DILR Syllabus for CAT
CAT 2025 - Exam Pattern
CAT 2025 is most likely to follow the two-hour pattern of the CAT 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 & 2020 exams. Will update more details once the notification of the exam is released in August 2025.
CAT 2024
Total questions: 68
(VA – 24 qns, DILR – 22 qns, QA – 22 qns)
20 out of 68 questions were Non-MCQs (2 in VA, 10 in DILR, 8 in QA)
Total time: 120 minutes with a section time limit of 40 minutes for each of the 3 sections
Marking scheme:
3 marks for the correct answer & -1 for the wrong answer
(No negative marks for Non–MCQ questions)
CAT 2023
Total questions: 66
(VA – 24 qns, DILR – 20 qns, QA – 22 qns)
20 out of 66 questions were Non-MCQs (4 in VA, 8 in DILR, 8 in QA)
Total time: 120 minutes with a section-time limit of 40 minutes for each of the 3 sections
Marking scheme:
3 marks for the correct answer & -1 for the wrong answer
(No negative marks for Non–MCQ questions)
CAT 2022
Total questions: 66
(VA – 24 qns, DILR – 20 qns, QA – 22 qns)
17 out of 66 questions were Non-MCQs (3 in VA, 6 in DILR, 8 in QA)
Total time: 120 minutes with a section-time limit of 40 minutes for each of the 3 sections
Marking scheme:
3 marks for the correct answer & -1 for the wrong answer
(No negative marks for Non–MCQ questions)
CAT 2021
Total questions: 66
(VA – 24 qns, DILR – 20 qns, QA – 22 qns)
18 out of 66 questions were Non-MCQs (5 in VA, 5 in DILR, 8 in QA)
Total time: 120 minutes with a section-time limit of 40 minutes for each of the 3 sections
Marking scheme:
3 marks for correct answer & -1 for the wrong answer
(No negative marks for Non–MCQ questions)
CAT 2020
Total questions: 76
(VA – 26 qns, DILR – 24 qns, QA – 26 qns)
19 out of 76 questions were Non-MCQs (5 in VA, 6 in DILR, 8 in QA)
Total time: 120 minutes with a section-time limit of 40 minutes for each of the 3 sections
Marking scheme:
3 marks for correct answer & -1 for the wrong answer
(No negative marks for Non–MCQ questions)
CAT 2019 - 2015
Total questions: 100
(VA – 34 qns, DILR – 32 qns, QA – 34 qns)
26 out of 100 questions were Non-MCQs (7 in VA, 8 in DILR, 11 in QA)
Total time: 180 minutes with a section-time limit of 60 minutes for each of the 3 sections
Marking scheme:
3 marks for correct answer & -1 for the wrong answer
(No negative marks for Non–MCQ questions)
CAT 2025 – DILR Syllabus
Broadly, the CAT syllabus, in terms of the topics tested in the DILR section of CAT is as follows
Logical Reasoning
- Seating Arrangement (linear, circular, grid etc)
- Distributions
- Selections
- Venn Diagrams
- Order & Sequencing
- Binary Logic
- Puzzles
- Cubes
- Syllogysms
- Logical Connectives
- Quantitative Puzzles
- Analytical Puzzles
- Cryptarithmetic
- Weights and Balances
Data Interpretation
- Tables
- Line Graphs
- Bar Graphs
- Pie Charts
- Special Graphs
- Combination of Charts
- Games & Tournaments
- Caselets
- Routes & Networks
- Reasoning Based DI
- Quant Based Reasoning
Additional Topics
For XAT, SNAP, NMAT
- Blood Relations
- Directions
- Calendars
- Clocks
- Critical Reasoning
- Statements & Assumptions
- Statements & Conclusions
- Course of Action
- Input-Output
- Letter & Number Series
Decision Making
This is a special & very important section which appears only in the XAT exam. 21 out of 75 questions in XAT are from Decision Making.
We will be covering Decision Making extensively, in our DILR for All MBA Exams course