Between 2020 and 2025, CAT became more balanced and predictable compared to earlier years. The 99 percentile cutoff increased from about 76 marks in CAT 2023 to nearly 86 marks in CAT 2025, reflecting changes in exam difficulty and competition.

From 2020 to 2025, CAT 2023 was the toughest, set by IIM Lucknow. CAT 2025 exam was moderate to difficult, having an intensive QA section, with the 99th percentile reaching 86 out of 204.

  • CAT 2023 is the toughest paper from 2020 to 2025, with a 99th percentile requiring just 76 out of 198 marks.
  • CAT 2024 is considered the easiest recent CAT exam, despite still having a high cutoff for top percentiles.
  • DILR section has consistently been the most difficult and time-consuming section of the CAT exam, across the years. QA difficulty has fluctuated the most, peaking in 2023.
  • VARC section is viewed as the least difficult among the 3 sections of the CAT.
  • The number of questions increased from 66 to 68 in recent years, with the extra 2 questions added to DILR.

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CAT Previous Year Question Papers Difficulty Comparison 2020 to 2025

Key Summary

  • CAT difficulty varies each year, with CAT 2023 considered the toughest, while CAT 2024 and 2025 were relatively more moderate compared to it.
  • DILR is consistently the most difficult section, often time-consuming and logic-heavy across all years (2020–2025).
  • VARC is generally the easiest section, while QA fluctuates in difficulty and was particularly tough in years like 2023.
  • 99th percentile score requirement varies yearly, typically ranging from ~76 to ~100+, depending on paper difficulty.

CAT 2020 to 2025 Difficulty Comparison: Year-wise Overview

The CAT exams have varied level of difficulty each year. CAT 2025 and 2024 exams were considered to be moderately challenging, while the 2023 exam was considered to be difficult.

  • Since the last 2 years, the total number of questions has increased from 66 to 68, indicating an increase of 2 questions in the DILR section.
  • The total questions per section usually follow this: 24 in VARC, 20-22 in DILR, and 22 in QA.
  • The conducting IIM may influence the paper's style, but it does not guarantee that the same difficulty level or question pattern will be repeated.
CAT Exam Year Marks for 99th Percentile Overall Difficulty Difficult Section
CAT 2025 ~86–90/204 Moderate to Difficult QA
CAT 2024 ~95–100/204 Moderate DILR
CAT 2023 76/198 Difficult QA and DILR
CAT 2022 84/198 Moderate DILR
CAT 2021 98/198 Moderate Balanced
CAT 2020 101/228 Moderate to Difficult DILR

Based on the YouTube video: CAT Previous Papers Setters | Exam Difficulty Level Analysis by Cracku

CAT 2020 to 2025 Difficulty Comparison: Year-wise Overview

Ques. Which year CAT exam was easiest?

Ans. CAT 2024 exam is widely considered to be the easiest in recent years. However, even for the easier exam, cutoffs rise very high, making it difficult to get into the top 99th percentile.

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CAT DILR Section Difficulty Analysis Over the Years

The Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) section is noted as the most difficult section of the three, across the years. It contains 4-5 sets, each set containing 4-6 questions:

  • DILR has become more logic-heavy and less calculation-heavy over time.
  • 2024 was considered the easiest in the last 5 years. It had more straightforward sets, clearer conditions, and better selection opportunities.
  • CAT 2020 featured 24 questions across five sets, making it the largest DILR section in recent years.
  • CAT 2023 had the toughest DILR section. Multi-variable reasoning and complex set selection made it the most challenging DILR paper in recent years.
CAT Exam Year Total DILR Questions Set Structure Breakdown Toughest Set Type Overall Difficulty
CAT 2025 22 Two 6-question sets + Two 5-question sets Calculation-heavy Missing Data Tables Moderate to High
CAT 2024 22 Two 6-question sets + Two 5-question sets Conditional Grid & Arithmetic Logic Moderate
CAT 2023 20 Four 5-question sets Multi-variable Route Maps & Venn Diagrams Extremely High
CAT 2022 20 Four 5-question sets Tournament Seeding & Token-Based Games High
CAT 2021 20 Two 6-question sets + Two 4-question sets Complex Caselets & Unstructured Logic High
CAT 2020 24 Two 6-question sets + Three 4-question sets Matrix Arrangements & Coordination Puzzles High

Ques. Does CAT Repeat Questions From Past Year Papers?

Ans. No, CAT doesn’t repeat questions. However, it may repeat concepts and question types, but rarely any exact question. Similar patterns and difficulty levels can be observed in its sections.

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CAT QA Section Difficulty Analysis from 2020 to 2025

In recent CATs (2023–2025), Arithmetic and Algebra together make up 70–80% of the QA section. If you are strong in these two, you can score up to 25+ marks in QA.

  • Arithmetic remains the most important topic with 8–11 questions. Across the years, it shows an increasing trend of questions with easy to moderate difficulty.
  • Algebra contributes 5–8 questions consistently, with moderate to tough difficulty.
  • A total of 22 questions have been asked from the QA section every year since 2021, 26 questions were asked in CAT 2020.
CAT Exam Year Dominant Math Topic Question Type Layout Overall Section Difficulty
CAT 2025 Arithmetic (9–10 Qs) & Algebra ~15 MCQs and 7 TITA Moderate to Difficult (Lengthy calculations)
CAT 2024 Arithmetic & Algebra ~14 MCQs and 8 TITA Moderate (Relatively easier than 2023)
CAT 2023 Algebra & Arithmetic 15 MCQs and 7 TITA Extremely High (Highly abstract & time-consuming)
CAT 2022 Arithmetic (8–9 Qs) & Algebra 14 MCQs and 8 TITA Moderate to High (Tricky application logic)
CAT 2021 Arithmetic & Algebra 14 MCQs and 8 TITA Moderate (Balanced, standard-type questions)
CAT 2020 Arithmetic (10+ Qs) 18 MCQs and 8 TITA Moderate (High speed required due to 40-minute limit)

Ques. What is the most important topic in QA?

Ans. Arithmetic is considered to be the most important topic in CAT Quantitative Analysis (QA), with an average weightage of 40-50%.

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VARC Section Difficulty Analysis from 2020 to 2025

Based on Rodha’s YouTube video on the VARC CAT 2025 Section Analysis with respect to previous years:

  • The overall VARC structure has remained largely unchanged since 2020. It consists of 4 Reading Comprehension passages and 8 Verbal Ability questions.
  • Language complexity has gradually increased, with CAT 2025 featuring longer options, denser passages, and more subtle question framing.
  • The process of elimination (POE) remains one of the most effective strategies for answering both RC and VA questions.
  • Recent RC passages increasingly feature non-fiction topics, such as philosophy, economics, science, psychology, and social issues, making regular reading an essential part of preparation.
CAT Exam Year Reading Comprehension (RC) Theme Focus Verbal Ability (VA) Structural Changes Overall Section Difficulty
CAT 2025 Dense non-fiction essays on complex systems, electronic music, and inequality Parajumbles returned; options became lengthy with multiple double negatives Moderate to Difficult (Complex option elimination)
CAT 2024 Technology, corporate strategy, space debris, AI regulations, and brand case studies Parajumbles removed; Para-completion introduced as the replacement Easy to Moderate (Straightforward narrative style)
CAT 2023 Philosophy, critical reasoning, and abstract anthropology Odd Sentence Out returned; VA questions were mixed within RC blocks Moderate to High (Tricky, closely overlapping options)
CAT 2022 History, evolutionary biology, sociology, and modern linguistics Odd Sentence Out removed; Greater emphasis on Para Summary and Sentence Placement Moderate (Standard CAT language syntax)
CAT 2021 Scientific research, cultural theories, and economics First 24-question VARC format after the pandemic-related reduction in questions Moderate (Balanced passage length)
CAT 2020 Environmental science, classical literature, and psychology 18 RC questions across five passages With 8 standard VA questions Moderate (High reading speed required in 40 minutes)

Ques. Which IIM sets the easiest set of CAT question papers?

Ans. There is no particular IIM that sets easier or tougher exams. However, based on past year trends, IIM Calcutta and IIM Indore are known for setting relatively easier CAT question papers.

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Was CAT 2025 more difficult than Previous Years? — Reddit Discussion

Based on the Reddit thread r/CATpreparation, the section-wise breakdown of the CAT 2025 exam with respect to previous years is as follows:

  • VARC: It was comparable to CAT 2023, but passages were denser and more challenging. VA remained standard with a few ambiguous questions.
  • DILR: It is considered to have the biggest jump in difficulty. Sets looked manageable initially but became highly calculation-intensive and time-consuming.
  • QA: Regarded as easier than CAT 2023 conceptually, but lengthy calculations and intensive arithmetic made it difficult to maximize attempts.
  • Overall, unlike CAT 2022, where all sections had many sitters, CAT 2025 offered very few easy questions, making selection and time management crucial.
Was CAT 2025 more difficult than Previous Years? — Reddit Discussion
Was CAT 2025 more difficult than Previous Years? — Reddit Discussion

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Ques. Has the CAT exam pattern changed between 2020 and 2025?

Ans. Yes, CAT exam pattern has changed twice since 2020. In 2021, the number of questions dropped from 76 questions (228 marks) down to 66 questions (198 marks) while keeping the shortened 120-minute limit. In 2024, the exam expanded again up to 68 questions (204 marks), where the conducting committee added exactly two extra questions into the DILR section.

Ques. Does the conducting IIM affect CAT difficulty?

Ans. Yes. While all IIMs follow the same syllabus framework, the specific institutuion in charge of conducting the exam alters the difficulty curve. For instance, IIM Lucknow (2023) traditionally introduces heavy analytical and abstract engineering-focused math, whereas IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Calcutta frequently pivot toward tougher logic puzzles or dense, inferential verbal passages.

Ques. Are the past CAT question papers helpful for preparation?

Ans. Yes, CAT previous year question papers are very helpful for preparation. It shows the kind of questions, pattern, and difficulty level asked by the IIMs.

Ques. Are Previous Year Questions Enough For CAT Exam?

Ans. No, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) are not enough; they are very important, but insufficient alone because CAT changes difficulty and pattern slightly every year. New types of DILR sets and RC topics keep appearing in the exam, thus building foundational knowledge, and practising mocks is also important.