CAT 2025 Slot 2 Exam Pattern Overview
The CAT 2025 Slot 2 exam pattern remained identical to Slot 1, with a total of 68 questions divided across VARC, DILR, and Quant. Each section had a 40-minute timer, following the standard non-switchable format.
Slot 2 featured a mix of 45 MCQs and 23 TITA questions, with the familiar marking scheme of +3 for correct answers and –1 for incorrect MCQs, while TITA carried no negative marking.
This structure helped maintain consistency, allowing students to plan their strategy effectively during the CAT 2025 Slot 2 analysis.
Table: CAT 2025 Slot 2 Section-Wise Structure
| Section | Duration | MCQs | TITA | Total Questions |
| VARC | 40 min | 20 | 4 | 24 |
| DILR | 40 min | 11 | 11 | 22 |
| QA | 40 min | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| Total | 120 min | 45 | 23 | 68 |
Overall Difficulty Level of CAT 2025 Slot 2
The CAT 2025 Slot 2 analysis indicates that the overall paper was more challenging than Slot 1, especially in DILR and Quant.
- VARC was moderate, with two easy RC passages and two lengthy, complex ones that required careful reading.
- DILR in Slot 2 was rated Medium to Difficult, with nearly half the sets posing high complexity.
- Quant was the toughest section, dominated by Algebra and Modern Math, making slot-wise differentiation quite evident.
Overall, the CAT 2025 Slot 2 was slightly more difficult than Slot 1, affecting expected attempts and score estimates.
- VARC Slot 2 Analysis
The CAT 2025 Slot 2 VARC analysis shows that the section maintained the same segmentation as Slot 1, with 16 Reading Comprehension questions and 8 Verbal Ability questions. Paragraph Jumbles (TITA) made a notable comeback after 2023, contributing to a balanced mix of MCQ and TITA questions.
Two RC passages—How tetrafish adapted and evolved and Biases of AI—were rated easy, allowing students to secure quick marks. In contrast, the passages on the role of ‘place’ in literature, science and culture were difficult, featuring dense ideas and complex question stems. Overall, RC difficulty was medium, with about 10–12 questions attemptable with high accuracy.
VA was comparatively easier, with Summary, Para Completion, Odd Sentence, and Jumbled Paragraphs offering moderate complexity. In the VA section, 5 to 7 high-accuracy attempts were reasonably achievable.
Overall, the VARC section was moderate, much like CAT 2025 Slot 1. Students familiar with our mock-style VA found the structure familiar and manageable.
VARC Slot 2 Structure & Difficulty
Reading Comprehension (16 Questions | MCQ | Overall: Medium)
| RC Topic | No. of Qs | Type | LOD |
| RC-1: How tetrafish adapted and evolved | 4 | MCQ | Easy |
| RC-2: Biases of AI | 4 | MCQ | Easy |
| RC-3: The role of “Place” in literature | 4 | MCQ | Difficult |
| RC-4: Science and culture | 4 | MCQ | Difficult |
Verbal Ability (8 Questions | MCQ & TITA | Overall: Medium)
| VA Topic | No. of Qs | Type | LOD |
| Paragraph Completion | 2 | MCQ | 1 Easy, 1 Medium |
| Summary | 2 | MCQ | 2 Medium |
| Odd Sentence Questions | 2 | TITA | 2 Easy |
| Jumbled Paragraphs | 2 | TITA | 1 Easy, 1 Medium |
Good Attempts in VARC
- 13–14 attempts @ ~60% accuracy → ~85 percentile
- 17–18 attempts @ ~70% accuracy → 95+ percentile
- DILR Slot 2 Analysis
The CAT 2025 Slot 2 DILR analysis highlights that this section was Medium to Difficult, making it slightly more challenging than Slot 1. Slot 2 followed the standard structure of 22 questions across five sets: 2 sets of 5 and 3 sets of 4.
A key shift this year was the equal distribution of MCQs and TITA questions, with 11 TITA items, which significantly influenced the attempt strategy.
Overall, the section ranged from Medium to Difficult and was slightly tougher than the DILR section in CAT 2025 Slot 1.
DILR Slot 2 Set-Wise Difficulty Breakdown
| Set No. | Area | Topic | No. of Questions 22 (11 TITA) | Difficulty |
| 1 | DI | Pollution Index – Weighted Average | 5 | Difficult |
| 2 | DI | Authors & No. of Books | 4 | Easy |
| 3 | DI | Scatter Plot – Index | 4 | Difficult |
| 4 | LR | Ranking | 4 | Easy |
| 5 | LR | Musicians | 5 | Difficult |
Good Attempts in DILR
- 7 attempts @ 75–80% accuracy → ~85 percentile
- 10–11 attempts @ 80–85% accuracy → 95+ percentile
- Quantitative Ability (QA) Slot 2 Analysis
The CAT 2025 Slot 2 QA analysis shows that Quant was the toughest section of the slot, notably more challenging than in Slot 1. The section maintained its standard structure of 22 questions, with 14 MCQs and 8 TITA questions, demanding accuracy and intense conceptual clarity.
Arithmetic dominated the section with eight questions, offering some of the most approachable problems. However, Algebra (5 questions) and Modern Math (4 questions) increased the difficulty, featuring concepts such as inequalities, logarithms, and progressions. Geometry, with three questions, tested knowledge of tangents, polygons, and triangle properties. Even the two questions from Numbers were non-trivial, requiring solid fundamentals.
Given the uneven difficulty distribution, selecting the right questions became crucial. While Arithmetic provided scoring opportunities, Algebra and Modern Math required time-intensive reasoning, affecting overall attempts.
QA Slot 2 Topic-Wise Breakdown
| Topic | No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| Arithmetic | 8 | Easy–Medium |
| Algebra | 5 | Difficult |
| Geometry | 3 | Medium |
| Modern Math | 4 | Difficult |
| Numbers | 2 | Medium |
Good Attempts in QA
- 7–8 attempts @ 75–80% accuracy → ~85 percentile
- 9–10 attempts @ 80–85% accuracy → 95+ percentile
Expected Score vs Percentile Mapping
Based on student feedback and expert evaluation, the CAT 2025 Slot 2 analysis suggests a clear score range for major percentiles. These estimates reflect Slot 2’s comparatively greater difficulty in DILR and QA, which may slightly lower the score requirement for top percentiles.
While these values serve as reliable early indicators, candidates should treat them as approximate benchmarks until the official response sheet is released.
CAT 2025 Slot 2 — Expected Percentile vs Score Table
| Percentile | VARC Score | DILR Score | QA Score | Overall Score |
| 99.9 | 52 | 42 | 43 | 115 |
| 99.5 | 45 | 35 | 35 | 97 |
| 99 | 41 | 30 | 28 | 83 |
| 98 | 36 | 27 | 25 | 75 |
| 95 | 32 | 23 | 20 | 65 |
| 90 | 25 | 17 | 15 | 51 |
| 85 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 41 |
| 80 | 18 | 11 | 12 | 37 |
| 75 | 17 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
These score bands help candidates assess their expected standing and plan post-CAT steps accordingly.
Key Takeaways for CAT 2025 Slot 2 Aspirants
The CAT 2025 Slot 2 analysis shows that success in this slot depended heavily on intelligent decision-making and selective attempts.
- VARC offered moderate difficulty, with two easy RCs providing scoring opportunities.
- DILR required strategic set selection, as half the sets were complex and 11 TITA questions demanded precision.
- Quant emerged as the toughest section, making accuracy more important than attempting high volumes.
Overall, time management and choosing the right questions were the most significant differentiators.
Aspirants should now focus on analysing their response sheet to estimate scores and begin early GDPI preparation.
Conclusion
The CAT 2025 Slot 2 analysis indicates a moderately challenging paper, with DILR and QA raising the difficulty level compared to Slot 1. Students who focus on accuracy and brilliant selection of questions are likely to perform well. As you wait for the official response sheet, use this analysis to benchmark your performance.
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FAQs on CAT 2025 Slot 2 Analysis
1. What was the overall difficulty level of CAT 2025 Slot 2?
CAT 2025 Slot 2 was moderately challenging, with DILR and Quant tougher than Slot 1. VARC remained manageable, with two easy and two difficult RC passages.
2. Was CAT 2025 Slot 2 tougher than Slot 1?
Yes. Both DILR and QA in Slot 2 had higher complexity, making Slot 2 slightly tougher overall compared to Slot 1.
3. What were the good attempts for CAT 2025 Slot 2?
Good attempts were:
- VARC: 13–18 (depending on accuracy)
- DILR: 7–11
- QA: 7–10
4. How was the VARC section in CAT 2025 Slot 2?
VARC was moderate, with easier passages on tetrafish and AI bias, while the literature and science passages were more challenging.
5. How was the DILR section in CAT 2025 Slot 2?
DILR was Medium to Difficult, with three sets rated Difficult, and two sets rated Relatively Easy, requiring selective attempts.
6. How difficult was the Quant section in CAT 2025 Slot 2?
Quant was the most challenging part of Slot 2, dominated by complex Algebra and Modern Math questions, with Arithmetic being the most scoring area.
7. What is the expected score–percentile mapping for CAT 2025 Slot 2?
A score of around 83 may correspond to the 99th percentile, whereas a score of 65 may fall around the 95th percentile, based on initial estimates.
8. Did CAT 2025 Slot 2 have any changes in pattern?
No. Slot 2 followed the same structure as Slot 1—68 questions, MCQ + TITA format, and 40 minutes per section.
9. Are the Slot 2 percentile estimates accurate?
These are initial projections based on student feedback. Exact percentiles may vary once official CAT response sheets and scaling are released.
10. How can Tarkashastra help after CAT 2025?
Tarkashastra offers post-CAT guidance, including score assessment, college selection, and comprehensive GDPI preparation for top B-schools.
