Is CAT Getting Tougher Year after Year?

Is CAT getting tougher every year? This is a question many aspirants wonder about as they prepare for CAT 2025. The exam is known for its challenging nature, but its difficulty does not simply increase year after year. Some years, sections like Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) or Quantitative Ability (QA) can be tougher, while other years, they may feel more manageable. The exam pattern changes frequently, with a shifting focus on different skills, which can make it seem harder over time. Strong time management, clear concepts, and adaptability are key to acing the exam on the first attempt. The CAT 2025 is scheduled to take place on November 30, 2025, in three sessions. The CAT 2025 registration has commenced on August 1, 2025 and will continue till September 13, 2025. The following sections of the article will help you understand if the CAT exam is getting tougher over the years by looking at past year trends and section-wise aspects over recent years.

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CAT Difficulty Level Over the Years

While preparing for CAT 2025 , it’s key to understand how tough the exam can be and what types of questions you will face. Knowing this helps you create a smart study plan that boosts your chances of scoring high. Over the years, CAT papers have mostly been moderately tough to hard. We have gathered insights from 2020 to 2024 to guide your practice effectively.

Also Read: Is It Difficult to Score 99 Percentile in CAT 2025?

CAT Section-wise Difficulty Level Over the Years

The CAT exam is known for its unpredictable difficulty, changing every year and even between slots. Whether it’s the pattern or the challenge level, CAT always pushes your skills. Tracking how each section, VARC, DILR, and QA, has varied from 2020 to 2024 can give you valuable insights. This helps you create a smart, focused plan for CAT 2025.

CAT 2024 Section-Wise Difficulty Level

The CAT 2024 exam was of moderate difficulty. Significant changes included an increase in total questions from 66 to 68. Nevertheless, there were sufficient variations among slots; Slot 1 was the easiest, and Slot 3 was the hardest.

CAT 2023 Section-Wise Difficulty Level

CAT 2023 was difficult. VARC was the most difficult section in Slot 1. Quantitative Ability was moderately difficult, with many questions based on Arithmetic.

CAT 2022 Section-Wise Difficulty Level

CAT 2022 was overall moderately difficult. The DILR area in Slot 1 did not have any data interpretation sets. The Quantitative Ability section included several questions based on averages and ratios, which were deemed relatively easier.

CAT 2021 Section-Wise Difficulty Level

CAT 2021 was a difficult question paper. A key difference was that the number of questions had been reduced from 76 to a total of 66, which altered the entire structure of the paper and exam time plan.

CAT 2020 Section-Wise Difficulty Level

CAT 2020 continued was tough, like the previous years. The sectional difficulty level was differentiated, with DILR being the toughest compared to the other two sections.

CAT 2019 Section-Wise Difficulty Level

CAT 2019 was just as difficult as last year; however, due to some tricky sets. Strategy and set selection were crucial to maximising your attempts. One set was moderate, but the rest of the sets were challenging and took time to attempt. For the DI section, there were also 8 TITA questions.

Will CAT 2025 Be Hard for You?

While you might be wondering how tough CAT 2025 will be,  there is no exact way to predict it. You can get a good idea by reviewing past papers and the CAT exam pattern. Sometimes, tricky DILR questions or changes in topic weight can make the exam feel tougher. On the other hand, exams that focus more on accuracy than just the number of questions tend to be easier to handle. Ultimately, how challenging you find the exam depends a lot on your preparation and how well you know the exam format. To boost your readiness, make sure you take plenty of mock tests for CAT 2025. You could also think about joining a quality coaching program to get a more organised study plan and guidance. This way, you will walk into the exam feeling confident and well-prepared.

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Best Preparation Tips to Tackle Any Level of Difficulty for CAT 2025

No matter how difficult the CAT 2025 is, if you are smart and focused on your preparation, you should be able to keep up with the CAT exam. Here are a few tips from the experts on how to handle all levels of difficulty in the exam:

• Ensure Conceptual Clarity: Strong basics in VARC, DILR, and QA are vital before attempting more challenging problems. If your conceptual clarity is good, you will be able to reach the correct answer for difficult questions quickly and with better accuracy.
• Find your Exam Stamina with Mocks: Start attempting full-length CAT 2025 mock tests, under timed conditions. Every mock test should be treated like a real exam. This prepares you mentally to develop stamina, time management, and get acquainted with the pressure of a real exam situation. Once you complete each mock, you need to analyse each test to see your growth and also look for weak areas you can improve in.
• Enhance Your Strategy, Not Just Speed: Instead of rushing through the paper, come up with a clever strategy for your choice of questions. Don't even hesitate to skip questions that are taking a while or questions that you are unsure of, and think accuracy over a sheer number of questions. High accuracy with fewer attempts is likely to lead to a better percentile anyway.
• Practice Section-Wise Questions Regularly: Daily or weekly sectional tests are valuable in reinforcing specific topics as well as improving speed in the area of each section. This is paramount in DILR and QA, as these can have facets of unpredictability regarding difficult levels.
• Keep Yourself Updated With CAT Exam Trends: Understanding past CAT patterns will make it easier to judge what surprises are waiting for you. You can solve the CAT previous years' question papers and sample papers that abide by the changing exam orientation.
• Maintain Your Revision Cycle: Revision should be treated as a part and parcel of your grooming. Go through your formulas, grammar topics, shortcut methods, and revision notes of key concepts regularly to keep up until the exam.
• Stay Consistent: CAT is as much a temperament test as it is a knowledge test. Remain positive and consistent as much as possible to avoid burning out. Plan a routine where you alternate your practice with periods of short breaks, keeping your mind fresh.

Is CAT getting tougher each year? While some sections may feel harder or the question patterns might change, your best tools remain solid fundamentals, smart strategies, and consistent practice. By following expert advice and preparing thoughtfully, you will confidently tackle any surprises CAT 2025 throws your way. Stay focused, prepare smart, and you will be ready for whatever comes next!

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