CAT Subjects 2025: Download Subject Wise Syllabus with Weightage

Overview: The CAT exam pattern trend analysis tells us that the CAT subjects have remained the same for the past nine years. These are the subjects in CAT exam for MBA consisting of three main sections: Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR).

The CAT 2025 Subjects for MBA will help you understand the whole CAT exam syllabus and hence will help increase your chances of succeeding in the CAT entrance examination.
Let’s look in details about the CAT exam subjects list in all the sections listed in the article below!

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How Many CAT Subjects 2025 (Sections) are There in the Exam?

The following are the three CAT 2025 Subjects list (sections) from which the questions are asked in the CAT exam: 

• Quantitative Ability (QA)
• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

CAT Exam Subjects 2025 - Overview

Section	Duration	No. of MCQs	No. of non MCQs	Total
VARC	40 minutes	20	4	24
DI LR	40 minutes	12	8	20
QA	40 minutes	14	8	22
Total	2 hours	46	20	66

• The CAT Exam is a 2-hour exam, which will likely stay that way for CAT 2025.
• Like the previous year, the CAT exam will be conducted in three sessions—morning, afternoon, and evening.
• While the papers vary in these sessions, the scores are normalized to ensure fairness. The exam comprises three CAT subjects— Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DI/LR) and Quantitative Ability (QA).
• There are 66 questions in total. 46 are Multiple-Choice questions (MCQs), with four answer choices, one of which is correct.
• Twenty are non-MCQ questions of the Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) kind.
• For MCQs, a correct answer earns three marks, while a wrong answer results in a deduction of one mark. However, TITA questions do not have negative markings.
• A simple, on-screen calculator is provided for the QA and DI/LR sections.
• Any Bachelor’s degree holder (with 50% at least marks) and any candidate in the final year of their graduation can write CAT.

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QA Sample Questions for CAT Exam

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CAT Subjects for MBA 2025 - Quantitative Aptitude

Quantitative Ability is one of the CAT exam subjects for an MBA, where you are tested on the basis of your Math skills.

The subjects in the CAT exam list contain an array of aptitude topics like Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry, etc.

Understanding the concept and the ability to pick up quick-to-do Math questions can boost your chances of scoring well in this section of the CAT Exam.

Check | CAT Previous year question papers here

Here is the list of topics that you must cover in this CAT exam subjects in Quantitative Aptitude:

CAT Subject Maths Topics	CAT Subject Maths Sub-Topics
Number System	Prime Factorization,
	Divisibility Rules,
	Finding Units place and tens place of a number,
	LCM and HCF,
	Indices and Surds,
	Cyclicity,
	Remainders,
	Base Change
	Factorial.
Arithmetic	Simple Interest and Compound Interest,
	Time, Distance and Speed,
	Mixtures and Allegations,
	Ratios, Proportions and Variations,
	Time and Work,
	Pipes and Cisterns,
	Percentages
	Averages,
	Profit and Loss
Geometry	Circles,
	Polygons,
	Triangles,
	Trigonometry,
	Lines and Angles,
	Coordinate Geometry
Algebra	Functions and Groups,
	Inequalities and Modulus,
	Logarithms,
	Maxima and Minima,
	Polynomials,
	Linear and Quadratic Equations,
	Algebraic Identities
Modern Mathematics	Probability,
	Permutations and Combinations,
	Set Theory
	Venn Diagram,
	AP, GP, HP
	Binomial theore

Check | CAT Exam Registration 2025

General Trend of Past 4 Years in QA - Topic Wise

Segment	Topic	2023				2022				2021				2020
		Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Total	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Total	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Total	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Total
Arithmetic	Ratios, Mixtures, Averages	3	3	3	9	6	4	5	15	5	3	4	12	3	2	4	9
	Percents, Profits, SICI	2	3	3	8	2	2	1	5	3	3	4	10	3	3	3	9
	Speed, Time, Distance, Races	3	1	1	5	1	1	3	5	1	1	1	3	4	4	3	11
	Pipes, Cisterns, Work, Time	1	1	2	4	0	1	2	3	2	2	2	6	0	1	1	2
Algebra	Linear and Quadratic	3	2	2	7	1	2	3	6	0	1	1	2	2	4	2	8
	Progressions	2	1	2	5	1	2	0	3	1	2	1	4	1	1	0	2
	Polynomials	2	2	1	5	2	0	0	2	1	2	1	4	0	1	0	1
	Inequalities	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	3	0	1	0	1
	Functions	0	0	1	1	3	2	2	7	1	1	1	3	1	1	1	3
	Logarithms and Exponents	1	2	3	6	0	1	1	2	1	1	1	3	4	1	4	9
Geometry	Geometry	2	2	2	6	0	3	3	6	3	2	1	6	1	3	1	5
	Co-Geo	1	1	0	2	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	3
	Mensuration	0	0	1	1	2	0	0	2	0	1	3	4	2	1	0	3
	Trigonometry	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
NT and Modern Maths	Combinatorics	1	0	0	1	1	2	0	3	1	1	0	2	0	0	1	1
	Digits	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	2	1	1	4	4	2	2	8
	Factorials	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Factors	1	2	1	4	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2
	Remainders	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Set Theory	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1

Refer | CAT Exam Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Solution

DILR Sample Questions for CAT Exam

CAT Subjects for MBA 2025 - Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation

DILR is one of the three CAT exam subjects for MBA that tests your analytical skills by challenging you with different kinds of puzzles, graphs, images and charts.

This CAT 2025 subjects is also designed so that you are tested with various real business-oriented cases to check your logic.

Know the CAT subjects list and sub-topics in Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation as per the CAT Syllabus 2025:

LRDI Topics	LRDI Sub-Topics
DI Topics	1. Tables
	2. Data Caselets – Reasoning-Based DI
	3. Column Graphs
	4. Bar Graphs
	5. Venn Diagrams
	6. Line Charts
	7. Pie Charts
	8. Scatter Plot
	9. Radar Chart
	10. Routes and Network
	11. Bubble Chart
LR Topics	1. Binary Logic
	2. Games and Tournaments
	3. Arrangements
	4. Team Formations
	5. Order and Ranking

Check | List of CAT Exam Centres

General Trend of Past 4 Years in DILR- Topic Wise

Topics	CAT 2020			CAT 2021			CAT 2022			CAT 2023
	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3
Routes and Networks	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	5	-	-	-	5
Tables	-	10	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	5	5	5
Scheduling, Optimization and Allocation	6	6	6	4	-	-	5	-	5	10	-	-
Bar Graphs	-	-		4	4	-	-	-	5	-	-	-
Grids	10	8	6	6		-	-	-	5	5	5	5
Arrangements	-		6	6	6	5	-	-	-		-
Word Puzzle	-	-	4	-	4	6	-	-	-	-	-	-
Games and Tournaments	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Math Puzzles	-	-	4	-	-	4		5	5	-	5	5
Venn Diagrams	8	-	4	-	-	-	5	5	-	-	-	-
Pie Charts/Doughnut Charts	-		-	-		-		-	-	-	-	-
Scatter Plot	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	-	-	-
Coding/Decoding	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Radar Chart	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Gnatt Chart	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-		5	-

Learn More | How to Prepare Data Interpretation For CAT 2025 Exam?

Read more: CAT Cut Off Marks

CAT Subjects for MBA 2025 - Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

The VARC is one of the CAT exam subjects for an MBA, which is designed to test whether you have the practical communication skillset to become a business enthusiast or to enter the corporate world.

This is done by assessing you in terms of English language, Reading Comprehension, Grammar, etc.

A good hold in this CAT 2025 subjects list for MBA requires you to improve VARC, have a keen understanding of language, and have critical reading skills.

PRO TIP: Involve yourself in good reading practice with an ability to understand and comprehend the passages.

Also Check | List of CAT Preparation Books in 2025

VARC Sample Questions for CAT Exam

Also check: CAT Exam Analysis Section Wise

The topics you need to study and practice for the CAT exam subjects, specifically for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, are: 

S.No.	Important Topics for CAT Subjects
1	English Usage or Grammar
2	Vocabulary-Based (Synonyms/ Antonyms)
3	Fill in the blanks
4	Sentence Correction
5	Cloze Passage
6	Jumbled Paragraph
7	Meaning-Usage Match
8	Analogies or Reverse Analogies
9	Summary Questions
10	Verbal Reasoning
11	Facts-Inferences-Judgments
12	Reading Comprehension

Check | CAT Exam Previous Papers

General Trend of Past 4 Years in VARC- Topic Wise

Topics	2023	2022	2021	2020
Reading Comprehension	16	16	16	18
Para Summary	2	3	3	3
Para Jumble	2	3	3	3
Odd One Out	2	0	2	2
Sentence Placement	2	2	0	0
Total	24	24	24	26

Learn More | How to improve reading comprehension for CAT Exam 2025?

Conclusion

Understanding the important CAT Exam Subjects list 2025 is a great way to prepare for the exam.

The list thoroughly covers the topics covered in the exam and offers valuable advice on approaching them. With the right preparation and dedication, anyone can ace the CAT exam.

Check | CAT Exam Eligibility