CAT 2023 Question Papers, Download PDF with Video Solutions

CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF

The CAT 2023 exam was conducted by IIM Lucknow on November 26, 2023, in three sessions. The paper had a total of 66 questions divided across VARC, DILR and QA, with candidates getting 40 minutes for each section and 120 minutes for the complete examination.

CAT 2023 is particularly important for aspirants preparing for CAT 2026 because it was one of the more challenging CAT papers in recent years. While the overall structure remained similar to CAT 2022, QA was considerably difficult, and DILR continued to test candidates heavily on set selection and decision-making.

Solving the CAT 2023 question paper can therefore help aspirants understand how CAT behaves when the difficulty level rises and why accuracy and question selection become more important than simply increasing attempts.

Here is a quick overview of the CAT 2023 exam pattern:

Note: Each correct answer carries 3 marks. An incorrect MCQ attracts a negative marking of 1 mark, while TITA questions do not have negative marking.

CAT 2023 Slot-Wise Question Papers

CAT 2023 was conducted in three slots on November 26, 2023. Each slot contained 24 VARC questions, 20 DILR questions and 22 QA questions. Cracku provides all three CAT 2023 previous papers along with section-wise tests and solutions.

Slot 1 (Morning): Slot 1 was challenging overall. VARC was moderate and offered reasonable scoring opportunities to candidates with strong reading skills. DILR was moderate to difficult and required careful selection of sets. QA was difficult, with Arithmetic and Algebra playing an important role. Cracku's analysis suggested around 16 to 18 good attempts in VARC, 10 to 12 in DILR and 12 to 13 in QA.

Slot 2 (Afternoon): Slot 2 maintained the high difficulty level. VARC was moderate, while DILR was difficult and required candidates to avoid getting trapped in time-consuming sets. QA was again difficult, with good attempts estimated at around 10 to 12 questions.

Slot 3 (Evening): Slot 3 had an easy-to-moderate VARC section according to Cracku's broad analysis, while DILR was moderate. QA remained difficult and was one of the key challenges of the paper. Across CAT 2023, Quant was generally considered the most challenging section.

Since CAT is conducted across different slots, candidates' raw scores undergo the CAT normalisation process. This accounts for differences in difficulty between slots before scaled scores and percentiles are calculated.

CAT 2023 Difficulty Level and Section-Wise Analysis

CAT 2023 was one of the tougher CAT papers of the recent cycle. Compared with CAT 2024, candidates generally needed a lower raw score in CAT 2023 to reach similar percentile levels because the 2023 paper was harder, particularly in QA and DILR.

Here is a broad section-wise overview:

Good attempts are indicative rather than fixed targets. Accuracy, individual slot difficulty and the questions selected by a candidate can significantly change the score obtained from the same number of attempts.

VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension)

CAT 2023 VARC contained 24 questions in each slot. Reading Comprehension continued to account for a major part of the section, along with verbal ability questions.

An important feature of CAT 2023 was the presence of para-insertion questions, adding another variation to the types of verbal ability questions candidates needed to handle.

The section required candidates to read quickly without compromising comprehension. Instead of relying only on vocabulary or grammar, questions frequently tested the ability to understand arguments, identify the author's position and differentiate between closely worded answer choices.

Slot-wise difficulty varied, but VARC was generally more manageable than QA.

For CAT 2026 aspirants, the main takeaway from CAT 2023 VARC is that the exact mix of VA questions can change. Preparation should therefore focus on reading comprehension and reasoning ability rather than predicting a fixed question pattern.

DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning)

CAT 2023 DILR consisted of 20 questions in 40 minutes.

The section was challenging because candidates had to identify the right sets quickly. A difficult-looking set could sometimes become manageable after identifying its underlying structure, while an apparently straightforward set could consume significant time.

This makes CAT 2023 particularly valuable for practising DILR set selection.

The goal should not be to solve all the sets. Instead, candidates should scan the section, identify the most approachable sets and maximise accuracy on those before moving to more complicated ones.

CAT 2024 subsequently increased DILR from 20 to 22 questions and was generally considered easier in this section than CAT 2023. This makes the 2023 DILR papers useful as comparatively difficult practice material.

QA (Quantitative Ability)

QA was arguably the defining section of CAT 2023.

The section contained 22 questions, but the difficulty level was considerably higher than in several surrounding CAT editions. Cracku's analysis identifies QA as the most challenging section across CAT 2023, with Slot 3 being particularly demanding.

Arithmetic and Algebra remained important areas, alongside questions from Geometry, Number System and other Quant concepts.

The major challenge was not necessarily unfamiliar concepts. Several questions required candidates to combine concepts, recognise the correct approach quickly and avoid spending excessive time on questions that were technically solvable but inefficient under exam conditions.

This is an important lesson for CAT preparation. A strong Quant student is not simply someone who can eventually solve a difficult question. The candidate must also recognise whether that question deserves three or four minutes during the actual examination.

How to Download CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF?

CAT aspirants can practise all three CAT 2023 papers through Cracku's CAT previous year paper section. Cracku provides CAT 2023 Slot 1, Slot 2 and Slot 3 papers, along with full-length and section-wise practice options.

To practise CAT 2023 papers:

• Open the CAT previous year papers section on Cracku.
• Select CAT 2023.
• Choose Slot 1, Slot 2 or Slot 3.
• Attempt the complete 66-question paper in 120 minutes.
• Follow the 40-minute sectional time limit.
• Review detailed solutions after completing the paper.
• Re-attempt incorrect and skipped questions separately.
• Attempt section-wise CAT 2023 tests if a particular section needs improvement.

The most effective approach is to attempt the paper before checking solutions. Looking through questions and solutions first reduces the value of the paper as a realistic mock.

How to Use CAT 2023 Question Paper for Preparation?

The CAT 2023 question paper is particularly useful because it exposes aspirants to a difficult CAT paper. Instead of using it only to calculate a score, candidates should analyse how their strategy changes when easy questions are less obvious.

• Attempt it like an actual CAT mock: Use exactly 120 minutes with 40 minutes for VARC, DILR and QA each.
• Track accuracy, not just attempts: A difficult paper can punish candidates who continue attempting questions aggressively despite low confidence.
• Analyse DILR set selection: Note which set you attempted first and whether another set would have produced more marks in the same amount of time.
• Use QA to test question selection: CAT 2023 Quant is excellent practice for deciding when to leave a difficult problem.
• Analyse VARC elimination: For incorrect RC questions, determine why the selected option looked attractive and what made the correct option better.
• Separate conceptual and strategic mistakes: Not knowing how to solve a question is different from knowing the concept but spending too much time on it.
• Re-attempt skipped questions: Questions that you could solve later without a timer may indicate a selection or time-management issue.
• Solve all three slots: One slot cannot represent the complete CAT 2023 experience.
• Compare CAT 2023 with CAT 2024 and CAT 2025: This helps you understand how difficulty and question distribution can change without fundamentally changing what CAT tests.

One particularly useful exercise is to maintain a decision log while analysing the paper. For every major mistake, classify it as Concept, Calculation, Selection, Time Management or Accuracy.

This turns a previous year paper into more than another mock score. It shows exactly where marks are being lost.

CAT 2023 also provides an important reminder for CAT 2026 aspirants: do not build your strategy assuming the actual CAT paper will be easy or moderate. CAT 2024 was generally easier than CAT 2023, demonstrating how significantly difficulty can change from one year to another.

A good preparation strategy should therefore work across both situations. On an easier paper, candidates need to maximise attempts without losing accuracy. On a difficult paper such as CAT 2023, the priority shifts towards identifying limited scoring opportunities and avoiding unnecessary time sinks.

Conclusion: Why CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF Matters

The CAT 2023 Question Paper PDF is one of the most useful previous year resources for candidates who want to test themselves against a genuinely challenging CAT paper. With 66 questions across VARC, DILR and QA, it helps aspirants understand how question selection, accuracy and time management become even more important when the overall difficulty rises.

CAT 2023 should therefore not be judged only by the percentile or mock score you obtain after attempting it. Analyse which questions you selected, which DILR sets you ignored, where you spent too much time and how many marks were lost through avoidable errors. Combining CAT 2023 with other CAT previous year papers, sectional tests and full-length mocks can help build a strategy that remains effective even when the actual CAT paper is unexpectedly difficult.