The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode is conducting the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 today, November 30 . Approximately 2.95 lakh students are appearing for the management entrance exam across India. The CAT 2025 is structured into three distinct sessions throughout the day, each lasting for two hours.
Exam Schedule and Entry Requirements
The first session, known as Slot 1, began at 8:30 AM and concluded at 10:30 AM . Subsequent slots will follow this two-hour format. All candidates must carry their official CAT 2025 admit card to the examination center. A valid photo identification proof is also mandatory for entry. Both the admit card and ID proof are essential for verification purposes.
Candidates could download their admit cards from the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in. Entry without these required documents is not permitted. Security protocols ensure only eligible candidates enter the examination halls.
Test Structure and Marking
The CAT 2025 question paper contains a total of 66 questions . These questions are distributed across three primary sections. The sections are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).
Each correct answer in the CAT 2025 exam earns candidates three marks. One mark is deducted for every incorrect response. There is no negative marking for questions left unanswered. This marking scheme encourages candidates to attempt questions with a reasonable degree of certainty.
Purpose of the CAT Exam
The Common Admission Test serves as a gateway for students seeking admission to Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Post Graduate Programme (PGP) courses. These programs are offered at the prestigious IIMs and numerous other management institutes across India that accept CAT scores. The exam evaluates a candidate’s aptitude for management studies.
Post-Exam Analysis and Unofficial Keys
Following the completion of each examination shift, various coaching institutes begin releasing their analysis of the paper. This includes unofficial CAT 2025 slot 1 answer keys and question papers with solutions. Candidates also share their immediate feedback regarding the difficulty level, types of questions, and specific topics covered in the exam. This immediate feedback helps estimate initial performance.
Official Results and Normalisation Process
IIM Kozhikode, the conducting body, has not yet announced the official CAT 2025 answer key release date or the final result date. Once announced, candidates can verify their performance against the official key. The institute will employ a normalisation method to calculate the CAT percentile 2025. This process ensures fairness in scoring, as the exam is administered in multiple sessions with potentially varying difficulty levels.
Normalisation adjusts scores to account for these differences, providing an equitable basis for comparison among all test-takers. Along with the CAT 2025 results, IIM Kozhikode will also publish the list of CAT 2025 toppers and the official CAT cut-off scores for admission to various management programs.
Admission to top IIMs and other management institutes often involves meeting specific sectional cut-offs in VARC, DILR, and QA, alongside the overall percentile. Subsequent rounds may include Written Ability Tests (WAT) and Personal Interviews (PI).