With the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 scheduled for November 30, 2025, conducted by IIM Kozhikode, this year, there is a 10% drop in registrations from 3.28 lakh in CAT 2024 to 2.95 lakh, which means there will be less competition per seat, which slightly decreases the required cut-off score.
The decrease in registrations for CAT 2025 follows two years of record-breaking numbers, so you must be interested in understanding how CAT 2025 will differ from last year's paper.
Also Read:
- CAT 2025 Mock Test Strategy
- CAT Repeater Strategy 2025: Why Focusing on One Section Leads to 99+ Percentile?
Registration Trend Comparison
| Year | Registered Candidates (lakh) | Year-on-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| CAT 2025 | 2.95 | 10.3% |
| CAT 2024 | 3.29 | 0.3% |
| CAT 2023 | 3.30 | 29.4% |
| CAT 2022 | 2.55 | 10.3% |
Which Exam Was Tougher: CAT 2025 or CAT 2024 (Section-Wise Comparison)?
As per the analysis of past years, the difficulty trend of the CAT exam follows a cyclical pattern.
CAT 2023, conducted by IIM Lucknow, was rated as one of the toughest papers in the last 10 years, with both DILR and QA sections being the most difficult sections. But, CAT 2024, organised by IIM Calcutta, was easier compared to CAT 2023, with the easy DILR section.
Following this trend, CAT 2025 is expected to return to a moderate level across all three sections. The examination pattern typically sees IIMs adjusting difficulty to maintain fairness after particularly tough or easy papers.
Section-Wise Difficulty Comparison
| Section | CAT 2024 | CAT 2025 (Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| VARC | Moderate | Moderate |
| DILR | Easy to Moderate | Moderate to Difficult |
| QA | Moderate | Moderate |
| Overall | Easy | Moderate |
Read: Last Month's Strategy for CAT 2025 Section-wise Preparation Tips
How Does Score vs Percentile Change When the Exam Gets Tougher? CAT 2024 vs CAT 2025
A percentile simply shows you what rank you will get for a particular raw score; the higher the raw score, the higher the percentile. So, based on the raw score vs percentile, you can know the CAT exam's difficulty level.
In CAT 2024, candidates needed around 125 marks for the 99.9 percentile, significantly higher than the 100 marks required in CAT 2023. This shows that the CAT exam 2024 was easier than the CAT exam 2023.
CAT Score vs Percentile Comparison
| Percentile | CAT 2023 Score | CAT 2024 Score | CAT 2025 (Expected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99.9 | 100 | 125 | 110-120 |
| 99.0 | 77 | 95 | 85-95 |
| 95.0 | 55 | 70 | 60-75 |
| 90.0 | 45 | 60 | 50-65 |
Also read: How to Manage Sectional Time in CAT 2025
What Are the Cutoff Predictions for CAT 2025 Compared to CAT 2024?
While competition decreases, a strong performance is still required for the older and more established IIMs. The older IIMs (IIM A, B, C) are expected to have a cutoff of 99-100 percentile, whereas the baby IIMs will probably keep their cutoffs in the 95-97 percentile range.
Read More: CAT Cutoff 2025- Check Category-wise Cutoff for
IIMs and Top MBA Colleges, Marks vs Percentile, Good Score
Expected CAT 2025 Cutoffs for Top IIMs (General Category)
| IIM | Overall Cutoff | VARC Sectional | DILR Sectional | QA Sectional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 99+ | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Bangalore | 98+ | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| IIM Calcutta | 98+ | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| IIM Lucknow | 97+ | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Indore | 97+ | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 97+ | 75 | 75 | 75 |
Category-Wise Cutoff Expectations
| Category | Top IIMs (A,B,C) | Tier-2 IIMs (L,K,I) | New IIMs |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 98-99+ | 94-97 | 90-95 |
| OBC | 75-82 | 70-80 | 75-85 |
| SC | 60-70 | 55-65 | 60-75 |
| ST | 50-65 | 45-60 | 50-70 |
| EWS | 75-85 | 70-80 | 75-85 |
Also Read:
What Last-Minute Preparation Changes Should You Make for CAT 2025?
With less than 10 days remaining, you must shift your strategy from learning mode to performance mode. The goal isn't to study more, but to focus on all the concepts, take mock tests, and stay mentally composed for your exam slot.
| Day | Focus Area | Activities |
| Day 5 | Final Revision & Slot Adjustment | Revise all key concepts; solve 1 sectional test at your exam slot timing. |
| Day 4 | Mock Test + Analysis | Take 1 full-length mock; analyse mistakes, improve selection of questions. |
| Day 3 | Light Practice | Solve previous year questions; revise formulas; avoid new topics. |
| Day 2 | Accuracy Boost | Practice 2–3 sets in DILR, 2 RCs, and 20 QA questions focusing on accuracy. |
| Day 1 | Rest & Mental Prep | Very light revision; check exam documents; relax and maintain calm. |
Read: CAT 2025 Books pdf: Arun Sharma, Oswal and Best Books pdf Free Download
What Are the Section-Wise Last-Minute Tips for CAT 2025?
VARC Strategy:
- Attempt 4 to 5 RC passages daily for practice
- Focus on inference-based questions and the author's tone
- Use elimination techniques for confusing options
- Target 15+ attempts with 90%+ accuracy
DILR Strategy:
- Practice 3-4 different set types daily
- Identify solvable sets within the first 2-3 minutes
- Focus on circular arrangements, bar graphs, and tables
- Attempt 2-3 complete sets with high accuracy
QA Strategy:
- Revise formulas and shortcuts daily
- Focus on Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry
- Practice mental calculations to save time
- Solve 20-25 mixed difficulty problems daily
Check: CAT Study Material 2025: Download Free CAT Study Material PDF for VARC, DILR, and Quant
Common Mistakes to Avoid for the CAT 2025 Exam.
As the exam approaches, candidates often fall into predictable traps:
- Attempting New Topics: Do not start learning any new topics in the last 10 days, as it may lower your confidence and lead to forgetting covered concepts due to stress
- Over-attempting Questions: Focus on accuracy over quantity, especially in DILR, where negative marking can be devastating
- Ignoring Sectional Cutoffs: Meeting overall percentile requirements means nothing if sectional cutoffs aren't cleared
- Neglecting Mock Analysis: Simply taking mocks without thorough analysis wastes valuable preparation time
- Poor Time Management: Not adhering to planned time allocation per question type leads to incomplete sections
So, with proper strategy implementation and focused revision, you can crack the CAT 2025 exam successfully. The key lies not in learning new material but in perfecting what has already been studied, maintaining composure under pressure, and executing a well-planned exam-day strategy.
Related News:
Comments