Early preparation would be beneficial if you are aiming to crack the CAT 2025 exam. One of the frequent questions asked by the aspirants is “How much time is required to prepare for CAT?”. The answer depends on your subject-wise knowledge and daily commitment. Having the right strategy and study tools can boost your CAT exam preparation. Ideally, candidates must dedicate at least 10-12 months of time to prepare efficiently for CAT. This will help them get sufficient time to practice mock tests and revise all the covered topics. They can also enrol in the best CAT online coaching like iQuanta to ensure balanced coverage of the entire syllabus. Read further to know how much time is required to prepare for CAT and other details.
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How Much Time is Required to Prepare for CAT
The Indian Institutes of Management conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to various management programmes of IIMs and other top-ranked B-schools in India. It is one of the highly competitive and toughest entrance exams with lakhs of participants every year. So, candidates should start their preparation at the earliest to gain a competitive edge. Typically, the CAT exam is conducted online and is divided into three sections, i.e. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).
Generally, recent graduates must dedicate at least 6-7 hours daily to CAT preparation and working professionals must allocate at least 3-4 hours daily. They must master all the topics covered in the syllabus to perform exceptionally well in the exam. To identify how much time is required to prepare for CAT, they should first assess the current level of their preparation. CAT aspirants must attempt mock tests to discover what they already know and what they still need to learn. Afterwards, they can create a study plan based on those results and allocate time to CAT preparation accordingly.
How Much Time is Required to Prepare for CAT For Fresh Graduates
If you are a recent graduate or are still pursuing your bachelor’s degree, you must begin your CAT preparation early and make the most of it. Ideally, you must dedicate at least 10-12 months while studying 6-7 hours daily to prepare adequately for the CAT exam. This will allow you to build a solid base and master all the core topics. You will have enough time to improve your problem-solving skills, time management, and accuracy through regular practice and focused revision.
How Much Time is Required to Prepare for CAT for Working Professionals
Working professionals aiming for the CAT exam will have to manage both their studies and a full-time job. They have less time for CAT preparation compared to aspirants who are still studying or have recently graduated. Ideally, they must dedicate at least 7-8 months with 3-4 hours of daily study to prepare well. This approach can help them practice unlimited questions, revise frequently, and strengthen their weak areas.
How Much Time is Required to Prepare for CAT- Section-Wise
Candidates wondering how much time is required to prepare for CAT must assess their current preparation level. This will allow them to track their overall and section-wise progress and adjust their exam strategy accordingly. To help, we have shared below the time required to prepare for CAT across all sections for reference purposes:
Time Required to Prepare for CAT- Section-Wise
| Time Required to Prepare for CAT VARC | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) is the highest-scoring section in the exam. It requires no calculations or identifying a pattern behind the question. Achieving a high score in this section can improve your overall scores. You must dedicate at least 5-6 months to prepare well for the VARC section. Revise grammar rules and strengthen your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. |
| Time Required to Prepare for CAT DILR | Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning is one of the trickiest and challenging sections of the CAT exam. You must build strong logical skills, problem-solving ability, and time management strategies to score high marks in this section. For this, you will have to practice unlimited mock tests and PYQs to improve your ability to identify the pattern behind questions quickly. Ideally, you must dedicate at least 8-9 months to prepare efficiently for the DILR section. |
| Time Required to Prepare for CAT QA | Quantitative Ability (QA) is one of the toughest sections of the CAT exam. To excel, you must first build a strong grip on the basic concepts and then master advanced-level topics. Attempt mock tests and CAT previous papers regularly to enhance your preparation and improve speed & accuracy. Ideally, you must dedicate at least 8-9 months to prepare well for the QA section. |
Is 7 Months Enough for CAT Preparation?
Yes, 7 months are enough to prepare for the CAT. However, the CAT preparation demands strategic planning, consistency, and dedication. We have shared below the 7 months CAT Preparation Plan to guide aspirants in the right direction:
- Understand the CAT syllabus and exam pattern before creating a study plan. This will help you focus only on topics that are crucial for this entrance exam.
- Join the best CAT online coaching for personalised guidance and strong conceptual knowledge. iQuanta’s CAT 2025 course offers live conceptual classes, 24X7 doubt-solving support, mock tests with in-depth performance analysis, and several other features that are rarely offered in any other platform.
- Attempt mock tests and CAT previous year question papers to learn about the exam format and identify the weak areas. Regular practice equips you with the ability to handle exam pressure.
- Analyse your performance after attempting each mock test to discover where you went wrong and implement strategies to rectify your mistakes. This will increase your knowledge of test format and improve problem-solving skills.
- Revise all the covered topics at least twice a week to retain them for a longer period.
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Why iQuanta for CAT 2025 Preparation?
Preparing for CAT requires a unique strategy, expert mentorship, and high-quality study material. This is exactly where iQuanta steps in. Last year, over 500 of their students scored above the 99th percentile. Now, iQuanta has officially launched its CAT 2025 New Batch. The key highlights of this batch are Engineers’ VARC, Non-Engineers Quant Conceptual videos and LRDI essential and inception modules. iQuanta offers the most relevant features/products in the entire CAT preparation industry. This includes continuously updated study modules, live conceptual and application-based classes, instant doubt resolution and practice questions at the exact CAT level. This course focuses on strong conceptual understanding, and everything is aligned with the latest CAT syllabus. iQuanta also ensures that working professionals can conveniently access and attend all the CAT classes without missing out.
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How Much Time is Required to Prepare for CAT – FAQs
Ideally, candidates must dedicate at least 10-12 months of time to prepare well for CAT.
The time required to prepare for CAT also depends on your subject knowledge and daily commitment. Fresh graduates must dedicate at least 6-7 hours daily to CAT preparation, and working professionals must allocate at least 3-4 hours daily.
Yes. An average student can crack the CAT exam with smart planning, the right study tools, and consistency. They can also join iQuanta’s CAT 2025 course to boost their preparation.