CAT 2025 Slot 2 Analysis: The "Balanced" Slot?

By Headache Tutorials, Indore

The afternoon slot (12:30 PM - 2:30 PM) of CAT 2025 has concluded, and the verdict is in: Slot 2 was the "Stabilizer." While Slot 1 threw a few surprises, Slot 2 seemed to settle into a more predictable, albeit challenging, rhythm.

Here is the deep dive from Headache Tutorials for our students in Indore and beyond.

Overall Snapshot

• Total Questions: 68 (No change)

• Overall Difficulty: Moderate

• Key Characteristic: Balanced DILR but a deceptive QA section.

Section-Wise Breakdown

1. VARC: The Scoring Ground

The themes in Reading Comprehension were diverse, covering AI/ChatGPT, Astronomy, and Literature. The section was widely considered slightly more accessible than Slot 1.

• Reading Comprehension (16 Qs): Passages were readable, but inference-based questions required sharp critical thinking.

• Verbal Ability (8 Qs): Para Jumbles continued to be present. The "Para Completion" questions were the easiest pick of the lot.

Topic Distribution: VARC Slot 2

Topic	Number of Questions	Type	Difficulty
Reading Comprehension	16	MCQ	Moderate
Passage 1: AI & ChatGPT	4	MCQ	Easy-Moderate
Passage 2: Astronomy	4	MCQ	Moderate
Passage 3: Science & Culture	4	MCQ	Moderate-Difficult
Passage 4: Literature & Place	4	MCQ	Difficult
Verbal Ability	8	Mixed	Moderate
Para Jumbles	2	TITA	Moderate
Para Summary	2	MCQ	Easy
Para Completion	2	MCQ	Easy
Odd One Out	2	TITA	Moderate

• Good Attempts: 17-19 questions.

2. DILR: Strategy is King

Slot 2 DILR was widely considered "fair." It didn't have the shock factor of Slot 1, but it wasn't a cakewalk. The "Routes & Networks" set was a classic time-sink if not handled well.

• Key Sets: Routes & Networks and Scheduling.

Topic Distribution: DILR Slot 2

Set Topic	Questions	Type	Difficulty
Routes & Networks	4	Mix	Moderate-Difficult
Scheduling	4	Mix	Moderate
Venn Diagram / Set Theory	4	Mix	Easy-Moderate
Tabular DI	5	Mix	Moderate
Linear Arrangement	5	Mix	Tricky

• Good Attempts: 10-12 questions.

3. QA: The Hidden Traps

This section is generating the most debate. While Arithmetic (Time, Speed, Distance & Mixtures) was standard, the Algebra questions involved multiple concepts, making them tricky for non-engineers.

Topic Distribution: QA Slot 2

Topic	Number of Questions	Difficulty
Arithmetic	9	Moderate
Algebra	6	Difficult
Geometry	3	Moderate
Number System	2	Easy-Moderate
Modern Math	2	Moderate
Total	22	Moderate-Difficult

• Good Attempts: 11-13 questions.

Headache Tutorials Verdict: Expected Score vs. Percentile (Slot 2)

Percentile	Expected Score Range
99%ile	86 - 90
95%ile	66 - 70
90%ile	53 - 56

Note: Normalization will play a huge role here, as VARC scores might be higher while QA scores might dip.

3. FAQ Section

Q: Which section was the toughest in Slot 2? A: Quantitative Ability (QA) was generally considered the toughest section in Slot 2 due to tricky Algebra questions and calculation-heavy Arithmetic.

Q: Is 40 marks a good score in Slot 2? A: A raw score of 40 is likely to land you around the 80-85 percentile range. For top IIMs, you typically need a score of 85+.

Q: How does Slot 2 compare to Slot 1? A: Slot 2 had a slightly easier VARC section but a trickier QA section compared to Slot 1. Overall, the difficulty is comparable.