Updated on Jun 06, 2025
Ankita Banerjee
CAT Syllabus 2025 includes topics from the sections like Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. For 2025, the exam conducting authorities have yet to release the CAT Syllabus 2025 PDF. However, based on the trends of previous years, it is expected that students will receive questions that will check their basic understanding of English grammar and vocabulary, problem-solving skills, interpreting data from graphs and tables, and mathematical calculations in CAT 2025.
As per the previous years’ question papers, the Quantitative Aptitude topic carried the highest weightage, i.e., 34%, followed by Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. To secure admission into one of the top IIMs, it is crucial for students to go through the syllabus mindfully and understand the key topics to gain higher marks.
CAT Syllabus 2025: Highlights
The total number of questions students will receive in CAT paper 2025 is 68. The 1st section, i.e., VARC, will have 24 questions, and the DILR and QA sections will have 22 questions each. Students can check out some of the highlights related to CAT 2025 Syllabus:
- The VARC Section: This section covers various topics, including verbal reasoning and reading comprehension. Students are also required to study vocabulary in order to crack Parajumbles. There will be a total of 24 questions from this section, out of which 12 will be based on reading comprehension. There may not be any questions directly related to grammar, but students must have a basic understanding of grammar to solve Sentence Completion questions.
- The DILR Section: The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section comprises data students need to analyse and interpret. The questions will come in the form of Puzzles, Pie Charts, Tables, Graphs, Family Trees, Blood Relations, Syllogisms, etc. Students can expect a total of 22 questions from this section.
- The QA Section: This section includes all the mathematical topics from classes 9 and 10. Most of the questions are asked from the Arithmetic topic. Also, Algebra and Trigonometry carry a significant weight. Some of the topics that students must focus on include Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Mensuration.
CAT Syllabus 2025: Overview
For students who are willing to take admission into IIMs, it is important to know about the number of questions and the question types that can be asked. Given below is the complete overview of CAT Exam Syllabus for MBA 2025:
Check: CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025
CAT Syllabus 2025: Section-wise Syllabus and Weightage
CAT Syllabus 2025 will involve topics from different sections like VARC, DILR and QA. It is important for CAT aspirants to crack each of the sections well and score higher marks to secure admission into IIMs. Here is a complete guide of section-wise syllabus and weightage of each section for students to review:
CAT VARC Syllabus 2025
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension is the first section where students will receive questions. This section is further divided into two parts: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. Listed below are the important topics related to this section:
CAT VARC Topics & Weightage
The VARC section has a total of four sub-sections, including Reading Comprehension, Parajumbles, Verbal Ability and Sentences. It is expected that there will be no direct question from grammar. Find out the weightage, along with the difficulty level for important topics of parts from the VARC section:
CAT DILR Syllabus 2025
The second section included in CAT 2025 Syllabus is the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. This section will consist of a total of 22 questions. There are two different sub-sections involved in this section: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The key areas in this section are Venn Diagram, Data Structures, Tables, and many more. The complete syllabus of the DILR section is presented below:
CAT DILR Topics & Weightage
The Data Interpretation part in the DILR section is usually related to the tables and graphs. Whereas, the Logical and Reasoning area pertains to verbal, non-verbal, and abstract reasoning. Check out the topic-wise weightage of the DILR section and the difficulty level of each part:
Read More: CAT Cutoff 2025
CAT QA Syllabus 2025
Quantitative Aptitude is the last section of the CAT Syllabus 2025. This section is completely focused on mathematical topics, such as Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration, etc. It is one of the complex sections, and students must practice mathematics well enough to crack. Given below is the detailed QA syllabus:
CAT QA Topics & Weightage
The topics most weighted in the Quantitative Aptitude section are Arithmetic and Algebra. The questions that come from this section are based on mathematical calculations. Students should go through the important topics of this section, along with the difficulty level of each section, for better understanding:
Also Check: CAT Application Process 2025
CAT Syllabus 2025: How to Prepare?
CAT is considered one of the most competitive exams in India. It requires a well-planned and strategic approach to crack CAT with high scores and secure a seat in reputed IIMs. Students seeking MBA admission through CAT should create a preparation plan based on their strengths and weaknesses. The sections like Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Aptitude have topics studied in school. Most of the concepts are from the classes 9 & 10 syllabus. Hence, the first thing aspirants should do is check which topics they are familiar with and which they are not. It is advisable to start with non-familiar topics first since they require more time to practise, study, and revise. Students can find some of the preparation tips below curated for each of the sections:
CAT VARC Preparation Tips
The preparation tips for the VARC section include revising the grammar rules and applications, learning new words & phrases, and more. Mentioned below are some preparation tips for the VARC section:
- First, students must read the passage and solve questions based on the passage.
- Revise all the Grammar rules and definitions. Also, candidates must learn about their applications.
- Reading Comprehension holds the most weight in the VARC section. Hence, practising reading and solving comprehension within a limited time is important to improve speed and accuracy.
- Students are also advised to go through the last 10 years’ CAT questions of the VARC section and solve a wide range of reading comprehension and parajumble questions.
CAT DILR Preparation Tips
The DILR section of CAT Question Paper 2025 is going to be all about tables, graphs, family trees, etc. Hence, some of the preparation tips are mentioned below for students to ace this section:
- Students should practise mock tests more often to improve speed.
- They should be good at mathematical skills, as the Data interpretation part is mainly based on mathematical ability.
- The Logical & Reasoning part requires good observation skills. Hence, candidates must practise all varieties of reasoning questions.
- Students must practise to be good at reading charts and puzzles quickly. It will increase the chance of scoring better in the DILR section.
CAT QA Preparation Tips
The Quantitative Aptitude section is all about conceptual clarity and mathematical calculations. Some of the important topics of this section are Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry, etc. A few preparation tips are mentioned below for students to prepare for the QA section:
- Candidates should learn and revise all the formulas related to Arithmetic, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Algebra.
- Students are advised to start with the weak concepts first, since it will require more time.
- Start practising full-length mock tests after completing the QA syllabus for CAT 2025.
- While practising the mock tests or previous years’ question papers, students first solve the easy papers or sums, and then move to the advanced level.
CAT Syllabus 2025: Best Books for Preparation
While preparing for CAT 2025, it is important to refer to good books as they provide comprehensive coverage of the syllabus, detailed explanations, and ample practice questions. Along with these, they also offer insights into the CAT Exam Pattern 2025, which helps students understand the questions and the strategic way to approach them. By using the right books, CAT aspirants will be able to save time, improve their understanding of concepts, and build confidence to tackle the questions well. Listed below are some of the recommended books that students can refer to when preparing for CAT 2025:
CAT Syllabus 2025 FAQs
Which are the main sections of CAT syllabus 2025?
The main sections that are covered in CAT 2025 are Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
What is the weightage of each section of CAT 2025 syllabus?
The highest weighted topic of CAT syllabus is quantitative aptitude, which is 34%. The reading comprehension holds nearly 24% of the weightage, followed by data interpretation and logical reasoning, which are 16% each.
Which are the important topics from CAT VARC section 2025?
VARC is one of the most crucial sections from CAT syllabus 2025. The key areas that are included in this section are Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Sentence Completion, Inferences, RC Passages on Politics, History, Society, Literature, Science, Environment, Abstract, Mythology, Technology, Culture, etc.
Is there any fixed syllabus for CAT 2025?
There is no fixed syllabus for CAT 2025. However, based on previous years’ trends, it is expected that the test will include questions from English, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability, Basic Mathematics, and Data Interpretation.
What kind of questions can come from the DILR section in CAT 2025?
DILR section involves two sub-parts: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Data Interpretation involves questions from tables, pie charts, graphs, etc. The Logical Reasoning area has questions related to Syllogism, Blood Relations, Family Tree, Coding-Decoding, etc.
How many questions can come from the QA part in CAT 2025?
The QA section usually involves a total of 22 mathematical questions. Students can expect 8-10 questions from Arithmetic, 5-7 questions from Algebra, and 6-7 questions from Geometry and Modern Maths.
Which topics shall I practise for the QA section for CAT 2025?
For CAT 2025, the QA section is expected to hold at least 32% of the weightage. The topics students should practise to master this section include Mean, Median, Mode, Linear Equations, Divisibility Rules, Lines and Angles, Sequence and Series, etc.
Which is the best book for Logical & Reasoning in CAT 2025?
While preparing for CAT 2025, it is important for students to refer to good study materials. For the Logical & Reasoning section, students can study How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma and A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Agarwal.
Is the DILR syllabus in CAT 2025 tough?
The DILR syllabus involves data interpretation from tables, charts, graphs, etc. At the same time, logical reasoning involves topics of verbal, non-verbal, and abstract reasoning. As per last year's exam analysis, the data interpretation part was considered easy; however, the difficulty level of the logical reasoning part was moderate. Overall, the difficulty level of the paper was moderate to difficult.
How to prepare for CAT 2025?
Students are required to adopt a preparation strategy to crack CAT 2025. Students should concentrate on regular practice of mock tests, time management and improving accuracy. It is equaly important to understand the concepts and formulas really well, especially for the QA section.
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