The CAT 2025 exam is expected to be moderately tough this year. The main reason behind this is the unpredictable exam pattern, increasing competition, and rising cut-offs. CAT is also known as one of the toughest management entrance tests in India. Approximately 2 lakh participants attempt the exam every year. But only a small fraction manage to enter IIMs and leading B-schools. The CAT exam toughness is also directly linked to the quality of your preparation. It assesses your numerical aptitude, verbal ability, and critical thinking skills. Candidates who can handle exam pressure while maintaining strong calculation speed and accuracy usually perform well in this exam. Therefore, they should solve unlimited exam-level mocks to handle the actual CAT 2025 difficulty level. Continue reading to know why CAT 2025 might be the toughest this year and other relevant details.
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Will CAT 2025 be Tough? Myth Vs Reality
Many aspirants may find CAT 2025 extremely difficult. But they can still ace it with solid preparation. When candidates say “CAT might be the toughest this year,” it often comes from fear and lack of confidence. Let’s explore below the myth and reality of “Will CAT 2025 be Tough?”:
| Myths | Reality |
| CAT gets tougher every year: It is not true because the exam toughness varies every year. It does not always become more difficult.Only students from IITs or top colleges can excel in CAT: This is a myth again. The exam is focused on evaluating aptitude, not just academic achievements.Tougher CAT reduces chances of admission: It is not the full truth because normalisation and scaled scores balance the exam toughness across all the sessions. | CAT is designed to assess candidates’ logical thinking, ability to manage time and problem-solving skills. It is not only about theoretical knowledge of the subject.There is always a surprising element in the CAT exam, making the question more unpredictable than tough.The CAT exam is tough for all the test-takers, and cutoff marks are decided accordingly. |
So, the difficult level of the CAT 2025 exam is also based on your mindset, practice level, and question selection strategy.
Why CAT 2025 might be the toughest this year?
Candidates should identify the list of factors influencing the CAT exam difficulty level before analysing the year-wise CAT question level. Many parameters play an important role in making CAT 2025 challenging compared to previous years. Some of the reasons why CAT 2025 might be the toughest this year are listed below:
Unpredictable Question Patterns
CAT question papers often surprise the test-takers. The number of questions and difficulty level can vary. For instance, the CAT 2024 has seen an increase in the total questions from 66 to 68. This was due to the addition of 2 more questions in the CAT DILR section. These types of changes sometimes make the CAT exam more difficult for aspirants who are weak in certain sections. Look at the expected CAT exam pattern 2025 based on past years question trends and data.
| Section | Number of Questions | Exam Duration |
| Section I: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 minutes |
| Section II: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Section III: Quantitative Ability (QA) | 22 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 68 | 120 minutes |
Rising Competition
The number of candidates applying for CAT continues to grow every year. This leads to extreme competition for the limited IIMs and B-schools seats. The number of participants in the CAT exam is increasing due to the excellent career opportunities and lucrative salaries offered to MBA graduates. The experts have anticipated that CAT 2025 registrations will surpass the past records. This could create challenges for aspirants aiming for high percentiles. Below are the CAT exam registration trends over the past years.
| Year | Number of Candidates Registered | Number of Candidates Appeared (Test Takers) |
| 2010 | 2,04,000 | 1,85,000 |
| 2011 | 2,05,000 | 1,86,000 |
| 2012 | 2,14,000 | 1,95,000 |
| 2013 | 1,94,516 | 1,73,714 |
| 2014 | 1,96,988 | 1,70,000 |
| 2015 | 2,18,664 | 1,79,602 |
| 2016 | 2,32,434 | 1,95,679 |
| 2017 | 2,31,067 | 1,99,632 |
| 2018 | 2,40,338 | 2,09,405 |
| 2019 | 2,44,169 | 2,09,926 |
| 2020 | 2,27,835 | 1,90,144 |
| 2021 | 2,29,969 | 1,91,660 |
| 2022 | 2,55,501 | 2,22,184 |
| 2023 | 3,23,000 | 2,88,000 |
| 2024 | 3,29,000 | 2,93,000 |
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Different Section-Wise Difficulty Level
CAT VARC or DILR are often time-consuming and challenging. These sections consume more time and may affect overall scores. Thus, one must master time management skills to handle the CAT exam difficulty level. This leads to solving more questions correctly within a shorter time.
No Official Syllabus
The lack of an official syllabus remains a major challenge for CAT aspirants. It implies that candidates will have to review the expert opinion, analyse old question papers and determine the list of topics important from the exam viewpoint. Lack of an official syllabus can make the CAT 2025 exam more challenging for candidates. We have shared below the CAT syllabus 2025 to guide candidates in the right direction.
| Subject | Important Topics |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | AverageTSD & Time and WorkGeometryNumber SystemRatioMixture & AlligationProbability and P&CInequalities, Modulus & FunctionsLogarithmSurds & IndicesProgression and SeriesVenn DiagramsQuadraticPolynomials & Simple EquationProfit & LossSI CIPercentages, etc |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Reading Comprehension, Para Summary, Para Completion, Para Jumbles, Odd One Out, etc |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Tables, Linear Arrangements, Cubes, Selection, Network Flow Diagrams, Distribution, Pie ChartsLine & Bar Graphs, Quant Based DI, Circular Arrangements, Venn Diagrams, Games & Tournaments, Binary Logics, etc |
High Cut-Offs for Top B-Schools
The CAT admission cutoff of top B-schools is often high. Aspirants aiming for IIMs need to secure more than 99 percentile to get shortlisted for further admission process. Higher cutoff marks are also one of the main reasons why CAT 2025 might be the toughest this year.
CAT Exam Difficulty Vs Other MBA Entrance Tests
CAT is more competitive and unpredictable when compared with other popular MBA entrance exams, such as SNAP, XAT, NMAT, MAT, etc. Here are a few points related to the
CAT Exam Difficulty Vs Other MBA Entrance Tests is shared below.
- Common Admission Test (CAT): The CAT exam is regarded as the hardest MBA admission test in India. Typically, questions in the VARC and DILR are difficult, and the QA section is moderate in nature.
- Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT): XAT is also one of the difficult MBA entrance tests. However, you can perform well in this exam with 6 months of preparation. It includes sections like Verbal & Logical Ability, Decision Making, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. The VALR and DM sections are tougher than the QA-DI section.
- Common Management Admission Test (CMAT): The CMAT exam is moderately easy in nature. It includes sections like Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. QA, LR, and comprehension sections are usually easy, while questions in Innovation & Entrepreneurship are moderate.
- Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP): The SNAP exam is less difficult than the CAT exam. It covers sections like General English, Analytical & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency. The English section is relatively easier than the reasoning and quant.
CAT Yearwise Difficulty Level
Candidates wondering “Will CAT 2025 be tough?” should check the past exam analysis and feedback of test-takers who have already appeared in this entrance test. This will help them analyse the variation in exam toughness both section-wise and overall. It will provide a rough idea of the upcoming CAT exam difficulty level and help them strategise accordingly. Check the CAT yearwise difficulty level of all sections below.
| Section | CAT 2024 Difficulty Level | CAT 2023 Difficulty Level | CAT 2022 Difficulty Level | CAT 2021 Difficulty Level | CAT 2020 Difficulty Level |
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Moderate | Difficult | Moderate | Difficult | Difficult |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Moderate | Difficult | Difficult | Moderate | Difficult |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | Moderate | Difficult | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Overall | Moderate | Difficult | Difficult | Moderate-Difficult | Difficult |
How to Handle CAT 2025 Difficulty Level
Many candidates find the CAT exam preparation challenging. This is due to changing exam requirements and increasing competition. They can still handle the CAT exam difficulty level with a serious mindset and dedication. Learn about the tips and tricks shared below to handle the CAT 2025 difficulty level:
Prioritise Conceptual Clarity
Candidates should focus on mastering the concepts instead of rote learning. This can help them solve any type of question with confidence during the actual CAT 2025 exam.
Equal Importance to All Areas
Applicants should dedicate equal time to high-weightage and low-weightage areas. Solve as many challenging questions as possible during the preparation. This will help them to align their preparation with the actual exam standards.
Mock Test with Analysis
Candidates should solve a minimum of 35-40 CAT mocks during the preparation. They should analyse their performance after solving each mock. This helps them to know more about their accuracy, weak areas, and calculation speed.
Learn Time Management
Students should sharpen their ability to identify solvable questions and skip challenging ones. They should focus on accuracy rather than speed of solving questions, as incorrect answers lead to negative marking. Solving a few correct questions can help them achieve a higher percentile.
Who can find the CAT 2025 Toughest?
CAT 2025 can seem most challenging to candidates due to their weaknesses in specific areas. Those who often find the CAT exam toughest are as follows:
- Freshers with No Prior Exam Experience: Those who have never appeared for any competitive exam may find the CAT 2025 difficult due to the limited time and negative marking scheme.
- Students Weak in VARC: CAT VARC is usually difficult in nature as per the recent trends. Those who lack basic verbal ability knowledge may find it challenging.
- Non-Engineers with Limited Quant Background: Many non-engineers who lack basic quant concepts and have not practised well may find the QA section tough.
- Working Professionals: Working professionals are required to balance their job and CAT preparation. Since their study time is limited, they often find the CAT exam comparatively tougher.
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Why CAT 2025 Might be the Toughest This Year? FAQs
Yes. The CAT 2025 can be the toughest this year due to an unpredictable question pattern, increasing competition, and rising cut-offs.
The difficulty of CAT 2025 varies based on your strong areas and how well you have prepared.
VARC and DILR are considered the difficult sections of the CAT exam.
