January 24, 2025
Overview: Understanding the CAT Syllabus 2025 is the first step in making the study plan for the CAT 2025 exam. Here, let’s scroll down and learn the section-wise CAT 2025 syllabus and weightage for the CAT exam!
Read the CAT exam pattern and syllabus here and download the CAT exam syllabus 2025 PDF below!
What is the CAT exam Syllabus for an MBA? The Indian Institute of Management conducts the CAT exam every year in November. The CAT 2025 is all set to be conducted on 30th November 2025 by IIM Kozhikode.
Along with the CAT notification 2025, the IIM also releases the CAT Exam Syllabus for MBA aspirants. This CAT detailed syllabus 2025 revolves around the three sections including:
You can download the CAT Syllabus PDF and prepare for the important topics for CAT 2025.
The VARC is the first section of the CAT syllabus 2025, with around 24 questions. The difficulty level of this section is moderate to difficult. To clear the sectional and overall cutoff, you need to be familiar with the key topics of the CAT English Syllabus 2025.
Here are some of the main CAT VARC syllabus topics to focus on:
S.No. |
Important Topics |
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 |
Also Read: CAT QA Question with Answers
The CAT VARC section comprises four key areas: Reading Comprehension, Parajumbles, Verbal Ability, and Sentence Completion. It's important to note that this VARC Syllabus for CAT has no grammar-based questions.
The format and composition of the VARC section typically remain consistent each year. Based on last year's CAT paper, the weightage and difficulty levels of these areas can be summarised as follows:
VARC Topics for CAT |
No. of Questions in the CAT Exam |
Level of Difficulty |
Reading Comprehension |
16 |
Moderate to Difficult |
VA-Para jumbles |
3 |
Moderate to Difficult |
VA-Odd Sentence |
2 |
Easy to Moderate |
VA-Summary |
3 |
Easy to Moderate |
Overall |
24 |
Moderate to Difficult |
Know More: CAT Exam Fees for Different Categories
Check | What to do after the CAT exam?
Familiarity with the passages from the previous year will help you prepare for the CAT 2025. Each slot asks about four to five RC passages, asking 12-14 questions. The passages are asked from different fields like economy, current affairs, history, entertainment and more.
Here are some of the previous year's RC passages to know:
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Read More: CAT Marking Scheme Distribution
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Check | How to prepare for logical reasoning for CAT 2025?
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Know More: CAT Score vs Percentile
What is the CAT Syllabus for the DILR section? Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning is the second section of the CAT syllabus 2025. Although, till 2023, around 20 questions were asked from this section, in 2024, the total number of questions changed to 22. These questions need to be completed in 40 minutes.
To get a good score in the DILR section, take a look at the important topics for CAT 2025:
DI Topics |
Tables |
Data Caselets – Reasoning-Based DI |
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Column Graphs |
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Bar Graphs |
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Venn Diagrams |
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Line Charts |
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Pie Charts |
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Scatter Plot |
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Radar Chart |
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Routes and Network |
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Bubble Chart |
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LR Topics |
Binary Logic |
Games and Tournaments |
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Arrangements |
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Team Formations |
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Order and Ranking |
Check: CAT Previous Year Cut off Marks
Data Interpretation (DI) questions focus on tables and graphs, while Logical Reasoning (LR) encompasses a variety of topics, including verbal, non-verbal, and abstract reasoning. Below is the basic structure of the DILR section of CAT, along with the difficulty levels from previous papers.
Section |
No. of Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
Data Interpretation |
4 |
Easy |
Data Interpretation |
6 |
Moderate |
Logical Reasoning |
6 |
Moderate to Difficult |
Logical Reasoning |
6 |
Easy to Moderate |
Overall |
22 |
Moderate to Difficult |
The QA is the most difficult yet scoring section of the CAT syllabus 2025. Grabbing a good hold on the topics of the CAT Quant Syllabus will help you score well in the CAT 2025 exam.
Here are some of the major topics of the CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2025
Quants Syllabus for CAT 2025 |
CAT 2025 Syllabus for Quants Sub-Topics |
CAT Number System Syllabus |
Prime Factorization |
Divisibility Rules |
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Finding Units place and tens place of a number |
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LCM and HCF |
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Indices and Surds |
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Cyclicity |
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Remainders |
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Base Change |
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Factorial |
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CAT Arithmetic Syllabus |
Simple Interest and Compound Interest |
Time, Distance and Speed |
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Mixtures and Allegations |
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Ratios, Proportions and Variations |
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Time and Work |
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Pipes and Cisterns |
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Percentages |
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Averages |
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Profit and Loss |
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CAT Geometry Syllabus |
Circles |
Polygons |
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Triangles |
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Trigonometry |
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Lines and Angles |
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Coordinate Geometry |
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CAT Algebra Syllabus |
Functions and Groups |
Inequalities and Modulus |
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Logarithms |
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Maxima and Minima |
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Polynomials |
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Linear and Quadratic Equations |
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Algebraic Identities |
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CAT Modern Mathematics Syllabus |
Probability |
Permutations and Combinations |
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Set Theory |
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Venn Diagram |
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AP, GP, HP |
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Binomial theorem |
Also, Check: How to download CAT Admit Card
The CAT Quantitative Aptitude section usually has tough questions that involve a lot of calculations. Since the CAT is a timed test, good mental math skills can really help candidates solve problems faster and more accurately.
So, along with general CAT study prep, candidates need to practice their mental math to do well in this part of the exam.
Topic |
No. of Questions |
Level of Difficulty |
Arithmetic |
8-10 |
Moderate to High |
Algebra |
5-7 |
Moderate to High |
Geometry |
1-3 |
Moderate to High |
Modern Maths |
2-4 |
Moderate to High |
Overall |
22 |
Moderate to High |
Explore: CAT Exam Centres
After knowing the CAT 2025 syllabus, it is important to familiarise yourself with the CAT paper pattern. The CAT exam structure 2024 has shown some minor changes, which are also expected for the 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 |
66 |
Find Out: List of CAT Subjects
To ace your CAT exam 2025 with good marks and percentile, it is essential to have a good preparation strategy and study material.
Here are some good free resources that you can choose and help form to boost your preparation:
Check | CAT 2025 Exam Maths Syllabus
The CAT 2025 syllabus is very vast. Thus, the candidates need to be specific and should have good strategies to prepare for the CAT syllabus 2025:
Read More: CAT Slot Timings
Finally, knowing the CAT syllabus 2025 and sectional topics will help you prepare accordingly. The CAT 2025 exam syllabus for all three sections is vast and needs a proper study plan to prepare for the main exam day.
We have listed the significant topics of the CAT 2025 syllabus for MBA and their weightage. You can make a good study plan based on it. Good luck with your exam!
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