CAT 2024 Question Paper PDF (All 3 Slots) – Download & Check Solutions

Overview: If you’re preparing for CAT 2026 (or beyond), analysing the CAT 2024 question paper is one of the smartest things you can do. On this page, we’ll break down:

• Pattern & structure of the CAT 2024 sample question paper
• Slot-wise & section-wise difficulty of CAT 2024 paper
• Good attempts & key topic trends
• How to download CAT 2024 question paper PDF with solutions
• How to use the paper effectively for CAT 2026 preparation purpose. 

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What Are the Key Changes in the CAT 2024 Question Paper Pattern?

Important changes highlighted in expert write-ups include:

• The total questions increased from 66 to 68.
• DILR got 22 questions (up from 20) – more weightage to reasoning.
• VARC had an RC-heavy structure with four passages plus para-based questions.
• Overall duration remained the same (120 minutes, 40 per section).

All major insights below are based on official pattern details and expert analyses of the CAT 2024 exam.

What Were the Key Highlights of the CAT 2024 Question Paper?

The CAT 2024 question paper followed the familiar 3-section structure but with a small twist in the total number of questions.

CAT 2024 Paper Parameters Details Exam name Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 Conducting body IIM Calcutta Exam date 24 November 2024 (Sunday) Mode Computer‑Based Test (CBT) Slots 3 (Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3) Total duration 120 minutes (2 hours) Sectional time limit 40 minutes per section Total questions 68 questions Sections VARC, DILR, QA Question types MCQs + TITA (Type In The Answer) Marking scheme +3 for correct, –1 for incorrect MCQ, 0 for TITA / unattempted Overall difficulty Moderate across slots

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How Many Questions Were There in Each Section of the CAT 2024 Question Paper?

The distribution stayed consistent across all three slots: VARC, DILR and QA: 

CAT 2024 Question Paper Sections	No. of Questions	Weightage (Marks)
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	72
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)	22	66
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	22	66
Total	68	204

The increase from 66 to 68 questions came mainly from DILR, which had 22 questions instead of the earlier 20 in previous years.

What Was the Section-Wise Difficulty Level of the CAT 2024 Question Paper?

Based on multiple expert analyses, the overall difficulty of the CAT 2024 sample question paper was moderate, though there were some variations across slots and sections.

Sections	Difficulty (Overall)	Key Observations
VARC	Moderate (varied by slot)	4 RC passages + VA questions (para jumbles, summary, odd-one-out). Slot 2 felt easier, Slot 3 was considered the toughest in VARC.
DILR	Easy–Moderate to Moderate	Mixture of 4- and 5-question sets; a couple of time-consuming sets in Slot 2 & 3.
QA	Moderate, concept-heavy	Arithmetic dominated, followed by Algebra, with a few Geometry & Number System questions.

For CAT 2026 aspirants, this clearly tells you: you can’t ignore Arithmetic, RCs, and standard DILR caselets.

How Difficult Were CAT 2024 Slot 1, Slot 2 and Slot 3 Question Papers?

Using consolidated expert analyses, here’s a slot-wise comparison:

Slot	Overall Difficulty	VARC	DILR	QA	Good Attempts (Approx.)
Slot 1	Moderate (slightly easiest)	Moderate	Easy–Moderate	Moderate	~45–47
Slot 2	Moderate	Easy–Moderate (easiest VARC)	Moderate (some lengthy sets)	Moderate	~45–47
Slot 3	Moderate (trickiest overall)	Moderate–Difficult (toughest VARC)	Moderate but time-consuming	Moderate	~45–47

In short:

• Slot 1 – Most balanced & slightly friendlier overall
• Slot 2 – Manageable but tighter on time, especially in DILR
• Slot 3 – VARC clearly the trickiest; DILR & QA still moderate but time-draining

Are CAT 2024 Question Papers Available with Solutions?

Yes. Most popular MBA prep platforms like Supergrads provide a CAT 2024 question paper with solutions PDF for all three slots.

Solutions usually include:

• Step-by-step explanations for QA
• Logical breakdown for DILR sets
• Option elimination & inference-based explanations for VARC

These are extremely valuable if you’re trying to learn methods, not just check answers.

Why Should You Solve the CAT 2024 Question Paper for CAT 2026 Preparation?

Here’s why this single paper is a goldmine:

• Understand the real CAT exam pattern – You see exactly how IIMs currently set the paper.
• Gauge actual difficulty – More accurate than random mock tests.
• Spot trending topics – For example, Arithmetic & Algebra in QA, caselets in DILR, RC-heavy VARC.
• Improve time management – Sectional time limits feel different when you solve an actual paper.
• Practice with authentic questions: including CAT previous year papers – the closest possible benchmark to the real CAT exam

In short, if you’re serious about CAT 2026, not solving the CAT 2024 sample question paper is basically leaving free marks on the table.

Was the CAT 2024 Exam Question Paper Tougher Than Previous Years?

From multiple analyses:

• Overall, CAT 2024 was moderate and was considered slightly easier than CAT 2023 by many experts, particularly in DILR & QA.
• VARC difficulty was similar to recent years, with Slot 3 VARC being the most challenging.
• Compared to older patterns (like 2021), CAT 2024’s overall difficulty was in a similar ballpark.

Remember: “tough vs easy” doesn’t really matter—percentiles are relative. What matters is how efficiently you handle the level given.

Which Topics Dominated the CAT 2024 Question Paper in VARC, DILR and QA?

Based on section-wise analyses, here's how the CAT 2024 question paper looked topic-wise:

CAT 2024 Question Paper: VARC Section (24 Questions)

Topic Type	Details
Reading Comprehension (RC)	4 passages from philosophy, social sciences, business/economy, and abstract themes
Para Jumbles	TITA-based questions
Summary Questions	Short passage summary-based
Odd Sentence Out	Identify the out-of-context sentence

Prep takeaway:

• Make RC your core strength – build both speed and accuracy.
• Practice daily para-based verbal reasoning (para jumbles, summary, odd-one-out)

CAT 2024 Question Paper: DILR Section (22 Questions)

Aspect	Details
Number of Sets	4–5 sets per slot
Questions per Set	4–5 questions
Arrangements & Seating	Circular and linear arrangements
Venn Diagrams	Set overlaps and grouping
Games & Tournaments	Match-based and point-table sets
Scheduling & Distribution	Time, task, and resource allocation

Prep takeaway:

• Don’t chase all sets—build the skill to pick 2–3 doable sets fast.

CAT 2024 Question Paper: QA Section (22 Questions)

Topic Area	Key Topics Covered
Arithmetic	Percentages, Profit & Loss, Time-Speed-Distance, Time & Work, SI & CI
Algebra	Linear equations, Quadratic equations, Inequalities, Progressions
Geometry & Mensuration	Limited but scoring questions
Number System	A few conceptual questions

• A few questions from Geometry & Mensuration and Number System.

Prep takeaway:

• Master Arithmetic first, then Algebra.
• Keep 1–2 strong topics in Geometry & Modern Maths as bonus scoring areas.

How Many Good Attempts in CAT 2024 Question Paper for a 99+ Percentile?

Exact numbers vary by slot & accuracy, but based on expert guidance:

Around 45–47 serious attempts with high accuracy across the paper were considered strong for a very high percentile (including 99+ range) in CAT 2024.

Section-wise, many mentors suggested approximate “good attempts” as:

Section	Good Attempts (Approx.)
VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)	17–18
DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)	12–13
QA (Quantitative Ability)	13–14
Overall	45–47

These are approximate indicators, not rigid cut-offs percentile also depends on how others performed in your slot.

How Should You Use the CAT 2024 Question Paper for Preparation?

Here’s a simple 5-step process you can follow:

✅Take a full mock Test under the exact exam conditions

• 120 minutes total
• 40 minutes per section
• No pausing, no phone, exam-like environment

✅Evaluate your performance properly

• Check your raw score using any CAT 2024 solution PDF.
• Separate mistakes into: conceptual, silly, and guess-gone-wrong.

✅Create a section-wise error log

• VARC: Which RC passages or VA types hurt you?
• DILR: Which sets were time sinks?
• QA: Which topics (e.g., Time & Work, Progressions, Geometry) caused errors?

✅Re-solve questions slowly

• Focus on the ones you got wrong or left unattempted.
• Try solving without seeing the solution first; then compare with the expert method.

✅Revisit the paper after 2–3 weeks

• Attempt again to check improvement in accuracy, speed and comfort.

What Should You Do After Analysing the CAT 2024 Question Paper?

Once you’ve solved and analysed the CAT 2024 exam question paper with solutions, don’t stop there. Use it as a launchpad:

✅Update your preparation plan

• Shift more time towards topics that appeared more frequently in CAT 2024 (e.g., Arithmetic, RCs, standard LRDI caselets).

✅Align your mocks

• Pick mock tests whose pattern & difficulty are close to the CAT 2024 exam analysis, not random extreme papers.

✅Practice previous year CAT papers

• Move backwards: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, etc.
• This helps you understand how patterns evolve while concepts remain broadly similar.

✅Regularly revisit CAT 2024

• Every few weeks, pick one slot again and try to beat your previous performance same paper, better results.

Analysing the CAT 2024 question paper in depth not only gives you clarity on the exam pattern but also helps you build a sharp, targeted strategy for CAT 2026.