CAT Topic-Wise Analysis 2023–2025: Quant, VARC & DILR Weightage Decoded

Q: What is the current exam pattern and duration for CAT?

<p> The CAT exam typically consists of 68 questions to be completed in 120 minutes (2 hours). There are three sections, each with a 40-minute sectional time limit:</p><ul style=""><li style="">VARC: 24 Questions</li><li style="">DILR: 22 Questions</li><li style="">QA: 22 Questions</li></ul>

Q: How does the marking scheme work for CAT 2026 exam?

For every correct answer, +3 marks are awarded. For incorrect Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), -1 mark is deducted. However, there is no negative marking for Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) questions or unattempted questions.

Q: Is it mandatory to attempt all questions in CAT exam?

No. Due to the difficulty level and negative marking, it is strategically better to focus on accuracy rather than quantity. Aiming for roughly 2/3rd of the total questions with high accuracy is often enough to secure a top percentile.

Q: Which topics carry the highest weightage in the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section?

<p>Arithmetic and Algebra are the "backbones" of the QA section, together contributing over 60–70% of the questions.</p><ol style=""><li style="">Arithmetic (8–10 Qs): Percentages, Profit &amp; Loss, TSD, Averages, and Ratios.</li><li style="">Algebra (5–7 Qs): Equations, Inequalities, Logarithms, and Functions.</li></ol>

Q: What is the most important topic in the VARC section?

Reading Comprehension (RC) is the most critical area, typically accounting for 14–16 questions (about 70% of the section). The remaining questions cover Verbal Ability topics like Para Jumbles, Para Summary, and Odd One Out.

Author : Lalita Vishwakarma

March 25, 2026

Overview: Understanding the CAT topic-wise analysis is the smartest way to decode the exam and focus only on what truly matters. It helps you identify high-weightage areas across VARC, DILR, and QA to maximise your score with a strategic approach.

Key Takeaways

CAT is divided into VARC, DILR, and QA, each with a defined structure and weightage.
Reading Comprehension dominates VARC, making it the most crucial scoring area.
Arithmetic and Algebra carry the highest weightage in QA (the majority of questions).
DILR is set-based and unpredictable, requiring strong logical thinking and a selection strategy.
Topic-wise analysis helps prioritise preparation and improve percentile scores efficiently.

What You Will Get in This Blog: CAT topic-wise analysis with a detailed breakdown of section-wise topics, weightage trends, and important chapters to focus on.

Why is CAT Topic-Wise Analysis Important for 2026 Preparation?

Every year, over 3 lakh students appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT), competing for seats at India's elite IIMs and top B-schools.

The difference between an 85-percentiler and a 99-percentiler often isn't raw intelligence; it's strategic preparation.

Analysing question distribution across topics and slots for the past three years (2023, 2024, and 2025) gives you a data-backed roadmap.

You'll know exactly which topics to prioritise, which to treat as backup, and where consistent high-weightage trends appear across all three CAT slots.

Pro Tip: CAT is conducted in 3 slots on a single day, while questions differ across slots, the topic-wise distribution stays remarkably consistent, making multi-year slot analysis one of the most reliable predictors for your preparation plan.

CAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude: Slot-Wise Topic Weightage

CAT 2025 Quant continued the trend of high emphasis on Inequalities & Linear Equations, Geometry, and Time, Work & Distance. Here is the complete slot-wise breakdown:

Topics	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Total
Number System	1	2	3	6
Logarithms, Surds & Indices	1	1	1	3
Inequalities & Linear Equations	4	4	2	10
PnC & Probability	1	0	0	1
Quadratic Equations	2	2	1	5
Averages, Ratio & Proportion	2	2	2	6
Time, Work & Distance	2	2	4	8
Profit, Loss & Interest	3	2	1	6
Geometry	3	3	3	9
Progressions & Series	2	2	1	5
Functions & Graphs	0	1	2	3
Mixtures & Solutions	1	1	1	3

Standout in 2025: Inequalities & Linear Equations dominated Slots 1 and 2 with 4 questions each. Time, Work & Distance surged to 4 in Slot 3. Geometry remained perfectly balanced at 3 per slot. PnC & Probability had minimal presence, appearing only once across all three slots.

CAT 2024 Quantitative Aptitude: Topic-Wise Weightage

CAT 2024 Quant saw Averages, Ratio & Proportion emerge as the dominant topic, a notable shift from prior years, while Number System returned with stronger weightage across all three slots.

Topic	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Total
Number System	3	2	3	8
Logarithms, Surds & Indices	2	2	3	7
Inequalities & Linear Equations	1	2	2	5
PnC & Probability	0	1	0	1
Quadratic Equations	2	2	0	4
Averages, Ratio & Proportion	5	4	3	12
Time, Work & Distance	2	2	2	6
Profit, Loss & Interest	2	2	3	7
Geometry	2	3	3	8
Progressions & Series	2	1	1	4
Functions & Graphs	1	1	2	4

Standout in 2024: Averages, Ratio & Proportion hit a remarkable 5 questions in Slot 1, the highest single-topic slot count recorded across 2023–2025. This topic deserves serious attention in your CAT 2026 preparation.

CAT 2023 Quantitative Aptitude: Topic-Wise Weightage

CAT 2023 laid the foundation for recent Quant trends with Time, Distance & Work, Linear Equations & Inequalities, and Geometry/Mensuration consistently ranking at the top across all three slots.

Topic	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Total
Averages, Ratio & Proportion	2	3	3	8
Profit, Loss & Interest	2	3	1	6
Time, Distance & Work	4	2	3	9
Geometry / Mensuration	3	2	3	8
Quadratic & Polynomial Equations	2	2	1	5
Linear Equations & Inequalities	3	3	4	10
Logarithms, Surds & Indices	2	1	1	4
Functions & Graphs	0	1	1	2
Number Systems	2	3	2	7
Progressions & Series	2	2	3	7

Standout in 2023: Inequalities & Linear Equations dominated Slot 3; Time, Work & Distance surged to 4 in Slot 1. Geometry / Mensuration and Averages, Ratio & Proportion maintained 2-3 questions across all three slots

CAT VARC Analysis 2023–2025: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

The VARC section has remained remarkably consistent in structure 24 total questions, 16 of which are from four Reading Comprehension passages (4 questions each). Verbal Ability questions make up the remaining 8.

Verbal Ability Topics CAT 2025 (Slot 1)

Question Type	No. of Questions	Difficulty
Para Formation Questions (PFQs)	2	Moderate–Difficult
Sentence Placement	2	Moderate
Para Summary	2	Moderate
Para Odd Man Out	2	Moderate

VA Topic Distribution: CAT 2024 vs CAT 2023

VARC Topic	CAT 2024	CAT 2023
Reading Comprehension	16 (4×4)	16 (4×4)
Para Summary	3	2
Odd One Out / Out of Context	2	2
Para Insertion / Para Jumbles	3	2 + 2
Total	24	24

CAT RC Passage Themes by Year & Slots

CAT 2024 RC Topics 3 Slots

Slot 1	Utility & Human Economics Entertainment / Netflix Australian Spices Craftsmanship
Slot 2	Spice Trade Unintended Consequences of Technology Peer Review of Research Carnivore-Human Conflict
Slot 3	Impact of AI Languages Chinese Moutai Saving Outer Space & Planets

CAT 2023 RC Topics 3 Slots

Slot 1	Wolf (Environmentalists vs Farmers) Philosophy & Work Culture Indian Ocean Geography Human Behaviour
Slot 2	Garments, Fashion & Pollution Netflix Dubbing in Europe Liberalism is Dying Facts & History Interpretation
Slot 3	Romantic Philosophy / Aesthetics Cultural Property Law Nutmeg & Environment Degradation Rational Thinking

VARC Strategy Insight: RC passages consistently draw from economics, science, philosophy, culture, and environment. Reading The Economist, Aeon, and Hindu editorial pages daily will significantly boost your RC speed and comprehension.

CAT DILR Analysis 2023–2024: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

The DILR section consists of 5 sets of 4–5 questions each, totalling 22 questions. The mix of DI and LR sets varies meaningfully across slots and years, making it the most unpredictable section of CAT.

CAT DILR 2024 Set-Wise Distribution

Sets	Ques.	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3
Set 1	4	DI – Candle Stick	DI (Rating)	Bar Graph
Set 2	4	DI – Bar Graph	Schematic Diagram	DI (GDP of Countries)
Set 3	4	Arrangement	DI (2 Graphs)	Table with Missing Values
Set 4	5	Games & Tournament	Puzzle (Rating)	Line Graph
Set 5	5	DI (Lengthy Set)	Arrangements	Network of Roads

CAT DILR 2023 Slot-Wise Topic Distribution

Slots	Topic	No. of Questions
Slot 1	Puzzle Arrangement Mathematical Reasoning	10 5 5
Slot 2	Coin-based Puzzle Mathematical Reasoning Puzzle (Entertainment Park)	5 10 5
Slot 3	Selection & Distribution Routes & Networks Mathematical Reasoning	5 5 10

Slots

Topic

No. of Questions

Slot 1

Puzzle

Arrangement

Mathematical Reasoning

Slot 2

Coin-based Puzzle

Mathematical Reasoning

Puzzle (Entertainment Park)

Slot 3

Selection & Distribution

Routes & Networks

Mathematical Reasoning

DILR Pattern Alert: Mathematical Reasoning appeared as a dominant set (10 questions) in both Slot 2 and Slot 3 of CAT 2023. Arrangements, Puzzles, and Games & Tournaments feature heavily in 2024. Practising these set types is non-negotiable.

Data-Backed CAT Prep Strategy for 2026

Use the multi-year topic analysis above to build a tiered preparation plan. Not all topics deserve equal time. Here's how to allocate your effort strategically:

Tier 1: Must-Master Quant Topics

Geometry & Mensuration

Appears 2–3 times across all slots every year. Master triangles, circles, coordinate geometry, and mensuration formulas without exception.

Inequalities & Linear Equations

Consistently 2–4 questions per slot. Focus on modulus inequalities and systems of equations.

Time, Work & Distance

Near-constant presence with occasional spikes to 4 questions. Practice pipes & cisterns, boats & streams, relative speed.

Averages, Ratios & Proportions

Exploded in 2024, weighted averages, mixtures, alligation, and partnership problems are essential.

Tier 2: High-Value Supporting Topics

Number Systems

Divisibility, remainders, LCM/HCF, factorials. Weightage fluctuates (1–3/slot) but never disappears from the paper.

Profit, Loss & Interest

Consistent 2–3 per slot. Focus on compound interest, successive discounts, and partnership profit-sharing.

Progressions & Series

AP, GP, and HP patterns appear in 1–3 questions across most slots. Learn sum formulas and convergence properties.

Quadratic Equations

1–2 per slot typically. Know the discriminant, Vieta's formulas, and graph-based questions.

VARC Prep: RC-First Approach

Spend 70% of VARC prep time on Reading Comprehension, which accounts for 16 of 24 questions every year without exception.
Practice Para Jumbles, Odd One Out, and Para Summary in timed conditions. These 8 VA questions are where most aspirants lose critical marks.
Read diverse content daily: The Economist, Aeon, BBC Future, and Indian Express editorials mirror CAT RC tone and complexity.

DILR Prep: Set Selection Is Everything

In the exam, read all 5 sets in the first 3 minutes and rank by familiarity. Never spend more than 12 minutes on a single set.
Prioritise practice in Arrangements, Puzzles, Bar Graphs, Games & Tournaments, the most recurring DILR set types across 2023–2025.
Mathematical Reasoning and Network/Route-based sets require strong logical structuring dedicate separate weekly sessions to these.

Conclusion

CAT 2023–2025 data reveals a clear picture: the exam rewards breadth of preparation across core topics rather than depth in niche areas.

Geometry, Inequalities, Averages, and Time-Work-Distance form the backbone of Quant. VARC is RC-dominated and structurally stable. DILR shifts flavour each year but consistently features Puzzles, Arrangements, and Data-heavy sets.

Use this analysis as a living reference in your preparation. Revisit it after every mock test to track which topics you're strong in and which still need work.

The aspirants who crack CAT at 99%ile aren't necessarily the smartest in the room, they're the most strategically prepared.

One Last Tip: Attempt at least 20 full-length CAT mock tests before the exam. Use the topic-wise weightage data from this analysis to set targeted accuracy goals per topic not just overall scores.

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