CAT Syllabus 2025: Detailed Section-wise Exam Pattern, VARC, DILR & QA Topics

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) annually to facilitate admissions into prestigious postgraduate and doctoral-level management programs. As a computer-based test managed by IIMs on a rotational basis, the CAT does not officially publish a fixed syllabus. However, historical trends show that the examination focuses on concepts rooted in secondary school mathematics and English comprehension. This guide provides an in-depth analysis of the core subjects and topics tested in the CAT examination based on recent trends.

CAT Exam Syllabus 2025 and Exam Pattern

A strategic preparation approach is essential to master the CAT exam format and gain conceptual clarity. In this article, we break down the CAT Exam Syllabus 2025, covering Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). The examination consists of 66 questions worth 198 marks, with a total duration of 2 hours (120 minutes).

CAT Syllabus 2025- Highlights
Exam Conducting Body	Indian Institute of Management (IIM)
Exam Name	Common Admission Test (CAT 2025)
Category	Syllabus
Examination Mode	Online Computer-Based Test
Eligibility	Graduate
Courses Offered	Post Graduate and Fellow/Doctorate programmes
Name of the Section	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Duration of the CAT Exam	2 Hours (120 Minutes)
Section-wise Duration	40 Minutes for Each Section (VARC, DILR, QA). 53 Minutes 20 Seconds for PwD candidates for each section.
Slot-wise Session	Slot 1: 8:30 am - 10:30 pm (Morning Session) Slot 2: 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm (Afternoon Session) Slot 3: 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm (Evening Session)
Number of Questions	66 Questions
CAT exam total marks	198 marks
Marking Scheme	For every right answer, +3 will be awarded For every wrong answer in MCQs, -1 will be deducted No negative marks for Non-MCQs
Validity of CAT score	1 year
Official website	www.iimcat.ac.in

CAT Exam Pattern 2025

Before diving into the subject-specific syllabus, it is crucial to understand the CAT Exam Pattern. Refer to the table below for a concise overview of the exam structure.

CAT Exam Pattern 2025
Number of sections	3
Duration of exam	40 minutes per section
Number of questions	66
Total marks	198
Language of question paper	English
Number of answer choices	4

CAT Section Wise Exam Pattern

Review the section-wise examination breakdown for the CAT paper in the table below:

CAT Section	Questions	Maximum Marks
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	22	66
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	20	60
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	24	72
Total	66	198

CAT Exam Syllabus 2025

Once you are familiar with the exam structure, you can deep-dive into the section-wise syllabus. The CAT syllabus 2025 is organized into three major areas: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.

CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus 2025

The VARC section is designed to test your communication and analytical skills, consisting of two primary sub-parts: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension.

CAT VARC Syllabus 2025
Fill in the blanks	Para Completion and inference	Verbal Logic
Verbal Reasoning	Subject-verb agreement	Para jumbles
Sentence completion	Foreign language words used in English	Different usage of the same word
Grammar	Reading Comprehension	Idioms
Syllogisms	Analogies	Antonyms
Jumbled paragraphs	Sentence correction	One word substitution
Parts of speech	Preposition	Types of Clauses
Phrases Modifiers	Errors in tenses	Articles usage

The topic-wise questions in CAT VACR are given in the table below.

Topics	Number of questions expected
Para-Jumbles	2-4
Sentence Completion & Correction	2-3
Odd Sentences	1-2
Others (Fill in the blanks, Vocabulary Based, etc.)	1-2

CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Syllabus 2025

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) forms the second pivotal section of the CAT examination. This section is categorized into two distinct sub-sections: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Explore the essential topics you need to master to excel in this section.

CAT DILR Syllabus 2025
Blood Relations	Clocks and Calendars	Syllogism
Series	Statements	Venn Diagram
Proposition	Data Arrangement	Data Structures
Direction Sense	Family Tree	Tables
Coding-Decoding	Binary Logic	Pie Charts
Assumptions	Seating Arrangement	Data Sufficiency
Puzzles	Sets & Caselets	Bars & Line Graphs

The number of expected questions from the topics in the CAT DILR Section is given below:

Topics	Total Number of Questions
Graph, Bar diagram	6-8
Tables & Charts	5-8
Graphs, Charts	7-10
Tables, Pie chart	4-5

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2025

Quantitative Aptitude is the final section of the CAT question paper, typically allocated the final 40 minutes of the exam. Review our curated list of high-priority topics and strategic tips for this section below.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2025
Geometry	Ratios and Proportion	Inequalities
Trigonometry	In-equations Quadratic and linear equations	Work and Time
Algebra	Surds and Indices	Percentages
Mensuration	Time-Speed-Distance	Logarithms
Partnership (Accounts)	Number System	Square Root and Cube Root
Profit & Loss	Geometric Progression	Probability
Mean, mode, median	Binomial theorem	Simple interest and compound interest

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2025
Topics	Sub Topics
Arithmetic	Averages Mean Median Mode Percentages Ratio and Proportion Simple and Compound Interest Profit and Loss Mixtures and Allegations Time and Work Time Speed and Distance
Algebra	Basics Algebraic Formulae Linear Equations Problems on ages Number of integer solutions Quadratic Equations, Finding out roots Maxima and Minima, Higher Degree Equations Descartes Rule of Signs Inequalities, Logarithm Functions, Modifications of Graphs The Smallest Value in a Maximum Function
Number System	Basics of Numbers, Properties of Numbers Divisibility Rules, Divisibility and Factors Highest Common Factor and Lowest Common Multiple Finding Out the Last Digit Finding Out Last Two Digits Number of Trailing Zeroes Finding out Remainders based on Basic Divisibility Rules Binomial Theorem Simplifying the Dividend (Single and/or Multiple Divisors) Fermat’s Theorem Euler’s Theorem Pattern Recognition and Cyclicity of Remainders Wilson’s Theorem, Base Systems Conversion of Bases Addition / Subtraction / Multiplication in different bases
Geometry	Lines and Angles Triangles – Basic Concepts, Area, Angles, Similar Triangles Polygons, Circles, Solids / Mensuration – 3D Geometry Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry
Modern Maths	Sequence and Series Binomial Theorem Set Theory Permutation and Combination Probability

The number of topics and expected questions in CAT QA Section 

Topics	Total Number of Questions
Arithmetic Questions	10-12
Geometry & Mensuration	7-8
Algebra	6-7
Number System	4-5
Others	2-3

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