The India Institutes of Management will conduct the CAT 2025 exam on November 30, 2025. The exam will be conducted in three sessions – Session 1: 8:30 am to 10:30 am, Session 2: 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and Session 3: 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
The admit card of CAT 2025 will be released on November 5, 2025.
The last month before CAT is all about strategy, focus, and smart revision. By this stage, most of the syllabus is already covered, and the real challenge is maximizing accuracy, managing time under pressure, and avoiding burnout. Instead of cramming new concepts, the goal should be to consolidate strengths, polish weak areas just enough, and build a test-taking mindset. With the right balance of mocks, revision, and calmness, you can significantly boost your percentile in these final weeks.
Last-Month Prep Tips for CAT 2025
Here are important tips that candidates need to follow in the last month leading up to the CAT 2025 exam.
Prioritize Revision Over New Learning
- Don’t start any new topics at this stage. Instead, strengthen areas you have already touched or prepared.
- Keep a formula + shortcut sheet for Quant and quick reference notes for DILR & VARC. Revise them repeatedly.
Mocks + Smart Analysis
- Take 2–3 mocks per week, not daily.
- Spend more time analyzing than taking tests: check accuracy, time wasted, question selection errors.
- Build a clear strategy: safe attempts per section based on your comfort.
Focus on Accuracy, Not Just Attempts
- CAT 2025 has negative marking. So, only attempt questions where you can eliminate or are 70–80% confident. Or else, negative marking can sink your ship.
- A few extra correct answers with high accuracy > many guesses.
Strengthen Strong Areas First
- Don’t ignore your strong areas —Arithmetic in QA, easy RCs in VARC, familiar DILR sets.
- Use them as your “score anchors” before attempting tougher ones.
Time Management Strategy
- When attempting the CAT 2025 question paper – 1) solve easy/moderate questions first, and then 2) attempt tougher ones if time allows.
- Don’t get stuck on a single question/set.
Section-wise Quick Habits
- VARC: Read 2–3 RCs daily, focus on comprehension over speed.
- DILR: Practice identifying solvable sets quickly; accuracy matters more than volume.
- QA: Daily 20–30 questions from mixed topics to stay sharp.
Simulate Exam Conditions
- Take mocks at the same time slot as your CAT exam.
- Practice in a distraction-free environment, no breaks between sections.
Take Care of Mind & Body
- Sleep well, especially in the last week.
- Stay hydrated, eat light, and manage stress with short breaks, walks, or breathing exercises.
- Avoid over-studying right before the exam.
Plan Exam Day Logistics Early
- Check your admit card, exam center location, travel time, and required documents.
- Keep everything ready to avoid last-minute panic.
What to Avoid / Common Mistakes at This Stage
- Last-minute cramming of totally new topics: This may confuse more than help. Better to stick to what you know & polish it.
- Overdoing mocks without reviewing them: Just taking mock tests without deep analysis is wasteful.
- Ignoring negative marking / guessing poorly: Be smart with guesses. Only guess when you can eliminate some options or are reasonably sure.
- Obsessing over high scores / comparing too much: Each mock is to improve you. Getting anxious about the percentile of others often distracts.
- Poor time-check strategy: Either checking too often (causes stress) or too little (you lose track). Find a balanced rhythm.