CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper: Section-Wise Questions, Answers & Analysis

The CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper was conducted on November 30, 2025, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The final slot followed the overall CAT 2025 structure of 68 questions across VARC, DILR, and QA, with 40 minutes allotted to each section. Overall, Slot 3 was considered moderate to difficult, with Quantitative Aptitude emerging as the most challenging section for many candidates.

This article provides a detailed CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper analysis, including the section-wise question pattern, important topics, difficulty level, and expected good attempts.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper: Exam Pattern

The paper maintained the same broad structure as the other CAT 2025 slots.

The marking scheme followed the standard pattern of +3 marks for a correct answer and -1 for an incorrect MCQ. TITA questions did not carry negative marking.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 VARC Analysis

The VARC section consisted of 24 questions, including 16 Reading Comprehension questions and 8 Verbal Ability questions.

The overall difficulty was reported as easy to moderate by some experts, while student reactions ranged from moderate to moderately difficult. The RC passages were generally readable, although some questions had lengthy or closely competing options.

VARC Question Distribution

• 4 RC passages with 4 questions each

• 2 Para Summary questions

• 2 Para Completion questions

• 2 Odd Sentence Out questions

• 2 Para Jumbles

The return of Para Jumbles was one of the notable features of the CAT 2025 VARC section.

Some reported RC themes included artificial intelligence and ethical decision-making, science, dams, the Forest Act, and tribal art. The difficulty varied across passages, making careful passage selection important.

VARC Difficulty Level

Overall: Easy to Moderate

Candidates who quickly identified manageable RCs and avoided spending too much time on difficult questions could maximize their score. Experts estimated that around 8–9 net correct answers could be a useful benchmark for the 90th-percentile range, although actual percentiles depend on normalization and the final CAT results.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 DILR Analysis

DILR had 22 questions divided across five sets. The section required candidates to balance logical reasoning with data interpretation and, importantly, select the right sets within the limited 40-minute window.

Reported sets included:

• Circular arrangement

• Friends/calling-based logical reasoning

• Scatter-plot or chart-based DI

• Currency exchange

• Import-export/trade balance

Different analyses varied slightly in how individual sets were classified, but they broadly agreed that the section required careful set selection.

DILR Difficulty Level

Overall: Moderate

Some sets were relatively approachable, while others required more time and deeper calculations. Candidates who identified the easier sets early had an advantage.

Experts estimated approximately 5–6 doable questions for a 90th-percentile benchmark, although other post-exam analyses suggested higher good-attempt ranges for stronger percentiles.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 QA Analysis

Quantitative Aptitude was widely considered the toughest section of the CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper.

The section contained 22 questions and featured a substantial mix of Arithmetic and Algebra, along with Geometry and Number System questions. Career Launcher reported the broad distribution as 8 Arithmetic, 7 Algebra, 3 Geometry, and 4 Number System questions.

Important QA Topics

Questions were reported from topics such as:

• Percentages

• Time, Speed and Distance

• Time and Work

• Profit, Loss and Interest

• Logarithms

• Inequalities

• Linear Equations

• Number System

• Triangles and Geometry

• Progressions and Series

• Functions and Graphs

Several questions were calculation-intensive, even when the underlying concepts were familiar.

QA Difficulty Level

Overall: Difficult

QA was considered more demanding than VARC and DILR and was also identified by experts as the toughest section of the day. Approximately 5–6 questions were considered readily doable by one expert assessment.

For QA, avoiding time-consuming questions and prioritizing familiar concepts was particularly important.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper: Overall Difficulty

The overall difficulty of Slot 3 was reported as moderate to difficult.

A broad section-wise comparison is:

The general consensus was that VARC was the most manageable section, DILR required strategic selection, and QA demanded the most time and calculation effort.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper: Good Attempts

Because CAT percentile calculations depend on normalization across slots, good-attempt figures should be treated as estimates rather than fixed cut-offs.

Career Launcher estimated around 25–27 net correct questions as a reasonable overall benchmark for the Slot 3 paper, while individual section requirements varied according to difficulty.

Another expert analysis estimated the following approximate score-to-percentile indicators:

These figures were preliminary estimates and should not be treated as official CAT score-to-percentile conversions.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper: Key Takeaways

The CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper rewarded candidates who could make smart decisions rather than simply attempt a large number of questions.

The major takeaways were:

1. VARC was comparatively manageable, but close options made accuracy important.

2. DILR required effective set selection, with some sets considerably more time-consuming than others.

3. QA was the toughest section, with calculation-heavy questions creating additional time pressure.

4. Time management was crucial, as each section had a fixed 40-minute limit.

5. Candidates benefited from identifying easy and moderate questions before committing time to difficult ones.

CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper: Conclusion

The CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper maintained the expected three-section format but presented different challenges across VARC, DILR, and QA. With 68 questions in total, the paper tested not only conceptual knowledge but also speed, accuracy, and question-selection ability.

For future CAT aspirants, Slot 3 provides an important lesson: attempting every question is not the objective; selecting the right questions and maintaining accuracy is what matters most.

Students preparing for CAT 2026 can use the CAT 2025 Slot 3 Paper as a valuable practice resource to understand recent question trends, identify recurring topics, and improve their section-wise time-management strategy.