Exam analysis shows moderate to high difficulty across sections

Thefirst slot of the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 was conducted on 30 November, offering candidates a familiar structure with moderate variations in difficulty. With no major changes in exam format, the paper maintained last year’s total of 68 questions spread across three sections—Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). Each section carried a 40-minute time limit.

According to early student feedback and expert observations, Slot 1 was marginally tougher than CAT 2024, largely due to the DILR section and some lengthy calculations in QA.

VARC: Moderate with a mix of familiar question types

The VARC section followed a pattern similar to CAT 2024, with Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability questions interspersed. Candidates encountered four RC passages—each with four questions—covering themes such as income inequality, electronic music, law and mental health, and noise-related social dynamics.

Difficulty was largely moderate, though one passage was perceived as dense and time-consuming. A notable change this year was the return of Para Formation questions, absent in CAT 2024. VARC also included Para Summary, Sentence Placement, and two variants of Para Odd One Out. Overall, the section posed a mixed level of challenge, with a few time-intensive problems.

DILR: Slightly tougher with a mix of DI and logic-heavy sets

The DILR section featured 22 questions across five sets, again mirroring last year’s format. Students identified the “Spider + Bar” DI set as the most approachable and a recommended first attempt. The remaining sets—ranging from seating arrangements to quantitative logic involving train tickets, foot-tapping patterns, and employee ranking—were considerably trickier. Some required layered reasoning, increasing time pressure.

QA: Familiar topics, lengthy calculations

The Quantitative Ability section presented no surprises in terms of topic distribution. Arithmetic and Algebra dominated, while Geometry featured three questions. Modern Math and Numbers appeared minimally. While the conceptual difficulty was not significantly higher than previous years, students reported longer calculation steps, which added to the overall challenge.

Overall impression

The first session of CAT 2025 remained structurally predictable, but the increased complexity in DILR and the time-consuming nature of QA contributed to a moderately higher difficulty level compared to CAT 2024. Early impressions suggest that accuracy and time management were key differentiators for candidates in Slot 1. Slot 2 session with candidates reporting a paper that closely mirrored last year’s structure while offering a few shifts in difficulty across sections. The exam maintained its 68-question format with three timed sections—VARC, DILR, and QA—each allotted 40 minutes. In Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, students encountered four passages with four questions each, covering themes such as technology tools, natural adaptation in Mexican cavefish, literary spaces, and scientific instruments. The section maintained a moderate difficulty level overall, though one passage was perceived as challenging. The Verbal Ability subsection featured Para Formation questions reintroduced after last year’s absence, along with Para Summary, Sentence Placement, and Odd One Out. Candidates reported a mixed but manageable level of complexity.

The Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning segment offered 22 questions across five sets. While the Balls-and-Hoops LR set emerged as the most accessible, the remaining sets—ranging from co-author Venn diagram analysis to sustainability and pollution indices—were widely viewed as demanding, with at least two sets considered difficult. The Quantitative Ability section adhered to established patterns, featuring a strong emphasis on Arithmetic and Algebra. Geometry appeared with three questions, while Numbers and Modern Math saw minimal representation. Students reported that while the content areas were expected, lengthy calculations increased time pressure.

Overall, Slot 2 of CAT 2025 was rated moderately difficult, especially due to the DILR section and time-intensive QA calculations. As analysis continues, early impressions suggest a paper consistent in structure but slightly tougher than CAT 2024—a detail future aspirants may find useful as they prepare.

(The writer is Senior Course Director, T.I.M.E.)