CAT 2021: Last 10 Years Question Paper Analysis

Updated On: November 27, 2021 04:17 pm IST

CAT exam has seen a lot of significant changes in the past decade. Here is a quick and detailed last 10 years question paper analysis of CAT.

CAT 2021: Last 10 Years Question Paper Analysis

CAT 2021 is all set to be held on November 28, 2021 (Sunday). The exam will offer admission in not only 20 IIMs but will also provide admission in over 1200 finest b-schools in India.

Over the last 10 years, the CAT exam has seen numerous developments where the marking scheme, exam sections, total number of questions & marks, exam duration and time limit has gone through a lot of changes. A quick breakdown of the last 10 years question paper of CAT 2021 has been captured below:

Year	Overall Difficulty Level	Exam Duration	Total Number of Questions	Exam Sections
2021	To be Updated	120 minutes	76 questions	VARC, DILR, QA
2020	Moderate	120 minutes	76 questions	VARC, DILR, QA
2019	Moderate to Difficult	180 minutes	100 questions	VARC, DILR, QA
2018	Moderate to Difficult	180 minutes	100 questions	VARC, DILR, QA
2017	Moderate	180 minutes	100 questions	VARC, DILR, QA
2016	Moderate to Difficult	180 minutes	100 questions	VARC, DILR, QA
2015	Moderate	180 minutes	100 questions	VARC, DILR, QA
2014	Easy	170 minutes	100 questions	VARC & LR, QA & DI
2013	Moderate to Difficult	140 minutes	60 questions	VARC & LR, QA & DI
2012	Moderate to Difficult	140 minutes	60 questions	VARC & LR, QA & DI
2011	Moderate	140 minutes	60 questions	VARC & LR, QA & DI

Also Read: CAT 2021 Attempts vs Percentile Analysis

CAT 2021: A Quick Analysis of Last 10 Years Question Papers

A massive change in the pattern of CAT was recorded after CAT 2013. The exam duration and the total number of questions were increased from 140 minutes to 170 minutes and 60 questions to 100 questions respectively. Due to the pandemic, an enormous change was seen again in CAT 2020 where the exam duration was decreased from 180 minutes to 120 minutes and the total number of questions were reduced from 100 to 76. This helped in taking the pressure off the student’s mind.

The marking scheme of CAT 2021 has not changed at all in the last six years. 3 marks are awarded for every correct answer, 1 mark is deducted for every incorrect MCQ while no marks are reduced for an incorrect non-MCQ. Students must also note that 0 marks will be reduced for unattempted questions.

What to Expect in CAT 2021?

CAT 2021 will be held in an online mode. Just like CAT 2020, CAT 2021 is expected to witness a total of 76 questions that candidates need to attempt in 120 minutes. A sectional time limit of 40 minutes will be allotted to each exam section, namely, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA). The marking scheme will be the same as the last year.

Also Read: How Did The CAT Exam Pattern Change Over The Years? Take A Look!

Given below is the complete and detailed analysis of the last 10 Years Question Papers of CAT 2021.

CAT 2020 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage	CAT 2019 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage
CAT 2018 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage	CAT 2017 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage
CAT 2016 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage	CAT 2015 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage
CAT 2014 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage	CAT 2013 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage
CAT 2012 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage	CAT 2011 Question Paper Analysis - Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Weightage