CAT Previous Year Papers (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018): Download PDFs with Solutions

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Last Updated on 10th January 2025

Common Admission Test

CAT Previous Year Papers with Detailed Solutions

The CAT exam past question papers can be found through the CAT official website or third-party websites. The CAT question papers from 2022 to 2024 consisted of 68 questions and had a total of 2024 marks. The three sections in the CAT exam question papers include Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Reading, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.

Each of the sections in the CAT question paper has a time limit of 40 minutes. There are two types of questions in the CAT question paper: MCQs and type-in-the-answer questions. Each right answer is awarded with 3 marks, and each wrong MCQ answer 1 mark is deducted for each wrong MCQ answer.

CAT Exam Past Question Paper: Quick Highlights

The following are the highlights related to the CAT exam past question papers.

Particulars	Details
Total number of questions	68
Total marks	204
Type of questions	Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) Type-in-the-answer questions (TITA)
Sections in the question paper	Quantitative Ability (QA) Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
Time limit for each section	40 minutes (fixed)
Total duration	2 hours
CAT past question paper official website	Official website

CAT Exam Past Question Papers: Marks Distribution

The marks distribution across different sections in the CAT question paper is given below.

Section	Number of Questions	Marks (Approx.)
VARC	24	72
DILR	22	66
QA	22	66
Total	68	204

CAT Exam Past Question Papers: Marking Scheme

Here is the marking scheme based on the types of responses in the CAT exam.

Type of response	Marks awarded/deducted
Correct answer	+3 marks
Incorrect MCQ answer	-1 mark
Incorrect TITA answer	0 marks
Unanswered	0 marks

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Download CAT Question Paper PDFs(2024-2018)

Check the table below for the recent years’ CAT question papers from 2022 to 2024.

Year	VARC Question Paper	DILR Question Paper	QA Question Paper
2024	Click Here	Click Here	Click Here
2023	Click Here	Click Here	Click Here
2022	Click Here	Click Here	Click Here
2021	Click here	NA	NA
2020	Click here	NA	NA
2019	Click here	NA	NA
2018	Click here	NA	NA

How to Download the CAT Exam Past Question Papers?

Here are the steps to download the CAT exam question papers from the previous year:

Visit the CAT exam official website.
Log in with the CAT ID and password.
Find the section for previous years’ question papers.
Download the required question paper in PDF.

FAQS

What is the comparison of the CAT 2023 vs the CAT 2022 question papers?

The CAT 2023 question paper was more difficult in comparison to the CAT 2022 question paper. Other than that, both of them had the same pattern, subjects, and mark distribution.

What is the CAT vs XAT exam pattern and question paper difficulty?

XAT has Decision Making and General Knowledge sections, which are not present in the CAT question paper. Hence, XAT is often considered to be slightly tougher. However, CAT is more challenging in terms of time limit since it has sectional time limits, which XAT does not have. Moreover, the total duration of CAT is 2 hours, and that of XAT is 3 hours.

How can non-engineers use past papers to master CAT Quant?

Before practicing on the previous question papers, non-engineers must study the subjects covered in the Quant section properly and grasp all the basic concepts. Then they must start practicing regularly on the previous few years’ question papers, and specifically the Quant section.

What are some common mistakes to avoid while solving CAT question papers?

Not applying time management, lack of practice, and taking too much time in guesswork are some of the mistakes to avoid while working on CAT question papers.

Common Admission Test

AcronymCommon Admission Test

Conducting BodyOther

Mode and TypeOnline (Computer Based Test (CBT))

Application ModeOnline

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Marking Scheme-

Application Fee-

Websitehttps://iimcat.ac.in

CAT Previous Year Papers (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018): Download PDFs with Solutions