CAT 2025 Exam Pattern
Before comparing CAT 2025 Slot 1 vs Slot 2 vs Slot 3, it’s important to note that the exam pattern remained the same across all sessions.
- Each slot featured 68 questions divided into VARC, DILR, and QA, with 40 minutes per section and a mix of MCQs and TITA questions.
- Since no structural changes were introduced, the overall difficulty differences came purely from question quality, complexity, and section-wise distribution—making a comparative CAT 2025 slot analysis essential.
CAT 2025 Section-Wise Structure (Same for All Slots)
| Section | MCQs | TITA | Total Questions | Duration |
| VARC | 20 | 4 | 24 | 40 mins |
| DILR | 11 | 11 | 22 | 40 mins |
| QA | 14 | 8 | 22 | 40 mins |
| Total | 45 | 23 | 68 | 120 mins |
The marking pattern awarded +3 for each correct answer and imposed a –1 penalty for incorrect responses, while TITA questions carried no negative marking.
Overall Difficulty Comparison — Slot 1 vs Slot 2 vs Slot 3
A clear pattern emerges when comparing CAT 2025 Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3: although the structure remained the same, the overall difficulty varied noticeably across slots.
- Based on student feedback and expert reviews, Slot 2 emerged as the toughest overall, driven mainly by a challenging QA section and complex DILR sets.
- Slot 1 was rated Moderate–Difficult, with dense RCs and multi-layered puzzles increasing the cognitive load.
- Slot 3 was described as Moderate to Moderately Difficult, slightly easier than Slot 2 but still demanding in parts, mainly due to TITA-heavy DILR and calculation-heavy QA questions.
These differences are essential for a fair CAT 2025 slot analysis, as normalisation will adjust percentiles based on these slot-wise variations.
Table: Overall Slot-Wise Difficulty Summary
| Slot | Overall Difficulty | Key Reason |
| Slot 1 | Moderate–Difficult | Tough DILR, dense RCs |
| Slot 2 | Most Difficult | Hardest QA, tricky DILR sets |
| Slot 3 | Moderate | Balanced but TITA-heavy |
VARC Difficulty Comparison Across Slots
The VARC section showed noticeable differences across CAT 2025 Slots 1, 2, and 3, even though all three followed the same 16 RC + 8 VA structure.
Slot-Wise Breakdown
- Slot 1 VARC was rated Moderate–Difficult, driven by dense passages such as Complex Systems & Tail Events and deeper inference-based questions. Vocabulary-application items also appeared for the first time, increasing complexity.
- Slot 2 VARC was overall Moderate, with two easy RCs (Tetrafish, AI Bias) and two demanding ones (Literature, Science & Culture). VA was manageable, making Slot 2 the most balanced of the three.
- Slot 3 VARC was Moderate, but the Tribal Art passage was widely considered the toughest RC across all slots. Parajumbles returned in all three slots, but in Slot 3, they added extra challenge due to dense wording.
Difficulty Ranking – VARC
Slot 1 (Hardest) > Slot 3 (Moderate-Complex) > Slot 2 (Most Balanced)
| Slot-Wise VARC Comparison | |||
| Slot | Difficulty | RC Highlights | VA Highlights |
| Slot 1 | Moderate–Difficult | 1 difficult RC; inference-heavy | Mixed, Parajumbles returned |
| Slot 2 | Moderate | 2 easy + 2 difficult RCs | Easiest VA overall |
| Slot 3 | Moderate | Tribal Art RC toughest | Balanced but slightly lengthy |
DILR Difficulty Comparison Across Slots
Among all sections, DILR showed the greatest variation across CAT 2025 Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3, making it the most decisive part of the overall exam experience. Despite the same 22-question format with 11 MCQs + 11 TITA, the complexity of sets differed significantly across slots.
Slot-Wise Breakdown
- Slot 1 DILR was widely regarded as the hardest. Multi-layered puzzles such as employee ratings, circular arrangement, and inference-heavy Yes/No grids made set selection crucial. Heavy TITA presence further increased difficulty.
- Slot 2 DILR was Medium to Difficult, with three sets rated difficult (Pollution Index, Scatter Plot, Musicians). The equal MCQ–TITA split demanded precision, leaving little room for error.
- Slot 3 DILR was Moderate–Difficult, but slightly easier than Slot 2. Two sets were manageable (Friends Calling, Puzzle Chart), though the Currency Exchange and Trade Balance sets were time-consuming.
Difficulty Ranking – DILR
Slot 1 (Hardest) > Slot 2 (Challenging) > Slot 3 (Relatively Easiest)
| Slot–Wise DILR Difficulty Comparison | |||
| Slot | Overall Difficulty | Easy/Moderate Sets | Tough Sets |
| Slot 1 | Most Difficult | Import–Export Table | Yes/No Puzzle, Circular Arrangement |
| Slot 2 | Medium–Difficult | Authors & Books, Ranking | Pollution Index, Scatter Plot |
| Slot 3 | Moderate–Difficult | Friends Calling, Chart-based Set | Currency Exchange, Trade Balance |
Quantitative Ability (QA) Difficulty Comparison
The QA section showed clear contrasts across CAT 2025 Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3, even though all three slots followed the same 22-question structure, with a mix of MCQs and TITA items. The variation emerged primarily from topic distribution, calculation load, and trap-based questions.
Slot-Wise Breakdown
- Slot 1 QA was Moderate–Difficult, dominated by Arithmetic but packed with hidden traps. Geometry was more rigid than usual, and Algebra required careful interpretation. Students reported that selecting the right questions was critical to avoid time sinks.
- Slot 2 QA was the toughest QA of CAT 2025. Algebra and Modern Math questions were significantly more complex, featuring inequalities, logarithms, and progressions that required multi-step reasoning. Even Numbers questions were not straightforward.
- Slot 3 QA was Moderate–Difficult, with approachable Arithmetic but calculation-heavy Algebra and Modern Math. Students found several questions lengthy, making time management crucial.
Difficulty Ranking – QA
Slot 2 (Hardest) > Slot 3 (Moderately Tough) > Slot 1 (Trap-Heavy but Manageable)
| Slot-Wise QA Comparison | |||
| Slot | Overall Difficulty | Strength Areas | Challenging Areas |
| Slot 1 | Moderate–Difficult | Arithmetic | Geometry, Modern Math traps |
| Slot 2 | Most Difficult | Basic Arithmetic | Algebra, Modern Math, Numbers |
| Slot 3 | Moderate–Difficult | Arithmetic | Calculation-heavy Algebra & Modern Math |
Section-Wise Good Attempts Comparison
A consolidated view of CAT 2025 Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3 shows that the ideal number of good attempts varied sharply across sections due to differences in passage complexity, puzzle difficulty, and calculation load.
While VARC remained somewhat manageable across all slots, DILR and QA saw the most significant fluctuations.
These estimates assume 70–85% accuracy, which is crucial for percentile stability across slots.
Good Attempts Comparison Across Slots
| Section | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | Verdict |
| VARC | 16–17 | 13–18 | 15–17 | Slot 2 easiest |
| DILR | 8–10 | 7–11 | 7–8 | Slot 1 hardest |
| QA | 13–14 | 7–10 | 7–11 | Slot 2 toughest |
These values help aspirants gauge their relative performance before normalisation.
Which Slot Was Toughest? Final Comparative Verdict
After analysing CAT 2025 Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3, a clear conclusion emerges: Slot 2 was the toughest overall.
- The difficulty peak in Slot 2 came from its extremely challenging QA section and multiple complex DILR sets, making it the most demanding slot of CAT 2025.
- Slot 1 followed closely with dense VARC passages and multi-layered puzzles, placing it in the Moderate–Difficult range.
- Slot 3 was the most balanced of the three, though not easy—it had a mix of approachable and time-consuming questions.
In summary: Slot 2 > Slot 1 > Slot 3 in overall difficulty.
How Normalisation May Affect Percentiles?
Since CAT uses a strict normalisation process across sessions, the slot-wise difficulty differences between CAT 2025 Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3 will be mathematically adjusted to ensure fairness. Because Slot 2 was the toughest—especially in QA and DILR—students in this slot may receive a marginal positive adjustment.
Slot 1 and Slot 3 will also experience scaled mapping based on their relative difficulty. Ultimately, your CAT 2025 slot analysis must be normalised to estimate your true percentile.
Conclusion
The CAT 2025 Slot 1 vs Slot 2 vs Slot 3 comparison shows apparent differences in difficulty despite a uniform exam pattern. Slot 2 stood out as the toughest, Slot 1 followed closely, while Slot 3 remained the most balanced.
- Understanding these differences—combined with normalisation—helps aspirants interpret their performance more accurately.
As you move towards college shortlisting and GDPI preparation, platforms like Tarkashastra offer expert mentorship, personalised score analysis, and strategic guidance to help you take confident next steps after CAT 2025.
FAQs
1. Which slot was the toughest in CAT 2025?
Slot 2 was the toughest overall, mainly due to a highly challenging QA section and complex DILR sets.
2. Was VARC similar across all slots?
No. Slot 1 had the densest RCs, Slot 3 had the toughest single passage (Tribal Art), while Slot 2 was the most balanced.
3. Which slot might benefit more from normalisation?
Slot 2, since it had the highest overall difficulty.
4. Did any slot have an easier DILR section?
Slot 3 was relatively easier, while Slot 1 was the toughest.
5. Was QA uniformly difficult across slots?
No. Slot 2 QA was the hardest, Slot 3 moderate, and Slot 1 trap-heavy but manageable.
6. Which slot is considered the most balanced?
Slot 3, as it offered moderate difficulty across all three sections.
