Mohali, Dec. 1 -- The tricity saw nearly 6,500 candidates sit for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 on Sunday. In Mohali, the exam was held in three shifts at two centres in Sectors 82 and 83. Conducted by IIM Kozhikode, the management entrance test registered over 2.95 lakh aspirants across India this year. Unlike previous years, students noted a larger share of non MCQ questions, a change that typically lowers accuracy levels. CAT evaluates candidates across Mathematics, English, and Reasoning Ability and remains the primary gateway to India's management institutes, including the IIMs. In the northern region, IIM Sirmaur and IIM Amritsar continue to be the most sought-after among CAT-acceptingcolleges. Panjab University's University Business School (UBS) is also a preferredchoice; its cut-off this year is expected to hover around the 85 percentile. For many candidates, the paper offered a mixed experience. Himanshi Sharma of PEC, Chandigarh said, "Verbal section went smoothly for me. I could attempt everything there. But Math and DI turned out tougher than I had expected." Nishant Rathour, a student from Panjab University, echoed a similar sentiment, "The DI section was particularly tricky, though overall I'm happy with how performed." The test comes at a time when the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has expanded pathways into management education. Over a dozen IIMs now offer five-year integrated programmes directly after Class 12, along with undergraduate degrees in areas such as AI and Data, Economics, and Development. In the region, IIM Sirmaur runs a Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS), while IIM Amritsar offers the Integrated Programme in Management (IPM), which awards a Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Finance and Economics after three years, or an integrated MBA on completion of the five-year course. Results for CAT 2025 are expected by the end of December, after which shortlisted candidates will move to the next stage involving an essay and a personal interview....