CAT 2025 has completed two slots so far, and early reviews show clear differences in difficulty level, especially in the Quant section. Both shifts followed the same CAT exam pattern and the same number of questions, but the experience of students in Slot 1 and Slot 2 was not exactly the same.
Check out a simple and detailed comparison for candidates appearing in the next slot.
Also read: CAT 2025 First Impression
Overall Difficulty Level (Slot 1 vs Slot 2)
Slot 1: ModerateSlot 2: Moderate overall, but tougher Quant
Conclusion: Slot 1 students reported a balanced paper, while Slot 2 students said the exam felt slightly heavier, mainly because of Quant being more time-consuming.
CAT 2025 VARC Comparison
- Slot 1 VARC: Many students found the CAT 2025 VARC section was mostly moderate and easy to read. The questions were short but needed careful understanding. Some test-takers felt it was simple, while others found the options a bit tricky.
- Slot 2 VARC: The difficulty level in Slot 2 was also moderate, similar to Slot 1. The RC passages included topics like income inequality, electronic music, mental health laws and noise/social behaviour. There were 4 RCs with 4 questions each, similar to Slot 1.
Conclusion: Overall, the CAT 2025 VARC difficulty was similar in both slots, with passages decodable but options sometimes confusing.
CAT 2025 DILR Comparison
- Slot 1 DILR: The DILR section in CAT 2025 Slot 1 was of moderate difficulty. It had a mix of chart-based and logic-based sets. Some questions were easy to solve, but a few needed more time and careful thinking.
- Slot 2 DILR: Students who appeared for CAT 2025 Slot 2 also felt DILR was moderate. It included spider charts, bar graphs and data-based sets, very similar to Slot 1. The overall structure did not change much.
Conclusion: In both slots, the CAT 2025 DILR level stayed steady, with no major surprises or new patterns.
CAT 2025 Quant Comparison
Slot 1 Quant: The Quant section in CAT 2025 Slot 1 was easy to moderate. Some questions were short but a bit tricky. A geometry question based on a parallelogram confused many students, but overall, the section felt manageable.
Slot 2 Quant: Slot 2 Quant was clearly tougher. Many students compared it to the difficulty level of CAT 2022–2023. Questions were long, more conceptual and required extra thinking. Topics included ratios, algebra and other core areas.
Conclusion: Quant was the biggest difference between Slot 1 and Slot 2. CAT 2025 Slot 2 Quant was clearly tougher, and many candidates struggled with time.
Check out: CAT Question Paper 2025
Pattern Comparison: Slot 1 vs Slot 2
CAT 2025 followed a stable paper pattern for both Slot 1 and Slot 2. There were no changes in format, so students faced the same structure in both sessions. Across both slots:
- Same pattern
- Same number of questions
- No change in marking or section structure
The variation came only from difficulty, not the paper format.
Final Comparison Summary
The overall structure of CAT 2025 stayed the same, but the difficulty varied across sections. VARC and DILR remained steady in both slots, while Quant showed the biggest jump in difficulty from Slot 1 to Slot 2.
- Overall difficulty for both slots was moderate, with no major surprises.
- VARC stayed consistent. Both slots were moderate and manageable.
- DILR also showed a similar moderate level across Slot 1 and Slot 2.
- Quant was the main differentiator. Slot 1 was easier, while Slot 2 turned difficult and lengthy for most students.
What This Means for Slot 3 Candidates
Based on both slots, Slot 3 candidates should prepare for:
- A similar pattern with no structural changes
- Moderate VARC with readable passages
- Moderate DILR with chart and reasoning sets
- Quant possibly being on the tougher side, so careful question selection is important
Time management and accuracy will be key in scoring well in CAT 2025.
Know more about: CAT 2025 Slot 1 Review
