CAT Exam Pattern 2025 – Tips to Improve VARC, DILR & Quant

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Over 2 Lakhs students appear for the CAT exam every year, competing for entry into India's premier B-schools like the IIMs. CAT is one of the top accepted entrance exams by the management institutes. This is a 120-minute exam featuring 68 questions divided into three core sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. Each section covers different topics, the candidate should be very aware of the structure of the exam.

Preparing well for the CAT means not just studying hard but also learning how to study smart, how to plan your time and how to avoid inattentional mistakes. If you follow the right preparation plan, you can crack the exam with a 99+ile, but this is only possible if you have a clear mindset and the right preparation strategy. In this article, you will learn the right and effective techniques to improve your accuracy and speed, which will help in securing good marks in the exam.

What are VARC, DILR, and Quant in CAT?

Preparing for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability is a hassle that demands a blend of skills, strategy and speed. These three sections together test your language skills, analytical thinking and numerical skills. The CAT Exam overall score is the aggregate marks in these sections.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

In the VARC Section, the major part comprises reading comprehension and passages from diverse areas related to business and economics, science, social science, the humanities, the arts, and philosophy. Approximately, two thirds of the VARC questions come on these passages and you will have to identify the main idea, tone, logic and details in these passages.

The other covering part that assesses your verbal ability skills, through rearranging sentences to achieve flow (para jumbles), paragraph summaries, and grammatical errors. You should focus on your reading skills and learning new vocabulary, this will help you to secure a good percentile in this section.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

The DILR section is the second section of the CAT Exam, containing 20-22 questions to be solved within a 40-minute window. This section is a mix of quantitative interpretation with qualitative logic, checking your ability to extract insights from complex data sets and unravel interconnected puzzles. DILR covers a diverse mix of question types, usually grouped into 4-5 interconnected sets (each with 4-5 questions sharing a common dataset or scenario), blending Data Interpretation (DI) and Logical Reasoning (LR) in varying ratios, past trends show about 50-60% DI and 40-50% LR, with 8-10 TITA questions (no negatives) to encourage calculated risks. This can be different in recent years, as this is not fixed.

Quantitative Aptitude (Quant)

Quant is the most important section that has 22-24 questions to check your understanding of mathematical concepts such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry and modern mathematics. You will have a total of 40 minutes to tackle this section. Here comes the smart strategy move as speed and accuracy are the most important players to win the CAT race.

CAT 2025 Exam Pattern

Section	Total Ques	MCQs	TITA	Total Marks	Key Topics	Difficulty Level
Verbal Ability & Reading Comp. (VARC)	24	Approx. 18-20	Approx. 4-6	72	Reading comprehension passages, para jumbles, odd sentence, vocabulary	Moderate to Difficult
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	22	Approx. 16-18	Approx. 4-6	66	Data sets of tables, charts, puzzles, seating arrangements, logical games	Moderate to Difficult
Quantitative Ability (Quant)	22	Approx. 16-18	Approx. 4-6	66	Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number Systems, Modern Math	Moderate to Difficult
Total	68	50-56	12-18	204	—	—

Strategies to Improve Accuracy in VARC, DILR and Quant

After building the foundation in all three section, it's time to improve the accuracy and speed. This phase is about smart practice and strategic thinking of VARC, DILR and quantitative aptitude syllabus. Analyze mistakes carefully to identify patterns and work on avoiding them. Prioritize problems you can solve confidently to boost your overall score, and balance speed with accuracy by mastering shortcuts and optimizing question selection. Below are the tips to improve your marks in all three sections through focusing and working on accuracy and efficiency:

Tips to Improve VARC Section

Aspect	Details
Solving Approach	Divide VARC into two parts: start with Verbal Ability (para jumbles, odd one out) which are quicker, then move to Reading Comprehension. For RC, read the passage once thoroughly and answer all related questions together. Avoid rereading passages multiple times.
How to Improve Speed	Practice daily reading of diverse topics to improve reading speed and comprehension. Use skimming techniques to identify main ideas quickly. Attempt verbal ability questions first as they are generally easier and quicker. Time yourself during mocks to get better at pacing.
Key Rules to Follow	Don’t get stuck on tough RCs, move on if stuck and revisit if time permits. Avoid guesswork due to negative marking. Use elimination techniques and focus on understanding question intent. Manage time to spend about 8-10 minutes per RC passage and 3-4 minutes for each verbal ability question set.

Tips to Improve DILR Section

Aspect	Details
Solving Approach	Scan all sets first to choose easier and familiar ones. Break down each set into components and organize data clearly. Solve sets step-by-step by analyzing given conditions before answering. Prioritize sets based on comfort and clarity.
How to Improve Speed	Practice 3-5 quality sets daily to build familiarity and fluency. Develop shortcut techniques and mental math for interpretation. Use timed sectional mocks to build exam temperament. Solve puzzles and reasoning questions to train logical speed.
Key Rules to Follow	Always attempt easy sets first and avoid spending too much time on tricky ones. Read the problem carefully to avoid errors in deductions. Maintain clarity in notes/sketches while solving. Avoid random guessing; eliminate clearly wrong options to improve accuracy.

Tips to Improve Quant Section

Aspect	Details
Solving Approach	Start with easier topics like arithmetic, percentages, and averages to gain quick marks. Apply formulas and shortcut techniques for faster calculation. For tougher questions, analyze if solving is time-efficient before attempting. Prioritize accuracy over brute force speed.
How to Improve Speed	Regular mental math practice and formula revision help reduce calculation time. Try to solve mixed-topic quizzes in a set timer. Take a mock test to feel exam pressure. Find questions that take less time and can be solved easily.
Key Rules to Follow	Don’t waste time on lengthy or complex questions initially; move on and revisit if time allows. Double-check calculations before submitting answers to avoid silly mistakes. Balance speed with accuracy; solving questions too fast can lead to errors. Keep an error log to learn from mistakes.

How to Analyze CAT Mock Test?

When you are taking the mock tests you need to know the strategy to analyze mock tests because this practice will only help you to analyze your weaker areas and help you to improve your marks and overall percentile.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Calculate total marks in the RCs vs Verbal Ability (VA); identify which area has higher error rates, work on that and reduce them
Review each passage and re-read the questions in RCs. Check which question you got wrong or guessed; try to understand why the correct option is better.
Identify the types of RC questions you struggle with, like questions where you have to identify the inference, tone, fact-based, assumption, etc.
In VA, especially para jumbles and summary questions, go back and identify the logic flow or keywords you missed.
Track how much time you spent on each RC passage and VA section; see if your time-to-accuracy ratio is balanced.
Note down whether you misread any questions or options—these are preventable errors that need attention.

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

Categorize each question as Easy, Medium, or Hard; Check how many easy questions were missed or answered incorrectly.
Identify concept-wise weaknesses based on questions attempted or skipped.
Analyze how you choose questions; did you waste time on the hard questions in the front, instead of working on easy questions first?
Take note of the time spent on each question, especially the incorrect or skipped ones; see if you can reduce the time wasted on the tough problems.
Check time spent per question, especially on incorrect or skipped ones; aim to reduce time wastage on tough problems.
Maintain an error log for recurring mistakes or topics you often mess up, and revise those regularly.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

To solve the logical reasoning and data interpretation for the cat, look at overall set selection—did you pick the right sets based on your strengths and difficulty level?
Analyze how many sets you started but couldn’t complete; understand whether the issue was logic or time mismanagement.
Review each set you attempted—check if your interpretation was correct and whether your approach was optimal.
For incorrect sets, identify the exact step where you went wrong—was it data misunderstanding, misreading, or logic flaw?
Measure your average time per set and compare it to accuracy—target full accuracy on at least 2–3 sets in future mocks.
Practice similar sets (puzzle type, arrangement, DI caselets) from your weak areas post-analysis.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Not reading questions properly: Take enough time to read each question thoroughly before deploying an answer to save yourself from silly mistakes.
Relying solely on mock tests: While it is encouraged to practice at least one or two mock tests, ensure you are also studying concepts and understanding what the questions mean
Neglecting Verbal Ability: VARC requires critical thinking and comprehension skills, not just language knowledge; practice regularly.
Lack of a solid foundation in DI and QA: Take time to learn the basic full of calculating arithmetic and algebra, as well as data interpretation, rather than taking quick short cuts.
Lack of time management: Learn to skip difficult questions and getting a good groups of correct answers in order to maximize your time and hopefully as a result your score.
Lack of or insufficient review of material: Make it a habit to stop regularly to review the material to study for retention while solving problems under pressure of an exam.
Lack of a study plan: Have a regular distributed and balance roadmap and course coverage that covers all sections and topics while leaving room for review and practice with mock analysis.

Best Books for VARC, Quant and DILR

To secure good marks, you need to have good resources. Below are the best books suggested by the CAT toppers and experts for the cat preparation for VARC, DILR and Quant sections-

Section

Foundation / Concept Building

Revision / Advanced Practice

Notes & Strategy

VARC

How to Prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay.

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha.

Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary by Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis.

Previous Years’ CAT RC & VA Question Banks

Start with comprehension and logic-building books, then move to reading-heavy practice and RC-based mocks.

Maintain a vocabulary journal for consistent improvement.

Quant

How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma.

Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha.

NCERT Maths (Class 6–10)

Quantum CAT by Sarvesh K. Verma.

Quantitative Aptitude by Abhijit Guha.

Build a strong base in Arithmetic and Algebra.

Move to higher-level practice once accuracy is 80%+

Revisit weak concepts frequently.

DILR

How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma.

How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma.

Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit K. Sinha

A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal.

Mixed-set puzzle books and topic-wise DI/LR drills.

Focus first on understanding question types and solving strategies.

Gradually build speed and accuracy by practicing full sets under timed conditions.

All Sections – Previous Year Papers / Mocks

–

18 Year-wise CAT Solved Papers.

36 Topic-wise CAT PYQs.

40 Topic-wise Solved Papers for QA, VARC & DILR.

Oswaal CAT 10-Year Solved Papers.

Use in the final stage of prep (after basics). Attempt full mocks regularly, and analyze errors to refine strategy.

Track your accuracy and time per section.

Conclusion

The key to cracking the CAT is to have a balanced preparation strategy that emphasizes speed, accuracy, and strategic question choice on its three main and core sections: VARC, DILR and Quant. To achieve the highest percentile in CAT, you must have a correct plan on how to enhance your accuracy and speed. Regular training, combined with a critical set of analyzing mock tests, will assist in determining the weak points as well as perfecting strategies, which in the end will increase confidence and performance.

By taking a disciplined and constructive route of preparation, aspirants not only deliver a good show in the examination but also gain invaluable skills in their future academic and career life. It is not only attainable but also worthwhile to crack CAT and be admitted into the prestigious B-schools in India with a lot of determination, a positive mindset and disciplined efforts to achieve a successful career in management.