The CAT is all set to be conducted on November 30, 2025 and there are almost 6 months left for preparation. Students who are beginners and are attempting the exam for the first time have enough time to start from scratch and ace the examination. The complete CAT preparation plan for beginners is provided here with all crucial steps and insights. Students who plan to take CAT 2025 must be aware of the exam pattern and syllabus primarily to plan their preparation strategy accordingly.
CAT is a computer-based test conducted by the IIMs for admission into top management institutes across India. The exam consists of three major sections including the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). Students must focus on regular practice and maintain a disciplined strategy to obtain good marks in CAT and pursue their desired goals. To know how to prepare for CAT being a beginner, kindly refer to the following.
→ CAT Study Material 2025: Download Free Study Material PDFs & Check CAT 2025 Preparation Tips
CAT Exam Preparation Tips for Beginners
1. Analyze Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme Carefully
Start preparing by being aware of the CAT exam pattern. It has three sections of 40 minutes each. The exam has MCQs and non-MCQs, with a penalty for incorrect answers (except for TITA questions).
2. Be Familiar with CAT Syllabus First
Students must know the complete syllabus for all the sections of CAT 2025 before starting the preparation. This will help them figure out what topics to focus on and how to collect study material.
3. Make Ideas Stronger with Basic Parts
For Quantitative Aptitude, start with Class 6 to Class 10 NCERT books, and for the basic concepts, use basic logical reasoning books. It is easier to handle difficult problems later by understanding the basics.
4. Create a Good Study Plan
Take 6 to 8 months on the test and break it up into phases. In the initial phase, take 2 to 3 months on skill building, and then practice thoroughly and take full-length practice tests.
5. Read for VARC every day.
Reading comprehension plays a crucial role in scoring. To enhance reading speed and comprehension, read The Hindu, Indian Express, and non-fiction books.
6. Practice Sectional Tests Every Week
As you complete the workbooks, test yourself on each topic every week. This will help candidates to know their weak and strong areas and they can work on them accordingly.
7. Take Full-length Mock Tests Regularly.
Students are advised to take mock tests weekly to keep themselves updated on their overall preparation level and further requirements.
8. Prepare Revision Notes and an Error Log
Maintain short notes and formulas for rapid revision. Maintain a log to record repeated errors and practice them on a regular basis.
9. Practice Speed and Accuracy Simultaneously
Don't linger too much on hard questions. Answer the familiar questions primarily and save the time to solve difficult problems at last.
10. Be Consistent and Track Progress
It is very important to be consistent with your preparation plan as CAT is a highly competitive exam and there is much competition this year. Progress tracking will help students know if they are improving with their current preparation plan or do they need to modify it accordingly.
CAT 2025 Exam Pattern
The official CAT exam pattern has not been released yet by the authorities; however, it is expected that it will be the same as last year. Based on the previous year CAT exam pattern, we have provided an expected outcome for the examination pattern of the current academic year. Refer to the following to know the same.
CAT Examination Pattern:
→ CAT Syllabus 2025: Section-Wise Topics, Weightage and Exam Pattern
CAT Syllabus 2025 Overview
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC):
VARC section of the CAT syllabus for MBA research contains Reading Comprehension and Verbal Reasoning questions. In order to prepare for Reading Comprehension and Parajumbles questions, students must also keep track of their English vocabulary and grammar. This section contains 24 questions, of which about 12 to 14 questions are related to Reading Comprehension. Direct grammar questions are not available in CAT, but the entire study process must be guided towards enhancing reading comprehension.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA):
The Quantitative Aptitude section of the CAT course covers all the Class 9 and 10 Math topics, i.e., Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry, and Mensuration. But these subjects are not easy. All of Arithmetic needs to be prepared by the candidates since questions are being asked mostly from this subject. They cannot leave Algebra and Geometry either since they are extremely important.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR):
CAT DILR syllabus contains topics that involve analytical reasoning to comprehend information presented in the form of Puzzles, Pie Charts, Tables, Bar Graphs, Coding, Decoding, Series, Family Trees, Blood Relations, Syllogism, etc. As the questions are presented in sets, all the categories of DILR topics must be practiced.
CAT 2025 Syllabus
Check out the following table to know the complete CAT exam syllabus 2025.
Note: Candidates are advised to use this time to the most to prepare for the exam. To learn about more preparation strategies of CAT 2025, click on the following link.
→ CAT Preparation Strategy 2025: How to Prepare for CAT in 6 Months?
