CAT 2025: Notification, Eligibility, Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Registration, Exam Date & Preparation Tips

What Is CAT Exam 2025?

CAT, or Common Admission Test, is a management entrance test conducted by the Indian Institute of Management. Candidates who successfully pass the CAT exam in 2025 will be admitted to the top MBA colleges in India.

It is one of the most popular and is considered one of the toughest among all the top management entrance exams in India. The CAT 2025 will allow students to apply for the batch of 2025-27. However, the CAT exam does not guarantee admission to the IIMs, as each institute has its own admissions process, including interviews and discussions.

A basic overview of CAT 2025 is given below:

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CAT Notification 2025

The CAT 2025 exam date is expected to be released in July 2025 with the release of the CAT 2025 Notification that entailed all the important information like CAT 2024 registration window dates, CAT eligibility criteria, CAT exam dates, CAT syllabus, CAT exam fee, and more.

Every year it is one of the top IIMs, the conducting body for CAT, that prescribes these important information.

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CAT 2025 Exam Dates (Tentative)

Based on the important announcements for CAT 2024, we have curated the table below representing the tentative timeline for the CAT 2025 exam dates for your reference. Keep this timeline in mind and kickstart your CAT 2025 preparation with a bang.

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CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

CAT 2025 will be open to candidates who meet the criteria. These are the requirements of the CAT eligibility criteria for 2025 based on past trends-

• A bachelor's degree from any discipline with a minimum score of 50% is required for the General and NC-OBC categories. For SC, ST, and PWD candidates, the required score is 45%.
• Candidates in the final year of completing their bachelor’s degree can also appear for the exam. However, candidates must complete their graduation with the required scores. If conditions are not met, the admission will stand cancelled.
• If a candidate holds a professional degree such as CA/ CS/ ICWA/FIAI, they are eligible for the CAT exam.
• CAT 2025 has no age limit, however, a bachelor’s degree is required.

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CAT Syllabus 2025

The conducting body for CAT 2025 does not publish or mention the syllabus for CAT. However, based on previous year's papers and a general pattern some important topics stand out more than others. CAT syllabus 2025 contains three prominent sections, namely:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

Due to the lack of a defined CAT 2025 syllabus, CAT aspirants largely focus on studying school-level mathematics and English. The important topics for each section are mentioned in the table below.

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CAT Exam Pattern 2025

Due to the pandemic, the exam pattern for the CAT exam has been changing. In 2019, the exam had 100 questions across 3 hours, which was reduced to 76 in 2020 and 66 in 2021. Here is the tentative overview of the CAT 2025 exam pattern:

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CAT 2025 Registration Process

Registrations for the CAT 2025 exam will be online on the official CAT website- iimcat.ac.in. Based on the process of previous years, here is an expected understanding of the fees and documents required for registration-

CAT Application Form 2025

The CAT 2025 application form will be out in somewhere first week of August 2025, candidates can fill up the application form by following the steps below.

• Select ‘New Candidate Registration’ on the official website and fill in your basic details.
• After submission, you will receive an OTP to verify your registration.
• After the verification is complete, on the email and mobile number registered, you will get a unique ID and password to log in.
• Now you can begin entering the required details in the application form.
• You will also be required to choose the programs of your choice along with the Interview City.
• You are allowed to pick 6 preferred test cities for the CAT 2025 exam.

List of Documents Required for CAT 2025 Registration 

While filling out the CAT application form 2025, you must also upload the required documents in the given format-

• Photo
• Signature
• NC-OBC/SC/ST certificate
• PwD certificate

Note: You will be required to present your mark sheets and degrees in person.

CAT Application Fee 2025 (Tentative)

The CAT 2025 application fee must be paid at the time of enrollment; without paying the fee, the CAT 2025 registration process will not be completed. The details are as follows:

• The fee can be submitted online only.
• You will also have the option to preview the application before making the payment and submitting the application form.
• You will receive a confirmation email a few minutes after paying successfully.

There has been a revision in the CAT 2024 application fee, which is expected to carry over to CAT 2025, as given below for your reference:

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CAT Admit Card 2025

The admit card for CAT 2025 is expected to be released in the first week of November 2025. Here are a few details that must be kept in mind for the same-

• Registered candidates will be able to access and download the admit card by logging into their account from the official website.
• Details such as the test center, date, and time of the exam will be provided on the admit card.
• Candidates have to carry their admit cards for the exam on the day of the examination.

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MBA After Graduation With CAT 2025

If you are currently completing your undergraduate and contemplating pursuing an MBA, you might be considering appearing for the most common entrance exam, CAT. Yet, with over 2 lakh aspirants, you have to start preparing and staying ahead of the competition as early as possible. So, starting your preparation well in advance can let you prepare at your own pace without compromising on your studies in college.

Before you begin preparing, here are some factors you can consider to understand where you stand in your CAT 2025 preparation journey.

• Check the syllabus and exam pattern to identify the areas that would require your attention the most and topics you are confident in attempting.
• Assess your current level of knowledge. Your base preparation will help you establish which subjects you must focus on, and which topics are your strengths.
• Choose whether you wish to take classes or study by yourself. Weigh the pros and cons of all the options available and make a decision based on your goals.
• Identify your dream B-school and see what the CAT cut-off requirements are for the institute to get a call and make it to further admission rounds.

Once you have an understanding of where you stand and where you wish to reach, you will be able to better align yourself and begin preparing for CAT 2025.

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How To Start Preparing For CAT 2025?

MBA is one of the most sought-after master’s degrees, and the 2 lakh+ candidates applying for CAT is a testimony to this statement. So to stay ahead of the competition, candidates must study and strategize effectively. 

The most frequent question that comes into the mind of the majority of CAT aspirants is, “How To Start Preparing For CAT 2025?”. Here are some preparation tips to help you score well in CAT 2025:

• Build a Study Plan: Identify a preparation strategy that suits you and allot hours on a daily basis for your CAT study to maintain discipline. Monitor your daily progress and areas of improvement.
• Develop your Basics: Devote time to the topics you are not entirely familiar with as establishing the basics is essential. Before moving to revisions and tests, ensure that your foundation for all the concepts is strong.
• Practice Regularly: Most sections and topics are dependent on your ability to practice regularly and extensively. Familiarizing with multiple types of questions that are frequently asked.
• Preparation Mode: The mode of preparation you choose will also change the strategy you might follow to achieve the goals for the CAT exam. Ensure that you consider your pros and cons before choosing to study by yourself and taking coaching.
• Give Mock Exams: Mock exams are an essential and effective way to identify your weaknesses and strengths.

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Free Resources For CAT 2025 Preparation

If you want to prepare for CAT without spending any money, you're at the right place! Open CAT is a FREE CAT resources portal for students interested in taking the exam but prefer to prepare at their own pace and from the comfort of their homes.

If you are a CAT 2025 aspirant who is looking for tests to check your readiness and need guidance on specific topics, consider signing up for Open CAT and take your CAT preparation 2025 to the next level.

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Books for CAT 2025 Preparation

A plethora of books are available in the market for CAT preparation 2025. There are no specific books suggested by any supreme authority conducting CAT; however, many coaching centers and authors also publish various preparatory materials for the CAT exam which you can access by enrolling in these CAT 2025 online coaching classes.

Candidates appearing for CAT can use these best books for CAT preparation, for each section of the exam.

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CAT Answer Key 2025

CAT exam response sheet, or CAT 2025 answer key, is usually released by the conducting body of CAT 2025 around 8-10 days after the exam. It includes recorded responses for the candidates who appeared, allowing them to get a tentative idea of how they performed in the exam and helping to boost their preparation for further rounds.

Candidates can view and download their recorded responses and answers from the official CAT website at iimcat.ac.in. Students can access their response sheets and question papers. By utilizing the provided answer key, students can estimate their probable scores for the examination.

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CAT Results 2025

The CAT results 2025 will be released on the official website tentatively in the month of December. Soon after the results and cut-offs are announced, the IIMs and other B-schools will begin their interview and discussion rounds for admissions to the 2025-27 batch.

There is no centralized counseling for the CAT exam, as all the IIMs have their own procedure for interviews and further admission rounds.