The Common Admission Test held annually by the IIMs is the most common entrance exam for MBA admissions to top-notch B-schools. CAT 2025 will allow students to apply for admission to IIMs among other top institutes for the batch of 2026-28. Top non-IIM MBA colleges accepting CAT 2025 are MDI Gurugram, SPJIMR, IMT, FMS, IM, IITs, GIM, GLIM, LIBA, NITIE, MICA, IRMA, etc.
Students aiming for admission to MBA programs must clear this exam and make the cut-offs before being selected for further rounds conducted by the institutions.
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Common Admission Test |
| Official Website | www.iimcat.ac.in |
| Conducting Body | IIM Lucknow |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Registration Mode | Online |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| No. of Questions | 66 |
| Time Allotted | 120 minutes |
| Types of Questions | MCQs and TITA |
| Sections in the Exam | 3 Sections; VARC, DILR, and QA |
| Medium of Exam | English |
CAT Important Dates
| CAT 2025 Official Notification | July 2025 |
| Start Date for Registration | August 2025 |
| Last Date for Registration | September 2025 |
| Opening of Form Correction Window | September 2025 |
| Admit Card Release Date | October 2025 |
| CAT 2025 Exam Date | November 2025 |
| CAT 2025 Results Announcement | December 2025 |
Results will be announced after the First week of January 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who passed a 3-year bachelor’s degree from any stream from a UGC-recognized degree are eligible to apply for CAT 2025. Check the detailed eligibility criteria below:
- Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university with minimum 50% marks (45% in case of SC, ST, and PWD/DA category).
- Candidates who have done CA/CS/ICWA and have scored the required percentage can also appear for CAT 2025
- Candidates who are in the final year of their bachelor’s degree can apply for the CAT exam 2025.
CAT 2025 Registration Process
The registration for the CAT 2025 exam consists of three steps. Candidates will have to complete all steps in order to successfully apply. The stages of CAT 2025 registration are:
- Creating login credentials
- Filling up the academic details in the application for CAT 2025
- Paying the CAT 2025 registration fee
Slot Timings
Each section of the CAT exam is time-bound. Once the time is up the screen automatically moves to the next section and the candidate cannot make any changes to the sections already attempted. So, you need to keep track of time and practice accordingly.
The three sessions for the CAT 2025 exam are as follows:
- Morning session (Slot 1): 8:30 am – 10:30 am
- Afternoon session (Slot 2): 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
- Evening session (Slot 3): 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Application Fee
After filling in all the details in the CAT application form 2025, the candidate must make the payment to complete the registration process.
- For General, EWS and NC-OBC, the application fee is INR 2,400/-
- For SC, ST and PwD, the application fee is INR 1,200/-
- The fee can be paid through online mode only.
CAT Exam Pattern
The CAT exam is held in 3 slots. While the exam pattern and syllabus are the same for all slots, the level of difficulty might vary. Here is an overview of the exam pattern-
| CAT 2023 | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of Examination | Online (Computer-based) |
| Medium of Examination | English |
| Total Questions | 66 |
| Questions Per Section | VARC: 24 DILR: 20 QA: 22 |
| Time Allotted | 120 minutes |
| Time Allotted per Section | 40 minutes each |
| Type of Questions | MCQs and TITA (Type in the Answer) |
| Marking Scheme | +3 for every right answer -1 for every wrong answer TITA has no negative marking |
Exam Syllabus
Candidates should note that there is no officially released syllabus. However, candidates can check the CAT syllabus 2025 drawn on the basis of previous CAT questions. Here are some of CAT 2025 important topics and the number of questions for each of the sections – VARC, DILR, and QA.
| Sections | No of questions | Time allotted (in minutes) | Important topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | 24 | 40 | Reading comprehension, para jumbles, para summary, verbal reasoning, etc. |
| Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) | 20 | 40 | Charts, graphs, arrangements, blood relations, puzzles, etc. |
| Quantitative Aptitude (QA) | 22 | 40 | Algebra, arithmetic, number systems, geometry, permutations and combinations, mensuration, etc. |
| Total | 66 | 120 |
How to fill CAT 2025 application form step by step
The candidates can follow the step-by-step process below to fill out the CAT 2025 registration form.
- Visit the official website of CAT exam 2025, iimcat.ac.in
- On the home page, click on the “New Candidate Registration”
- A new page will open. Enter the following details
- Name of the Candidate
- Date of Birth
- Email Address
- Country
- Mobile Number and
- Captcha
- After filling in the required information, click on “Generate OTP”. OTP will be sent to the registered email ID and mobile number. Enter the received OPT to verify your email ID and mobile number.
- Now login again, using the CAT ID and password created, and fill in the following details.
- Personal Details
- Other Personal Details
- Communication Address
- Emergency Contact Details
- Upload Documents (in a prescribed format and size)
- Provide academic details of SSC/ Class 10, HSC/ Class 12, Bachelor’s Degree Details, Master’s Degree Details, and Other Professional Degree Details
- Enter only full-time work experience
- Select exam cities. Candidates can choose up to six cities as their preferred exam cites
- Pay the CAT 2025 registration fee through any of the available methods
- For General Category Candidates: Rs 2400
- For SC/ ST/ PwD: Rs 1200
- Take a printout of the filled CAT 2025 application for future reference
