Latest CAT Syllabus 2025: Section-wise Topics

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode is all set to conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) on November 30 this year. Aspirants who are planning to appear for the upcoming IIM MBA entrance exam are advised to refer to the CAT syllabus 2025. With the help of the CAT 2025 syllabus, candidates can get an idea of the topics based on which questions are asked.

The competition for the CAT exam is exceptionally high, making it crucial to understand the CAT entrance exam syllabus and develop a successful roadmap for gaining admission to your preferred MBA college. This blog breaks down the exam structure of the CAT and helps you understand the importance of the exam, how to prepare for it, and the approach you need to clear it. Let’s get straight into it.

CAT 2025: Common Admission Test for Your Not-So-Common Management Dreams

If you are a management aspirant who is looking to take admission into the prestigious MBA programmes across India, you surely must have heard of the CAT examination. The Common Admission Test is a national-level entrance exam that students across India take to become eligible for admission into top B-schools and other prestigious management institutions.

Latest CAT Syllabus 2025: Section-wise Topics

As per the CAT entrance exam syllabus, a total of three different sections assess your knowledge and accuracy in the CAT exam, which ultimately declares your eligibility for admission to the MBA programme. The three sections assess your logical and analytical abilities, timed for 40 minutes each, and the total duration of the examination is 120 minutes. The three sections are highly distinct from each other, so based on the examination, your knowledge in different domains can be assessed, which would deem you fit or unfit for admission into the MBA programmes.

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  The first, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), is the basic test of your comprehension of the English language, grammar, sentence construction, vocabulary, etc., along with analysing your ability to understand written messages. The section is all about checking your language ability, interpretation skills, and how well you write under pressure.
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  The second section is Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, also called DILR. This section is also a favourite of many students since it helps you score easily if you have knowledge and accuracy. This section contains charts, tables, graphs, and logical-puzzle problems that help analyse how quickly and accurately you can handle large amounts of data and derive logical and accurate conclusions from them.
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  The third section is Quantitative Ability, or QA, which actually makes a huge difference when separating the students who qualified for the examination from those who did not, since it is essentially about mathematics. It consists of topics like geometry, number systems, arithmetic, modern maths, etc. The section checks your calculation speed, accuracy, numerical ability, etc., and how accurately and efficiently you are able to solve tricky mathematical problems.

CAT Exam Syllabus: List of Topics Covered

There are a total of 66 questions, and each question is worth three marks. There is -1 for the wrong answer. 

How to Prepare for the CAT 2025 Examination

First, it’s vital to know the exam’s purpose, format, and rewards for passing.

Upon clearing the CAT examination, students are eligible to take admission into their desired MBA colleges. However, removing the exam is not as easy as it seems. One needs to be fully prepared with months of preparation to qualify for this exam, which lakhs of management aspirants take. Let’s break down the roadmap for CAT 2025, which can help you clear the exam and manage your stress.

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  Firstly, familiarise yourself with the CAT examination by understanding the syllabus and examination pattern.
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  Start studying for the CAT exam and analyse your strengths and weaknesses.
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  Start with your basics and then gradually move into the complex problems.
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  Remember, it is important to revise the concepts so that you are easily able to build your accuracy and consistency and manage time effectively.
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  Focus on various topics of each section so that you’re able to have advanced knowledge of these topics over time. Refer to best books for CAT exam.
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  Keep practising and take the help of full-length mock tests that can help you analyse your performance and also help you manage your time effectively, which will be very essential when you appear for your final CAT examination.
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  Do not take stress. Stay confident and calm, and focus on your goals. Keep working on your strengths and improve your weak areas.
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  Do not overwhelm yourself. Rather, break down the syllabus into easily attempted sections and practise in exam-like conditions so that you do not panic on the final exam day.

Also Read: Missed the CAT Cutoff? Explore These Career‑Focused Online Courses

CAT Dates: Registration and Fee

As already discussed, the CAT 2025 examination will be conducted on November 30. As for the current cycle, 2025–2026, the official notification for the CAT 2025 exam was released on July 27, 2025. The application form opened on August 1, 2025, and the registration deadline closes on September 13, 2025.

CAT Application Fee

The application fee structure for the CAT examination is listed below. The fee is different for different categories. It is also non-refundable once paid.

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  General/NC-OBC/EWS category – INR 2,400
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  SC / ST / PwD category — INR 1,200

Takeaway

The CAT Examination is a national-level entrance exam held for admission into MBA and PGDM programs in the top B-Schools of India, including IIM or the Indian Institute of Management. The exam duration is around 2 hours, with three different sections that assess the ability of a student to be an MBA student. Held usually once a year in late November, the CAT exam is a prestigious opportunity for all those students who wish to enter the top management programmes in India.