CAT Exam Pattern 2025: Check Marking Scheme & Weightage Distribution Structure

Overview: The CAT exam pattern 2025 is expected to be similar to CAT 2024, consisting of 68 questions. The CAT exam 2025, scheduled for 30 November 2025, will be conducted online by IIM Kozhikode. Read on to learn the CAT exam paper pattern and syllabus structure.

CAT Percentile Predictor 2024 [Check your Score Here]

• The CAT exam format for 2024 has had a few changes. The recent question paper had 68 questions, which is 2 more than the usual 66. 
• Some surprise elements, like 22 questions instead of 20 in the DILR section, were observed. Also, no para jumble questions were asked in the VARC section.

The CAT exam pattern 2025 has not changed the overall duration, which remains at 2 hours. Each section has a time limit of 40 minutes. Below are the CAT exam pattern and details for 2025:

What is CAT Exam Pattern for 2025?

The CAT exam 2025 will be conducted on 30th November by the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode. The CAT exam structure 2024 has shown some minor changes, which is also expected for CAT 2025 exam. 

There are majorly three major sections asked in the CAT question paper 2025: 

CAT Exam Sections	Number of Questions	Weightage (Marks)
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	72
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)	22	66
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	22	66f

Check: CAT Cut Off for IIMs

 Download Free Study Materials CAT Exam 2025 By SuperGrads

CAT Exam Pattern and Details: Changes Over the Years

There have been a lot of changes in the CAT exam paper pattern process in the past years. From 2014 to 2019, the total number of CAT questions was 100, and the overall score for the CAT 2025 exam pattern were 300.

Later, it changed to 76 questions in 2020, 66 from 2021 to 2023 and 68 questions in 2024. Here is the CAT exam question pattern and details over the years:

CAT Exam Year	Number of Questions in CAT Exam over the Years	CAT Exam Time Duration Over the Years	CAT Sections Over the Years
2024	68	120 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC
2023	66	120 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC
2022	66	120 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC
2021	66	120 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC
2020	76	120 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC
2019	100	180 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC
2018	100	180 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC
2017	100	180 minutes	QA, DILR, VARC

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Note* The CAT exam 2024 has 68 questions overall, 22 of which are asked in the DILR section, totalling 204 marks.

CAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section-Wise Marks Distribution

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a competitive exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission into their MBA programs. Expected Section-wise CAT paper pattern 2025 details are tabulated below:

CAT Exam Sections	Total No. of Questions	MCQs	Marks	Duration
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	21	72	40 min
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI & LR)	22	14	66	40 min
Quantitative Ability (QA)	22	14	66	40 min
Total	68	49	204	120 (2 hours)

The exam is highly difficult and requires a good knowledge of the CAT exam syllabus and the ability to solve complex problems.

Check out | How Many Times CAT Exam is Conducted in a Year?

Check Here| Direct Link to Download CAT 2025 Admit Card

CAT Exam Pattern 2025 - Marking Scheme

The CAT exam pattern 2025 consists of 68 questions that need to be completed in 2 hours. Each question carries negative markings, creating a high-stress level on test takes to choose the right option. 

Therefore, the aspirants need to practice mock tests before the main exam to know how to manage the time and speed during the exam. Here are some key points regarding the CAT marking scheme for 2024:

• The total score possible was 204.
• Each question is worth 3 marks.
• A penalty of -1 mark is applied for each incorrect answer.
• Candidates are not required to attempt every question.
• There is no penalty for skipping questions unanswered.
• Some questions are categorised as non-MCQs.
• Non-MCQ questions do not carry negative markings.

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Practising the CAT exam model paper or previous year's papers will be a plus for candidates who want to score in the top percentile in 2025.

CAT Sections	Number of Questions	Marks Per Question	CAT Negative Marking (Only MCQ)
VARC	24	3	-1
DILR	22	3	-1
Quantitative Aptitude	22	3	-1

Note* It is advised to attempt approximately 2/3rd of the questions in each section to clear the cutoff. To understand better the CAT exam marking scheme, refer to the below-mentioned table:

Also Check: CAT Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions

CAT Exam Pattern 2025 - Overall and Sectional Time Limit

The CAT exam consists of three sections: VARC, DILR, and QA. Each section is allotted 40 minutes, so candidates can only attempt it within that time frame. 

Once the time limit is over, the next section will automatically upgrade on the screen. Also, the CAT exam pattern 2025 follows the same flow of the sections VARC > DILR >> QA. 

Candidates will need to manage their time wisely, as each section requires focused attention and strategic planning. 

Note* You cannot switch over the sections instead you need to follow the sequence laid out in the exam.

Read More | CAT Syllabus Section-wise

Difference Between the CAT Exam Pattern and other MBA entrance exams?

Although all the MBA entrance exams share some common features, there are still some differences between them, such as XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT, NMAT, and SNAP. So, let’s have a look at the differences between the CAT exam pattern and other MBA entrance exams:

Exam Name	Time Duration	No. of Questions	Sections	Overall Score
CAT	120 minutes	68	3	204
XAT	180 minutes	95	4	95
CMAT	180 minutes	100	5	400
MAT	120 minutes	150	5	150
GMAT	187 minutes	70	4	200-800
NMAT	120 minutes	108	3	36-360
SNAP	60 minutes	60	3	60

Conclusion

The CAT exam pattern 2025 is expected to be similar to the CAT 2024 exam. To score well, you must understand the exam format and the nature of the questions. 

Familiarize yourself with the CAT 2025 expected paper pattern and syllabus to maximize your chances of scoring high. 

With the right preparation and practice, you can ace the CAT exam and achieve your desired score. Again, the PDF of the CAT exam paper pattern has not been released from any official source.

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