CAT 2025 provisional answer key out at iimcat.ac.in: How to check, download and raise objections
CAT 2025 Answer Key Released: The conducting authority for CAT 2025, Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Kozhikode, has issued the provisional answer key and candidate response sheets today, 4 December 2025, on the official portal. Candidates who appeared for the exam on 30 November may now access slot-wise PDFs to review their responses and estimate their raw scores. According to notifications, the login window to access the answer key and related documents is open from 04-12-2025, 17:00 hours to 10-12-2025, 23:55 hours. This timeframe offers sufficient opportunity for candidates from all three exam shifts to log in, download, and scrutinise their answers.Why the provisional key mattersThe provisional key allows aspirants to compare their marked responses with the official correct options, helping them estimate their performance well before final results. Given the size and competitiveness of CAT, this early access helps reduce uncertainty and enables candidates to decide whether to raise objections for any perceived discrepancies. Once normalized and finalised, section-wise scores and total percentiles will be computed — forming the basis for shortlisting by individual IIMs for further admission rounds, such as Writing Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI).
Steps to check CAT 2025 Answer Key and Response Sheet
Candidates can follow the steps below to download their slot-wise answer key and response sheet PDF:Step 1: Visit the official CAT portal at iimcat.ac.in. Step 2: Click on the “Candidate Login” tab. Step 3: Enter your CAT registration number/User ID and password and submit. Step 4: Once logged in, select the link for your slot’s answer key and response sheet PDF (Slot 1 / Slot 2 / Slot 3). Step 5: Download and save the PDF — it will contain your responses, the correct answer key, question-wise status (correct/incorrect/unanswered), and other details. Candidates are urged to download and save the PDF promptly, since access is available only until 10 December 2025 (23:55 hours) as per the login notice. What’s next: Objections and Final KeyIf a candidate finds any discrepancy between their marked answers and the official key, they may file objections during the scheduled objection window from 8 December (12:00 PM) to 10 December (11:55 PM). Objections must be submitted online via the portal, along with any required justifications. Valid objections will be reviewed, and a final answer key will be released subsequently.Meanwhile, candidates can use the provisional key and their response sheet to calculate raw scores and get an early estimate of their performance. This initial assessment can help manage anticipations and plan next steps — especially in competitive shortlisting environments.
