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CAT Previous Year Papers with Answers Free PDF Download [2025-2018]
December 2, 2025
Overview: The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on 30th November 2025, and to ace it on the first attempt, it is important to solve CAT previous year papers. It will help you analyse the exam pattern, difficulty level and the types of questions asked. Read on to download the CAT PYQs PDF here!
Important Events for CAT 2025
- The CAT Notification 2025 was officially released on July 27th by the conducting IIM on iimcat.ac.in.
- The CAT 2025 registration began on 01st Aug 2025 (10:00 AM)
- The last date to register for the CAT 2025 is 13 September 2025 (5:00 PM)
- The CAT exam comprises 68 questions (MCQs + TITA) from all three sections, including VARC, DILR, and QA.
- Practising CAT previous year question paper pdf free download helps you better understand the exam and strengthens your study plan.
This guide provides you with old CAT Previous Year Papers and example papers in PDF format, which are very helpful for preparing for the exam.
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
How to Download CAT Previous Year Question Papers (Step-by-Step Guide):
Follow our easy, hassle-free guide to get access to official CAT question papers from previous years including the CAT 2025 question papers no confusion, no stress.
One-Click Access: Download CAT Last Year Question Papers PDFs (2018–2024):
Instantly download CAT papers from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018. Just one click, and you’re on your way to smarter preparation.
Why Practice with CAT Previous Year Question Papers?
Discover the key benefits of solving last year CAT question papers from understanding exam patterns to boosting speed and accuracy.
Download CAT Previous Year Question Papers PDF Links [2024 - 2018]
Analyse and practice the questions from the CAT previous year papers pdf and the CAT exam sample papers,Last Year CAT question paper listed in the table below:
| CAT 2024 Question Paper Slot 1 | |
| CAT 2024 Question Paper Slot 2 | |
| CAT 2024 Question Paper Slot 3 |
Download CAT 2023 Question Papers PDF
| CAT 2023 Question Paper Slot 1 | |
| CAT 2023 Question Paper Slot 2 | |
| CAT 2023 Question Paper Slot 3 |
Download CAT 2022 Question Papers PDF
| CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 1 | |
| CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 2 | |
| CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 3 |
Download CAT 2021 Question Papers PDF
| CAT 2021 Question Paper Slot 1 | |
| CAT 2021 Question Paper Slot 2 | |
| CAT 2021 Question Paper Slot 3 |
Download CAT 2020 Question Papers PDF
| CAT 2020 Question Paper Slot 1 | |
| CAT 2020 Question Paper Slot 2 | |
| CAT 2020 Question Paper Slot 3 |
Download CAT 2019 Question Papers PDF
| CAT 2019 Question Paper Slot 1 | |
| CAT 2019 Question Paper Slot 2 |
Download CAT 2018 Question Papers PDF
| CAT 2018 Question Paper Slot 1 |
Take the Test for Each Slot of the CAT Previous Year Papers
Access and solve CAT exam previous year question papers slot by slot to master concepts, time management, and exam strategies.
| CAT Previous Year Papers | Test Links |
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Official CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF Slot 01 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
Take Test |
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Official CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF Slot 02 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
Take Test |
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Official CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF Slot 03 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
Take Test |
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Official CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 01 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
Take Test |
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Official CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 02 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2022 Question Paper Slot 03 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2012 Question Paper Slot 01 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2021 Question Paper Slot 02 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2021 Question Paper PDF Slot 03 66 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2020 Question Paper Slot 01 76 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2020 Question Paper 2020 Slot 02 76 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT Question Paper 2020 Slot 03 76 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2021 Question Papers PDF Slot 01 100 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2019 Question Papers PDF Slot 02 100 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2018 Question Paper Slot 01 100 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2017 Question Paper Slot 01 100 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
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Official CAT 2017 Question Papers Slot 02 100 Questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes |
Download CAT Previous Year Questions for QA, VARC and DILR
You can expect similar CAT previous year papers questions to appear in the CAT entrance exam 2025. You can easily download the CAT last year question paper PDFs of the CAT exam sample questions for each section.
Boost your CAT preparation with our Free CAT Previous Year Papers and sample QA questions, tailored for effective practice. Download now to get insights into the CAT pyqs question pattern and improve your problem-solving speed.
Enhance your reading and verbal skills with free CAT previous papers for VARC. Download now to practice real CAT pyqs pdf and improve your ability to solve them.
Practice real questions and boost your reasoning skills with free CAT previous year papers for DILR. Download now to understand the CAT pyqs pdfs types and improve your performance.
Download Topic-Wise CAT Question Papers PDFs below:
You can download CAT question papers arranged topic-wise from the section below. Each CAT pyqs pdf is categorized to help you target individual subjects effectively. Choose a topic, download the paper, and strengthen your preparation step by step:
| CAT Number SystemQuestions | |
| CAT Arithmetic Questions | |
| CAT Number Theory Questions | |
| CAT Quadratic Equation Questions | |
| CAT Inequalities Questions | |
| CAT Logarithms, Surds & Indices Questions | |
| CAT Time, Speed & Distance Questions | |
| CAT Linear Equations Questions | |
| CAT Ratio, Proportion & Variations Questions | |
| CAT Simple Interest - Compound Interest Questions | |
| CAT Profit & Loss Questions |
CAT Previous Year Papers Overview
- The CAT previous year question paper is released annually by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and is available online for students to download and practice.
- The CAT previous year papers pdf free download cover Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, and occasionally General Knowledge and Current Affairs.
- The CAT answer key released by the officials can help you identify the correct solutions provided for all questions.
- The article below contains questions from previous year CAT question papers with solutions to aid your preparation.
CAT Previous Year Paper Analysis [Last 6 Years]
| Year | Total Questions | Section-wise (VARC / DILR / QA) | Overall Difficulty | Notable Observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66 | 24 / 20 / 22 | Moderate | Pattern expected to remain stable; slight improvement in balance and clarity of DILR sets. |
| 2024 | 68 | 24 / 22 / 22 | Moderate | Slight increase in total questions; sections balanced. |
| 2023 | 66 | 24 / 20 / 22 | Moderate to Difficult | DILR and QA tougher; time management critical. |
| 2022 | 66 | 24 / 20 / 22 | Moderate to Difficult | Pattern stable; DILR emerged as the toughest section. |
| 2021 | 66 | 24 / 20 / 22 | Moderate to Difficult | First year with 66 questions; accuracy and time management important. |
| 2020 | 76 | 26 / 24 / 26 | Moderate to Tough | Major shift in format; fewer questions, shorter duration, higher pressure. |
Why Solve CAT Previous Year Papers?
- Solving CAT previous year papers is an important part of exam preparation.
- CAT Last year question papers helps you build your knowledge and understanding of the key topics and develop an effective strategy for tackling the exam.
- It also allows you to practice and familiarise yourself with the format and type of questions likely to appear in the actual CAT Exam.
- Practising CAT question papers helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and also helps you pinpoint areas that require more focused attention.
- Finally, by solving CAT previous year question papers you will understand the time management required to complete the exam successfully.
Check: Arithmetic Questions for CAT 2025
Benefits of Solving CAT Previous Year Papers
CAT previous year paper pdf free download are immensely beneficial for aspirants as they provide a clear understanding of the exam pattern, including question types, sectional distribution, and marking scheme.
They help in recognising the frequently tested topics and give an accurate sense of the difficulty level of each section: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).
Practising with these CAT last year question papers enhances time-management skills, builds exam temperament, and enables candidates to perform CAT exam analysis, self-assess their performance, track progress, and identify areas for improvement.
Moreover, solving actual CAT questions from previous years significantly boosts confidence and reduces anxiety.
Read more: Practice CAT DILR Questions
Who Should Use CAT Previous Year Question Papers?
CAT previous year papers pdf free download are valuable for a wide range of candidates. First-time aspirants benefit from understanding the nature of the exam, while repeat test-takers can use them to identify past errors and fine-tune their strategies.
Working professionals with limited preparation time can use these CAT last year question papers to practice in a targeted and efficient manner.
Additionally, both coaching students and independent learners should incorporate these papers into their study plans to become familiar with the exam format and improve their performance through consistent practice.
Read More | CAT Exam Preparation 2025
How to Download CAT Previous Year Question Paper​s
To download CAT previous year question papers pdfs, you can follow these steps:
1. Visit Official CAT Website (IIMs)
- Go to the official CAT website: https://iimcat.ac.in/
- Check for the "Previous Year Question Papers" section under the “Examination” or “Resources” tab.
- Download the PDFs of CAT question papers year-wise (if available) for free.
Conclusion
In conclusion, downloading CAT previous year papers pdf and sample CAT exam papers is an important tool for students to assess their knowledge and understanding of the topics covered in the CAT syllabus.
They allow students to practice their skills and prepare for the exam.
They are also effective ways for students to evaluate their progress in their studies and perform CAT 2025 Slot 1 analysis, helping them analyse their strengths and weaknesses in each subject by solving CAT exam previous year question papers slot wise.
Finally, it is essential to remember that the CAT Question Papers should be used as a guide for preparing for the actual CAT Exam.
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Lalita Vishwakarma
Content Writer
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