CAT Previous Year Question Paper Online

Smart strategy, consistent practice, and good familiarity with the exam structure are some of the aspects that you need to master for the Common Admission Test success. You can achieve all this by utilizing the CAT previous year papers on the educational website of Mockers. We provide them in an online test format so that you can train your mind to manage time effectively, think under pressure, as well as maintain accuracy in the real exam.

Moreover, with the practice of the CAT exam previous year question paper, you can notice the repeated topics and question formats. This helps you to adjust your preparation journey and focus on the areas with higher weightage. There’s no doubt that the journey to the IIMs is intense, but with the right resources, you can make it quite manageable. So, jump into our collection of PYPs and experience a huge difference in your exam preparation.

Tentative Schedule For The Upcoming Common Admission Test

For this year, our experts have gathered some information regarding the schedule of the Common Admission Test. These months are tentative and will be updated once the official notification is out.

EVENT	SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
Registration starts for the Common Admission Test	August 2025 first week
Registration closes for the Common Admission Test	September 2025 second week
Downloading of the Common Admission Test Admit Card	November 2025 first week
Common Admission Test	November 2025 last week
Result Declaration for the Common Admission Test	January 2026 second week

Overview Of The Common Admission Test

Below is a table that explains the important elements of the Common Admission Test clearly. You should have a look at it before you start with your preparation for the examination.

ELEMENT	DETAILS
Full Name of the Examination	Common Admission Test
Authority that Conducts the Examination	IIM Kozhikode for 2025
Level of the Examination	National level
Frequency of the Examination	Once a year
Sections in the Question Paper	Total: three sections Quantitative Ability Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
Duration of the Examination	120 minutes (40 minutes for each section)
Question Types in the Paper	Two question types Multiple-choice questions Non-multiple-choice questions
Number of Questions in the Paper	Total: 68 questions 22 questions in Quantitative Ability 24 questions in Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension 22 questions in Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
Distribution of Marks in the Question Paper	Total: 204 marks 66 marks for Quantitative Ability 72 marks for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension 66 marks for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
Marking Scheme in the Question Paper	Multiple-choice questions 3 marks are awarded for every correct answer. 1 mark is deducted for every incorrect answer. Non-multiple-choice questions 3 marks are awarded for every correct answer. No marks are deducted for every incorrect answer.

CAT Exam Previous Year Question Paper For Several Years

At Mockers, you will get to explore the CAT previous year question paper for the past number of years. Our team of experts has gathered several PYPs from the official sources and provided them in a test format on the website. By solving these papers from various past years, you can understand how the questions are formed in the exam and enhance your skills in solving problems efficiently.

S.No	CAT Previous Year Wise Question Paper
1.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2024
2.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2023
3.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2022
4.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2021
5.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2020
6.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2019
7.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2018

Slot-Wise CAT Previous Year Question Paper

The Common Admission Test has different slots of question papers every year. That’s why, to make you familiar with the topics that are tested, we provide the slot-wise CAT PYQs. When you practice solving the paper of each slot, you will be able to increase your question bank and prepare for the exam in a much more effective manner. With the help of the table below, you can easily choose any of the slot-wise papers that you want to solve.

S.No	CAT Year- Wise Question Paper	Slot Wise CAT Previous Year Question Paper
1.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2024	CAT 2024 Slot 1 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2024 Slot 2 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2024 Slot 3 Previous Year Question Paper
2.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2023	CAT 2023 Slot 1 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2023 Slot 2 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2023 Slot 3 Previous Year Question Paper
3.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2022	CAT 2022 Slot 1 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2022 Slot 2 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2022 Slot 3 Previous Year Question Paper
4.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2021	CAT 2021 Slot 1 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2021 Slot-2 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2021 Slot-3 Previous Year Question Paper
5.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2020	CAT 2020 Slot-1 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2020 Slot-2 Previous Year Question Paper CAT 2020 Slot-3 Previous Year Question Paper
6.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2019	CAT 2019 Slot-1 Previous Year Question Paper
7.	CAT Previous Year Paper 2018	CAT 2018 Slot-1 Previous Year Question Paper

Solutions Provided For The CAT PYQs

The CAT previous year papers online test on our platform comes with correct solutions to the questions along with detailed explanations. These solutions help you in noticing your mistakes as well as understanding the right way to solve the questions. Once you know your weaker areas, you can dedicate special time to improving them while studying. You can access them after attempting the given questions and submitting the test on the website.

Steps To Access The CAT Previous Year Papers Online Test On Our Website

You should check out the below-given steps if you want to attempt the CAT previous year question paper online test on our digital platform. A good internet connection is required for a successful attempt at the paper.

Mockers can be reached easily when you type www.mockers.in on the browser that you prefer to use.

There, you need to tap on the ‘Navigation’ tab which will be visible on the left corner of the homepage. Then, you should click on the ‘Exam Categories’ option.

CAT previous year papers online

With this tap, you can check out our main categories and select the ‘MBA Entrance’ section by scrolling down.

CAT exam previous year question paper

This section will further open a drop-down menu wherein you should click on the ‘CAT’ option.

CAT previous year question paper

Soon, your screen will showcase a web page with study materials for the Common Admission Test. Here, you have to select the ‘CAT previous year question paper’ icon.

CAT PYQs

Then, you can go through the year-wise CAT previous year papers and choose any one of them.

CAT previous year papers online test

Once you have chosen the CAT exam previous year question paper, its list of slot-wise papers will open up on a new page.

CAT previous year question paper online test

Finally, you can start attempting the CAT PYQs slot by slot and prepare yourself in an effective way for the exam.

Note: Successful attempts at the CAT previous year papers online test are only possible after you Log In or Sign Up with your Google account on Mockers.

Why Solving CAT Previous Year Question Paper Online Test Is A Must?

With the practice of the CAT previous year question paper online test, you can go beyond rote learning and understand the true point of the exam. Here are some points on why solving these papers is a must.

CAT previous year papers

The Common Admission Test changes a bit every year in terms of section-wise weightage, style of questions, as well as levels of difficulty. So, by solving the CAT previous year papers, you can recognize these trends and make changes in your preparation strategy accordingly.

Through the questions in the CAT exam, your conceptual clarity and analytical thinking are evaluated. With the CAT exam previous year question paper, you will be introduced to how concepts are twisted and framed in the real exam directly.

When you solve the full CAT previous year question paper, you can train your brain for the pressure that you are going to experience for three hours in the actual exam. You will learn to stay focused, fight any tiredness, as well as keep your decision-making very sharp throughout the test.

With no amount of theoretical knowledge, you can learn how much time you should spend on each question. That’s why, by solving the CAT PYQs, you understand how to distribute your time across different sections in a smart way and don’t compromise on accuracy.

On our platform, the CAT mock tests have different quality as well as difficulty levels. With the CAT previous year papers online test, you can wisely compare your scores with the real standards. Then, you can assess your actual readiness for the exam and set real percentile goals.

Important Topics Covered In The CAT Previous Year Papers

All three sections of the Common Admission Test cover a wide variety of topics. In the table below, we have mentioned all these important topics so that you study them in advance for better attempts at the CAT previous year question paper online test.

SECTION	IMPORTANT TOPICS
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	Fill in the blanks Para completion and inference Verbal logic Verbal reasoning Subject-verb agreement Para jumbles Sentence completion Foreign language words used in English Different usage of the same word Grammar Reading comprehension Idioms Syllogisms Analogies Antonyms Jumbled paragraphs Sentence correction One word substitution Parts of speech Preposition Types of clauses Phrases modifiers Errors in tenses Articles usage
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning	Blood Relations Clocks and Calendars Syllogism Series Statements Venn diagram Proposition Data Arrangement Data Structures Direction Sense Family Tree Tables Coding - Decoding Binary Logic Pie Charts Assumptions Seating Arrangement Data Sufficiency Puzzles Sets and Caselets Bars and Line Graphs
Quantitative Ability	Geometry: Lines and Angles, Triangles – Basic Concepts, Area, Angles, Similar Triangles, Polygons, Circles, Solids / Mensuration – 3D Geometry, Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry Ratios and Proportion Inequalities Trigonometry In-equations Quadratic and linear equations Work and Time Algebra: Basics Algebraic Formulae, Linear Equations, Problems on ages, Number of integer solutions, Quadratic Equations, Finding out roots, Maxima and Minima, Higher Degree Equations, Descartes Rule of Signs, Inequalities, Logarithm, Functions, Modifications of Graphs, The Smallest Value in a Maximum Function Surds and Indices Percentages Mensuration Time-Speed-Distance Logarithms Partnership (Accounts) Number System: Basics of Numbers, Properties of Numbers, Divisibility Rules, Divisibility and Factors, Highest Common Factor and Lowest Common Multiple, Finding Out the Last Digit, Finding Out Last Two Digits, Number of Trailing Zeroes, Finding out Remainders based on, Basic Divisibility Rules, Binomial Theorem, Simplifying the Dividend (Single and/or Multiple Divisors), Fermat’s Theorem, Euler’s Theorem, Pattern Recognition and Cyclicity of Remainders, Wilson’s Theorem, Base Systems, Conversion of Bases, Addition / Subtraction / Multiplication in different bases Square root and Cube root Profit and Loss Geometric Progression Arithmetic: Averages, Mean Median Mode, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Simple Interest and Compound Interest, Mixtures and Allegations, Time and Work, Time Speed and Distance Modern Maths: Sequence and Series, Binomial Theorem, Set Theory, Permutation and Combination, Probability

What Your CAT Previous Year Papers Attempts Say About Your Preparation Level?

Solving the CAT previous year papers doesn’t mean just answering the questions. It is a mirror that reflects where you truly stand in your journey of exam preparation. Your attempts, accuracy, as well as response patterns reveal much more than your score. Below are some points on how you can read these signs.

Low attempt, High accuracy = Concept clarity, Speed needed

If you are attempting a few questions of the CAT exam previous year question paper and are getting most of them right, then it means that you understand the concepts well but might be struggling with speed. So, you should focus on timed practice, mental math, and so on.

High attempt, Low accuracy = Rushing or Guessing

When you attempt a lot of questions from the CAT previous year question paper with low accuracy shows that you are overconfident or can’t filter the questions. It is also possible that you are prioritizing quantity over quality. So, now, it is time that you start working on your question selection skills as well as avoid any traps of negative marking.

Unbalanced sectional attempts = Weak area alert

Avoiding a particular section while solving the CAT PYQs can ruin your overall score. You need to use this insight to balance your preparation plan again. During this time, you should focus on your weaker areas with targeted practice.

Frequent silly mistakes = Focus and Pressure management

Many wrong answers in easy questions of the CAT previous year papers online test prove that you are careless or have exam stress. For this, you have to solve the paper in the conditions of the real exam, reduce any distractions, as well as adopt a calm approach in your decision-making.

Consistent performance across papers = Exam readiness

If your scores as well as accuracy are perfect during the attempts at the CAT previous year question paper online test, then it means you are approaching exam readiness. Now, at this time, you have to refine your strategy, focus on revision, as well as attempt full-length mock tests quite seriously.

Courses Offered In Top Non-IIMs Through Common Admission Test

In the table displayed below, we have mentioned some of the top universities apart from the 21 Indian Institutes of Management that accept the score of the Common Admission Test for admission into post-graduate programs.

INSTITUTE	PROGRAMS
AIMS Institute, Bangalore	Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration- Global
Amity Business School, Noida	Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship Master of Business Administration in Human Resources Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Sales Management Master of Business Administration in Retail Management Master of Business Administration in Finance Master of Business Administration in Consultancy Management Master of Business Administration in Digital Marketing Master of Business Administration in Technology Management
Asia Pacific Institute of Management, Delhi	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management Banking and Financial Services Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Marketing Management MBA in Healthcare Management in collaboration with RUDN University Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Healthcare Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Big Data Analytics
Asian Business School, Noida	Post Graduate Diploma in Management
Bharathidasan Institute of Management (BIM), Tiruchirappalli	Master of Business Administration
Birla Institute of Management Technology, (BIMTECH) Greater Noida	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in International Business Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Insurance Business Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Retail Management Fellow Program in Management Executive Fellow Program in Management
Woxsen University, Hyderabad	Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics Master of Business Administration in Financial Services Master of Business Administration for Experienced Professionals
BITS School of Management, Mumbai	Master of Business Administration
Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi	Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration in Telecommunication Systems Management Executive Master of Business Administration in Technology Management
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) - University of Delhi	Master of Business Administration Executive Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration in Health Care Administration
Fortune Institute of International Business, Delhi	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Financial Management
Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa	Master of Business Administration Post Graduate Diploma in Management
ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad	Master of Business Administration Executive Master of Business Administration
Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM), Kolkata	Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management Master of Business Administration in Public Systems Executive Master of Business Administration Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Management Post Graduate Diploma in Supply Chain and Logistics Management
Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Financial Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Marketing
IILM Institute for Higher Education (IILM), Delhi	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Artificial Intelligence Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Data Analytics Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Entrepreneurship and Family Business
Institute of Management, Nirma University (IMNU), Ahmedabad	Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management
International Management Institute (IMI), Delhi	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Banking and Financial Services Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Human Resource Management Executive Master of Business Administration
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai	Masters of Management Studies Masters of Management Studies in Human Resource Development Management Masters of Management Studies in Marketing Management Masters of Management Studies in Information Management Masters of Management Studies in Financial Management
Jagan Institute of Management Studies (JIMS), Rohini	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in International Business Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Retail Management
K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR), Mumbai	Master of Business Administration in Sports Management Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management
Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM), Delhi	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Research and Business Analytics Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Post Graduate Diploma in Management in E-Business
Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai	Post Graduate Diploma in Management
Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon	Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Human Resource Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in International Business + Master in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Business Analytics Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Business Administration Post Graduate Diploma in Public Policy and Management
National Institute of Technology (NIT Trichy), Tiruchirappalli	Master of Business Administration
Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Mumbai	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in E-Business Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Healthcare Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Media and Entertainment Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Retail Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Research and Business Analytics Post Graduate Program in Foreign Trade Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Business Design Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Rural Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Finance Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Human Resource Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Banking, Investment, and Insurance Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Marketing Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Supply Chain Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in E-Commerce Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in IT Project Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Operations Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Rural and Agri-Business Post Graduate Diploma in Management in International Business Management
SOIL Institute of Management, Gurgaon	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Program in Management Post Graduate Program in Management in Human Resources Post Graduate Program in Management Flex
S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Program in Management Post Graduate Executive Management Program Post Graduate Program in Development Management Global Management Program Post Graduate Diploma in Family Managed Business Post Graduate Program in General Management Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management
Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), Mumbai	Master of Business Administration
T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal	Master of Business Administration Master of Business Administration in Banking and Financial Services Master of Business Administration in Marketing Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management Master of Business Administration in International Business Master of Business Administration in Technology Management
Vinod Gupta School of Management (IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur	Master of Business Administration Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics Executive Master of Business Administration
Xavier Institute of Management- Xavier University, Bhubaneswar	Master of Business Administration in Business Management Master of Business Administration in Rural Management Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management Master of Business Administration in Urban Management and Governance Master of Business Administration in Sustainability Management
Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore	Post Graduate Diploma in Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management in Business Analytics

When To Start Solving The CAT Exam Previous Year Question Paper?

Timing is a crucial factor when it comes to solving the CAT previous year papers. You should include them in a very strategic way in your preparation journey. Below are some ideal timings that you can use for effective usage of these past papers.

CAT previous year question paper

Our experts advise that you should start your practice with the CAT exam previous year question paper once you have completed the basics of every section only. If you don’t have foundational knowledge of the topics, then you might feel very confused as well as demotivated.

Around 4 to 5 months before the exam is considered to be an ideal time window where you should start engaging with the CAT previous year question paper quite seriously. Till this time, your syllabus will be almost covered, and your speed and accuracy will be increased. You should replicate real-time conditions in order to check your stamina and pressure handling.

Through the CAT PYQs practice, you can cover the gap between learning concepts and attempting mock tests easily. These papers give you a realistic experience instead of the practice tests as well as help you in enhancing your problem-solving skills.

You need to use the CAT previous year papers online test for smart revision. In this, you should focus on your weaker areas from the previous attempts. Then, you should reattempt the old papers to check your level of improvement. Also, make sure that you solve the paper in 2 hours without any interruptions.

Lastly, we recommend that you avoid solving the CAT previous year question paper online test too early as it will feel too tough or too late because then, you won’t have time to improve. Ideally, a good rule that you can follow is to solve the papers once you have completed around 60 to 70% of the syllabus.

How To Calculate Your Percentile Score In The Common Admission Test?

With the help of the image below, you can learn how to calculate your percentile score for the Common Admission Test.

Difficulty Analysis Of The CAT Previous Year Question Papers

In this section, we have given the details about the difficulty level analysis of the CAT previous year papers that are done by our subject-matter experts for your benefit. By going through it, you will get a clear idea about the sections and years when the exam was easy, moderate, or tough.

YEAR	OVERALL DIFFICULTY	SECTION-WISE DIFFICULTY	KEY OBSERVATIONS
2024	Moderate	VARC: Moderate DILR: Moderate to Difficult QA: Moderate	There was a slight increase in the questions (total 68). In the DILR section, there were 5 sets instead of 4. There were no para jumbles in some slots of the VARC and the major focus was on reading comprehension. The QA section continued to focus on Algebra and Arithmetic.
2023	Difficult	VARC: Moderate DILR: Moderate to Difficult QA: Difficult	This year marked one of the toughest ones, especially for the QA section. The section that was a significant challenge was DILR. The scores for high percentiles dropped overall which indicated a higher level of difficulty.
2022	Moderate to Difficult	VARC: Moderate DILR: Difficult QA: Moderate	There were around 66 questions in the exam, similar to the year 2021. The DILR section was a hurdle for many candidates. The section of VARC was moderate, while the QA one had a moderate difficulty level.
2021	Moderate to Difficult	VARC: Moderate DILR: Difficult QA: Moderate to Difficult	In this year, the number of questions was reduced from 76 to 66. The most difficult section was the DILR because it required a lot of logical reasoning. VARC was quite moderate and QA was a moderate to tough section.
2020	Moderate to Difficult	VARC: Difficult DILR: Moderate QA: Moderate	Due to COVID-19, there was a significant change in the pattern of the exam. The total number of questions was reduced to 76 and the duration to 120 minutes. The section that was quite challenging was VARC as it had lengthy reading passages. Both the DILR and QA sections were moderate.

Conclusion

The CAT exam previous year question paper is not just an optional study material that you should practice but an essential tool for success in the Common Admission Test. With the help of these papers, you will get a first-hand look into the structure of the actual exam, the nature of questions, as well as the pacing that you need to excel. So, whether you want to build accuracy, boost your speed, or understand the trends of the exam, these papers will give you excellent insights.

FAQ's

When you solve the CAT PYQs, you will surely get familiar with the number of sections, types of questions, marking schemes, etc. Then, with these insights, you can have better preparation and test-taking strategies. This way, you can make sure to be well-prepared for the conditions of the real exam.

Attempting the CAT previous year question paper online test on Mockers will help you develop time management skills. This way, you can allocate proper time to every section, avoid spending a lot of time on a single question, as well as maintain a balance between your speed and accuracy in answering.

By analyzing the CAT exam previous year question paper, you can recognize the topics and question types that are tested frequently. It allows you to prioritize your study plan, focus more on the high-weightage areas, and make sure that you cover the syllabus completely.

Practice of the CAT previous year question paper provides you with an opportunity to assess yourself. When you review your performance, you can notice your strengths as well as weaknesses, adjust your plan, track your progress over time, and so on. In this way, you can have a targeted preparation for the exam.

In the post-solving analysis of the CAT previous year papers online test, you should review your incorrect answers, understand the mistakes, notice the questions that consume more time, and recognize patterns in your errors. Through this reflective process, you will be able to refine your strategies, focus on weaker areas, and improve your overall performance.