The Common Admission Test (CAT 2025) Slot 3 exam concluded on [Insert Date of Exam, e.g., November 24, 2024, or assume a general exam day for 2025 as per source] from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Candidates reported the overall paper as moderate. Quantitative Aptitude (Quant) was the toughest section. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) was balanced. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) was moderate to difficult.
IIM Kozhikode conducted the exam. The paper maintained the same pattern as previous years. A total of 68 questions were distributed across three sections: VARC, DILR, and Quant.
VARC Section Analysis
Candidates found the VARC section moderate to difficult. It was slightly tougher than Slot 1 and Slot 2. The section included 24 questions. This comprised four Reading Comprehension (RC) passages and questions on ‘odd one out’.
Two RC passages were challenging, while one was manageable. Argument-based questions also appeared. The verbal section included two parajumbles, two para summary questions, two ‘tricky’ odd-one-out questions, and two ‘doable’ para completion questions.
DILR Section Analysis
The DILR section was rated easy to moderate. It featured various question sets. These included a circular arrangement set, a scatter-plot Data Interpretation (DI) set, two double sets, and an incoming–outgoing calls set. Students reported the reasoning component as moderate and the section as manageable overall.
Quantitative Aptitude (Quant) Analysis
Quantitative Aptitude was the most difficult section across all three slots. Approximately 8 to 9 questions focused on arithmetic. Many of these questions required intensive calculations. Despite familiar topics, the overall difficulty for Slot 3 Quant was higher compared to Slot 1 and Slot 2.
CAT 2025 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
The CAT 2025 question paper structure remained unchanged. It included questions from DILR, VARC, and QA. The total number of questions was 68. The maximum score for the paper was 204 marks.
- Correct Answer: 3 marks awarded.
- Incorrect Answer: 1 mark deducted.
- Unanswered Questions: No negative marking.
Sectional Difficulty Comparison (Slot 1 vs. Slot 2 vs. Slot 3)
Candidates observed distinct difficulty levels across the three exam slots. The table below summarizes the sectional difficulty reported by students for CAT 2025.
| Section | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DILR | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Quant | Doable | Difficult | Difficult |
| VARC | Easy to moderate | Easy | Moderate to difficult |
The analysis indicates a consistent moderate difficulty for DILR across all slots. Quant difficulty increased significantly from Slot 1 to Slot 2 and Slot 3. VARC showed an upward trend in difficulty, becoming ‘moderate to difficult’ in Slot 3.