demanded accuracy and patience
➗ Quantitative Ability (QA)
Difficulty: Moderate to Tough
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Arithmetic & Algebra dominated
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Geometry & Numbers saw limited but tricky presence
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Calculations took longer — aspirants who rushed lost accuracy
🧠 Top performers were those who skipped time-draining questions early
🎯 Good Attempts & Accuracy Targets
| Percentile Range | Overall Good Attempts | Expected Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| 99+ %ile | 44 – 50 | ~80% |
| 98 %ile | 40 – 44 | ~75% |
| 95 %ile | 36 – 40 | ~70% |
Section-wise Good Attempts (Safe Range)
| Section | Good Attempts |
|---|---|
| VARC | 17 – 18 |
| DILR | 8 – 9 |
| QA | 13 – 14 |
✔ Note: These estimates can vary due to normalization across slots.
🚀 Key Takeaways for Aspirants
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Time Management > Coverage → Attempting everything was impossible
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Accuracy mattered significantly due to tricky QA and DILR
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VARC helped stabilize scores for many
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Choosing the right sets early in DILR was a major differentiator
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Even moderate attempts could lead to high percentiles with low negatives
🧑🏫 Expert Verdict
CAT 2025 Slot 1 was a “manageable but demanding” paper.
Those who stayed calm, chose smartly, and maintained accuracy are likely to score high.
The paper did not shock students with pattern changes — but the difficulty calibration ensured that CAT remained competitive and analytical.
📌 What’s Next?
If you want, I can also provide:
✔ Score vs Percentile Predictions
✔ Slot 2 & 3 comparison
✔ Expected cutoffs for IIMs and top B-schools
✔ Counseling support based on your attempt analysis