Preparing for CAT exam is not just about learning concepts but also about practicing with the right resources. One of the smartest ways to strengthen your preparation is by solving the CAT exam previous year paper.
These papers show you the exact level of difficulty, the type of questions asked, and the time pressure you will face in the real exam. As you go through the CAT previous year question papers, you begin to understand the exam pattern better, avoid common mistakes, and build the confidence needed to score high.
Below, we have compiled the last 5–6 years of CAT exam question papers with PDF links so that you can practice anytime and anywhere.
📥 Download CAT Previous Year Papers PDF (2019-2025)
Don’t waste time searching across multiple sites. We’ve compiled all CAT previous year papers PDF with solutions in one place.
✅ Last 6 years of CAT exam papers
✅ Slot-wise PDFs (Slot 1, 2, and 3)
✅ Free download – practice anytime
CAT 2025 Question Paper
CAT 2025 is scheduled to be conducted on 30th November 2025.
- VARC: to be updated
- DILR: to be updated
- QA: to be updated
- Total: to be updated
To Be Updated Once Available
CAT 2024 Question Paper
CAT 2024 followed the same CAT exam pattern with balanced difficulty across all three sections.
- VARC: 24 Questions
- DILR: 20 Questions
- QA: 22 Questions
- Total: 66 Questions
CAT 2023 Question Paper
In CAT 2023, DILR was slightly tougher, making it a challenging year for many aspirants.
- VARC: 24 Questions
- DILR: 20 Questions
- QA: 22 Questions
- Total: 66 Questions
CAT 2022 Question Paper
CAT 2022 had a moderate level overall with a tricky Quant section for most test takers.
- VARC: 24 Questions
- DILR: 20 Questions
- QA: 22 Questions
- Total: 66 Questions
CAT 2021 Question Paper
CAT 2021 was the first CAT exam after reduction in questions, making strategy a key factor.
- VARC: 24 Questions
- DILR: 20 Questions
- QA: 22 Questions
- Total: 66 Questions
CAT 2020 Question Papers
CAT 2020 introduced the new 2-hour format with 40 minutes per section.
- VARC: 26 Questions
- DILR: 24 Questions
- QA: 26 Questions
- Total: 76 Questions
CAT 2019 Question Paper
CAT 2019 was in the older 3-hour format with more questions overall.
- VARC: 34 Questions
- DILR: 32 Questions
- QA: 34 Questions
- Total: 100 Questions
CAT Previous Year Papers Analysis
Year-wise Difficulty Level in CAT PYQ
The table below shows how aspirants rated the exam difficulty across the last 6 years:
| Year | Difficulty Level |
| CAT 2024 | Moderate |
| CAT 2023 | Moderate to Difficult |
| CAT 2022 | Moderate to Difficult |
| CAT 2021 | Difficult |
| CAT 2020 | Moderate to Difficult |
| CAT 2019 | Moderate to Difficult |
Number of Questions Over the Years in CAT PYQ
The structure of the exam has seen significant changes, especially in total questions.
| Year | Total Questions |
| CAT 2024 | 68 |
| CAT 2023 | 66 |
| CAT 2022 | 66 |
| CAT 2021 | 66 |
| CAT 2020 | 76 |
| CAT 2019 | 100 |
Over the years, the previous year question papers of CAT exam reflect a trend of reducing questions, making accuracy and time management even more critical.
In 2019, there were 100 questions in a 3-hour format, while by 2021 the exam shifted to 66 questions in a 2-hour format. CAT 2024 slightly increased the count to 68, keeping the difficulty moderate but demanding sharper precision.
Benefits of Solving CAT Previous Year Papers
1. Understand Real Exam Pattern
When you solve a previous year paper, you get first-hand experience of the CAT exam pattern, difficulty level, and distribution of questions across VARC, DILR, and Quant. This helps you align your preparation with the actual CAT exam previous year question papers instead of guessing what might appear.
2. Identify Important Topics and Trends
Repeated practice of previous year CAT question papers allows you to notice patterns—like which topics are asked frequently or how the difficulty has changed over the years.
As mentors, we always suggest analyzing these trends so that you focus more on high-yield areas while preparing.
3. Improve Time Management Skills
Working on CAT exam previous year papers under timed conditions teaches you how to distribute 40 minutes effectively per section.
You’ll quickly realize which question types to attempt first and which ones to skip. This habit builds exam stamina and prevents panic during the actual test.
4. Build Accuracy and Speed Together
CAT exam is about solving questions correctly within time limits. Practicing CAT past year question papers trains you to minimize silly mistakes, develop accuracy, and steadily increase your speed. Over time, you’ll see your confidence and scores rising consistently.
5. Boost Exam Confidence with Real Practice
Nothing prepares you better than solving authentic papers. When you practice with the CAT exam previous year question papers, you start feeling exam-ready. Every solved paper builds confidence, reduces fear of the unknown, and makes you believe in your preparation journey toward IIMs.
6. Evaluate Your Preparation Honestly
As India’s leading MBA entrance preparation coaching, we recommend using the CAT previous year papers PDF as mock tests to measure your current level. They highlight your strengths and expose weak areas that need revision. This honest feedback is priceless; it helps you make focused improvements before the real exam day.
Every topper solved CAT PYQs—now it’s your turn.
Get CAT Previous Year Question Papers PDF and practice slot-wise papers.
Latest CAT Exam Pattern: Overview
Before you begin practicing, it’s important to understand the latest exam pattern of CAT.
| Section | Number of Questions | Time Allotted | Question Types |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | ~24 | 40 minutes | MCQs & TITA |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | ~20 | 40 minutes | MCQs & TITA |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | ~22 | 40 minutes | MCQs & TITA |
- Total Duration: 120 minutes
- Total Questions: 66-68
- Marking Scheme: +3 for correct, –1 for wrong (MCQs), no negative for TITA
Explore Additional Free Resources
- Free CAT Mock Test PDF
- CAT VARC Mock Test
- CAT DILR Mock Test
- CAT Quant Mock Test
- CAT Syllabus
- CAT Practice Questions
- CAT Quants Questions
How to Use CAT Past Year Papers Effectively?
1. Practice Under Real Exam Conditions
Always attempt a CAT previous year paper in one sitting with a timer. Replicate the exam environment by giving yourself 40 minutes per section. This discipline ensures that when you face the question papers, you build exam temperament, manage pressure better, and improve speed with accuracy.
2. Analyze Mistakes After Every Paper
Solving previous year CAT question papers is only half the work; analysis is where real learning happens. After every attempt, check which questions you got wrong, why you made those mistakes, and how to avoid them in the future. This reflection sharpens your strategy and prevents repeating the same errors.
3. Maintain an Error Log for Weak Areas
Create a notebook where you record mistakes from CAT exam previous year papers. Write down the question type, the reason for the error, and the correct approach. Reviewing this log regularly will help you track your progress, strengthen weaker topics, and gain confidence before attempting the next paper.
4. Compare Performance Across Multiple Papers
When you solve multiple CAT past year question papers, compare your scores section by section. Identify which area—VARC, DILR, or QA—consistently drags down your performance. As mentors, we advise focusing more on these weak sections while maintaining strengths, so that your overall score and percentile steadily improve.
5. Learn Time Selection and Question Filtering
Not all questions are worth solving in CAT. Practicing CAT exam previous year question papers teaches you to identify sitters, moderate-level questions, and tough ones. Build the habit of leaving time-consuming problems and maximizing your attempts on doable ones. This skill is often the biggest difference between an average and a top scorer.
6. Revise Concepts Alongside Paper Practice
While practicing CAT previous year papers PDF, note the concepts you struggle with. Revisit those topics in your study material immediately. This loop of practice–analysis–revision ensures steady progress. It’s not just about solving questions but about reinforcing fundamentals so that every new paper feels easier and more manageable.
Explore More Information Related to CAT
| What is CAT Exam? | CAT Eligibility Criteria |
| CAT Answer Key 2025 | CAT 2025 Exam Analysis |
| CAT Score vs Percentile 2025 | CAT 2025 Admit Card |
| CAT Results 2025 | CAT Cut-off 2025 |
FAQs About CAT Previous Year Papers
Yes, many resources provide CAT question papers with solution PDF. Solving with solutions helps you learn the correct approach and improve accuracy.
As mentors, we recommend solving at least the last 5–6 years of CAT exam previous year question papers to understand trends and difficulty levels.
Exact questions rarely repeat, but the CAT exam previous year papers often show similar patterns, concepts, and question framing styles.
CAT 2021 is widely regarded as one of the most difficult years, especially the DILR section. Other years like 2023 and 2022 were also challenging.
CAT 2024 was considered moderate compared to previous years. However, “easy” in CAT is always relative to your preparation and speed.
After solving, review every mistake, maintain an error log, and revise weak topics. This step ensures learning beyond just practice.
Yes, we provide CAT last year question papers for all slots—Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3—since each slot has slight variations.
No, you must combine CAT PYQ PDF practice with mock tests, topic-wise practice, and revision to succeed in the exam.
Set a timer for 2 hours, avoid breaks, and stick to sectional time limits. This makes CAT past year papers more realistic.
Every CAT exam paper has 3 sections: VARC, DILR, and QA. Each section has a 40-minute time limit.
Yes, treat each previous year CAT paper like a full-length mock test to simulate exam conditions and assess performance.
Yes, difficulty may vary slightly, but the overall level across all slots is kept balanced through a normalization process.