CAT 2025 Slot 3 concluded successfully, and many candidates found it to be moderate to difficult, especially in the Quant and DILR sections. Below is Planet.E’s expert-curated analysis to help you understand the exam pattern, difficulty, and estimated good attempts.
🧠 Overall Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
CAT 2025 Slot 3 maintained the trademark unpredictability of the exam. While VARC was comparatively smoother, QA and DILR demanded strong accuracy and time management.
Difficulty Summary:
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VARC – Easy to Moderate
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DILR – Moderate to Difficult
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QA – Moderate to Difficult
Despite the challenge, Slot-wise normalization ensures fairness — so if you felt Slot 3 was tough, you are not alone!
📊 Section-Wise CAT 2025 Slot 3 Breakdown
| Section | Key Observations | Difficulty | Good Attempts (High Accuracy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | RC passages were readable; para-based questions were manageable | Easy-Moderate | 17–18 |
| DILR | Logical puzzles were time-consuming; data sets required careful interpretation | Moderate-Difficult | 9–10 |
| QA | Calculation-heavy questions; Arithmetic & Algebra dominated | Moderate-Difficult | 11–12 |
👉 Total Good Attempts: 37–40 with ~80%+ accuracy is considered strong.
🎯 Expected Percentile Insights
While percentiles vary with accuracy, as a broad indicator:
| Overall Good Attempts | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|
| 40+ | 99%ile+ |
| 36–39 | 98–99%ile |
| 32–35 | 95–97%ile |
| 28–31 | 90–94%ile |
These are expected benchmarks and may shift slightly post normalization.
🔍 VARC – The Scoring Section
Candidates confident in reading comprehension could secure a boost here.
Focus areas that helped students:
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Fast reading with strong comprehension
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Handling para-jumbles efficiently
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Smart guess-avoidance to maintain accuracy
🧩 DILR – Toughest Section of Slot 3
Time-management was the clear differentiator:
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Choosing the right set was more important than attempting more
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Many students spent excessive time on trickier sets
Planet.E Tip: Scan all sets first → choose 2 scoring sets → maximise accuracy
➗ QA – Concept + Speed Required
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Arithmetic & Algebra questions had multi-step logic
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Geometry & Number System fewer but tricky
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Speed with precision was crucial
Planet.E Advice: Strengthen fundamentals + timed practice
📌 What Now?
If you appeared for Slot 3:
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Don’t worry if QA or DILR felt tough
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Check responses properly once answer key is released
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Focus on accuracy rather than attempt count for percentile projections
If you are preparing for CAT 2026:
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Build strong logical + quantitative reasoning base early
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Practice mock tests with strict timing
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Improve reading speed for VARC advantage
💡 Planet.E Takeaway
CAT 2025 Slot 3 tested:
✔ Thinking under pressure
✔ Consistency across sections
✔ Smart selection of questions
Students who stayed calm and selective in QA & DILR are expected to benefit significantly.
👨🏫 About Planet.E
Planet.E has been the guiding force behind thousands of MBA aspirants, enabling top results in IIMs and top B-schools across India.
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