Which IIM Will Conduct CAT 2025? Exam Level, Difficulty, and Conducting Body Explained

Every year, lakhs of MBA aspirants in India appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT). CAT is the gateway to prestigious IIMs and top B-schools. One of the most common queries among students is: Who conducts CAT? The CAT exam is organised on a rotational basis by different IIMs. Candidates are curious to know which IIM will conduct CAT 2025. 

Along with the conducting body, students also want clarity on the CAT exam level, difficulty, and how tough the test really is compared to other MBA entrance exams. In this blog, we’ll reveal which IIM will conduct CAT 2025? We also discuss the exam pattern and difficulty level to help you prepare with confidence.

Which IIM Will Conduct CAT 2025?

IIM Kozhikode will conduct the CAT 2025 exam, according to the official sources. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) conduct CAT on a rotational basis. Each year, a different IIM takes the responsibility of organising the test. This rotation system ensures transparency and equal responsibility among the IIMs. 

The IIM responsible releases the official notification, conducts the exam and announces the results. Like this year, IIM Kozhikode will be doing all this. The IIM Kozhikode will be conducting the CAT 2025 exam in three shifts in a CBT (computer-based test) mode.

Currently, the registrations are open for the CAT examination till September 13, 2025. Hurry up if you plan to sit this year.

List of IIMs conducting CAT in the past few years:

How Many Times CAT Exam is Conducted in a Year?

A very common query among aspirants is “how many times a CAT exam is conducted in a year?” The CAT exam is conducted only once every year. The exam is usually scheduled in the last week of November. The CAT 2025 exam is scheduled on 30 November 2025.

Moreover, CAT is held annually, and the paper is conducted in multiple slots on the same day. This is done to accommodate the large number of candidates. There are usually three slots:

• Morning slot
• Afternoon slot
• Evening slot

All three slots follow the same exam pattern. However, the difficulty level may vary slightly across sessions. To ensure fairness, the scores are normalised. Normalisation ensures that no student is at a disadvantage, even if one slot is tougher than another.

Therefore, aspirants must note that they are allowed only one attempt per year to appear for CAT. If someone misses the exam, they have to wait for the next annual cycle. This is why early preparation and timely registration are crucial for CAT aspirants.

CAT Exam Level: What to Expect in 2025

Every year, aspirants try to analyse the CAT exam level. This analysis helps in the kind of preparation required. The level of CAT exam is generally considered moderate to difficult. However, the toughness often varies depending on the sections and the particular year’s paper.

1. CAT Exam Pattern Overview

The exam is a computer-based test with 3 sections:

• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) – 24 questions
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) – 20 questions
• Quantitative Ability (QA) – 22 questions

Total: 66 questions in 120 minutes.

The pattern has remained consistent since 2020. However, the CAT conducting body, such as IIM, may and can make slight changes.

2. Expected Difficulty Level of CAT 2025

• VARC – Reading Comprehension passages are usually moderate, while para jumbles and odd sentence questions can be tricky.
• DILR – Considered the toughest section in recent years; sets are time-consuming and require strong analytical skills.
• Quantitative Ability – Ranges from moderate to difficult; arithmetic and algebra dominate the paper.

Based on the analysis of the past five years, students can expect CAT 2025 to follow a similar pattern. As usual, the DILR section will continue to be the toughest, while VARC and QA remain moderate.

3. CAT 2025 Difficulty Compared to Other MBA Exams

When compared with other entrance tests:

• Easier than: XAT (decision-making section, essay)
• Similar to: IIFT (sectional time limits make it tricky)
• Tougher than: NMAT, SNAP, MAT (speed-based exams with simpler questions)

4. Key Takeaway for Aspirants

The level of CAT exam in 2025 is expected to be challenging but not unpredictable. The focus should be on:

• Building speed + accuracy.
• Practising DILR sets intensively.
• Strengthening arithmetic, algebra, and RC skills.

In short, aspirants should prepare for a moderate to difficult exam level, with the understanding that CAT is designed to test aptitude, logic, and time management skills rather than rote learning.

Is CAT Exam Difficult?

A frequent question among aspirants is: “Is CAT exam difficult?” The short answer is: Yes, CAT is considered one of the toughest MBA entrance exams in India. But with the right preparation strategy, it is absolutely crackable. The CAT difficulty level is not just about the questions. It also combines time pressure, accuracy, and competition.

CAT Difficulty Level Trend (2019–2024)

1. Why is CAT Considered Difficult?

The level of CAT exam is often labelled as difficult due to several factors:

• Time Management: 120 minutes for 66 questions leaves little room for error.
• Negative Marking: -1 penalty for each wrong MCQ discourages guesswork.
• Unpredictability: Question distribution and difficulty vary each year, especially in DILR sets.
• Competition: Over 3 lakh aspirants compete for about 5,000 IIM seats, which raises the perceived difficulty.

2. Section-Wise CAT Difficulty Level

• VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension): Moderate difficulty. RC passages are lengthy but manageable with practice.
• DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning): Widely regarded as the toughest section. Even strong students struggle with puzzle-based sets.
• Quantitative Ability (QA): Moderate to difficult, depending on focus areas. Arithmetic and algebra are scoring, while higher math can be tricky.

3. How Tough is CAT Exam Compared to Others?

If you’re wondering how tough the CAT exam is compared to other MBA entrance exams:

• Tougher than: NMAT, SNAP, MAT (which are speed-based and less complex).
• Similar to: XAT (though XAT has Decision Making and Essay sections, making it different in nature).
• Easier than: GMAT (in terms of adaptive testing and international benchmarks).

4. Is CAT Difficult for Average Students?

This is another common worry. While the CAT difficulty level is high, even an “average” student can crack it with:

• Consistent practice of mock tests.
• Strong basics in arithmetic and algebra.
• Smart time management strategies.
• Focus on accuracy instead of attempting all questions.

5. Key Takeaway

So, how difficult is CAT? The exam is moderate to difficult, with DILR typically being the most challenging part. But it rewards strategy, smart attempts, and conceptual clarity more than raw intelligence. With the right preparation, CAT becomes a challenge you can overcome.

CAT Exam Difficulty Level Analysis: Trend Past Years

Analysing the CAT exam difficulty over the past years gives you real insight into the exam. Based on past difficulties, you can base your level of preparation for the exam. Below, we have discussed the difficulty level of the CAT exam in the recent past:

CAT 2024 & 2023 Difficulty Level Analysis

IIM Calcutta conducted the CAT 2024, and IIM Lucknow conducted the CAT 2023 exam. The 2024  and 2023 exams were of moderate difficulty. The VARC section remained consistent with moderate difficulty in both years. The DILR section in both years was of a difficult level. Moreover, the Quant section in 2024 had new pattern questions and possessed moderate difficulty.

CAT 2024 & 2023 Percentile to Score Conversion

Conclusion

To address the most common doubt – Is CAT exam difficult? The answer is that the difficulty level is moderate to tough. The DILR is the most challenging section, so practice is well. However, the exam is crackable with the right preparation strategy, time management, and consistent practice.

We suggest that you do not worry about which IIM will conduct the CAT, as you won’t be able to predict anything. Instead, focus on strengthening concepts, solving mocks, and building exam temperament. With smart preparation, you can easily clear the CAT 2025 and secure admission into a top B-school.