CAT 2025: Complete Guide to Exam Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus & Preparation
Updated: 1 September 2025, 5:44 pm IST
Introduction
The CAT (Common Admission Test) is one of India’s most difficult exams, as affirmed by past trends. In 2024, there were only 14 100-percentilers among the 2.93 lakh candidates who appeared. This indicates the high level of competition and difficulty of the exam, along with the need to plan and prepare thoroughly.
Read this detailed guide to learn about the important dates, eligibility criteria, syllabus, registration process, exam format, and more for thorough preparation for CAT 2025.
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CAT Exam: Purpose and Important Dates
The CAT is an entrance examination conducted annually at the national level for securing admission to postgraduate, doctorate, or fellow programmes at different IIMs (Indian Institute of Management). CAT scores are also accepted by non-IIM institutions, provided they are registered as official member institutions.
Important Dates:
Here are the important dates for CAT 2025:
Date | Event |
Registration Starts | 1st August, 2025 (10:00 a.m. onwards- Indian Standard Time) |
Registration Closes | 13th September, 2025 (till 5:00 p.m.- IST) |
Admit Card Download | 5th November to 30th November, 2025 |
CAT 2025 Exam Date | 30th November, 2025 |
Declaration of Results (tentative) | January 2026, first week |
What are the Eligibility Criteria for CAT 2025?
Before filling in the application form, you should know the following CAT eligibility criteria for 2025 and ensure you meet them: - - -
Educational Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree awarded by an accredited institution or university, with the following minimum requirements:
Category | Minimum Marks |
| 50% |
| 45% |
Professional Degrees
The following professional degrees are accepted, provided the minimum marks are met.
CA (Chartered Accountant)
ICWA (Institute of Cost and Works Accountants)
CS (Company Secretary), or
An FIAI (Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India)
Final Year Students
You can apply even in your final year of study, but admission remains provisional until proof of degree completion is submitted.
Age Limit for CAT
None
What is the CAT 2025 Syllabus?
The CAT exam has no fixed syllabus. You can take the mock test to understand the exam pattern and question types. Regularly check the CAT website for updates on mock tests. The section-wise syllabus of the CAT 2025 exam to help you plan your preparation strategy is as follows:
VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)
VARC Topics | |||
Tense Errors | Antonyms | Idioms | Clause Types |
Paragraph Completion and Interpretation | Sentence Correction | Subject-Verb Correction | Foreign-origin Words in English |
Phrasal Verbs | Syllogisms | Jumbled Paragraphs | Grammar |
Parts of Speech | Sentence Completion | Phrases Modifiers | Preposition |
Sentence Completion | Reading Comprehension | Article Usage | Analogies |
One Word Substitution | Verbal Reasoning | Word Usage in Context | -- |
DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning)
DI Topics |
Pie Charts |
Tables |
Quant-based DI |
Line and Bar Graphs |
LR Topics | ||||
Circular Arrangements | Cubes | Linear Arrangements | Venn Diagrams | Selection |
Network Flow Diagrams | Distribution | Binary Logics | Games and Tournaments | Blood Relations |
Direction Sense | Assumptions | Seating Arrangements | Data Sufficiency | Puzzles |
Coding-Decoding | Data Structure | Statements | Series | Clocks and Calendars |
Sets and Caselets | -- | -- | -- | -- |
QA (Quantitative Aptitude)
Logarithms | Probability | Trigonometry | Profit and Loss | Permutation and Combination |
Mean, Median, Mode | Linear Equations | Quadratic Equations | Number System | Binomial Theorem |
Simple and Compound Interest | Ratio & Proportion | Time-Speed-Distance | Partnership | Surds and Indices |
Inequalities | Mensuration | Geometry | Work and Time | Geometric Progression |
Percentages | Cube and Square Roots | -- | -- | -- |
IIM-Kozhikode will be administering the CAT 2025 exam, whose format is as follows:
Exam Component | Details |
Total Marks | 204 |
Total Questions | 68 |
VARC Questions | 24 |
DILR Questions | 22 |
QA Questions | 22 |
Mode | CBT (Computer-Based Test) |
Total Duration | 120 minutes |
Sectional Duration | For non-PwD candidates: 40 minutes For PwD candidates: 53 minutes and 20 seconds |
Marks Awarded for Correct Answer | +3 |
Marks Deducted for Incorrect Responses in MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) | -1 |
Marks Deducted for Incorrect Responses in TITA (Type in the Answer) | None |
Number of Sessions | Three sessions, as follows:
|
CAT 2025 Registration Process: Steps, Fee, and System Requirements
Registering for the CAT 2025 exam requires you to follow a few quick, simple steps as follows:
Visit the official website.
Fill in the necessary details to get your user ID and password.
Use the user ID and password to log in to complete the application process.
Pay the application fee online, according to your category, to submit your application successfully.
Note: No corrections are allowed once the registration process is complete. Thus, you should be careful throughout the entire process:
Application Fee
Here is the category-wise application fee:
Category | Application Fee |
| Rs. 2600 |
| Rs. 1300 |
System Requirements
There are certain system requirements for a smooth application process completion, including:
Browser Requirements | Minimum Device Requirements |
|
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CAT 2025 Preparation Tips
Here are some preparation tips to help you effortlessly ace the exam:
Create a Balanced Study Plan
A proper study plan, dedicating sufficient time to each section, getting enough sleep, and taking breaks are crucial.
Attempt Mock Tests
Taking mock tests on reliable platforms and analysing your performance in them will help you understand your strong and weak areas.
Practice Time Management
To improve your response speed, practise regular time management using a timer or timed mock tests.
Avoid Monotony in Preparation
Prepare topics from each section daily to ensure variety in preparation and reduce monotony.
Solve Past Papers
Past papers help assess your knowledge level and understand the question paper pattern.
Revise Regularly
Revisiting the topics studied is essential for strong conceptual clarity and better recall.
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Conclusion
Clearing the CAT exam requires an in-depth knowledge of the syllabus, its format, and other essential requirements. With the detailed, important information mentioned here, you have all the prerequisites in one place for a structured preparation strategy. Additionally, the tips listed will help boost your chances of clearing the CAT 2025 exam.
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