CAT Previous Year Question Paper: After every CAT exam, the IIMs release the question paper with the official answer key, which makes previous year papers the most accurate practice for CAT 2026, to be held on November 29, 2026. MBAUniverse.com offers CAT previous year question papers, from CAT 2017 to CAT 2025, as free PDFs with answers: one download per year with all its slots, including all three slots of the CAT 2025 question paper. You can also take 10 free PYQ mocks online, based on CAT 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022 papers. The CAT 2026 question paper will be added here soon after the exam. Download the CAT previous year question paper PDF from the sections below, or go straight to the free online PYQ mocks at the end of this page.
CAT previous year question paper are available on MBAUniverse.com across the last nine years. Every CAT exam question paper here is the official paper released by the IIMs, and each CAT question paper PDF free download includes the official answer key. Download PDF, or take the recent papers online as mocks. The exam pattern for CAT past year papers is given in the table below.
CAT Previous Year Question Papers: Available on MBAUniverse.com
| CAT year | Slots | Questions per paper | Available as PDF | Online mocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 2025 | 3 | 68 | Yes, all 3 slots | Yes, Mocks 1, 2 and 3 |
| CAT 2024 | 3 | 68 | Yes, all 3 slots | Yes, Mocks 4, 5 and 6 |
| CAT 2023 | 3 | 66 | Yes, all 3 slots | Yes, Mocks 7, 8 and 9 |
| CAT 2022 | 3 | 66 | Yes, all 3 slots | Mock 10 |
| CAT 2021 | 3 | 66 | Yes, all 3 slots | — |
| CAT 2020 | 3 | 76 | Yes, all 3 slots | — |
| CAT 2017–2019 | 2 each | 100 | Yes, all 6 papers | — |
The CAT 2026 question paper is not out yet: CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026, in three slots. The IIMs release the official CAT question paper 2026 only after the exam, along with the provisional answer key and candidates’ response sheets. CAT 2026 memory based paper that are released by some CAT coaching institutes on exam day are reconstructions, not the official CAT 2026 paper.
CAT 2026 Question Paper: Expected Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| CAT 2026 exam (three slots) | November 29, 2026 |
| Memory-based papers and exam analysis (unofficial) | November 29, 2026 (exam day) |
| Official CAT exam question paper 2026 (all slots), provisional answer key and response sheets | First week of December 2026 (CAT 2025: December 4, 2025) |
On the day the CAT 2026 answer key is released, MBAUniverse.com will add the CAT 2026 question paper PDF, all three slots with answers, to this section, along with a free online mock based on it. Bookmark this page for the CAT exam paper 2026. Until then, the CAT 2025 question paper is the closest practice paper.
The CAT question paper pattern has changed over the years, so check it before you pick a paper. CAT 2017 to 2019 had 100 questions in 180 minutes; since CAT 2020, the paper has run for 120 minutes, with 40 minutes per section. CAT 2024 and 2025 had 68 questions, and CAT 2026 is expected to follow the same pattern. Read more in CAT exam pattern 2026.
CAT Question Paper Pattern: 2017 to 2025
| CAT year | Conducted by | Exam date | Slots | Questions | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | IIM Kozhikode | November 30, 2025 | 3 | 68 | 120 minutes |
| 2024 | IIM Calcutta | November 24, 2024 | 3 | 68 | 120 minutes |
| 2023 | IIM Lucknow | November 26, 2023 | 3 | 66 | 120 minutes |
| 2022 | IIM Bangalore | November 27, 2022 | 3 | 66 | 120 minutes |
| 2021 | IIM Ahmedabad | November 28, 2021 | 3 | 66 | 120 minutes |
| 2020 | IIM Indore | November 29, 2020 | 3 | 76 | 120 minutes |
| 2019 | IIM Kozhikode | November 24, 2019 | 2 | 100 | 180 minutes |
| 2018 | IIM Calcutta | November 25, 2018 | 2 | 100 | 180 minutes |
| 2017 | IIM Lucknow | November 26, 2017 | 2 | 100 | 180 minutes |
Source: MBAUniverse.com compilation of CAT notifications and papers.
The CAT 2025 question paper is the most important CAT previous year question paper for CAT 2026. CAT 2025 was conducted by IIM Kozhikode on November 30, 2025, in three slots, each with 68 questions (24 in VARC, 22 in DILR and 22 in QA) for 204 marks. DILR was on the difficult side, VARC was more scoring than in earlier years, and about 85 marks were enough for 99 percentile. Solving the CAT paper 2025 under exam conditions is the best test of where you stand. CAT last year question paper PDF for each of the three slots of the CAT exam paper 2025 with official answers are given below.
Looking for the CAT question paper 2025 PDF with solutions? Step-by-step solutions for a CAT 2025 paper are in the CAT Mock Test 2026 – 1 PDF (download from link below).
Download CAT 2025 Question Paper PDF: Slots 1 with Answers
CAT 2024 was conducted by IIM Calcutta on November 24, 2024, in three slots of 68 questions each, the same pattern as CAT 2025. This CAT previous year question paper was the highest-scoring of recent years, mainly because of an easier DILR section. Use this CAT 2024 question paper PDF free download, for each of the three slots, to practise the current pattern (download from link below).
Download CAT 2024 Question Paper PDF: Slots 1 with Answers
CAT 2023 was conducted by IIM Lucknow on November 26, 2023, in three slots of 66 questions each (24 in VARC, 20 in DILR and 22 in QA). It was the toughest of the recent papers, mainly because of DILR: about 76 marks were enough for 99 percentile. The CAT question paper 2023 PDF for each of the three slots is given below.
Download CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF: Slots 1 with Answers
CAT 2022 was conducted by IIM Bangalore on November 27, 2022, in three slots of 66 questions each. About 84 marks were enough for 99 percentile, close to CAT 2025. The CAT question paper 2022 PDF for slot 1 with answers is given below.
Download CAT 2022 Question Paper PDF: Slot 1 with Answers
CAT 2021 was conducted by IIM Ahmedabad on November 28, 2021, in three slots of 66 questions each, in 120 minutes. The CAT question paper 2021 PDF for Slot 1 with answers is given below. Use this CAT previous year question paper after the 2022 to 2025 papers for more full-length practice on almost the same pattern.
Download CAT 2021 Question Paper PDF: Slot 1 with Answers
CAT 2020 was conducted by IIM Indore on November 29, 2020, in three slots. It was the first CAT in the 120-minute format, with 76 questions per paper. The CAT 2020 question paper PDF for Slot 1 with answers is given below. Download now and check how you perform when questions are slightly more.
Download CAT 2020 Question Paper PDF: Slot 1 with Answers
CAT 2017, 2018 and 2019 were held in two slots each, with 100 questions in 180 minutes, or 60 minutes per section. The pattern is old, but the question types are still useful practice. Solve each CAT previous year question paper from these years section-wise, keeping strictly to 40 minutes, for extra practice in your weak section.
Download CAT 2017–2019 Question Papers PDF
A CAT previous year paper works best when you use it in the right order. Nearly all of the 42 CAT toppers interviewed by MBAUniverse.com combined their books or coaching material with previous year CAT papers. Follow this plan:
If you prefer printed practice, two CAT previous year question paper books are widely used:
Read more in CAT preparation books 2026.
Looking for a CAT previous year question paper mock test? MBAUniverse.com offers 10 free CAT mocks based on CAT papers, listed as ‘CAT PYQ Mock Test – 1’ to ‘CAT PYQ Mock Test 2026 – 10’:
Each mock duration is 120 minutes and shows your section-wise score at the end. Click ‘Take Test Now’ below a mock, complete the free one-minute registration and start. Scroll down to the tests, just below the Summary and FAQs.
After every CAT exam, the IIMs release the question paper with the official answer key, and these CAT previous year question papers remain the most accurate practice for CAT 2026 on November 29, 2026. MBAUniverse.com offers 24 papers from CAT 2017 to CAT 2025 as free PDFs with answers, one download per year with all slots, plus 10 free mocks online based on recent CAT papers. The CAT 2026 question paper will be added here after the exam. Download your CAT previous year question paper PDF today, take a free PYQ based CAT mock test from the section below.
