Lessons from CAT 2023 and 2024 give important insights for CAT 2025 aspirants. CAT 2023 taught that the exam can suddenly become tougher, especially in Quant and DILR, where question sets were more complex than expected.
This highlighted the need for adaptability and the ability to switch questions quickly instead of getting stuck. It also showed that accuracy is more valuable than attempting a high number of questions, since cut-offs adjust with difficulty. CAT 2024, on the other hand, was comparatively moderate, reinforcing the idea that students should prepare for all levels of difficulty rather than predicting the paper. Many found that a strong reading habit helped in VARC, while practice with diverse and tricky data sets gave an edge in DILR.
Mock tests played a crucial role, as those who analyzed their mocks deeply were better prepared for the variations between slots. Both years proved that time management and calmness during the test matter as much as conceptual knowledge.
Another lesson is that the number of questions and structure are stable now, so the focus should be on problem-solving efficiency and building stamina for a high-pressure two-hour exam. Above all, CAT remains unpredictable, and the best preparation is to develop flexibility, balance across all sections, and the confidence to perform regardless of changes in difficulty.