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CAT Exam Past 5 years Analysis and Trends: Insights for Success
CAT Past 5 years Analysis and Trends: The Indian Institute of Management will conduct the CAT 2026 examination soon. As of now, there is no announcement regarding the CAT 2026 exam date. However. Candidates who are preparing for the examination must go through the past five year CAT analysis. It helps one to understand the difficulty level of the questions asked. Additionally, candidates also get an idea of the question paper pattern and the latest changes.
This Story also Contains
- CAT Past 5 years Analysis and Trends
- CAT Past Years Pattern in a Glance
- CAT Year Wise Analysis and Trends
Read this full article to know what one can expect for the IIM CAT 2026 paper difficulty level.
CAT Past 5 years Analysis and Trends
IIMs has changed its CAT exam pattern in 2020. It has reduced the total number of questions from 100 to 76 and the duration of the exam from 3 hours to 2 hours. In 2021, the CAT paper pattern was changed once again. The total number of questions was reduced from 76 to 66, but the duration remained the same. This year, we expect that the IIM will follow the same exam pattern for CAT 2024. Before knowing the analysis and trends of the past few years, you must know the latest CAT exam pattern in detail.
CAT 2024 Exam Pattern
The expected structure of the CAT exam will be as follows:
Number of Question | Sections | Marking Scheme | Duration |
66 questions
|
|
|
|
* Total marks: 198
CAT Past Years Pattern in a Glance
The following table brings you the test structure of the CAT 2024 exam over the past 14 years.
Year | Number of Question | Sections | Marking Scheme | Duration | Difficulty Level |
| 2023 | 66 (VARC: 24, DILR: 20, QA: 22) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 120 minutes. 40 minutes for each section | Difficult |
| 2022 | 66 (VARC: 24, DILR: 20, QA: 22) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 120 minutes. 40 minutes for each section | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2021 | 66(VARC: 24, DILR: 20, QA: 22) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 120 minutes. 40 minutes for each section | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2020 | 76 (QA - 26, VARC - 26, DI & LR - 24) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 120 minutes. 40 minutes for each section | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2019 | 100 (QA - 34, VRC - 34, DI & LR - 32) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 180 minutes. 60 minutes for each section | Easy to Moderate |
| 2018 | 100 (QA - 34, VRC - 34, DI & LR - 32) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 180 minutes. 60 minutes for each section | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2017 | 100 (QA - 34, VRC - 34, DI & LR - 32) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 180 minutes. 60 minutes for each section | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2016 | 100 (QA - 34, VRC - 34, DI & LR - 32) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 180 minutes. 60 minutes for each section | Moderate |
| 2015 | 100 (QA - 34, VRC - 34, DI & LR - 32) | Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, - 1 | 180 minutes. 60 minutes for each section | Easy to Moderate |
2014 | 100 (50 per section) | Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (not in particular order) | +3, - 1 | 170 minutes or 2 hours and 50 minutes | Moderate to Tough |
2013 | 60 (30 per section) | Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (In first and second-order) | +3, -1 | 140 minutes or 2 hours 20 minutes | Moderate to Difficult |
2012 | 60 (30 per section) | Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (In first and second-order) | +3, -1 | 140 minutes or 2 hours 20 minutes | Moderate to Difficult |
2011 | 60 (30 per section) | Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (In first and second-order) | +3, -1 | 140 minutes or 2 hours 20 minutes | Moderate |
2010 | 60 (20 per section) | Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, -1 | 2 hours 30 minutes | Moderate |
2009 | 60 (20 per section) | Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | +3, -1 | 2 hours 30 minutes | Moderate |
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CAT Year Wise Analysis and Trends
Now let us have a look at the year-wise CAT analysis and trends of the CAT exam.
CAT 2025 Analysis
The CAT 2025 examination was held on November 30, 2025 in three slots. The difficulty level of all three slots was similar in terms of the questions asked. However, candidates found the questions from DILRA to be on a difficult side as compared to other two sections.
Section name | Number of questions | Difficulty level |
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | 24 | Moderate to Difficult |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | 22 | Difficult |
Quantitative Aptitude | 22 | Lengthy and Difficult |
CAT 2024 Analysis
CAT 2024 was overall moderate in level, with some noticeable changes. VARC was more challenging than the past two years due to longer reading comprehension passages and no parajumbles. DILR was more analytical and included two extra questions compared to previous years.
Section | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
DILR | Moderate | Moderate to difficult | Easy |
Quant | Easy | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate |
Verbal | High | Moderate | Difficult |
Overall | Moderate | Moderate | Easy to moderate |
CAT 2023 Analysis
The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow conducted CAT 2023 across the country. CAT exam was held in three slots. The overall difficulty level of CAT 2023 was moderate, with Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA) being tough.
Quantitative Ability Analysis
The quantitative section has some very important and recurring topics in the CAT exam every year. In this section, 22 questions are asked, of which 7 are non-MCQ questions. Arithmetic and algebra dominate the CAT question paper every year. Some of the QA topics for CAT 2023, along with their weightages are given below.
| CAT QA Topics | CAT 2023 |
|---|---|
Arithmetic | 8-9 |
Algebra | 4-9 |
Geometry & Mensuration | 3-4 |
Number System | 1-3 |
Modern Math | 0-3 |
Overall | 22 |
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Analysis
In the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section, 24 questions are included, of which 5 are non-MCQ questions. 66% of the total VARC questions are reading comprehension questions. The rest are verbal ability questions consisting of para-summaries, para-jumbles, and odd sentences.
In reading comprehension, a passage is given, based on which candidates have to answer 4-5 questions. Most of the CAT RC questions are MCQ questions. In verbal ability, the questions test candidates' command over the English language. It contains grammar and English language usage questions. Some of the VARC topics for CAT 2023, along with their weightages are given below.
| CAT VARC Topics | CAT 2023 |
|---|---|
Reading Comprehension | 16 |
Para Jumbles | 3 |
Para Summary | 3 |
Odd One Out/Para Completion | 2 |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
The CAT Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation section includes 20 questions along with 6 TITA-based questions. Check the topic-wise distribution of DILR divisions last year:
| CAT DILR Topics | Number of Sets |
|---|---|
| Misc | 11 |
Reasoning-based DI | 10 |
Matrix and Grid | 7 |
Matrix Arrangement | 7 |
Venn Diagram | 7 |
Scheduling and Matrix | 6 |
Unconventional and Hybrid Games and Tournaments | 6 |
Mathematical AR | 4 |
Order and ranking | 3 |
Arithmetic Caselet | 3 |
Logic Based Table | 3 |
Routes and Networks | 3 |
Missing Data | 3 |
Maxima-Minima Concept | 2 |
Algebra Caselet | 2 |
Arithmetic Based DI | 2 |
Gantt Chart | 2 |
CAT 2022 Analysis
This year had some stability in the context of CAT exam difficulty with no surprises and the conducting body, IIM Bangalore, continued the pattern of last year and avoided any other changes in the CAT exam pattern. CAT 2022 had a total of 66 questions in the 3 usual sections of the exam. In terms of CAT exam pattern, structure, and difficulty level, the exam was of similar lines to the previous CAT exams. The Verbal Ability part of the CAT exam was moderate in nature with Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning being the toughest for the candidates this year.
CAT 2021 Analysis
The CAT 2021 has few surprises for the aspirants where the number of CAT questions reduced to 66 from 76 in last year. As far as the difficulty level of the CAT exam is concerned, the verbal section of the exam was moderate with DILR the most difficult and the quantitative ability was moderate to difficult in nature.
| Sec. No. | Section Name | Total No. of Ques. |
| 1. | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 24 |
| 2. | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 20 |
| 3. | Quantitative Ability | 22 |
| Total | 66 |
CAT 2020 Analysis
CAT 2020 was conducted by IIM Indore in an absolutely new CAT paper pattern. The difficulty level of the test was moderate to difficult. The quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section were moderate and the Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning section was moderate to difficult. Logical Reasoning was the toughest part of the exam. The CAT 2020 was conducted in three slots in a day.
Area | Number of Questions |
Quantitative Ability | 26 |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 24 |
Verbal Ability | 26 |
CAT 2019 Analysis
CAT 2019, conducted by IIM Kozhikode was an easy to moderate test in terms of difficulty level. The test did not encounter technical glitches. The pattern of the test followed previous years’ pattern and the questions did not throw any surprise in terms of topics and areas.
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
Some of the questions were very tough and time-consuming. The Data Interpretation sets were also moderately calculation intensive. The Quantitative Ability area included questions on Arithmetic, Algebra, Higher Math, Geometry, Numbers, Logs, Permutation & Combination, and Functions.
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
This Verbal Ability section had 3 Reading Comprehension passages out of which 2 were easy and 1 was of moderate difficulty level. The English Usage questions were on para completion, jumbled sentences, grammar, etc.
CAT 2018 Analysis
CAT 2018 was conducted by IIM Calcutta. The difficulty level of the CAT paper was moderate to tough. The quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section were moderate and the Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning section was moderate to tough. Logical Reasoning was the toughest part of the exam.
CAT 2017 Analysis
The CAT 2017 was conducted by IIM Lucknow. The test was taken by 1,99,632 candidates. The test structure was similar to that of CAT 2016. The difficulty level was easy to moderate. Most of the test takers found that the Verbal Ability section was easier and on the other hand, the Quantitative Ability section was tough. The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section were of moderate difficulty level.
In the Quantitative Ability section, most of the questions were of moderate difficulty level. The Verbal Ability questions were on the expected lines, making the section easy. The Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning section was a good mix of calculation-intensive and reasoning-based questions.
CAT 2016 Analysis
CAT 2016 was conducted by IIM Bangalore first time. The difficulty level of the test was easy. The quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section were moderate and the Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning section was easy. Logical Reasoning was the moderate part of the exam.
CAT 2015 Analysis
The computer-based CAT exam in the year 2015 was conducted by IIM Ahmedabad, The test was taken by 1,79,602 candidates. As far as the difficulty level of the test is concerned, it was not as tough as it used to be in the yesteryears. The overall difficulty level was moderate. The duration of the test was 3 hours.
CAT 2014 Analysis
CAT 2014 was also conducted by IIM Indore in an absolutely new pattern. The difficulty level of the test was moderate to tough. The quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation section were moderate and the Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning section was moderate to tough. Logical Reasoning was the toughest part of the exam.
CAT 2013 Analysis
CAT 2013 was conducted by IIM Indore. The test was on the expected lines and did not throw any surprise. The difficulty level was moderate to tough. The test was taken by 1.74 lakh candidates. The candidates faced some wrong questions on Day 1. There was also controversy around questions getting leaked making the Non-Disclosure Agreement void.
After the declaration of result, controversy ensued over the normalization issue after 95,000 candidates obtained 0 or negative scores, as a result of which candidates who attempted no questions were placed at around 55 percentile bracket. Several CAT 2013 candidates filed Writ Petition which led the Indore High Court to send notice to all 13 IIMs, Ministry of HRD, and CAT testing agency Prometric India Pvt. Ltd.
Let us have a look at the section-wise analysis.
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
According to experts, the weightage on the topics like Arithmetic, Geometry, and Mensuration was reduced. On the other hand, Algebra questions were increased. Other areas included Higher Math, Permutation Combination, Quadratic Equation, Functions, Interest, Data Sufficiency, etc.
The Data Interpretation questions were on Bar graphs, Pie charts, Tables to name a few. The DI section was on the tougher side. The overall difficulty level was moderate to tough.
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
The VA & LR sections were divided into 3 parts, Reading Comprehension, English Usage, and Logical Reasoning. There were 3 RC passages out of which 1 of the passages was tough while 2 were of moderate difficulty level. The English Usage questions were on Para Jumble, Para Completion, Word Usage, etc.
The Logical Reasoning part was a mix of tough and easy questions. The LR questions were mainly on the topics of matrix, ranking, arrangements, etc.
CAT 2012 Analysis
CAT 2012, conducted by IIM Kozhikode was moderate to a tough test in terms of difficulty level. The test did not encounter technical glitches. The pattern of the test followed previous years’ pattern and the questions did not throw any surprise in terms of topics and areas. The test was taken by 1.95 lakh candidates.
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
Some of these CAT questions were very tough and time-consuming. The Data Interpretation sets were also moderately calculation intensive. The Quantitative Ability area included questions on Arithmetic, Algebra, Higher Math, Geometry, Numbers, Logs, Permutation & Combination, and Functions.
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
This Verbal Ability section had 3 Reading Comprehension passages out of which 2 were easy and 1 was of moderate difficulty level. The English Usage questions were on para completion, jumbled sentences, grammar, etc.
CAT 2011 Analysis
CAT 2011 which was conducted by IIM Calcutta underwent a major change in terms of the exam pattern. Instead of 3, the exam had 2 sections, namely Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning & Verbal Ability. The total number of questions remained 60. Each section had 30 questions. The overall difficulty level of the test was moderate to tough. The total number of test-takers was was 1.86 lakh.
The area-wise demarcation of the questions is given in the table below:
Area | Number of Questions |
Quantitative Ability | 20 |
Data Interpretation | 10 |
Verbal Ability | 20 |
Logical Reasoning | 10 |
The duration became 140 minutes and the sections were time-bound as well, of 70 minutes each. QA & DI was the compulsory first section. The marking scheme remained the same, 3 marks for each correct answer and -1 mark of negative marking for each wrong answer.
Now let us have a look at the section-wise analysis.
Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
The section was of easy to moderate difficulty level. The Quant questions were tough but the Data Interpretation questions were simple in nature. The section was time-consuming but not calculation-intensive. Few questions were from previous years’ CAT papers, which were on Data Sufficiency and Ratio.
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
The Verbal Ability area included questions on English Usage and Reading Comprehension. According to the test-takers, the English Usage (Para Completion and Para Jumbling) and 3 sets of RC questions were tricky. On the other hand, the Logical Reasoning questions were easy to solve. This section too had some time-consuming questions.
CAT 2010 Analysis
The second year of computer-based CAT exam was conducted by IIM Lucknow. The test was taken by 1.85 lakh candidates. Unlike the first year, the test-taking experience was smooth and glitch-free. The test structure was similar to that of CAT 2009. The difficulty level was easy to moderate. Most of the test takers found that the Verbal Ability section was easier and on the other hand, the Quantitative Ability section was tough. The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section were of moderate difficulty level.
In the Quantitative Ability section, most of the questions were of moderate difficulty level. Out of 20 questions, 4 to 5 were very tough. The Verbal Ability questions were on the expected lines, making the section easy. The Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning section was a good mix of calculation-intensive and reasoning-based questions.
CAT 2009 Analysis
From the traditional paper pencil-based test, CAT became computer-based in the year 2009. IIM Ahmedabad conducted the test and it was Prometric India Pvt. Ltd.’s first year as the online testing partner. The test was taken by 2.3 lakh candidates. Owing to the huge shift in pattern, the first year of the computer-based CAT experienced massive technical glitches resulting in a retest.
CAT takers also questioned the normalization process of the test. As far as the difficulty level of the test is concerned, it was not as tough as it used to be in the yesteryears. The overall difficulty level was moderate. The duration of the test was 2 hours 15 minutes.
Owing to the Non-Disclosure Agreement, the question topics and number of questions per area cannot be disclosed in detail. However, according to expert analysis, the difficulty level was easier compared to the previous years. The Reading Comprehension passages were shorter and the Data Interpretation questions were time-consuming. English Usage questions were of similar difficulty compared to the previous year. The quantitative Ability section was easier. The overall difficulty level was even easier in the retest which was conducted in January 2010.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Has the CAT exam pattern changed in the last 5 years?
A:
The CAT exam pattern has remained largely stable since 2020. The exam is conducted in three sections, VARC, DILR, and QA. The total number of questions has ranged between 66 and 68. The exam duration is 2 hours with sectional time limits. Minor variations in question distribution and difficulty are seen each year.
Q: Which section has been the toughest in recent years?
A:
DILR has often been the most unpredictable and challenging section. Many candidates find DILR difficult due to complex puzzles and analytical sets. In some years, VARC has also been tough because of longer RC passages.
Q: Has the number of questions changed recently?
A:
Yes, slight variations have occurred. From 2020 onwards, CAT was reduced to 66 questions for a few years. In 2024, the total number of questions increased to 68. However, the sectional structure has remained the same.
Q: What trends are seen in VARC over the past 5 years?
A:
VARC has focused heavily on Reading Comprehension passages. RC passages have become longer and more inference-based. Parajumbles and sentence-based questions have seen minor adjustments in format.
Q: How should candidates prepare based on these trends?
A:
Candidates should focus on improving RC reading speed, logical puzzle-solving skills, and conceptual clarity in QA. Regular mock tests are essential to understand slot-wise difficulty variations.
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Check your devices and email; you may still have the soft copy of the Admit card. If not, don't panic, the CAT 2025 admit card may not be a huge requirement after the exam; the CAT scorecard is usually asked for the admission formalities.
Popular CAT Questions
Directions for question :
M/s Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, one of the top four audit and accounting firms in the world with headquarters at London, UK, and with an operational presence in 153 countries, hires Management Trainees (MT) from all the premier management institutes of India thrice every year, in the months of January, May and September.
Each new group of Management Trainees (MT) have to go through a four month rigorous training schedule, after which they have to pass through a test consisting of a written assessment and a case-analysis. The top hundred ranked Management Trainees (MT) based on the performance in the test are confirmed as Management Executives (ME). The rest are given the opportunity of undergoing the training for four months one more time along with the next batch of Management Trainees (MT) and then passing through the subsequent test consisting of the written assessment and case-analysis. The Management Trainee (MT) who fails to get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the second time is fired.
The scatter-graph below depicts the number of Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte taking the tests from January 2020 till May 2022, and the vis-à-vis hired Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte who were fired :
It is also known that for the month of September 2019 at Deloitte, 96 hired Management Trainees (MT) failed to be confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the first time, and that 36 hired Management Trainees (MT) were fired.
Question :
In which test did the minimum number of Management Trainees (MT) get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) in the second attempt ?
Option: 1
September 2020
Option: 2
May 2021
Option: 3
January 2021
Option: 4
January 2022
Directions for question:
The bar-graph given below shows the foreign exchange reserves of Nepal (in million Rupees) from 2014 to 2021. Answer the following questions based on the graph :
Question:
What was the percentage increase (rounded to the nearest integer, if deemed necessary) in the foreign exchange reserves in 2020 over 2016 ?
Option: 1 None
Option: 2 None
Option: 3 None
Option: 4 None
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