CAT 2023 Question Paper PDFs: Download Last Year CAT Question Paper (Slot 1, 2 and 3) with Solutions

CAT 2023 Question Paper PDFs: Download Last Year CAT Question Paper (Slot 1, 2 and 3) with Solutions

Team Careers360Updated on 04 Jun 2025, 07:59 AM IST

CAT 2023 question paper PDFs of slot 1, slot 2, and slot 3 are available on this page. An official CAT 2023 question paper download link is also given for candidates who will take the CAT 2025 to help them prepare for their MBA entrance exam. The overall difficulty level of CAT 2023 was high. The CAT exam pattern was also similar to CAT 2022, having 66 questions - 24 in VARC, 22 in DILR and 20 in Quantitative Aptitude. The official CAT paper along with CAT answer key was released in the first week of December on the CAT official website - iimcat.ac.in. Scroll down to download the CAT 2023 question paper PDF. The candidates can download the CAT 2023 paper slots 1 2 3 using the links provided below. The links to the CAT 2023 official question paper are also provided within this article.

LiveCAT 2025 Result LIVE: CAT result expected on December 19? download final answer key; cut-offs, marks vs rankDec 18, 2025 | 8:15 PM IST

The CAT 2025 toppers list will be released after the announcement of the IIM MBA entrance exam results. Check the last year's toppers in the CAT exam below.

CAT toppers

CAT percentile

Aryan Ray

99.99

Sanjiv Kumar

99.99

Sujay Srivastava

99.94

Aniruddh Singh

99.89

Ritwik Raj

99.88

Gourav Agrawal

99.83

Sahil Gupta

99.77

Shouvik Chatterjee

99.43

Virtag Kothari

99.35

Nilesh Shekhar

99.22

Md Jamshed

99.90

Amit Kumar

99.76

Sankalp Karan

97.24

Mayank Raj

96.97

Sumit Kumar Singh

96.05

Ankit Raj from Dhanbad

95.06

Shwet Sneha

93.70

Ayush Kumar Dubey

92.89

Kunal Goel

99.80

Lavya Dhawan

99.73

Dhruv Mittal

99.69

Mitanshi Mehra

99.55

Omkar Subhasish Khuntia

99.52

Anurag Yadav

99.51

Akshad Bhandula

99.47

Siddhartha Singh

99.39

Rohan Garodia

99.23

Sivanjal Gulati

99.14

Read More

This Story also Contains

  1. CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF: Slot-wise Important Topics
  2. Official CAT 2023 Question Paper (Previous Year)
  3. CAT 2023 Scores vs Percentile: Slot-wise & Section-wise
  4. CAT 2023 cut-off of top MBA colleges
  5. CAT Previous Year Questions
  6. Importance of Solving CAT Previous Year Papers
CAT 2023 Question Paper PDFs: Download Last Year CAT Question Paper (Slot 1, 2 and 3) with Solutions
CAT 2023 Question Paper (source:freepik)

CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF: Slot-wise Important Topics

The CAT 2023 question paper difficulty level was moderate to high. Generally, the majority of students found the Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude sections tough. With the help of the CAT 2023 question paper analysis, candidates can understand the pattern and the topics from which the questions were asked in each CAT slot.

CAT 2023 question paper PDF slot 1 topics

Sections

Important Topics

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Para Jumbles
  • Summary
  • Odd one out

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

  • Number breaking
  • Ratings
  • mean, median and mode

Quantitative Aptitude

  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Simple and Compound interest
  • Geometry
  • Time and Distance

In CAT 2023 slot 1 question paper VARC section had 4 reading comprehensions, para summary, para jumbles and odd one out. The DILR section had 4 sets having 5 questions each based on number breaking, ratings, and mean, median and mode. The majority of the questions in the QA section of the CAT 2023 question paper slot 1 were from arithmetic, algebra, simple and compound interest, etc.

CAT 2023 question paper PDF slot 2 topics

Sections

Important Topics

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Para Jumbles
  • Para Completion

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

  • Mean, median and mode

Quantitative Aptitude

  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Sequence and series
  • Logarithm
  • Time and Distance
  • Work

In the CAT 2023 slot 2 VARC section, there were 4 Reading Comprehension passages, and the rest of the questions were from para jumbles and para completion. Whereas, in the DILR section of the CAT question paper, there were 4 sets of 5 questions based on mean, median and mode. In the last QA section, the majority of questions were from algebra and arithmetic, and a few questions were from sequence and series, logarithm, time and distance.

CAT 2023 question paper PDF slot 3 topics

Sections

Important Topics

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Para Jumbles
  • Para Completion
  • Para Summary

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

  • Mean, Median and Mode

Quantitative Aptitude

  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Number Systems

In the CAT 2023 VARC section of slot 3, there were 4 Reading Comprehension passages with a majority of questions based on Para Jumbles, Para Completion, and Para Summary. In the DILR section, there were 5 sets, of which 3 were based on mean, median and mode. Finally, the QA section had the maximum number of questions from algebra and the rest from arithmetic, geometry and number systems.

Check Out - CAT Syllabus

Official CAT 2023 Question Paper (Previous Year)

IIM Lucknow conducted CAT exam last year. It released the official CAT exam question paper. The slot-wise official CAT 2023 question paper can be downloaded by candidates to prepare for their CAT 2025 exam.

CAT 2023 question paper PDF (Official)

CAT 2023 question paper slot 1

CAT 2023 Question paper PDF (Slot 1, 2 and 3)

CAT 2023 question paper slot 2

CAT 2023 question paper slot 3

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CAT 2023 Question Paper Pdf

Candidates can download memory-based CAT 2023 question paper PDFs for all the slots from the links provided below in the table:

Download- CAT Analysis (Slot 1,2,3)

CAT 2023 Question Paper (Memory-based)

To help candidates appearing for CAT 2024 understand the CAT question paper pattern they can refer to the previous year's paper. Some of the CAT 2023 exam questions that were asked in the CAT paper are as follows:

CAT 2023 Slot 1 questions

Q1.The angle between the hand is 8:48 is X. What is the minimum time in minutes when the angle between them increases by 50%?

Q2.If x and y are real numbers such that x² + (x-2y-1)2 = -4y (x + y), here the value x - 2y is

Q3.Let α and β be the two distinct roots of 2x²-6x+k=0, such that (α+β) & (α * β) are the distinct roots of the equation x²+px+p=0, then, the value of 8(k-p)

Download- CAT Slot 1 Answer Key

CAT 2023 Slot 2 questions

Q1. One vessel has 40 litres of milk. Now, 4 litres of milk is replaced with water and 4 litres of mixture is replaced with water gain and this process is done repeatedly. Find the minimum number of such processes so that the concentration of milk becomes less than the concentration of water in the end

Q2.Find the number of numbers which are less than 50 and have exactly two factors other than 1 and itself.

Q3. The ratio of two sides of the polygon is 1:2 and the ratio of their interior angle is 3:4. Find the number of sides of the polygon with more number of sides.

Download- CAT Slot 2 Answer Key

CAT 2023 Slot 3 questions

Q1.Find the sum of two smallest natural numbers with number of factors as 15.

Q2.A rectangle with the largest possible area is inscribed in a semi-circle. Find the ratio of larger side to smaller side.

Q3.In a regular polygon, each interior angle is 120 more than each exterior angle. Find the number of diagonals of the polygon.

Download- CAT Slot 3 Answer Key

CAT 2023 Scores vs Percentile: Slot-wise & Section-wise

The CAT results were declared on December 21, 2023. Candidates who appeared for CAT 2023 could evaluate their expected CAT score using the CAT 2023 answer key. For aspirants appearing for CAT 2024 can use CAT percentile predictor to estimate their CAT percentile and to check whether they are eligible for the top B-schools or not. The table below mentions the analysis of the expected CAT score vs percentile.

Expected

Percentile

Overall Score

Slot 1

Slot 2

Slot 3

99

80-81

82-83

78-80

95

55-56

57-58

57-58

90

45-48

46-48

46-48

85

39-41

40-43

40-41

80

35-37

36-39

36-37

Also Check- How to Calculate CAT Percentile

CAT 2023 cut-off of top MBA colleges

Every CAT aspirant dreams of securing MBA admission in one of the top B-schools of India.IIMs being the best and most recognised management institution accept CAT percentile as a criterion for admission in their MBA program. Candidates can refer the mentioned table to know the expected CAT cut off of the top IIMs.

CAT colleges

Expected CAT 2023 Cut-off

IIM Ahmedabad

99-100 percentile

IIM Bangalore

99-100 percentile

IIM Calcutta

99 percentile

IIM Lucknow

97-98 percentile

IIM Indore

97-98 percentile

IIM Kozhikode

97-98 percentile

IIM Amritsar

95-96 percentile

IIM Nagpur

95-96 percentile

Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi

98 percentile

National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) Mumbai

97 percentile

Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi

98.54 percentile

Management Development Institute, Gurgaon

94 percentile

CAT Previous Year Questions

Practicing CAT previous year questions is a crucial part of preparing for the exam. By solving CAT question papers 2023 and earlier CAT question papers, candidates can familiarize themselves with the exam structure and the types of questions asked. Accessing CAT previous year question papers pdf provides an easy way to practice from different years, while CAT previous year question papers with solutions help in understanding the correct approach to solving the questions. Using resources like CAT question paper with solution pdf ensures that candidates can check their answers and improve their problem-solving techniques. For more focused preparation, topic-wise previous year CAT questions pdf and CAT previous year questions topic-wise are useful for identifying and strengthening weak areas. Understanding the CAT question paper pattern further aids in strategizing and planning effectively for the exam.

Importance of Solving CAT Previous Year Papers

The importance of solving CAT previous year papers is significant for effective exam preparation. By practising with CAT question papers 2023 and other CAT question papers, candidates can familiarise themselves with the actual exam format and the types of questions asked. Accessing the CAT previous year question papers PDF and CAT previous year question papers with solutions allows candidates to understand the correct approach to solving difficult questions, helping them improve accuracy. Using resources like the CAT question paper with solution PDF also aids in identifying mistakes and learning from them.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How was the CAT 2023 question paper?
A:

The overall difficulty level of the CAT 2023 question paper was difficult. The CAT 2023 exam pattern was similar to last year having 66 questions divided into 3 sections- VARC had 24 questions, DILR had 22 questions and QA had 20 questions.

Q: Was CAT 2023 tough? Was 2023 CAT difficult?
A:

CAT 2023 exam was tough this year. As per the test takers, the quant section was difficult among the three sections. The QA section was lengthy and time-consuming.

Q: How was CAT 2023 slot 1?
A:

The CAT 2023 slot 1 exam was difficult. Candidates who took this MBA entrance exam on November 26 reported that some questions were repeated in the exam from the CAT previous years.  

Q: How was CAT 2023 slot 2?
A:

The CAT 2023 slot 2 was moderately difficult. Candidates found the QA section to be more challenging than other sections.

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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

Hello,

For a raw score of 56 in CAT 2025 Slot 3, your expected overall percentile is likely to be in the range of the 90th-95th percentile. The exact percentile can vary slightly on the final normalization process and the process and performance of all test-takers. In this article you'll find more about the CAT result.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Hello,
With a projected CAT percentile of 87% but not clearing sectional cutoffs, your chances at top IIMs are limited because they require both overall percentile and sectional minimums. However, you still have a good shot at other reputed management institutes and non-IIM B-schools. Consider colleges like NMIMS, SPJIMR, IMT, TAPMI, Great Lakes, and other well-ranked private or state-level B-schools that accept CAT scores and weigh your profile holistically. Your academic record, BSc in Animation with 80%, and 5 years of work experience at Ubisoft India are strong points and may help in institutes that value work experience in their selection process. Also, explore institutes that accept XAT, MAT, or CMAT, where your profile can be competitive.
Hope this helps you.

Good Morning,

NIT Rourkela CAT cutoff range is between 70-85 percentiles for the general category. 70 is the minimum percentile needed to apply, and 85 is the highest percentile. However, the maximum percentile depends on the particular year competition. It can be changed.

Thank You.

If you filled the UGC NET form under EWS but you don’t have a valid EWS certificate, then forget using the EWS category. They won’t accept it. You’ll automatically be treated as General category during document verification.


And no, this won’t make your form “invalid” or “illegal.” It just means you won’t get the EWS benefit.


So yes — you can still go for General category posts and Professor recruitment. Just don’t try to submit a fake/invalid certificate; that will get you disqualified.

Hello,
If your CAT admit card shows your surname first followed by your first name as entered in the form, it is correct. You do not need to worry about this format as long as it matches the details you provided. Ensure all other information on the admit card is accurate and carry it to the exam along with the required identification documents.
Hope this helps you.