CAT syllabus 2025 – The CAT 2025 question paper has 3 sections – Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). The CAT syllabus includes the important topics for each of these sections.
Prescribed by the Indian Institute of Management, the CAT syllabus is widely regarded as the toughest of all MBA entrance exams. So, when preparing for CAT 2025 exam, you must tackle the syllabus smartly and with determination.
Important topics in the CAT syllabus include Geometry, Graphs, Algebra, Arithmetic, Percentage, Coding, etc. The VARC section gives more weightage to Reading Comprehension, so you will have to brush up your English. Likewise, treat each section with a sound knowledge of topic-weightage and difficulty level.
The CAT 2025 entrance exam will be conducted around November 2025. Application form for CAT 2025 is expected to open in August 2025.
Table of Contents
What is the CAT Exam Syllabus for MBA?
Questions asked in the CAT exam can be put in THREE broad categories or sections:
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
The Quantitative Ability section typically includes math-based questions of 10th/12th-grade level. So, you need to study topics like arithmetic, algebra, numbers, geometry, and mensuration.
In the VARC section, verbal reasoning and reading comprehension will be asked.
Lastly, the CAT Exam syllabus for DILR will include questions related to analysis and interpretation of information provided in the form of tables, puzzles, and bar graphs.
CAT Syllabus 2025 – Exam Pattern
The exam pattern of CAT 2025 exam is given below.
| Particulars | Description |
| CAT Exam syllabus sections | Questions asked in the CAT exam can be broadly placed in the following categories: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) Quantitative Aptitude (QA) |
| Section-wise and TOTAL questions asked | VARC – 24 questions DILR – 20 questions QA – 22 questions Total = 66 |
| Type of questions | Subjective and MCQs will be asked |
| Section-wise exam duration | 40 minutes per section –53 minutes 20 secs for PwD candidates |
| Test Duration | 2 hours –2 hours 40 minutes for PwD candidates |
| Total marks | 198 |
| Read | Best books for CAT quantitative aptitude |
Also Read:
- Best Books to Prepare for CAT 2025 – Section-wise Study Material, How and What to Study
- CAT Exam Centers 2025 – City-wise Test Centers, How to Select, Reporting Time
- IIM Selection Process 2025
CAT Exam Syllabus For MBA: Section-wise Topics
The topics that will be covered in each section of the CAT exam is given in the table below:
| CAT Session | CAT Exam Syllabus Topics |
| VARC | Verbal Ability Para Jumbles Sentence Completion Para Summary Antonyms & Synonyms Error Detection Odd Sentence Out Phrase Modifiers Analogies Cloze Test Word Usage |
| Reading Comprehension Facts Inference Judgement Critical Analysis of Passage Themes of the RC passage Idioms | |
| DILR | Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Number System Modern Math |
| QA | Caselets Pie Charts Tabular Data Line Graphs Bar Graphs Column Graphs Combination Graphs/ Charts Puzzles Blood Relations Syllogisms Coding-Decoding Seating Arrangement Ranking Direction sense test Logical Sequence |
CAT Exam Syllabus – VARC
VARC is the first section of the CAT question paper and has TWO sub-sections – 1) Verbal Ability, and 2) Reading Comprehension.
Of the two sections, more questions are asked from the Reading Comprehension section; in other words, it carries more weightage.
A total of 24 questions will be asked in the section that the candidate has to attempt in 40 minutes.
VARC topics for the CAT syllabus are given in the table below:
| CAT VARC Topics | ||
| Fill in the blanks | Antonyms | Idioms |
| Foreign language words used in English | Sentence completion | Para jumbles |
| Verbal reasoning | Verbal logic | Errors in tenses |
| Parts of speech | Analogies | Syllogisms |
| Preposition | Articles usage | One word substitution |
| Types of clauses | Different usage of one word | Jumbled paragraphs |
| Phrases modifiers | Sentence correction | Subject-verb agreement |
| Para completion and inference | ||
CAT Exam Syllabus for DILR Section
DILR stands for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.
So, you will get DI and LR-based questions in this section.
The section will include 20 questions and you will get 40 minutes to attempt these questions.
Important Topics for DILR section
| CAT DILR Topics | |
| DI Topics | LR Topics |
| Bar Graphs | Order and Ranking |
| Column Graphs | Binary Logic |
| Venn Diagrams | Arrangements |
| Data Caselets | Games and Tournaments |
| Pie Charts | Team Formations |
| Tables | |
| Line Charts | |
| Scatter Plot | |
| Routes and Network | |
| Bubble Chart | |
| Radar Chart | |
CAT Exam Syllabus for QA Section
The 3rd and final section of the CAT exam paper is Quantitative Aptitude. The section will have 22 questions.
Like in the other sections, you will get 40 minutes to attempt the paper.
Here are important topics from the CAT exam syllabus for QA
| CAT QA Topics | ||||
| Arithmetic | Modern Math | Algebra | Number System | Geometry |
| Profit & Loss | Probability | Series | Real Numbers | Angles |
| Time & Work | Set Theory | Quadratic Equations | LCM | Circles |
| Chain Rule | Binomial Theorem | Functions | HCF | Lines |
| Percentage | Permutation | Surds & Indices | Irrational Numbers | Triangles |
| Time Speed & Distance | Combination | ComplexNumbers | Unit’s Digit | Area & Volume |
| Averages | Logarithm | Zeroes | Coordinate Geometry | |
| Ratio & Proportion | Inequalities | Remainders | Polygons | |
| Simple & Compound Interest | ||||