The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 successfully concluded for 2.95 lakh candidates . The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode administered the nationwide computer-based examination. Officials anticipate releasing the provisional CAT 2025 answer key during the first week of December 2025 .
CAT 2025 serves as a national entrance examination. Scores enable admissions into Master of Business Administration (MBA), Post Graduate Programme (PGP), and other management courses. All 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) accept CAT scores. Numerous other prominent business schools (B-schools) across India also rely on CAT results. The examination was conducted in three separate sessions.
Exam Format and Marking Scheme
The CAT 2025 question paper contained 66 questions . Candidates answered these across three distinct sections. These included Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
The official marking scheme awarded three marks for each correct answer. One mark was deducted for every incorrect response to Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). No penalty applied to incorrect answers for Non-MCQ (Type In The Answer) questions.
Difficulty Analysis: Slots 1 and 2
Post-exam analysis offered insights into test difficulty. Experts generally categorized CAT 2025 Slot 2 as moderately difficult. The VARC section was easy. The DILR section featured lengthy questions. The Quant section included tricky but solvable problems.
The CAT 2025 Slot 1 examination presented an easy to moderate difficulty level. Arithmetic questions within the Quant section proved tricky. The overall exam structure and format remained consistent with previous years. No unexpected changes to the exam pattern were reported.
Anticipated Answer Key Release
The official CAT 2025 answer key is expected in the first week of December 2025 . This release is a critical step for all candidates. Ahead of the official announcement, several prominent coaching institutes published unofficial answer keys. These resources allow candidates to estimate their raw scores and gauge performance.
IIM Kozhikode will release the provisional answer key alongside individual candidate response sheets. Each response sheet will display answers marked by the candidate during their exam. This allows candidates to compare their responses against official solutions. Candidates will receive a specific window to review the provisional key and submit objections.
Objection Submission and Final Key
The institute will invite candidates to challenge any question or answer they believe is incorrect. Candidates must submit objections within a stipulated timeframe, potentially with a processing fee. Subject matter experts from IIM Kozhikode will rigorously review all submitted challenges. They will evaluate objection validity based on academic standards.
Following this review, IIM Kozhikode will issue the CAT 2025 final answer key . This final key will incorporate any necessary corrections identified during the objection phase. The final answer key serves as the definitive reference for score calculation. It precedes the release of official CAT 2025 results.