Get a detailed CAT DILR Analysis 2025 with slot-wise difficulty levels, question trends, and expected scores. Understand which slots were toughest and plan your preparation smarter.
Table of Contents
The CAT 2025 exam was successfully finished in all slots, and the DILR section was once again one of the most challenging sections of the paper. The section required logical thinking, interpretation of data, and time management. Although the general pattern was similar to the past years, there were differences in the level of difficulty.
This article gives the CAT DILR analysis 2025, including the level of difficulty, the evaluation of the section in comparison with the previous year and the score vs percentile analysis.
Overview of CAT DILR 2025
The DILR section in CAT 2025 assessed the candidate's ability to interpret data, see patterns and make logical conclusions within a time limit. This section consisted of a combination of sets based on data, logical puzzles, along reasoning questions.
The CAT DILR gives marks based on clear thinking, systematic ability to solve problems and confidence in dealing with question types unfamiliar to candidates. The table below gives an overview of the CAT DILR 2025.
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Total Questions in DILR |
20–22 |
|
Total Marks |
60–66 marks |
|
Number of Sets |
4 sets |
|
Questions per Set |
4–6 questions |
|
Type of Questions |
MCQs + TITA |
|
Difficulty Level |
Moderate to Difficult |
|
Time Limit |
40 minutes |
|
Key Skills Tested |
Logical reasoning, analytical thinking, data-based decision making |
|
On-Screen Calculator |
Allowed |
|
Negative Marking |
-1 for MCQs, No negative marking for TITA |
Also Read: CAT Exam Analysis 2025: Slot 1 Section-wise Difficulty Level and Good Attempts
Difficulty Level of CAT DILR 2025
According to the recent patterns, CAT DILR 2025 continues being fairly challenging, and one set atleast was challenging to the majority of candidates. The exam has always emphasized logic-based sets over calculation-based data interpretation, and thus, the students needed to use deeper analysis.
Difficulty changed according to the slot, but there was a mix of easy, medium, and challenging sets in the paper. The table below shows the difficulty level of the CAT DILR section in 2025.
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Number of Questions |
20 |
|
Number of Sets |
4 sets |
|
Questions per Set |
4–6 questions |
|
Overall Difficulty |
Moderate to Moderate-High |
|
Easy Sets |
1 |
|
Moderate Sets |
2 |
|
Difficult Set |
1 |
|
Time Required per Set |
12–15 minutes |
|
Good Attempts |
8–12 questions |
|
Accuracy for Good Percentile |
70–80% |
|
Likely Score for 95+ Percentile |
30–35 marks |
Also Read: How Many Attempts are Allowed in CAT Exam?
Previous Year DILR Difficulty Comparison
The varied pattern of DILR Section in the past CAT examinations has not been predictable, with some years appearing to be of moderate difficulty and some of greater difficulty. Nevertheless, it has been seen that there will be a set or two that are far more challenging than the others. Thus, the general format is the same, but the number of details in separate sets is different. The table below gives a year-wise comparison of the difficulty level of the DILR section.
|
Year |
Overall DILR Difficulty |
Key Highlights |
|
2024 |
Moderate to Difficult |
Sets were lengthy, only 2 sets were easily solvable, high weightage on logical puzzle-type sets. |
|
2023 |
Difficult |
Very challenging sets; time-consuming; many students could attempt only 1–2 sets accurately. |
|
2022 |
Moderate |
Mix of easy and tricky sets, better balance between data interpretation and logical reasoning, and more student-friendly. |
|
2021 |
Moderate to Difficult |
Logical reasoning-heavy section, data interpretation sets involved complex data, and accuracy was more important than the number of attempts. |
|
2020 |
Difficult |
Reduction in total exam time increased pressure, sets were calculation-heavy and lengthy. |
Previous Year Slot-Wise DILR Analysis
The slot-wise analysis of the DILR section is important to understand. All the slots in the former year exam were characterized by a unique pattern of questions, configurations of sets, and the level of difficulty. Slots-based review will assist in determining what kind of sets were used more often, how the complexity varies between the slots, and what questions can be expected by the aspirants.
Slot 1 DILR 2024 Difficulty Level
The CAT 2024 slot 1 had a combination of logical questions and sets of data interpretation with moderate variability in the level of difficulty. Although some of them were very simple, others had many layers and took much time to compute. In general, the level of difficulty was regarded as moderate, but accuracy and selection of sets were the primary concerns of students who attempted in this slot.
|
Parameter |
Details |
|
Overall Difficulty |
Moderate to Difficult |
|
Type of Sets |
Mixed sets with logical sequencing, games, and data grids |
|
Number of Sets Attemptable |
2 sets comfortably |
|
Tough Areas |
Data-heavy sets, multi-layer conditions |
|
Student Feedback |
Time-consuming, required high accuracy |
|
Good Attempts |
9–11 questions |
|
Expected 95+ Percentile |
23–27 marks |
Slot 2 DILR 2024 Difficulty Level
Slot 2 was comparatively harder than Slot 1, and this was particularly in terms of the complexity of the logical sets of reasoning. Some of the students perceived the reasoning-based questions to be longer and more complex, which contributed to the time pressure. The table below shows the slot 2 DILR difficulty level.
|
Parameter |
Details |
|
Overall Difficulty |
Moderate |
|
Type of Sets |
More balanced; one easy set, one moderate set, one tough set |
|
Number of Sets Attemptable |
2–2.5 sets |
|
Tough Areas |
Arrangement-based sets |
|
Student Feedback |
Manageable if sets were chosen wisely |
|
Good Attempts |
10–12 questions |
|
Expected 95+ Percentile |
24–28 marks |
Slot 3 DILR 2024 Difficulty Level
Slot 3 had the same degree of difficulty as Slot 2, but was based on tricky sets of reasoning and specific data interpretation tasks. Nevertheless, the section remained solvable with the appropriate approach, especially for students who used systematic reasoning and analytical problem-solving. The table below shows the difficulty level of the Slot 3 DILR section.
|
Parameter |
Details |
|
Overall Difficulty |
Moderate to Difficult |
|
Type of Sets |
Calculation-heavy Data Interpretation and tricky Logical Reasoning sets |
|
Number of Sets Attemptable |
1.5–2 sets |
|
Tough Areas |
Complex data interpretation tables and logical sequencing |
|
Student Feedback |
Most sets looked doable, but had tricky questions |
|
Good Attempts |
8–10 questions |
|
Expected 95+ Percentile |
22–25 marks |
Previous Year DILR Score vs Percentile
Knowing the score vs percentile trend of the past years can help you be certain about the number of marks you need. The percentile of the CAT is based on the level of overall difficulty of the paper and the performance of other students. When you look at past data on DILR scores- percentile, you get a certain idea of what can be regarded as a strong, average, or low score. The table below provides the previous years’ DILR score vs percentile data.
|
Year |
Score for 99 Percentile |
Score for 95 Percentile |
Score for 90 Percentile |
Score for 80 Percentile |
Difficulty Trend |
|
2024 |
26–28 |
20–22 |
16–17 |
11–12 |
Moderate–Difficult |
|
2023 |
30–32 |
22–24 |
18–19 |
12–13 |
Moderate |
|
2022 |
27–29 |
20–22 |
16–17 |
10–11 |
Moderate–Difficult |
|
2021 |
29–31 |
21–23 |
17–18 |
11–12 |
Moderate |
Also Read: CAT 2025 Difficulty Level: Section-Wise Analysis & Good Attempts
What Is a Good Score in CAT DILR 2025?
As the level of difficulty varies every year, the marks required to score 90 or 95th percentile vary as well. But we can make a few predictions based on the trends in the past that ought to enable students to make a good percentile in the DILR section. The table below shows the score range and expected percentile for the CAT DILR section.
|
Performance Level |
Estimated Score Range (DILR) |
Expected Percentile |
|
Excellent |
32 – 40 |
98–99+ percentile |
|
Very Good |
26 – 31 |
95–97 percentile |
|
Good |
20 – 25 |
90–94 percentile |
|
Average |
15 – 19 |
80–89 percentile |
|
Below Average |
Below 15 |
Below 80 percentile |
Also Read: List of MBA colleges accepting 90+percentile in CAT 2025
Conclusion
The CAT DILR section again followed the same trend and was tricky, with some sets requiring efficient analytical and rapid decision-making skills. The difficulty level was slightly different in each slot; however, the general trend was typical of the previous years. It was examined that accuracy and good set selection were important in the determination of scores and percentiles. This review offered students an improved insight into how the test proceeded and the way their performance corresponded to the overall tendencies of CAT 2025.
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