CAT 2025: Exam on Nov 30, Admit Card (Nov 5), Mock Test, Preparation Tips, Syllabus

The CAT 2025 will be conducted by IIM Kozhikode on November 30, 2025, across 170 cities in India and in three slots. The CAT exam 2025 admit card will be released on November 5, 2025, and will remain available for download until the exam day at iimcat.ac.in. Candidates can log in using their registration credentials to access and print their hall ticket, which will contain details such as the exam centre location, reporting time, and slot.

This year’s CAT registration window, was extended till September 20, 2025 . The application form correction window was open from October 4 to October 7, 2025. According to recent reports, over 3.42 lakh candidates registered for CAT 2025-one of the highest figures in recent years.

The CAT exam 2025 (Common Admission Test) serves as the gateway to MBA/PGDM admissions at 21 IIMs and more than 1,300 B-schools across India. Conducted annually by one of the IIMs on a rotational basis, CAT remains the most competitive management entrance exam in the country. Read below to know everything about CAT 2025 Admit Card, exam pattern, syllabus, mock test, preparation tips, and previous year question papers.

What is CAT Exam?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level, computer-based exam for admission to MBA and postgraduate management programs in India. It tests candidates' skills in three main areas: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. The exam duration is 2 hours, with 40 minutes allocated per section. CAT is conducted yearly by one of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotating basis. It serves as a gateway to admission in top IIMs and more than 1,000 other business schools, making it a highly competitive exam for aspiring managers. The test evaluates analytical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills essential for management roles.

What is the Purpose of CAT Exam 2025?

CAT exam, or Common Admission Test, is a national entrance exam in India. It is conducted annually to select candidates for management courses, such as MBA programs, at top business schools, particularly the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). CAT exam assesses skills in areas such as mathematics, reading, and logical reasoning. Individuals seeking to build a career in business or management typically take this exam. Good scores in CAT help candidates get admission to top institutes. Many other colleges in India also accept CAT scores for their management programs.

Check: CAT vs XAT vs MAT: Which MBA Entrance Exam Should You Choose?

CAT 2025 Highlights

CAT is one of the most popular national-level MBA entrance exams. It is conducted once a year, in November. In 2024, nearly 3.29 lakh candidates appeared for this exam. Tabulated below are the highlights of CAT exam 2025:

CAT Admit Card 2025

CAT admit card is an important document that candidates will require to carry to the examination centre. The admit card includes information, such as the candidate’s name, date and time of the test, exam centre details, and exam day guidelines. Candidates who complete the registration process successfully can download the CAT admit card directly from the CAT official website.

How to Download CAT 2025 Admit Card?

CAT admit card for 2025 will be issued on 5th November 2025. Once the exam authorities release the admit card, candidates can download it to check all the details regarding CAT exam 2025. It will be available for download till the date of the examination, i.e., 30th November 2025. Candidates can follow the step-by-step process to download the CAT Admit Card 2025:

• Visit the CAT official website
• Log in using credentials like User ID and password
• Find the link to download the admit card and click on it
• The screen will display the CAT exam 2025 Admit Card
• Download it and take a printout for future reference.

Check How to Download CAT 2025 Admit Card?

CAT Exam Pattern 2025

CAT 2025 will contain both multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and Type-In-The-Answers questions (TITA). Candidates will get 120 minutes to complete the paper, with a sectional time limit of 40 minutes. The exam will be conducted in three slots, i.e., morning, afternoon, and evening. The language of the CAT Question Paper 2025 will be English. Get the full details related to the exam pattern of CAT 2025 below:

Know More: CAT 2025 Total Marks

CAT Exam 2025 Sectional Weightage

The CAT 2025 is divided into three major sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. The total marks, including all the sections, are 204. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension hold the highest weightage among the other sections. Find out the sectional weightage in the table presented below:

Read More: How to Effectively Balance a Full-Time Job and CAT 2025 Preparation?

CAT Exam Analysis 2025

The exam analysis for CAT 2025 will be released once the exams are over. However, based on the previous years’ data, candidates can get an idea of the number of questions they might receive from each section. In CAT 2024, there were 68 questions instead of 66. The overall difficulty level of the CAT exam paper in 2024 ranged from moderate to difficult. Candidates preparing for CAT exam 2025 must check out the complete CAT 2024 exam analysis:

CAT Syllabus 2025

CAT syllabus for 2025 assesses candidates’ competencies in verbal reasoning, quantitative ability, data interpretation, and logical reasoning. The first sections, i.e., verbal ability and reading comprehension, include reading skills, grammar, vocabulary, analysing written materials, and reading comprehension. On the other hand, the DILR section involves interpreting data from tables, graphs, and charts, as well as candidates’ ability to solve logical reasoning problems. The final section, i.e., quantitative aptitude, evaluates candidates’ mathematical skills, which include arithmetic, algebra, geometry, etc. Given below is the CAT Syllabus 2025 for candidates to check and prepare for the exam well. Candidates can also download CAT syllabus PDF here.

Check Important Formulas for CAT 2025

CAT Preparation Tips 2025

CAT is one of the most competitive and challenging exams in India. Hence, it is important for CAT aspirants to adopt a clear strategy to crack this exam with the highest score. The preparation should include syllabus completion, revision, practising mock tests and previous years’ questions, and time management. Candidates can follow the preparation tips given for CAT exam 2025:

• First thing candidates should consider is familiarising themselves with CAT Exam Pattern 2025 and the syllabus. They should make sure that all the topics from the syllabus are covered.
• They should take mock tests to improve speed and accuracy.
• Candidates should dedicate time to revising earlier studied concepts. This will help retain the knowledge.
• Practising mathematical calculations from previous years’ CAT question papers is crucial.
• Focus on reading practice, especially comprehension skills for VARC.
• DILR requires consistent practice of various question forms and previous years’ trends.
• For QA, cover advanced-level school mathematics and prioritize arithmetic and algebra.
• Lastly, candidates can opt for online platforms to learn tricks and techniques to save time and increase the accuracy level of their answers.

Read Related Articles:

How to Prepare for CAT 2025 in 6 Months, 3 Months & 30 Days

CAT 2025 Preparation Strategy: Section-Wise Study Plan, Timeline, and Resources

CAT Mock Test 2025

KollegeApply has prepared a free CAT Mock test 2025. Candidates can access the mock tests by clicking on the link below. These mock tests are designed based on the official CAT Mock Test released on the official website. Click on the link below to attempt the CAT Mock Test 2025.

Attempt Free CAT Mock Test 2025

Courses Offered Through CAT at IIMs

Candidates who secure valid scores in the CAT 2025 exam can gain admission to reputed IIMs for various programs, including MBA, Executive MBA, MBA-HRM, and others. Listed below are the IIMs with seat capacity for the courses offered, along with MBA:

CAT 2025 Exam Centres

The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted across 170 cities with nearly 370 test centres participating. The list of exam centres was released by the exam authority on August 1, 2025. During registration, candidates were allowed to select up to five cities. The registration window closed on September 20, 2025.

CAT 2025 Exam Timings

CAT 2025 exam is going to be conducted in three slots. Candidates will be able to check their allotted slot in their admit card. The timing for all three slots is given below.

CAT Answer Key 2025

Once the CAT 2025 exams are over, the conducting body will release the answer key along with the response sheet of the CAT aspirants. This answer key will help students know the number of correct and incorrect answers they have marked in the exam. This way, they will also be able to calculate the estimated score they will obtain. In case of any discrepancy, candidates can raise objections to the answer key. It should be done within a limited timeframe of 1-2 days. The fee for objecting to the answer key is INR 1200 for each question.

How to Download CAT 2025 Answer Key?        

CAT answer key 2025 is expected to be out on the official website by the 1st week of December 2025. Check out the steps mentioned below to download the answer key of CAT 2025:

• Go to the CAT official website.
• Click on the ‘Log in’ tab and enter CAT login ID and password.
• Next, click on ‘CAT 2025 Answer Key’ and the answer key will be displayed on the screen.
• Click on the download option and save it in a PDF format.

CAT Result 2025

The exam conducting authorities will publish the results on the official website for the CAT aspirants. This result will include sectional scores, percentile scores, and overall scaled scores and percentiles. Using CAT Result 2025, candidates can get into IIMs, top B schools, and other management institutes. The result is considered valid only for 1 year.

How to Download CAT 2025 Result?

CAT aspirants can access the results for CAT 2025 once it is made available by the authorities. It is expected that the CAT result 2025 will be out in the 1st week of January 2026. Follow the steps mentioned below to download the results for CAT 2025 successfully:

• Visit the CAT official website.
• Enter CAT application number and password to log in.
• Click on the ‘Scorecard section’ to view the results.
• The CAT results for 2025 will appear on the screen.
• Download the result and take a printout of the same.

What Happens after the CAT Results?

CAT results 2025 are expected to be announced in the fourth week of December 2025. The IIMs will publish their individual CAT cutoff scores for MBA admissions on their respective websites. To be considered for IIM shortlisting, candidates must meet these cutoff criteria. Apart from IIMs, more than 1200 top MBA colleges accept CAT scores. Those who do not qualify for IIMs can still apply to these other MBA colleges. This article provides detailed information on the IIM admission process and the steps to take after receiving CAT results.

CAT Cutoff 2025

Each IIM fix their cutoff category-wise. The minimum qualifying marks to secure admission into IIMs range between the 80th and 90th percentiles. However, the cutoffs for top IIMs like IIM Mumbai and IIM Rohtak range from 94 to 95. On the other hand, in 2024, the lowest cutoff score remained at 75 for IIM Shillong. Given below are the expected CAT Cutoff 2025 for IIMs based on previous years’ cutoff:

IIMs Accepting CAT Scores

Candidates can check the top 10 IIMs that accept the CAT score for admission to an MBA program. These colleges offer excellent teaching, great career opportunities, and strong industry connections.

Non-IIMs Accepting CAT Scores

Candidates can check the top 10 non-IIMs that accept the CAT score for admission to an MBA program. These institutes also follow a structured teaching method, which helps candidates to secure a promising career.

Check related articles:

CAT Score vs CAT Percentile

CAT 2025 Percentile Calculation

CAT Counselling Process 2025

Admission into IIMs is done through the counselling process for the CAT-qualified candidates. CAT score is the minimum requirement for admission into IIMs. However, the main selection is based on the written ability test and a personal interview. The counselling is divided into three phases: Phase 1, Shortlisting of candidates based on CAT scores; Phase 2, Written Ability and Personal Interview; and Phase 3, Final Selection. The selection criteria through CAT 2025 include a qualifying cutoff, academic and personality parameters, final admission score, etc. Discussed below is the complete counselling process for CAT 2025:

Phase 1: In this first phase of counselling, candidates will be shortlisted based on their scores obtained in CAT 2025. The minimum qualifying cutoff score for IIMs is 90 for the general category candidates. This means candidates who will secure a score above 90 in CAT exam will be considered eligible for the next round of the counselling process.

Phase 2: The next phase of counselling involves written ability and a personal interview. The Writing Ability test (WAT) assesses candidates’ written communication skills and analytical thinking. In this round, candidates are required to write an essay on a given topic. In the personal interview round, candidates’ personality, communication skills, knowledge and attitude are evaluated.

Phase 3: After the conclusion of the second phase of CAT Counselling 2025, candidates are offered admission based on their overall performance in past academic, work experience, CAT exam, and WAT and PI rounds. Given below is the sectional weightage of each parameter of IIM Bangalore:

Read More: CAT 2025 Topic Wise Weightage

Campus-Wise IIM Fees 2025

The fees for MBA/PGP programs at IIMs tend to be on the higher side, with the highest fee around INR 27 lakh at IIM Calcutta and the lowest approximately INR 14 lakh at IIM Mumbai. These fees are usually paid semester-wise, with the first installment due at the time of admission. To support deserving students, IIMs offer financial aid and scholarship options to assist those who qualify based on merit. This helps ease the financial burden on candidates while ensuring access to quality management education.

*The fee amount For every IIM mentioned in the table above has been rounded off to the nearest lakh. IIM fees may increase in the new academic session.

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

The exam conducting body has certain eligibility requirements that candidates must fulfil before applying for CAT registrations. Given below are the detailed descriptions of CAT 2025 eligibility criteria for MBA aspirants:

• Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree in any stream with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC/ ST/ Pwd/ DA candidates).
• Candidates who are still waiting for their graduation marksheets to be released or waiting for any other equivalent qualification results can also apply for CAT 2025. In such cases, they must meet the minimum eligibility criteria based on the 1st and 2nd year marks.
• Candidates who have completed their professional degree with CA/ CS/ ICWA/ FCAI with the minimum required percentage can also appear for CAT 2025.
• Graduate candidates’ education mode should be regular or distance learning. However, it should be a 3-year program, recognised by UGC.

Candidates who are in their final years and whose results are pending must submit the passing certificate or marksheet to the MBA college during the document verification round. Until then, their admission will remain provisional.

CAT Application Process 2025

CAT Registration Date 2025 is 1st August, 2025, and the application window closed on 20th September 2025. For CAT 2025 Application, candidates are required to follow the steps mentioned below:

• Visit the official website of CAT 2025 iimcat.ac.in
• Next, candidates must click on ‘New Registration’ and enter their details, such as name, date of birth, nationality, phone number, and email address.
• They will receive an ID at their registered email.
• Using the same ID, candidates should log in and proceed with filling out the CAT application form.
• Submit all the required personal and educational details, and upload documents, like a scanned photograph and a signature.
• Select preferred courses and IIMs. Also, choose the test city in the drop-down list (only 5 cities can be selected for exam allotment centres).
• Further, pay the CAT application fee through a debit card/credit card or net banking.
• After successfully submitting the CAT application form, download the confirmation page for future use.

CAT Application Fees 2025

The application fees for CAT 2025 differ based on candidates’ categories. The general category candidates' fees are higher than those of the reserved category candidates. Also, the CAT 2025 Registration Fees have been increased to INR 2600 for general candidates and INR 1300 for SC/ ST/ PWD candidates. Check out the CAT application fees in the table below:

CAT Reservation Criteria 2025

Candidates who are seeking admission into IIMs must be aware that these institutes have some reservation criteria for reserved category candidates. Before filling out the application form for CAT 2025, candidates should check out the category-wise reservation policy of the IIMs:

Read More: CAT 2025 Reservation

CAT 2025 FAQs