CAT Topic-Wise Weightage: The CAT Topic wise weightage refers to the weightage or importance that each topic carries. The topic-wise weightage for CAT 2025 may vary slightly from year to year, but this is a general overview of what a candidate can expect. It is important to note that the difficulty level of the questions in each section will also vary, so it is important to be prepared for a range of question types. This analysis can help the candidates assess the topics that require more attention than others.
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If the candidates are aiming for a high percentile in CAT, it is important to focus on all three sections. However, you may want to focus more on the sections that you are weaker in. For example, if you are struggling with Quant, you may want to focus more on that section. It is also important to practice answering questions under timed conditions. The CAT is a 3-hour exam, so it is important to be able to manage your time effectively. You can practice answering questions under timed conditions by taking practice tests or by using online CAT preparation tools.
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CAT Topic Wise Weightage 2025 - At A Glance
Subject/ Section | Important topics | Weightage in CAT Exam |
Para summary, Para jumbles, Inferences and Sentence Completion | 10% | |
Reading Comprehension | Questions based on passages, order of sentences, para meaning. | 24% |
Tables, Pie Charts, Graphs, Venn Diagram | 16% | |
Logical Reasoning | Seating Arrangement, Blood Relation, Syllogism And Caselets | 16% |
Quantitative Aptitude | Geometry, Arithmetic, Algebra, Mensuration, Number System | 34% |
CAT Topic-Wise Weightage
The topic-wise weightage for each of the three sections is explained in brief below. The section aims to help the candidates understand and assess which topics carry the most weightage and what kind of attention they require.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA): 35%
- Number Systems: 25%
- Algebra: 25%
- Geometry and Mensuration: 25%
- Probability and Statistics: 25%
CAT Quant Preparation Tips - Read Here
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): 35%
- Reading Comprehension: 50%
- Verbal Ability: 50%
CAT Verbal Ability Preparation - Read Here
CAT RC Preparation - Read Here
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR): 20%
- Data Interpretation: 60%
- Logical Reasoning: 40%
CAT Data Interpretation Preparation - Read Here
CAT Logical Reasoning Preparation - Read Here
CAT Topics Weightage - Past Year Analysis
The past year analysis of the CAT topics and their weightage will not only help the candidates analyse what topics need to be studied rigorously and what topics can be studied less rigorously. Check the CAT topic-wise weightage for the previous years below.
CAT 2023 Weightage - Quant
The below table presents the data for 2023 CAT Quantitative Aptitude section which is helpful in analysing the topics one should cover.
Topic Name | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
Arithmetic | 9 | 9 | 8 |
Algebra Log/Equations, Surds/Sequence/Series | 8 | 7 | 7 |
Geometry and Mensuration | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Number System | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Modern Maths | 1 | NA | NA |
CAT Topic Wise Weightage 2022
Check the CAT 2022 topic-wise weightage for each of the three sections detailed below for easy reference and understanding.
CAT 2022 Topic Wise Weightage for Quant
Slots | Topics | Number of Questions | Weightage (%) |
Slot 1 | Arithmetic | 8 | 36 |
Geometry and Mensuration | 3 | 14 | |
Algebra | 8 | 36 | |
Modern Math | 2 | 9 | |
Number Systems | 1 | 5 | |
Slot 2 & 3 | Arithmetic | 9 | 41 |
Geometry and Mensuration | 4 | 18 | |
Algebra | 7 | 32 | |
Modern Math | 1 | 5 | |
Number Systems | 1 | 5 |
CAT 2022 Topic Wise Weightage for VARC
Slots | Topic | No. of Questions | Weightage (%) |
Slots 1, 2 and 3 | Reading: Comprehension Passages | 16 | 68 |
Para Summary | 3 | 12 | |
Para Jumbles | 3 | 12 | |
Para Completion or Odd Sentences Out | 2 | 4 |
CAT Topic Wise Weightage 2022 for DILR
Slots | Topics | Number of Questions |
Slot 1 | University Teams | 5 |
Token Value | 5 | |
DI- Metro Lines | 5 | |
LR Set- 15 girls get together | 5 | |
Slot 2 | DI- Company Revenue and Cost | 5 |
LR- Salesmen + 4 Companies | 5 | |
DI- Cosmetic Sales | 5 | |
Diagram based LR Set- Widget Supplies | 5 | |
Slot 3 | DI Based on Graph- Gender + Colour | 5 |
LR- Games and Tournament- 4 People | 5 | |
DI- Ratio based | 5 | |
LR- COVID Cases | 5 |
CAT Topic Wise Weightage 2021
Check the CAT 2021 topic-wise weightage for each of the three sections detailed below for easy reference and understanding.
CAT 2021 Topic Wise Weightage for Quantitative Aptitude
Slots | Topics | Number of Questions | Weightage (%) |
Slot 1 and 2 | Arithmetic | 11 | 50 |
Geometry and Mensuration | 3 | 13.6 | |
Algebra | 5 | 22.8 | |
Modern Mathematics | 1 | 4.5 | |
Number Systems | 2 | 9.1 | |
Slot 3 | Arithmetic | 11 | 50 |
Geometry and Mensuration | 4 | 18.2 | |
Algebra | 6 | 27.3 | |
Modern Mathematics | 1 | 4.5 | |
Number Systems | - | - |
CAT 2021 Topic Wise Weightage for VARC
Topics | Number of Questions | Weightage (in percentage) |
Reading: Comprehension Based Questions | 16 | 68 |
Odd Sentences Out | 2 | 8 |
Para-Summary | 3 | 12 |
Para-Jumbles | 3 | 12 |
CAT 2021 Topic Wise Weightage for DILR
Slots | Topics | Number of Questions |
Slot 1 | LR- Arranging People into Countries & Categories | 6 |
Bar Graph – Percentages | 4 | |
Table – Girls making a smoothie | 6 | |
LR Table- Relationships | 4 | |
Slot 2 | DI- Rating | 6 |
LR- Games and Tournaments | 4 | |
Bar Graph – Stacked Horizontal | 4 | |
LR- Number Based Reasoning | 6 | |
Slot 3 | LR- Games and Tournaments (Javelin) | 6 |
Mixtures | 4 | |
DI- Gantt Chart | 4 | |
Content Creation | 6 |
CAT Exam Pattern
There were no such changes introduced in CAT Examination Pattern since 2015 until the last year. Though the format has remained the same but there are some changes such as the type of questions, CAT entrance exam duration, CAT exam format, etc. Below mentioned are the important details of CAT exam along with the marking scheme.
Sections | Questions | Time | Time Limit for PwD Students | Marks | CAT Negative Marking |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 24 | 40 min | 53 minutes and 20 seconds | 72 | -1 |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 22 | 40 min | 53 minutes and 20 seconds | 66 | -1 |
Quantitative Ability | 22 | 40 min | 53 minutes and 20 seconds | 66 | -1 |
Total | 68 | 120 min | 160 minutes | 204 | - |
CAT Syllabus 2025
There have been some substantial changes in CAT Syllabus during the past 5 years. Below are some of the major changes that were introduced in CAT Exam 2023 Syllabus, and are followed till date.
- CAT Exam contains different types of questions now.
- No negative marking for 25% to 30% of the questions (Non MCQs).
- Changes are primarily introduced in Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section.
- Some of the changes are introduced in Quantitative Ability section of the paper. The focus is on Arithmetic Questions
