The wait is over for thousands of MBA aspirants across India. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are set to release the provisional answer key for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 today, December 4, 2025. Candidates who appeared for the high-stakes entrance exam on November 30 can access the key on the official website, iimcat.ac.in.
How to Download CAT 2025 Answer Key and Response Sheet
Accessing the provisional key is a straightforward online process. Candidates must be ready with their login credentials to check their estimated scores. Here are the detailed steps to follow once the link goes live.
First, visit the official CAT portal at iimcat.ac.in. Navigate to the 'CAT Candidate Login' section. You will need to enter your unique CAT ID and password to access your dashboard. Once logged in, look for the link to download the slot-wise answer key PDF and your individual response sheet.
A critical point to remember is that the CAT 2025 exam was conducted in multiple shifts. Therefore, candidates must ensure they download the answer key PDF that corresponds specifically to their own exam slot. Using the wrong slot's key will lead to an inaccurate score calculation. Both documents—the answer key and your response sheet—will be available from the same dashboard, enabling a side-by-side comparison.
Objection Window: Challenge Answers Until December 10
The release of the provisional key opens the door for candidates to review official answers. If you disagree with any answer provided by the IIMs, you have a limited window to register your challenge.
The objection window will be open from December 8 to December 10, 2025. Specifically, it will commence at 12:00 PM on December 8 and conclude at 11:55 PM on December 10. All objections must be submitted exclusively through the official portal.
To file a challenge, candidates need to select the disputed question, provide supporting remarks if necessary, and pay a fee of Rs 1,200 per objection. It is crucial to note that only objections submitted within this strict timeframe will be considered by the authorities. These challenges will be reviewed before the final answer key is published.
What This Means for Candidates
The publication of the provisional answer key is a significant milestone in the CAT 2025 selection process. It allows aspirants to move from speculation to a data-driven assessment of their performance.
By comparing their response sheet with the official key, candidates can get a reliable estimate of their probable score. This estimation is vital for planning the next steps, whether it's preparing for subsequent rounds like Group Discussion and Personal Interview at various IIMs and other business schools, or considering a reattempt next year.
Candidates are advised to download and save both the answer key and their response sheet immediately. They should also carefully note any discrepancies they wish to challenge and be prepared with the necessary payment method for the objection fee when the window opens on December 8.
The final results and percentile scores will be declared only after the objection process is complete and the final answer key is prepared. Today's release is the first concrete step towards unlocking the doors to India's premier management institutes.
