The wait for thousands of MBA aspirants is nearly over. The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode, the conducting body for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025, has officially announced that the final answer keys for the high-stakes entrance exam will be released tomorrow, December 17. These finalized keys will form the definitive basis for evaluating responses and preparing the CAT 2025 results, which are expected to be announced in the subsequent days.
Scrutiny Window: A Deep Dive into the Objections
CAT 2025 was conducted successfully on November 30 across multiple shifts. Following the exam, IIM-K released provisional answer keys and opened a crucial objection window from December 8 to December 10. This window allowed candidates to formally challenge any answer they believed to be incorrect.
During this three-day period, the institute received a total of 187 objections spanning all three sections of the exam: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). These objections covered questions from all shifts of the examination day.
Section-Wise Breakdown of Challenges
A detailed analysis provided by IIM Kozhikode reveals the distribution of these challenges:
Quantitative Ability (QA): This section saw the highest number of objections, with a significant 113 challenges filed for Shift 1 alone. Shifts 2 and 3 had 0 and 2 objections, respectively.
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): Candidates raised 22 objections for Shift 1, 26 for Shift 2, and 13 for Shift 3, making a total of 61.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR): This section attracted the fewest challenges, with only 4 objections for Shift 1, 1 for Shift 2, and 6 for Shift 3.
The Verdict: A Single Change Approved
All 187 objections underwent a rigorous review process by panels of subject matter experts specially constituted for CAT 2025. After meticulous examination, the outcome was decisive.
Only one objection has been accepted. This solitary change pertains to a question in the Quantitative Ability (QA) section from Shift 1. The institute confirmed that all other 186 objections across every section and shift were found to be without merit, and no alterations have been made to those answer keys.
This outcome underscores the thoroughness of the initial answer key preparation and the high benchmark required for a challenge to be upheld.
Next Steps for Candidates
With the final answer keys set for release on December 17, the evaluation process will enter its final phase. The scores calculated using these definitive keys will directly lead to the compilation of results and individual scorecards.
Prospective test-takers are advised to keep a close watch on the official CAT website for the immediate release of the final answer key and the subsequent announcement of results. The finalized keys will provide clarity and allow candidates to calculate their probable scores with accuracy before the official results are declared.
