The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the gateway to the prestigious IIMs and top B-Schools in India. Every year, lakhs of students compete for MBA/PGDM seats, making CAT one of the toughest exams.
This page provides all essential details about CAT 2025—exam dates, registration, syllabus, eligibility, preparation, admit card, result, cut-offs, and more.
📌 What is CAT Exam?
The CAT (Common Admission Test) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis.
- Purpose: Admission to MBA/PGDM programs in IIMs and 1,200+ top B-Schools.
- Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT).
- Duration: 2 Hours (40 minutes per section).
- Sections:
- VARC – Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
- DILR – Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
- QA – Quantitative Ability
📅 CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
| Event | Expected Date (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| CAT 2025 Notification Release | July 2025 |
| CAT Registration Start Date | August 2025 |
| CAT Registration Last Date | September 2025 |
| CAT Admit Card Release | October 2025 |
| CAT 2025 Exam Date | November 2025 (last Sunday) |
| CAT Answer Key Release | December 2025 |
| CAT Result Announcement | January 2026 |
✨ CAT 2025 Exam Highlights
- Exam Level: National
- Conducting Body: IIM (to be announced)
- Mode of Exam: Computer-based
- Duration: 120 minutes
- Sections: VARC, DILR, QA
- Marking Scheme: +3 (correct), -1 (incorrect), 0 (unattempted)
- Accepting Institutes: All 21 IIMs + 1,200+ B-Schools
📝 CAT Registration 2025: Apply Here
- Mode: Online at iimcat.ac.in
- Steps to Apply:
- Register with email & mobile number.
- Fill application form (personal, academic, work experience).
- Upload documents (photo, signature, category certificate if applicable).
- Pay application fee online.
- Application Fee (Expected):
- General / OBC – ₹2,400
- SC / ST / PwD – ₹1,200
🎓 CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025
- Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD).
- Final Year Students: Eligible to apply.
- No Age Limit.
- Work Experience: Not mandatory.
📚 CAT 2025 Syllabus and Pattern
Exam Pattern
- Total Duration: 2 Hours (40 min per section).
- Total Questions: ~66 (varies year to year).
- Sections: VARC, DILR, QA.
- Question Types: MCQs + TITA (Type in the Answer).
Syllabus Breakdown
- VARC: Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Odd-One-Out, Para Summary.
- DILR: Graphs, Caselets, Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Data Sufficiency.
- QA: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Numbers, Modern Math.
📥 CAT Question Paper PDFs Download (Previous Years)
You can download CAT previous year question papers & official answer keys from the official site:
👉 CAT Previous Year Papers – IIMCAT
Practicing them is the best way to understand exam difficulty and improve speed.
🎯 CAT Exam Preparation 2025
- Start at least 6–12 months before exam.
- Build basics from NCERT (8th–10th) for QA.
- Read newspapers/editorials daily for VARC.
- Practice puzzles & caselets for DILR.
- Take 25–30 mock tests before exam.
- Analyze every mock thoroughly.
📖 Recommended Books:
- Arun Sharma (QA, DILR, VARC series)
- Word Power Made Easy – Norman Lewis
- Previous Year CAT Papers
🎟 CAT 2025 Admit Card
- Available at iimcat.ac.in in October 2025.
- Contains: Candidate details, exam center, shift timing, instructions.
- Carry: Admit Card + Valid Photo ID to the exam center.
🔑 CAT Answer Key 2025
- IIM releases provisional answer key in December 2025.
- Candidates can raise objections within 3–4 days.
- Final Answer Key published after verification.
📊 CAT 2025 Result and Scorecard PDF
- Expected Release: January 2026.
- Download from iimcat.ac.in using CAT ID & password.
- Scorecard contains sectional percentile + overall percentile.
🎯 IIM CAT Cut Offs
- IIM Ahmedabad / Bangalore / Calcutta: 99+ percentile.
- New IIMs (Shillong, Ranchi, Trichy, etc.): 92–95 percentile.
- Other B-Schools (FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, IMT, TAPMI): 85–98 percentile.
🏫 Top Colleges Accepting CAT Exam Score
- All 21 IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, etc.)
- FMS Delhi
- SPJIMR Mumbai
- MDI Gurgaon
- IMT Ghaziabad
- IIT MBA Programs (Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur, etc.)
- TAPMI Manipal, Great Lakes, LIBA, and more
☎️ IIMCAT Contact Information
- Official Website: iimcat.ac.in
- Helpdesk Email: cathelpdesk@iimcat.ac.in
- Phone: 1-800-209-0830 (Toll-Free)
❓ Important FAQs on CAT 2025
Q1. How many times can I take CAT?
👉 Unlimited attempts, once per year.
Q2. Is calculator allowed in CAT?
👉 Only on-screen calculator provided.
Q3. Can I edit my CAT application after submission?
👉 Only limited fields (like photo/signature) can be edited during correction window.
Q4. What is a good attempt in CAT?
👉 Around 40–45 questions with high accuracy.
Q5. Does CAT have a fixed syllabus?
👉 No official syllabus, but based on previous years’ question trends.
🌟 Final Words
CAT is challenging but crackable with discipline, practice, and smart strategy. Start early, focus on basics, practice mocks, and stay consistent. With the right preparation, your MBA dream at an IIM or top B-School can come true!