The CAT Exam is just in a few months. If you are planning to take the CAT in 2025 for getting admission in a top management college, it is crucial that you know the detailed CAT exam syllabus 2025, CAT eligibility criteria, important topics of CAT, and CAT marks distribution.
In CAT 2025, CAT syllabus for MBA will comprise 3 sections; Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. 22 questions on the LRDI section with 22 questions on the QA section and 24 questions on the VARC section is expected.
All the subjects of the CAT 2025 syllabus must be taken seriously and each of these sections must be approached with a strategy of preparation. The candidates should also be aware of the current trend of the exam and as a consequence, design their study schedule with the help of CAT syllabus.
Table of Content
- What is CAT?
- CAT 2025 Exam Highlights
- CAT Exam Date 2025
- CAT 2025 Admit Card Download
- CAT Eligibility criteria
- CAT Exam Structure, Syllabus
- CAT Important Topics
- CAT 2025 Syllabus – Exam Pattern
- CAT Topics Weightages
- CAT Exam Centres
- CAT Exam states and cities
- CAT FAQs
What is CAT?
CAT, also known as Common Admission Test, is a national-level examination conducted by Indian Institute of Management. CAT exam is taken to get admission into Management courses.
CAT is India’s one of the most popular competitive exams that is conducted on a national-level. It is also called the MBA entrance exam. It is conducted once a year on a rotational basis. This admission test is the minimum eligibility criteria for gaining admission into IIMs and other top B-schools across India. On an average, over 2 lakh students every year register for CAT, which makes it the biggest MBA entrance test of India.
CAT 2025 Exam Highlights
Feature
|
Details
|
Exam Name
|
Common Admission Test (CAT)
|
Official Website
|
iimcat.ac.in
|
Conducting Body
|
IIM (rotational basis; 2023 by IIM Lucknow)
|
Exam Date
|
Last Sunday of November (tentative)
|
Mode
|
Computer-Based Test (CBT)
|
Duration
|
2 hours (3 sections, 40 min each)
|
Medium
|
English
|
Question Types
|
MCQ & Non-MCQ
|
Registration Fee
|
₹2400 (General), ₹1200 (Reserved)
|
Eligibility
|
Bachelor’s degree with 50% (45% for reserved)
|
CAT EXAM DATE 2025
- Official notification: July 30
- Registration date: August First week
- Exam date: November 30, 2025.
- Slot time: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, and 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
- Result date: 21, December; 2025
- CAT website: iimcat.ac.in
CAT 2025 Admit Card Download
When the CAT 2025 application is submitted, an application confirmation email will be received on the registered email id of the candidate. This confirmation email will have all the details of the CAT 2025 Admit Card Download window. The Candidate can easily download the Admit Card from the official CAT 2025 website by logging in with the CAT 2025 User ID and view/print the Admit Card.
The Admit Card of CAT will have:
- Name of the Candidate
- Test Date
- PwD Status
- Test Centre Details
- Examination Session and Time
CAT Eligibility criteria
To be an eligible candidate for CAT, one needs to possess the Bachelor’s Degree with 50% aggregate. If a candidate belongs to SC/ST/OBC or other reserved category, 45% aggregate is needed.
CAT Exam Structure & Syllabus
The CAT exam is divided into three sections:
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Quantitative Ability (QA)
Each section is timed for 40 minutes, with a total exam duration of 2 hours
CAT Important Topics
- Quantitative Aptitude: Average, Ratio, Mixture & Alligation, Profit & Loss, SI CI, Percentages, TSD & Time and Work, Geometry, Quadratic, Polynomials & Simple Equation, Progression and Series, Inequalities, Modulus & Functions, Logarithm, Surds & Indices, Probability and P&C, Number System, Venn Diagrams
- Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation: Puzzles, Graphs, Data Caselets, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Circular Arrangements, Linear Arrangements, Cubes, Venn Diagrams, Selection, Distribution, Games & Tournaments, Network Flow Diagrams, Binary Logics
- Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension: RC passages, Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd One Out, Science & Technology, Business & EconomicsArts, Society & Culture, History & Politics, Philosophy & Psychology.
CAT 2025 Syllabus – Exam Pattern
CAT 2025 Section
|
Questions
|
Time
|
Quantitative Ability
|
22
|
40
|
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
|
24
|
40
|
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation
|
22
|
40
|
Total
|
68
|
120
|
CAT Topics Weightages
- CAT Quants Syllabus 2025 and Weightage
The CAT Quantitative Ability section examines your mathematical abilities, problem-solving capabilities, and data interpretation: your preparation should focus on basic concepts, regular practicing of mock tests and previous years' papers, and the overall skill of problem-solving. The weighted average is 2 questions per subtopics.
- CAT VARC Syllabus 2025 and Weightage
CAT exam VARC syllabus 2025 is a section that has topics from reading comprehension genre and verbal ability. This section has a total of 24 questions. If you wish to get full marks in this section, you need to ensure you have covered all the important topics of VARC. RCs weightage is 16 question, Odd One Out 2 Questions, Para Summary 3 Questions, and Para Jumbles 3 Questions.
- CAT LR Syllabus 2025 and weightage
Logical reasoning section holds 16% weightage in CAT exam. This topic has 20 questions from which 10 are of logical reasoning while the other 10 are from DI. To prepare for this section, you can refer to youtube videos, practice solving different questions, and work on sharpening your cognitive skills.
Quick Preparation strategy for CAT
- Understand the basics
- Ensure you have calculation speed
- Practice Daily
- Analyse previous year questions
- Use chatgpt to generate most Probable questions
- Prepare for Easy sections first
- Take sectional mock tests
CAT Exam Centres
In 150+ cities CAT is conducted, like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, and many more. Students and aspirants from across the country can easily take this exam from all regions.
CAT Exam States and Cities:
S.No:
|
Name of the State
|
CAT Exam Cities
|
1
|
Andaman and Nicobar
|
Port Blair
|
2
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Guntur
|
3
|
Kakinada
|
4
|
Kurnool
|
5
|
Nellore
|
6
|
Rajahmundry
|
7
|
Tirupathi
|
8
|
Vijayawada
|
9
|
Visakhapatnam
|
10
|
Vizianagaram
|
11
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
Itanagar-Naharlagun
|
12
|
Assam
|
Dibrugarh
|
13
|
Guwahati
|
14
|
Jorhat
|
15
|
Silchar
|
16
|
Tezpur
|
17
|
Bihar
|
Gaya
|
18
|
Aurangabad-Bihar
|
19
|
Arrah
|
20
|
Bhagalpur
|
21
|
Darbhanga
|
22
|
Muzaffarpur
|
23
|
Patna
|
24
|
Chandigarh
|
Chandigarh
|
25
|
Chhattisgarh
|
Bhilai Nagar
|
26
|
Bilaspur
|
27
|
Raipur
|
28
|
Dadar and Nagar Haveli
|
Silvaasa
|
29
|
Goa
|
Panaji
|
30
|
Madgaon
|
31
|
Gujarat
|
Ahmedabad
|
32
|
Anand
|
33
|
Gandhinagar
|
34
|
Mehsana
|
35
|
Rajkot
|
36
|
Surat
|
37
|
Vadodara
|
38
|
Haryana
|
Ambala
|
39
|
Faridabad
|
40
|
Gurugram
|
41
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
Bilaspur
|
42
|
Shimla
|
43
|
Hamirpur
|
44
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
Jammu
|
45
|
Srinagar
|
46
|
Jharkhand
|
Dhanbad
|
47
|
Hazaribagh
|
48
|
Jamshedpur
|
49
|
Ranchi
|
50
|
Karnataka
|
Belagavi (Belgaum)
|
51
|
Bengaluru
|
52
|
Hubli-Dharwad
|
53
|
Kalaburagi (Gulbarga)
|
54
|
Mangaluru (Mangalore)
|
55
|
Mysuru (Mysore)
|
56
|
Shivamogga (Shimoga)
|
57
|
Udupi
|
58
|
Kerala
|
Kannur
|
59
|
Ernakulam
|
60
|
Kollam
|
61
|
Kottayam
|
62
|
Kozhikode
|
63
|
Thrissur
|
64
|
Trivandrum
|
65
|
Ladakh
|
Leh
|
66
|
Lakshadweep
|
Kavaratti
|
67
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
Bhopal
|
68
|
Gwalior
|
69
|
Indore
|
70
|
Jabalpur
|
71
|
Sagar
|
72
|
Satna
|
73
|
Ujjain
|
74
|
Maharashtra
|
Amravati
|
75
|
Ahmednagar
|
76
|
Aurangabad-MH
|
77
|
Bhiwandi
|
78
|
Boisar
|
79
|
Jalgaon
|
80
|
Kolhapur
|
81
|
Mumbai
|
82
|
Nagpur
|
83
|
Nanded
|
84
|
Nashik
|
85
|
Pune
|
86
|
Raigad
|
87
|
Satara
|
88
|
Solapur
|
89
|
Thane
|
90
|
Vasai
|
91
|
Manipur
|
Ukhrul
|
92
|
Meghalaya
|
Shillong
|
93
|
Mizoram
|
Aizawl
|
94
|
Nagaland
|
Kohima
|
95
|
New Delhi
|
New Delhi
|
96
|
Odisha
|
Balasore
|
97
|
Berhampur
|
98
|
Bhubaneswar
|
99
|
Cuttack
|
100
|
Dhenkanal
|
101
|
Rourkela
|
102
|
Sambalpur
|
103
|
Punjab
|
Bhatinda
|
104
|
Jalandhar
|
105
|
Ludhiana
|
106
|
Mohali
|
107
|
Patiala
|
108
|
Amritsar
|
109
|
Puducherry
|
Puducherry
|
110
|
Rajasthan
|
Ajmer
|
111
|
Bikaner
|
112
|
Jaipur
|
113
|
Jodhpur
|
114
|
Kota
|
115
|
Sikar
|
116
|
Udaipur
|
117
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Chennai
|
118
|
Coimbatore
|
119
|
Madurai
|
120
|
Salem
|
121
|
Tirunelveli
|
122
|
Tiruchirappalli
|
123
|
Vellore
|
124
|
Telangana
|
Hyderabad
|
125
|
Karimnagar
|
126
|
Warangal
|
127
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Agra
|
128
|
Aligarh
|
129
|
Bareilly
|
130
|
Ghaziabad
|
131
|
Gorakhpur
|
132
|
Greater Noida
|
133
|
Kanpur
|
134
|
Jhansi
|
135
|
Lucknow
|
136
|
Meerut
|
137
|
Moradabad
|
138
|
Muzaffarnagar
|
139
|
Prayagraj
|
140
|
Varanasi
|
141
|
Uttarakhand
|
Dehradun
|
142
|
Haldwani
|
143
|
Roorkee
|
146
|
West Bengal
|
Asansol
|
147
|
Bankura
|
148
|
Burdwan
|
149
|
Durgapur
|
150
|
Hooghly
|
151
|
Kalyani
|
152
|
Kolkata
|
153
|
Siliguri
|
If you are an aspiring candidate who wishes to study MBA at India’s best colleges, the CAT exam is your first step. Stay updated with the latest notifications, prepare with trusted resources like BYJU’S, and give yourself enough time to practice. With dedication and the right strategy, you can crack CAT and achieve your dream B-school admission.
CAT FAQs
Is the CAT syllabus PDF 2025 out?
No, because IIM does not release the syllabus officially. However, if you still want the syllabus pdf as per the previous year question paper, refer to the above comprehensive CAT syllabus and take screenshots.
In how many days can I prepare for the CAT exam for MBA?
A minimum of 3 months of consistent practice and study is needed to prepare well for CAT 2025.
Is the CAT syllabus for MBA different for IIM?
No, the syllabus is the same of all the colleges that are accepting CAT.
Is the CAT admit card important?
Yes. To take any exam, an admit card is needed. The CAT 2025 Admit Card is important for taking the CAT 2025 exam. A candidate needs to get the Admit Card printed and carry it to the exam center on the day of the CAT 2025 exam.
What is the CAT syllabus and pattern?
The common admission test 2025 has 3 sections, namely, Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The VARC section has 24 questions whereas the QA and LRDI section has 22 questions each. Each section in CAT 2025 has 40 mins time allotted because the exam duration is 120 minutes.
Does IIM release the CAT syllabus?
No. The syllabus of CAT is not officially released by IIMs. THe topics and all for CAT exam are decided as per the previous year’s exam pattern and question papers.
What To Know About CAT 2025 Exam Centre Entry?
To enter the CAT 2025 Exam centre, the candidate needs an admit card on which the photograph of the Candidate affixed will be checked with the photo on their physical Admit Card. The photograph on the hardcopy of the admit card must match the photo uploaded at the time of registration otherwise the entry won’t be granted.
What is the quantitative aptitude syllabus for CAT 2025?
The QA syllabus of CAT 2025 as per the previous year question paper analysis is as follows: Average, Ratio, Mixture & Alligation, Quadratic, Polynomials & Simple Equations, Logarithm, Surds & Indices, Profit & Loss, SI CI, Percentages, Probability and P&C, Venn Diagrams, Number System, Inequalities, Modulus & Functions, TSD & Time and Work, Progression and Series, and Geometry.
Is there an easy alternative to CAT 2025?
YES! CAT is not the only entrance exam for management courses. While the majority of the students fight for seats in only a few of the top colleges, candidates taking GMCAT (Global Management Common Aptitude Test) become eligible for top management colleges in India (private). For details about GMCAT exam, refer to this link: https://gmcat.org/
What are the different Programs Offered by IIMs?
IIMs
|
Programmes Offered
|
IIM Bangalore
|
PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA
|
IIM Amritsar
|
MBA, EMBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM
|
IIM Indore
|
PGP, PGP-HRM
|
IIM Kozhikode
|
PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP Kochi
|
IIM Bodh Gaya
|
PGP
|
IIM Calcutta
|
MBA
|
IIM Ahmedabad
|
PGP, PGP-FABM
|
IIM Jammu
|
MBA
|
IIM Jammu
|
Executive MBA (Blended Mode)
|
IM Jammu
|
PGP in Health Care Management (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu)
|
IIM Kashipur
|
MBA, MBA (Analytics), EMBA
|
IIM Jammu
|
PGP in Hospital Administration (Jointly with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu)
|
IIM Tiruchirappalli
|
PGPM, PGPM-HR, PGPBM
|
IIM Nagpur
|
PGP
|
IIM Raipur
|
PGP
|
IIM Visakhapatnam
|
PGP, PGPEX, PGPDGM
|
IIM Lucknow
|
PGP, PGP-ABM, PGP-SM
|
IIM Shillong
|
PGP, PGPEX, PGPWE
|
IIM Sirmaur
|
MBA, MBA (T&HM)
|
IIM Sambalpur
|
MBA, Executive MBA
|
IIM Rohtak
|
PGP, EPGPX, EPGDSM
|
IIM Udaipur
|
MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, PGDBA
|
IIM Ranchi
|
PGP, PGP-HRM, PGP (Business Analytics)
|