CAT Question Paper

Download Previous Year Papers (2017–2025) | Slot-wise PDFs | Section Analysis

CAT Previous Year Paper
Complete CAT Paper Analysis (2021-2025)
Advantages of CAT Exam PYQs
How to Use CAT Previous Year Papers Effectively
When to Start Practising CAT Question Papers
Frequently Asked Questions

CAT Previous Year Paper

From CAT 2021 to CAT 2025, we at Unacademy have compiled all CAT Previous Year subject Papers, complete with precise answers and comprehensive video solutions for each subject. VARC, DILR, and Quant are covered separately in these slot-wise and section-wise organized papers.

CAT 2025 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2024 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2023 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2022 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2021 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2020 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2019 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2018 Previous Year Paper PDF
CAT 2017 Previous Year Paper PDF

Download CAT Previous Year Papers - All Slots (2021-2025)

The following table displays download links (all verified) in a slot-wise format for CAT question papers from 2021 – 2025

Year	Slot 1 (Morning)	Slot 2 (Afternoon)	Slot 3 (Evening)
CAT 2025	Download Now	Download Now	Download Now
CAT 2024	Download Now	Download Now	Download Now
CAT 2023	Download Now	Download Now	Download Now
CAT 2022	Download Now	Download Now	Download Now
CAT 2021	Download Now	Download Now	Download Now
CAT 2020	Download Now	Download Now	Download Now
CAT 2019	Download Now	Download Now	NA
CAT 2018	Download Now	Download Now	NA
CAT 2017	Download Now	Download Now	NA

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Complete CAT Paper Analysis (2021-2025)

The table below shows how each year's question papers are analyzed by Unacademy CAT top educators. You can see how the questions are graded, whether they are easy or challenging, and you may use this comprehensive PYQ analysis to ace the CAT 2026

CAT 2021 Complete Paper Analysis

Date	Title
28/11/2021	CAT 2021 - Slot 1 and 2 \| Detailed Analysis \| Questions Paper
28/11/2021	CAT 2021 - Slot 2 LR-DI Questions \| Chango Game \| with Solutions \| CAT Questions Paper
28/11/2021	CAT 2021 - Quant Questions \| Slot 2 \| with Solutions \| CAT Questions Paper

CAT 2022 Complete Paper Analysis

Date	Title	Time
27/11/2022	CAT 2022 – SLOT 1 – Paper Overview Cutoffs & Questions \| Complete Analysis \| Ronak Shah	10:30 AM
27/11/2022	CAT 2022 – SLOT 1 – Complete Questions Paper Solution & Answer key \| Complete Analysis \| Ronak Shah	12:30 PM
27/11/2022	CAT 2022 – SLOT 3 – Paper Overview Cutoffs & Questions \| Complete Analysis \| Ronak Shah	6:30 PM
27/11/2022	CAT 2022 – SLOT 3 – Complete Questions Paper Solution & Answer key \| Complete Analysis \| Ronak Shah	9:00 PM
27/11/2022	CAT 2022 – ALL SLOT – Complete Questions Paper Solution & Answer key \| Complete Analysis \| Ronak Shah	10:30 PM

CAT 2023 Complete Paper Analysis

Date	Title	Time
26/11/2023	CAT 2023 SLOT 1 \| Detailed Analysis \| Memory-Based Questions \| Exam Pattern \| Ronak Shah	10:30 AM
26/11/2023	CAT 2023 SLOT 2 \| Detailed analysis \| Memory-Based Questions \| Exam pattern \| Ronak Shah	12:30 PM
26/11/2023	CAT 2023 SLOT 03 \| Detailed analysis \| Memory-Based Questions \| Exam pattern \| Expected Cutoff	6:30 PM

CAT 2024 Complete Paper Analysis

Date	Title	Time
24/11/2024	CAT 2024 Slot 1 Paper Analysis \|\| LIVE Detailed Analysis with Memory Based Questions	10:30 AM
24/11/2024	CAT 2024 Complete Exam Analysis \|\| Slot 1 vs Slot 2 vs Slot 3 Comparison	12:30 PM

CAT 2025 Complete Paper Analysis

Date	Title	Time
30/11/2025	CAT 2025 SLOT 1 PAPER ANALYSIS \|\| LIVE Detailed Section-Wise Analysis + Expected Score	10:30 AM
30/11/2025	CAT 2025 SLOT 2 PAPER ANALYSIS \|\| LIVE Detailed Analysis with Memory Based Questions	12:30 PM
30/11/2025	CAT 2025 SLOT 3 PAPER ANALYSIS \|\| LIVE Detailed Section-Wise Analysis + Expected Score	6:30 PM
30/11/2025	CAT 2025 FULL PAPER ANALYSIS — SLOT 1 vs SLOT 2 vs SLOT 3 Difficulty + Score + Changes	9:00 PM

Advantages of Solving CAT Question Paper

Exam question papers from the prior year are always very helpful when preparing for any kind of test, including the CAT exams. The CAT previous year's question papers are useful because they provide accurate information about the level of difficulty of the questions in the paper, as well as a notion of the sort of question paper and the subjects that the authorities find most interesting. A few crucial things to keep in mind are listed below.

Although the exam's questions are rarely repeated, answering the CAT exam's earlier questions during preparation can aid in identifying the key subjects.
Additionally, it can assist in determining which challenging subjects the applicant should focus on.
The CAT's PYQs can also be used to assess your readiness. Simply choose any previous year's paper and attempt to finish it within the allotted time.
Accuracy and speed can be improved by practicing various questions every day. improves time management abilities as well.

How to Use CAT Previous Year Papers Effectively

The majority of candidates approach PYQs incorrectly. They take a seat, respond to inquiries, verify the responses, and proceed. About 20% of the potential value of these papers is extracted by that method. Here's how to utilize them correctly.

Stage	How to Use PYQs	What You Get from It
Early Preparation (Month 1-2)	Solve individual sections topic-by-topic without timing. For example, solve all QA Arithmetic questions from CAT 2021-2024 in one sitting.	Deep familiarity with CAT's question style per topic. Understand how CAT phrases questions before worrying about speed.
Mid Preparation (Month 3-4)	Solve individual sections under timed conditions (40 minutes per section). Use papers from 2021-2023.	Sectional time pressure practice. Identify where time runs out and which question types take the longest.
Advanced Preparation (Month 5-6)	Solve full papers (all 3 sections, 120 minutes) under exact exam conditions. Simulate: same time of day, no breaks, no phone.	Full-length exam endurance. Your score on CAT 2022 or 2023 under real conditions is the most accurate predictor of your actual CAT performance.
Post-Mock Analysis (After every paper)	Categorise every wrong answer: (a) concept gap, (b) time pressure mistake, (c) question misread, (d) should-have-skipped. Track in your error log.	Targeted improvement. Each category needs a different fix. Without this analysis, the same mistakes repeat across every paper.
Final Month	Re-solve questions you got wrong in earlier attempts. Focus on sections from CAT 2023 and 2024 closest to the expected 2026 format.	Confirms which weak areas have been fixed and which still need attention before exam day.

When to Start Practising CAT Question Papers

This is one of the questions which is most commonly asked, and also one of the most commonly answered wrongly. Most students write their first complete mock paper just six to eight weeks prior to the exam because of the traditional wisdom of "starting mocks after completing the syllabus." Now it is too late.

Preparation Phase	When to Introduce PYQs	How to Use Them
Month 1-2 (Foundation)	Start from Month 1 but topic-wise, not full papers	After covering a topic (e.g., Percentages), immediately solve all CAT PYQ questions on that topic from 2020–2024. This connects concepts to real exam applications from day one.
Month 3-4 (Intermediate)	Begin sectional timed practice	Take individual VARC, DILR, or QA sections from older papers (2020-2021) under a 40-minute time limit. Build sectional stamina and time management.
Month 5-6 (Advanced)	Begin full-length paper simulations	Solve CAT 2022, 2023, and 2024 full papers as if they were the real exam. One full paper per week minimum. Analyse thoroughly after each one.
Final 4-6 Weeks	Intensify with the most recent papers	Solve CAT 2024 and 2023 papers (the closest to the current format) multiple times across different slots. Focus on refining exam strategy, not new concepts.

KEY PRINCIPLE: Don't put off solving PYQs until you feel "ready." The discomfort you experience when completing your first PYQ without adequate preparation is precisely the diagnostic data you use to set priorities for your study strategy. Start early, be uncomfortable at first, and let the papers direct your preparation.

Important Links
Kickstart your CAT 2026 preparation with the best online coaching institute	CAT 2026 Exam
CAT 2026 Syllabus	Courses and DPPS for VARC
Courses and DPPS for LRDI and Quant	Free Resources
Test Series for CAT	CAT Online Coaching Classes Free
Beyond 99 Test Series

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are CAT previous year papers significant?+

CAT previous year papers help you recognize the exam pattern, difficulty level and types of questions.

Can I crack CAT in 3 months by solving previous year papers?+

Yes, with CAT previous year papers in 3 months, you will be able to cover up a lot of ground. However, you must ensure that you have the necessary basics covered and then only solving these papers will prove fruitful to you.

Should I use daily CAT mocks?+

With time for analysis and improvement, mock tests 2-3 times a week work better.

Is CAT tougher than UPSC?+

Comparison between CAT and UPSC is not easy since the two exams differ in their objectives. CAT is an aptitude test that tests the abilities of students in areas like logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and ability to work under timed conditions. Therefore, depending on what aspect of toughness you would want to assess, one would be able to determine which test is easier or tougher.

Is CAT tougher than JEE?+

Both exams are tough, but each is different in terms of areas tested in them. CAT and JEE are tough in the sense that they test advanced knowledge in areas of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics for JEE and Quantitative Ability, VARC, and DILR for CAT and decision making. Thus, the question of which exam is tougher would be wrong.

Is a score of 37 good in CAT?+

It depends on the level of difficulty of the CAT paper and performance of other candidates in the same CAT paper. Your score alone does not reflect how you have performed in the CAT because your CAT results are provided in percentiles.

Are CAT mock tests similar to CAT exam?+

The good mocks for CAT are designed to reflect the experience of sitting for CAT, including timing, structure of sections, and the type of questions. Since each CAT is different in terms of difficulty, the CAT mocks should be complemented with previous years' papers.

Are CAT previous year papers enough for Quant preparation?+

Previous year question papers are a good source for practicing quant but you should not be limited to only these papers. It will be good to know what type of questions CAT asks through these papers and then build your fundamentals and start solving other types of questions as well.

How should I analyze my performance in previous CAT papers?+

Simply scoring a particular mark in the paper and moving ahead with further papers is not enough. There should be a proper analysis in terms of what all I have got wrong, which questions took me a lot of time and which questions I had unnecessarily left. Understanding my mistakes and noting down concepts I need to work upon proves to be more valuable than anything else.

What are the benefits of solving CAT previous year question papers?+

CAT PYQs give us a sense of what CAT is all about. They tell us about the pattern of questions, the level of difficulty, important topics and kind of questions that CAT has asked over the years. In a nutshell, PYQs prepare us better in terms of speed, accuracy and selection of questions during the exam.

What is the best way to solve CAT previous papers?+

CAT PYQs should be solved like a real CAT paper i.e. sitting for the complete duration and not looking for answers during the exam. Post completion, a good amount of time needs to be spent for the analysis of the paper.

How many past CAT papers should I solve before the exam?+

There is no fixed number of papers that any aspirant needs to solve. Ideally, multiple CAT papers of recent years and slots should be solved and then analyzed properly.