IIM Kozhikode is all set to conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 on November 30 for admission to various management programmes at IIMs. The exam will be held across three sessions in nearly 170 cities. CAT 2025 will follow a two-hour format for non-PwD candidates, divided into three 40-minute sections-Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). Sectional movement will remain restricted, meaning candidates can proceed to the next section only once the allotted time has ended. PwD candidates will receive an additional 40 minutes.
Sharing insights on this year’s Common Admission Test, Ram Kumar PN, Professor IIM Kozhikode and CAT 2025 Convenor says, “There will be no significant structural differences between CAT 2025 and those of earlier years. The exam is designed to test the applicant’s critical reasoning, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills across all three sections, i.e., VARC, DILR, and QA.”
Students preparing for the exam should specifically account for logical reasoning, comprehension, and conceptual clarity, rather than relying on rote memorisation, adds Professor Kumar.
Talking about the preparation strategy for interviews, he adds, “The preparation for the IIM interview rounds (which typically include the Personal Interview (PI) and the Written Ability Test (WAT)) must start immediately after the CAT exam, regardless of the applicant’s score. These rounds carry significant weight, often between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of the final selection score, making them critical for admission. The WAT assesses the candidate’s written communication skills, clarity of thought, and ability to structure an argument under time pressure.”
CAT 2025: Do’s at exam centre
Admit card: The candidates should carry admit card at the exam centre, without it, they will not be allowed to appear for the exam. Along with the CAT admit card, the candidates are advised to bring a government-issued photo ID- PAN, Voter ID card as proof of identity.
Reporting time: The candidates need to report at the exam centre half an hour to an hour before the exam. For the CAT exam to begin at 8:30 am, the candidates should report by 8 am, for the 12:30 pm shift, the candidates should report between 11:30 am to 12 noon, report by 4 pm for the 4:30 pm shift.
CAT 2025: Don’ts at exam centre
Do not bring any restricted items to the exam center. All sorts of electronic devices- smart phone, Bluetooth devices, earphones, pagers are not allowed at the exam centre. The exam center will not provide any storage for banned items, and if any such item is brought, it will have to be stored outside the venue at the candidate’s own risk.
CAT 2025: How to download admit card
CAT admit card 2025 is available for download on the IIM CAT website- iimcat.ac.in. The candidates can check and download CAT hall ticket on the iimcat.ac.in. To download, candidates need to follow these steps-
- Visit the official website- iimcat.ac.in
- Click on CAT hall ticket 2025 link
- Enter login credentials- application number, date of birth
- IIM CAT hall ticket 2025 PDF will appear on the screen for download
- Save IIM CAT admit card PDF and take a print out.
For details on CAT 2025, please visit the official website- iimcat.ac.in.
